Lexapro Side Effects

Lexapro side effects and adverse reactions include:

Nausea
Dry mouth
Drowsiness
Insomnia
Increased sweating
Tremor
Diarrhea
Ejaculation difficulty
Impotence
Anxiety
Upper respiratory ailments

One rare and possibly life-threatening complication is serotonin syndrome, a serious and sometimes deadly reaction to too much serotonin in the body. Symptoms occur within minutes to hours of onset and includes:

Agitation
Diarrhea
Fast or irregular heartbeat
Loss of coordination and Hallucinations
Over reactive reflexes
Tremor, or
Confusion

Warnings & Recalls for Lexapro

Your doctor will determine whether Lexapro is right for you based on factors such as weight, age, and personal medical history. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic to any medications or if you have any known food allergies.
The elderly have age-specific problems that limit the usefulness of Celexa. Because of liver problems associated with the elderly, older patients should receive a decreased dosage.
The FDA requires a black box warning to be included on the packaging insert of Lexapro due to a higher risk of suicidal thinking among users of Lexapro as well as all other SSRI medications. The black box warning is an indication of an increased risk of severe or life-threatening complications.
One very important thing to remember about Lexapro (escitalopram), is that you should never take it together with Celexa (citalopram), doing so may compund lexapro side effects.
Taking Lexapro with other seratogenic agents increases the risk of seratonin syndrome. If you begin exhibiting these symptoms after taking Lexapro, seek medical attention Immediately and report your experiences. Also, if you have any questions whatsoever about Lexapro and its side effects, speak to your doctor. Doing so may prevent severe or life-threatening complications.

Lexapro Treatment and Use

lexapro tablets Lexapro | Escitalopram, is an anti-depressant manufactured by Forest Laboratories, Inc. It belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) and is approved by the FDA to treat the symptoms of major depressive disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Off-label uses of Lexapro include:

Anxiety
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Eating
Hot flashes
Migraines
Social Anxiety
Premature ejaculation
Diabetic neuropathy, and
Autism

Dosage

Recommended dosages of Lexapro range from 10mg to 20 mg once daily. If symptoms persist, or if you develop adverse reactions to Lexapro, your doctor may recommend increasing or decreasing the dosage. The maximum daily dosage for Lexapro in the elderly and those with liver disease is not to exceed 10 mg daily.

How does Lexapro work?

Ecsitalopram works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or chemical that is used in the process of sending messages from one nerve cell to another. When a message travels through a nerve, the nerve ending releases serotonin. When serotonin gets to the next nerve cell in the chain, receptors are activated and the message continues along the line. The cell that released the serotonin then reabsorbs any residual chemical that is in the gap. This is called “reuptake.” Under normal circumstances, this process occurs without any problems.

When there is not enough serotonin between nerve cells, disorders such as depression or anxiety may occur. Lexapro blocks the reuptake of serotonin so that more of it remains in between the brain’s nerve cells. Serotonin then has a better chance of activating the chemical receptors on the next nerve cell. This is believed to enhance mood and alleviate some of the symptoms of depression.

Other Names for Lexapro

Brand name:

Lexapro

Generic:

Escitalopram