"i am posting an update. i have now been on escitalopram for just under a year and i can say it definitely changed my life. my anxiety is much better and i can do more things. i went back to work and can attend social events again. 

the negatives for me was how long it took for the meds to take effect (it was about 1-2 months of increased anxiety, loss of appetite, loss of sex drive, irritability) then it started to work and i increased my dosage to 15mg which is what i have been on since. i&#039;d say it took about 4-6 months for full effects and now i still feel anxiety but can handle it better. 

other down side: if i forget my meds for a day or two i definitely feel the effects. i get increasingly dissociated and irritable for no reason"