If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of escitalopram on the baby. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor if you notice drowsiness, agitation, feeding problems, or poor weight gain in the nursing baby. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: skin rash or hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor , such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive mentally or physically , more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Ask your doctor before taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID such as aspirin, ibuprofen Advil, Motrin , naproxen Aleve , celecoxib Celebrex , diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others.
Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired. Use Lexapro Escitalopram exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Measure liquid medicine carefully. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device not a kitchen spoon. Follow your doctor's instructions for taking Lexapro.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about this medication. It's important to recognize that you will not experience immediate relief from taking Lexapro. It can take anywhere from one to four weeks to feel better once you start taking Lexapro, and you may not experience the full benefits of the medication until you've been following a recommended treatment plan for a couple of months.
As your body adjusts to taking the medication, the side effects should gradually go away. If you notice that they are getting worse or are interfering with your quality of life, talk to your doctor about your concerns.
Side effects can be minimized by carefully following the dosage directions given by your doctor and reporting any negative effects. The most common side effects are:. Seek immediate help if you experience any of the following unusual side effects of Lexapro:. Caution should be used when taking Lexapro along with other medications. To help avoid any possible drug interactions, let your doctor know about any other prescription and over-the-counter medications you are currently taking.
When taking Lexapro, the following serotonergic medications should not be used or only be used with significant caution and close monitoring due to the increased risk of serotonin syndrome:. Avoid drinking alcohol when you are taking Lexapro, as it can reduce the effectiveness of the medication and also may increase its toxicity. If Lexapro is not effective for you, your doctor will work to find another medication that may help, such as another SSRI or a different class of antidepressant medication.
You may also find psychotherapy helpful if that has not already been implemented. You should only discontinue taking Lexapro under the guidance of your doctor at an appropriate time such as when symptoms have been stable for a certain period. Your doctor will help you to taper off the medication, so as to minimize any withdrawal effects.
If you stop taking it suddenly, you may notice withdrawal symptoms, including:. This overview of the use of Lexapro for mental health conditions does not cover every possible outcome of taking this medication. If you have been prescribed this medication by your doctor, be sure to follow the instructions carefully. If you have additional questions, they are best answered by a medical professional. Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life.
Santarsieri D, Schwartz TL. Antidepressant efficacy and side-effect burden: A quick guide for clinicians. Drugs Context. Food and Drug Administration. Lexapro label.
Updated January National Alliance on Mental Illness. Escitalopram Lexapro. If you are pregnant, please discuss the risks and benefits of antidepressant use with your health care provider.
Typically patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The dose usually ranges from 10 mg to 20 mg.
Only your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you. The liquid should be measured with a dosing spoon or oral syringe which you can get from your pharmacy. Consider using a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication. You may also ask a family member or friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication.
If you miss a dose of escitalopram, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your health care provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed. Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking antidepressant medications. They may decrease the benefits e. If an overdose occurs, call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care. You may also contact the poison control center at Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping insomnia.
These will often improve over the first week or two as you continue to take the medication. Sexual side effects, such as problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay often do not diminish over time. Low sodium blood levels symptoms of low sodium levels may include headache, weakness, difficulty concentrating and remembering , teeth grinding, angle closure glaucoma symptoms of angle closure glaucoma may include eye pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or around eye , serotonin syndrome symptoms may include shivering, diarrhea, confusion, severe muscle tightness, fever, seizures, and death , seizure.
SSRI antidepressants including escitalopram may increase the risk of bleeding events. Combined use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e. This may include symptoms such as gums that bleed more easily, nose bleed, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Some cases have been life threatening. To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of escitalopram.
It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed. Once you're feeling better it's likely that you'll continue to take escitalopram for several more months to prevent the symptoms returning. You'll need to discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of continuing to take escitalopram for longer than a few months. The decision will depend on the type and severity of your symptoms, whether it's a one-off problem or one that keeps coming back, how well escitalopram works for you, and whether you have had any bad side effects.
If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off escitalopram. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking escitalopram for a long time. This is to help prevent any extra side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine.
Do not stop taking escitalopram suddenly or without talking to your doctor first. A few people may get sexual side effects, such as problems getting an erection or a lower sex drive. In some cases these can continue even after stopping the medicine. Speak to your doctor if you are worried. But sometimes people respond better to one antidepressant than to another. Escitalopram and citalopram are both medicines used to treat depression.
Escitalopram can make you feel less hungry, so you may lose weight when you first start taking it. If you start to have problems with your weight while taking escitalopram, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Some people find they can't concentrate properly while they're taking escitalopram. It might be best to stop driving and cycling for the first few days of treatment until you know how this medicine makes you feel. Escitalopram will not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill or emergency contraception.
There's some evidence that escitalopram can reduce the quality of sperm, but it's not known whether this reduces male fertility. The effect should reverse once you stop taking the medicine.
Speak to your doctor if you're concerned. For women, there's no firm evidence to suggest that taking escitalopram will reduce your fertility. But speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment.
The good effects of escitalopram may, after a while, improve your sex life as your mood lifts and you become interested in life and relationships again.
Sexual side effects usually pass after the first couple of weeks. However, very rarely, they can be long lasting and may not get better even after stopping the medicine. If these happen and are a problem for you, go back to your doctor to see if there's another treatment you can try. You can drink alcohol while taking escitalopram, but it may make you feel sleepy.
It might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine makes you feel. Antidepressants, including escitalopram, are just one of several approaches to treating depression or anxiety. If you're interested in any of these treatments, talk to your doctor. Cannabis can also make drowsiness worse with escitalopram, especially in people who have just started taking it.
Methadone can increase the risk of side effects in people taking escitalopram. Talk to your doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while taking escitalopram. Page last reviewed: 14 December Next review due: 14 December Escitalopram On this page About escitalopram Key facts Who can and cannot take escitalopram How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About escitalopram Escitalopram is a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for escitalopram to work. Side effects such as feeling sick nausea and headache are common.
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