Comforting words needed

Posted by ancl123 @ancl123, Oct 4, 2025

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.

2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through my
Body multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure what
To do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭

Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?
Thank you in advance 😊

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ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 19 10:06am

In reply to @tawnycgeorge "@ancl123 glad you’re getting those 4-4.5 hours! Hang in there!" + (show)

@tawnycgeorge mthsbk
Thank you praying for a miracle here! Only used Doxapin 3 once worked and second time didn’t 🥲

TG | @tawnycgeorge | Jan 19 10:52am

In reply to @ancl123 "@tawnycgeorge mthsbk Thank you praying for a miracle here! Only used Doxapin 3 once worked and..." + (show)

@ancl123 thanks for letting me know. Praying your system stabilizes and comes back to equilibrium as your system gets used to the Prozac ❤️🙏 The Reishi seems to help calm down my system some. Sounds like the sleep deprivation is working well! I’ve been doing some of that too, staying up later and waking up earlier seems to work sometimes. That what you do?

ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 19 11:38am

In reply to @tawnycgeorge "@ancl123 thanks for letting me know. Praying your system stabilizes and comes back to equilibrium as..." + (show)

@tawnycgeorge
Too early to tell 🤞aw thanks you are very helpful . I actually prefer massage I need to go more often just gets expensive. I have a red light machine and sauna but so far that doesn’t help. 🥲

ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 19 11:40am

In reply to @ancl123 "@tawnycgeorge Too early to tell 🤞aw thanks you are very helpful . I actually prefer massage..." + (show)

@ancl123

10:30-3:00am so I can go to bed with hubby. This is awful so done with this. Yes hoping Prozac does something. I’m scared nothing will help 😢😢😭😭keep reading all these horror stories.

cookiepic | @cookiepic | Jan 20 10:26am

In reply to @tawnycgeorge "@tiller hang in there! Sounds like a lot! ❤️" + (show)

@tawnycgeorge
I know how you feel as l have anxiety too. Some days I'm better than others. As you l also have gastritis and with the worrisome feelings you have its not good for your gastritis. And l have to watch what l take because of it. I just had a common cold and got worked up because of the medicine. I started seeing a therapist a year ago and she has helped me greatly. My anxiety is caused by health anxiety. I'm afraid to take alot of these antidepressants as they are habit forming and hard to get off. Right now l take buspirone 3 times a day. I was on alprazolam but my doctor won't fill that anymore and l was doing good with that one. I was on it for many years but she won't fill any habit forming antidepressants even though l was not abusing them. Therapist can't prescribe medicine. I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do.

TG | @tawnycgeorge | Jan 24 9:24pm

In reply to @cookiepic "@tawnycgeorge I know how you feel as l have anxiety too. Some days I'm better than..." + (show)

@cookiepic thank you! I wish you the best!

TG | @tawnycgeorge | Jan 24 9:25pm

In reply to @ancl123 "@ancl123 10:30-3:00am so I can go to bed with hubby. This is awful so done with..." + (show)

@ancl123 how are you doing lately?

ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 25 4:07am

In reply to @tawnycgeorge "@ancl123 how are you doing lately?" + (show)

@tawnycgeorge
Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?

TG | @tawnycgeorge | Jan 26 10:16am

In reply to @ancl123 "@tawnycgeorge Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?" + (show)

@ancl123 ok, I hope that begins to help soon! I’m still waking around 3am, trying a few different things but don’t like feeling groggy/down the next day. Benadryl works well but can’t take that every day. Tried some L-Theanine last night at 3am and it helped me fall back to sleep but feeling a little down today so maybe need to take it earlier or take a lower dose. Hang in there and keep me posted!