How Do You Know if You Need to Raise Lexapro Doses

Brand names:

Lexapro®
- Tablets: 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg
- Liquid: ane mg/mL
Escitalopram
- Tablets: 5 mg, ten mg, 20 mg
- Liquid: 1 mg/ml

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

All FDA blackness box warnings are at the end of this fact sail. Please review earlier 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 treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Symptoms of low include:

Depressed mood - feeling sad, empty, or tearful
Feeling worthless, guilty, hopeless, and helpless
Loss of interest or pleasance in your usual activities
Sleep and consume more or less than usual (for most people it is less)
Low free energy, trouble concentrating, or thoughts of expiry (suicidal thinking)
Psychomotor agitation ('nervous energy')
Psychomotor retardation (feeling like you lot 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 half dozen months. Other symptoms include:

Restlessness
Fatigue (low energy, feeling tired all the time)
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Slumber disturbance (difficulty falling comatose or waking up in the middle of the dark)

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" ways 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-characterization" treatment. They should exist clear well-nigh the limits of the enquiry effectually that medication and if there are any other options.

What Is The Most Of import Data I Should Know Nearly Escitalopram?

Do not end taking escitalopram, fifty-fifty when you experience improve. With input from you, your wellness care provider will 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 upshot in one or more of the post-obit withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, feeling silly, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation on the peel).

Low is as well a part of bipolar illness. People with bipolar disorder who take antidepressants may exist at risk for "switching" from depression into mania. Symptoms of mania include "high" or irritable mood, very high cocky-esteem, decreased need for sleep, pressure to go along talking, racing thoughts, being easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a big risk for bad consequences (for example, excessive buying sprees).

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

Are There Specific Concerns About Escitalopram And Pregnancy?

If you lot are planning on condign significant, 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, as well equally the mother. Information technology is important to talk over the risks and benefits of treatment with your doc and caregivers. For women who take antidepressant medications during weeks 13 through the cease of their pregnancy (second and tertiary trimesters), there is a run a risk that the baby can exist born before information technology is fully developed (earlier 37 weeks).

For mothers who have taken SSRIs during their pregnancy, there appears to exist less than a 1% adventure of infants developing persistent pulmonary hypertension. This is a potentially fatal condition that is associated with use of the antidepressant in the second half of pregnancy. Even so, women who discontinued antidepressant therapy were five times more likely to have a depression relapse than those who continued their antidepressant. If you lot are meaning, please talk over the risks and benefits of antidepressant use with your health care provider.

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

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

Symptoms of your condition that bother you the near
If you accept thoughts of suicide or harming yourself
Medications you accept taken in the past for your status, whether they were effective or caused any agin effects
If you lot experience side effects from your medications, discuss them with your provider. Some side furnishings may pass with time, simply others may require changes in the medication.
Any other psychiatric or medical problems y'all have, including a history of bipolar disorder
All other medications you are currently taking (including over the counter products, herbal and nutritional supplements) and whatsoever medication allergies you have
Other non-medication handling y'all are receiving, such as talk therapy or substance abuse treatment. Your provider tin explain how these different treatments work with the medication.
If you lot are pregnant, programme to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
If yous drink alcohol or use drugs

How Should I Take Escitalopram?

Escitalopram is usually taken 1 time per 24-hour interval with or without food.

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

The dose usually ranges from 10 mg to xx 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 tin go from your pharmacy.

Consider using a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone warning to help yous retrieve to take your medication. You lot may also ask a family fellow member or friend to remind you lot or check in with you to be sure y'all are taking your medication.

What Happens If I Miss A Dose Of Escitalopram?

If you miss a dose of escitalopram, take it as before long as you retrieve, unless information technology is closer to the fourth dimension of your next dose. Discuss this with your health care provider. Do non double your next dose or accept more than what is prescribed.

What Should I Avoid While Taking Escitalopram?

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

What Happens If I Overdose With Escitalopram?

If an overdose occurs, call your dr. or 911. You may need urgent medical intendance. You may also contact the poison command eye at 1-800-222-1222.

A specific treatment to reverse the effects of escitalopram does not exist.

What are the possible side furnishings of Escitalopram?

Common side effects

Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping (insomnia). These will frequently better over the commencement week or two as you continue to accept the medication.

Sexual side effects, such as problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay oft do not diminish over time.

Rare/serious side effects

Low sodium blood levels (symptoms of depression sodium levels may include headache, weakness, difficulty concentrating and remembering), teeth grinding, angle closure glaucoma (symptoms of bending closure glaucoma may include middle 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 take a chance of bleeding events. Combined use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.thousand., ibuprofen, naproxen), warfarin, and other anti-coagulants may increase this hazard. This may include symptoms such as gums that drain more easily, nose bleed, or gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Some cases have been life threatening.

Are There Any Risks For Taking Escitalopram For Long Periods Of Time?

To date, in that location are no known problems associated with long term use of escitalopram. It is a prophylactic and effective medication when used as directed.

What Other Medications May Interact With Escitalopram?

Escitalopram should not be taken with or within ii 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 adventure of serotonin syndrome when escitalopram is used with other medications that increment serotonin, such as other antidepressants, migraine medications called "triptans" (e.thou., Imitrex®), some pain medications (eastward.grand., tramadol (Ultram®), the antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox®), and amphetamines.

Escitalopram may increase the furnishings of other medications that can crusade bleeding (eastward.yard., ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), warfarin (Coumadin®) and aspirin).

How Long Does It Accept For Escitalopram To Work?

Slumber, energy, or ambition may show some improvement inside the get-go 1-two weeks. Improvement in these concrete symptoms tin can be an of import early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-eight weeks to fully amend.

Summary of FDA Blackness Box Warnings

Suicidal thoughts or actions in children and adults

Depression and certain 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 significant remission occurs.

In brusk-term studies, antidepressants increased the risk of suicidality in children, adolescents, and young adults when compared to placebo. Brusk-term studies did not evidence an increment in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond historic period 24. Adults historic period 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 exist reported to the patient'southward prescriber or health intendance professional. 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 start few months of handling.

Provided past

(Dec 2020)

©2020 The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) and the National Alliance on Mental Affliction (NAMI). CPNP and NAMI make this document bachelor under the Creative Eatables Attribution-No Derivatives 4.0 International License. Concluding Updated: January 2016.

This information is being provided as a community outreach try of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. This information is for educational and advisory purposes only and is non medical advice. This information contains a summary of important points and is not an exhaustive review of information near the medication. Always seek the communication of a physician or other qualified medical professional person with any questions you may have regarding medications or medical conditions. Never delay seeking professional medical communication or disregard medical professional person advice equally a result of any information provided herein. The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists disclaims any and all liability declared as a upshot 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-%28Lexapro%29