My Dr. changes mine every so often. Just because they can be additive and you get used to them and need more. A switch is good once in a while. The Dr will work with you if it's not woking try something else.

Maybe you should try the Lexapro for a couple of weeks and see how it works. Might be hard but worth it in the end. Wont know till you try? Hugs & Blessings

What @A MyCOPDTeam Member said, as you don’t want to get addicted, @A MyCOPDTeam Member and you don’t want to be labeled an uncooperative patient.

New question - are you going through any kind of talk therapy to help you deal with your anxieties and de-condition you from reacting to your triggers? They have made a lot of progress with anxiety and PTSD due to all the global conflicts and trying to help our vets achieve quality of life after they have returned from the battlefronts, and such treatments may offer you new hope or options for alternative therapies…

*** As always, not a doc and this is not medical advice ***

However, you may want to consider any potential damage the Rx may be causing for long term care plans and retaining your independence.

In general, Xanax and any benzodiazepines cause memory issues and cognitive impairment, and I am not willing to trade one disaster (anxiety) for a different health disaster (loss of full cognitive function).

Ditto with Lexapro, although it changes SRRI function in a different manner.

Yes, addiction is worrisome, but doing damage to your brain is more of a concern for long term quality of life to me, especially as there are also NIH (National Institutes of Health) studies which show COPD’s shortage of breath / loss of oxygen saturation also can reduce cognitive function over time. Too many attacks on brain function from too many different causes could leave you unable to choose or participate in your own long term care plans. So, maybe it’s time to revisit that conversation with your doc or physician’s assistant. Good luck, as none of this stuff is easy to navigate at the best of times.

Happy Monday, 10-JUL-23

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