"after 2 heart surgeries i developed severe anxiety.  i also had constant chest pain that was not cardiac related as well as being afraid to sleep lying flat because i couldn&#039;t breathe.  before that i was always the calmest person in any situation and suddenly being distracted by irrational fears was devastating for me.  my doctor prescribed lexapro 20 mg daily which i initially did not take because i didn&#039;t want to be on an ssri.  after a severe panic attack while on duty, i started taking the medication and experienced complete relief of my anxiety and panic attacks within a week.  i have not experienced any of the side effects except some gas, and my high sex drive has not been affected."