When Do You Know When to Increase Lexapro

Brand names:

Lexapro®
- Tablets: 5 mg, ten mg, 20 mg
- Liquid: 1 mg/mL
Escitalopram
- Tablets: 5 mg, x mg, 20 mg
- Liquid: one mg/ml

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

All FDA blackness box warnings are at the end of this fact sheet. Please review before taking this medication.

What Is Escitalopram And What Does It Care for?

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

Symptoms of depression include:

Depressed mood - feeling lamentable, empty, or tearful
Feeling worthless, guilty, hopeless, and helpless
Loss of interest or pleasure in your usual activities
Sleep and eat more or less than usual (for nearly people it is less)
Low energy, problem concentrating, or thoughts of expiry (suicidal thinking)
Psychomotor agitation ('nervous energy')
Psychomotor retardation (feeling like you are moving and thinking in slow motion)
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 (low energy, feeling tired all the time)
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Slumber disturbance (difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night)

Escitalopram may also exist 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-characterization" means that it hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Assistants for this condition. Your mental health provider should justify his or her thinking in recommending an "off-label" treatment. They should be clear nearly the limits of the research effectually that medication and if in that location are any other options.

What Is The Most Important Information I Should Know About Escitalopram?

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

Missing doses of escitalopram may increase your risk 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 too a part of bipolar illness. People with bipolar disorder who take antidepressants may be at take a chance for "switching" from depression into mania. Symptoms of mania include "high" or irritable mood, very high cocky-esteem, decreased demand for slumber, pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, beingness easily distracted, ofttimes involved in activities with a large run a risk for bad consequences (for example, excessive buying sprees).

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

Are In that location Specific Concerns Most Escitalopram And Pregnancy?

If you are planning on becoming pregnant, notify your health care provider to best manage your medications. People living with MDD who wish to become pregnant face important decisions. Untreated MDD has risks to the fetus, besides as the mother. Information technology is important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doc and caregivers. For women who take antidepressant medications during weeks xiii through the end of their pregnancy (2d and third trimesters), there is a gamble that the baby can be born before information technology is fully developed (earlier 37 weeks).

For mothers who take taken SSRIs during their pregnancy, there appears to exist less than a 1% chance of infants developing persistent pulmonary hypertension. This is a potentially fatal condition that is associated with utilise of the antidepressant in the second one-half of pregnancy. Nonetheless, women who discontinued antidepressant therapy were five times more probable to have a depression relapse than those who continued their antidepressant. If you lot are pregnant, please discuss the risks and benefits of antidepressant use with your wellness care provider.

Caution is brash with breastfeeding since escitalopram does pass into chest milk.

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

Symptoms of your condition that carp you the nearly
If you have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself
Medications you have taken in the past for your condition, whether they were constructive or caused any adverse furnishings
If you lot experience side effects from your medications, discuss them with your provider. Some side effects may laissez passer with time, but others may require changes in the medication.
Any other psychiatric or medical problems you have, including a history of bipolar disorder
All other medications you lot are currently taking (including over the counter products, herbal and nutritional supplements) and any medication allergies you accept
Other non-medication treatment you are receiving, such as talk therapy or substance abuse treatment. Your provider can explicate how these different treatments piece of work with the medication.
If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
If you potable alcohol or use drugs

How Should I Take Escitalopram?

Escitalopram is ordinarily taken one fourth dimension per day with or without food.

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

The dose usually ranges from x mg to xx mg. Only your wellness intendance provider can make up one's mind the correct dose for you.

The liquid should be measured with a dosing spoon or oral syringe which yous tin can become from your pharmacy.

Consider using a agenda, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to assist y'all remember to accept your medication. You may too ask a family member or friend to remind you or check in with yous to be sure yous are taking your medication.

What Happens If I Miss A Dose Of Escitalopram?

If y'all miss a dose of escitalopram, accept it as soon as you recall, unless it is closer to the time of your adjacent dose. Discuss this with your health care provider. Exercise not double your adjacent dose or take more than what is prescribed.

What Should I Avert While Taking Escitalopram?

Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while y'all are taking antidepressant medications. They may subtract the benefits (e.m., worsen your condition) and increase adverse effects (e.m., sedation) of the medication.

What Happens If I Overdose With Escitalopram?

If an overdose occurs, telephone call your md or 911. You lot may need urgent medical care. You may too contact the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.

A specific treatment to contrary the furnishings of escitalopram does not exist.

What are the possible side furnishings of Escitalopram?

Mutual side furnishings

Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry oral cavity, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping (insomnia). These will often improve over the commencement calendar week or two equally you continue to have the medication.

Sexual side effects, such as problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay ofttimes do non diminish over time.

Rare/serious side effects

Low sodium blood 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 eye pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or effectually eye), serotonin syndrome (symptoms may include shivering, diarrhea, confusion, severe muscle tightness, fever, seizures, and decease), seizure

SSRI antidepressants including escitalopram may increment the risk of bleeding events. Combined utilize of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen), warfarin, and other anti-coagulants may increment this risk. This may include symptoms such as gums that bleed more than easily, olfactory organ bleed, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Some cases take been life threatening.

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

To date, there are no known problems associated with long term apply of escitalopram. Information technology is a prophylactic and effective medication when used as directed.

What Other Medications May Interact With Escitalopram?

Escitalopram should non be 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, there is an increased risk of serotonin syndrome when escitalopram is used with other medications that increase serotonin, such as other antidepressants, migraine medications called "triptans" (eastward.g., Imitrex®), some hurting medications (e.chiliad., tramadol (Ultram®), the antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox®), and amphetamines.

Escitalopram may increment the effects of other medications that tin can crusade bleeding (e.chiliad., ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), warfarin (Coumadin®) and aspirin).

How Long Does It Have For Escitalopram To Piece of work?

Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Comeback in these physical symptoms can exist an important early on indicate that the medication is working. Depressed mood and lack of involvement in activities may demand upwards to 6-eight 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 feel worsening of their low and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in beliefs, whether or non they are taking antidepressant medications. This risk may persist until significant remission occurs.

In short-term studies, antidepressants increased the take a chance of suicidality in children, adolescents, and young adults when compared to placebo. Brusk-term studies did non show an increase in the gamble of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24. Adults historic period 65 and older taking antidepressants accept 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. All patients beingness treated with antidepressants for any indication should watch for and notify their health care provider for worsening symptoms, suicidality and unusual changes in behavior, peculiarly during the beginning few months of treatment.

Provided by

(December 2020)

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

This information is existence provided equally a community outreach effort of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. This information is for educational and informational purposes merely and is not medical communication. This information contains a summary of important points and is non an exhaustive review of data about the medication. Ever seek the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional with whatever questions you may have regarding medications or medical conditions. Never filibuster seeking professional medical advice or disregard medical professional advice as a event of any information provided herein. The Higher of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists disclaims any and all liability declared as a result of the information provided herein.

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