Does anyone have experience with an elder on Lexapro?

My Mom was on Lexapro for anxiety for about 6 wks...She was having the occasional panic attack and kept looking for me also... But after about 5 wks.. she had 8 straight days of panic attacks!!! She would wake up to pee around 3 am and didn't want to be the only one awake!! So we weened her off it and life is much better around here...

Every elderly patient reacts sooo differently to medications... Something that was suppose to help just made matters worse....

I, too, have been on Lexapro. It was awesome for me.
Gma is currently on Prozac. We call it by the generic around her becuase she is very sensitive to the brand recognition and refuses to take it if we call it by the brand name. (She says Prozac is for crazy people.) She takes it for severe anxiety (she would pull her hair and scream!) and has been on it for 2 years and it has been great for her. No episodes. She also takes it in conjunction with hearts meds with no issues.

Thanks for answering my question. I found it quite helpful in hearing about how Lexapro helped YOU. I've been thinking more and more about checking w/ my Dr about something for myself, as I am feeling more frustrated, sadder, and more trapped in a situation that seems hopeless to me. I love my Mom, and I just can't think about placing her in a Memory Care, at least yet! She still functions, speaks (gets a bit garbled at times), likes being around everyone, but....I barely have room to breathe anymore. I'm feeling slowly suffocated. Then I get angry, then I get impatient, then I feel guilty. It's just not good. And yet when I discuss w/ her how she may be happier and better off going somewhere where there are people always around, and lots of things going on to keep her interested, she says NO NO NO. She loves being with her family, and would hate to be somewhere else. I feel like I'm sinking and don't know how to turn the boat upright. Maybe Lexapro is the answer for ME. (Mom is 87, by the way, living with me and my husband, and has probably later stage dementia, I'm guessing. Still dresses herself, eats unaided, uses the bathroom appropriately, walks, talks, but all of those things are getting a bit more iffy. And for sure, she can't tolerate me being out of her sight. Did the amitryptiline help your Mom w/ her anxiety about you being out of sight? Anyway, thank you very much for your answer. I'm going to think about the Lex for me, and maybe her too!

I take Lexapro (61). I started because I was angry about doing my job and some of those I worked with. Then it came in handy when I was facing resentment during the 5 years I was caregiver to my mom. I could actually feel it kicking in when I was really frustrated. My mom was on low dose amitryptiline (SP?) My mom would get into a panic if she called for me and I didn't come running, and she was able to tell me she felt lost when she didn't know where I was. I figured she knew she had to be dependent on me and it caused anxiety in her. She also got more concerned for my health because what would happen to her if something happened to me. I didn't read your profile first, so I don't know her issues, but if you don't want her to take something, maybe you could? I'd be curious to see a survey of how many caregivers are on meds to help them cope. I know a lot who are.

And I wonder if it isn't normal for an elder to be anxious when they are dependent on someone and left alone.