"i&#039;ve been on lexapro twice. the 1st time started in the fall 2008. for some reason at the age of 42, i began having dizziness, anxiety, and panic attacks. i was diagnosed with gad and prescribed 1 mg ativan for use as needed in the short term and 10mg lexapro for the long term. within 3 weeks i increased to 20 mg lexapro. within another 3 weeks, my anxiety had all but vanished and i quit ativan. my racing thoughts and worries subsided. i was able to sleep better at night and concentrate better at work. no weight gain either but i exercise regularly. i stayed on lexapro for 1 yr. no problems getting off on a tapered schedule over 3 months. in spring 2011, anxiety returned due to marriage issues. back on 10 mg lexapro with same great results."