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Home / What to Expect When Starting Lexapro for Anxiety

What to Expect When Starting Lexapro for Anxiety

Brand names:

  • Lexapro®
    • Tablets: v mg, 10 mg, xx mg
    • Liquid: ane mg/mL
  • Escitalopram
    • Tablets: 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg
    • Liquid: 1 mg/ml


Generic proper name: escitalopram (es sye TAL oh pram)

All FDA black box warnings are at the finish of this fact sheet. Delight review before taking this medication.

What Is Escitalopram And What Does It Treat?

Escitalopram is an antidepressant medication that works in the brain. It is approved for the handling of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized feet disorder (GAD).

Symptoms of depression include:

  • Depressed mood - feeling sad, empty, or tearful
  • Feeling worthless, guilty, hopeless, and helpless
  • Loss of involvement or pleasure in your usual activities
  • Sleep and eat more or less than usual (for most people information technology is less)
  • Low energy, trouble concentrating, or thoughts of decease (suicidal thinking)
  • Psychomotor agitation ('nervous energy')
  • Psychomotor retardation (feeling like you are moving and thinking in slow motility)
  • Suicidal thoughts or behaviors


Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) occurs when a person experiences excessive anxiety or worry for at least six months. Other symptoms include:

  • Restlessness
  • Fatigue (depression free energy, feeling tired all the time)
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Muscle tension
  • Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night)


Escitalopram may also be helpful when prescribed "off-label" for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders such as binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). "Off-label" means that information technology hasn't been canonical by the Nutrient and Drug Assistants for this status. Your mental health provider should justify his or her thinking in recommending an "off-label" treatment. They should be clear about the limits of the research around that medication and if there are any other options.

What Is The Nearly Important Data I Should Know Almost Escitalopram?

Do not stop taking escitalopram, even when you feel better. With input from yous, your health intendance provider volition assess how long you will need to take the medicine.

Missing doses of escitalopram may increase your gamble for relapse in your symptoms.

Stopping escitalopram abruptly may result in one or more of the post-obit withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, feeling dizzy, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation on the skin).

Depression is also a part of bipolar disease. People with bipolar disorder who take antidepressants may be at adventure for "switching" from low into mania. Symptoms of mania include "high" or irritable mood, very high self-esteem, decreased need for slumber, pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, beingness easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a large risk for bad consequences (for case, excessive buying sprees).

Medical attending should be sought if serotonin syndrome is suspected. Please refer to serious side furnishings for signs/symptoms.

Are In that location Specific Concerns Virtually Escitalopram And Pregnancy?

If you are planning on becoming pregnant, notify your health care provider to all-time manage your medications. People living with MDD who wish to become significant confront important decisions. Untreated MDD has risks to the fetus, every bit well as the mother. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of handling with your doctor and caregivers. For women who take antidepressant medications during weeks thirteen through the end of their pregnancy (2d and 3rd trimesters), there is a take chances that the baby can be built-in before it is fully developed (before 37 weeks).

For mothers who accept taken SSRIs during their pregnancy, there appears to be less than a 1% gamble of infants developing persistent pulmonary hypertension. This is a potentially fatal condition that is associated with use of the antidepressant in the second one-half of pregnancy. However, women who discontinued antidepressant therapy were five times more likely to accept a depression relapse than those who continued their antidepressant. If you are meaning, please discuss the risks and benefits of antidepressant utilise with your wellness intendance provider.

Caution is advised with breastfeeding since escitalopram does laissez passer into chest milk.

What Should I Discuss With My Wellness Care Provider Before Taking Escitalopram?

  • Symptoms of your status that bother you the most
  • If you lot have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself
  • Medications y'all accept taken in the by for your condition, whether they were effective or caused any adverse effects
  • If y'all experience side effects from your medications, hash out them with your provider. Some side effects may laissez passer with time, but others may require changes in the medication.
  • Whatever other psychiatric or medical problems you have, including a history of bipolar disorder
  • All other medications you are currently taking (including over the counter products, herbal and nutritional supplements) and any medication allergies you have
  • Other not-medication treatment you are receiving, such as talk therapy or substance abuse handling. Your provider tin can explain how these unlike treatments work with the medication.
  • If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
  • If you drinkable alcohol or use drugs


How Should I Take Escitalopram?

Escitalopram is usually taken one time per day with or without food.

Typically patients brainstorm at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks.

The dose ordinarily ranges from 10 mg to 20 mg. Only your health intendance provider tin 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 agenda, pillbox, alarm clock, or jail cell phone alert to assist yous remember to take your medication. Y'all may also ask a family member or friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication.

What Happens If I Miss A Dose Of Escitalopram?

If you miss a dose of escitalopram, take it as shortly equally you retrieve, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Hash out this with your health care provider. Practise non double your next dose or have more than than what is prescribed.

What Should I Avert While Taking Escitalopram?

Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking antidepressant medications. They may decrease the benefits (e.1000., worsen your condition) and increase adverse effects (east.g., sedation) of the medication.

What Happens If I Overdose With Escitalopram?

If an overdose occurs, call your doctor or 911. You may need urgent medical care. You may likewise contact the poisonous substance control middle at 1-800-222-1222.

A specific treatment to reverse the furnishings of escitalopram does non be.

What are the possible side effects of Escitalopram?

Common side furnishings

Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping (insomnia). These will often amend over the commencement week or two every bit y'all go along to take the medication.

Sexual side effects, such every bit problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay often practise not diminish over time.

Rare/serious side effects

Low sodium claret levels (symptoms of low sodium levels may include headache, weakness, difficulty concentrating and remembering), teeth grinding, angle closure glaucoma (symptoms of bending closure glaucoma may include center pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or around heart), 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.m., ibuprofen, naproxen), warfarin, and other anti-coagulants may increase this run a risk. This may include symptoms such as gums that drain more easily, nose drain, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Some cases take been life threatening.

Are In that location Any Risks For Taking Escitalopram For Long Periods Of Time?

To engagement, at that place are no known issues associated with long term use of escitalopram. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed.

What Other Medications May Interact With Escitalopram?

Escitalopram should not exist taken with or within 2 weeks of taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). These include phenelzine (Nardil®), tranylcypromine (Parnate®), isocarboxazid (Marplan®), rasagiline (Azilect®), and selegiline (Emsam®).

Although rare, in that location is an increased gamble of serotonin syndrome when escitalopram is used with other medications that increase serotonin, such as other antidepressants, migraine medications called "triptans" (e.g., Imitrex®), some pain medications (e.k., tramadol (Ultram®), the antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox®), and amphetamines.

Escitalopram may increase the furnishings of other medications that tin can cause bleeding (due east.g., ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), warfarin (Coumadin®) and aspirin).

How Long Does Information technology Have For Escitalopram To Work?

Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement inside the commencement ane-ii weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early point that the medication is working. Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to half dozen-8 weeks to fully improve.

Summary of FDA Black Box Warnings

Suicidal thoughts or actions in children and adults

Depression and sure other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide. Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult and pediatric, may experience worsening of their low and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications. This risk may persist until pregnant remission occurs.

In short-term studies, antidepressants increased the hazard of suicidality in children, adolescents, and young adults when compared to placebo. Brusk-term studies did not show an increment in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults across age 24. Adults age 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality. Patients, their families, and caregivers should be alert to the emergence of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness and insomnia. If these symptoms emerge, they should be reported to the patient's prescriber or health care professional person. All patients being treated with antidepressants for any indication should watch for and notify their health care provider for worsening symptoms, suicidality and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the first few months of treatment.

Provided by

(December 2020)

©2020 The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). CPNP and NAMI make this certificate available under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives 4.0 International License. Last Updated: Jan 2016.

This information is being provided as a customs outreach effort of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. This information is for educational and informational purposes only and is non medical advice. This information contains a summary of of import points and is non an exhaustive review of information about the medication. Always seek the communication of a physician or other qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding medications or medical conditions. Never delay seeking professional medical advice or condone medical professional advice as a upshot of whatever information provided herein. The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists disclaims whatsoever and all liability alleged every bit a result of the data provided herein.

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Source: https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Mental-Health-Medications/Types-of-Medication/Escitalopram-(Lexapro)