Always seek the advice 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 disregard medical professional advice as a result of any information provided herein. The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists disclaims any and all liability alleged as a result of the information provided herein.
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Mental health conditions Learn more about common mental health conditions that affect millions. Missing doses of escitalopram may increase your risk for relapse in your symptoms. You can reduce potential risks by being aware of who should not take this medication, potential medication interactions, and the black box warning. Lexapro is not safe for everyone. Certain people should not take Lexapro or take with caution, including:. According to a black box warning the strictest warning for prescription drugs issued by the FDA , taking Lexapro can result in an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, particularly in children, adolescents, and young adults.
Close monitoring by your psychiatrist or doctor is important particularly if you are an adolescent or young adult taking Lexapro. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call Lexapro is an allosteric serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which differentiates it from other SSRIs. It is generally well-tolerated and effective. Lexapro tablets are available in 5 milligram mg , 10 mg, and 20 mg strengths.
The 10 and 20 mg tablets are scored and can be cut in half. The oral solution comes in a strength of 1 mg per milliliter mL. The usual recommended daily dosage of Lexapro is 10 mg, but you may begin at a lower dose and increased slowly if needed.
The manufacturer recommended doses of Lexapro are:. If you are experiencing the first episode of depression or anxiety, you may take Lexapro for a defined period such as between six months and one year. However, for individuals experiencing a chronic mental health condition, it may be necessary to take Lexapro for an extended period over many years. All listed dosages are according to the drug manufacturer. Check your prescription and talk to your doctor to make sure you are taking the right dose for you.
While there are not specific modified dose recommendations for Lexapro, the medication should be take with caution if you are older or have a major medical illness that affects your metabolism, such as kidney or liver disease. If this is the case, your health care provider may adjust your dose as necessary to reduce any related side effects. 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. Continue to take escitalopram even if you feel well. Do not stop taking escitalopram without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking escitalopram, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as mood changes, irritability, agitation, nausea, dizziness, burning, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet, anxiety, confusion, headache, sweating, tiredness, and difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Escitalopram may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.
However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.
To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Before having any laboratory test especially those that involve methylene blue , tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking escitalopram.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Escitalopram is not approved for use by anyone younger than 12 years old. Ask your doctor about taking this medicine if you are pregnant. Taking an SSRI antidepressant during late pregnancy may cause serious medical complications in the baby.
However, you may have a relapse of depression if you stop taking your antidepressant. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Do not start or stop taking this medicine without your doctor's advice. 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.
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