Lexapro Side Effects in Women Some of the common side effects of Lexapro include nausea, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, drowsiness, and difficulty sleeping. Women may also experience sexual side effects such as decreased libido and difficulty reaching orgasm.
1. Nausea. Nausea is one of the most common side effects of Lexapro. In clinical studies, up to 18% of people taking Lexapro experienced nausea.
Lexapro is a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI. SSRIs increase levels of serotonin in the brain, which can improve mood and emotional regulation. This benefits people with clinical depression and anxiety.
Escitalopram is used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It is an antidepressant that belongs to a group of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Doctors believe that it helps stabilize mood and causes happiness and a sense of well-being. Doctors prescribe Lexapro to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
The researchers believe that the reduced reinforcement sensitivity caused by escitalopram may reflect the emotional blunting effect frequently reported by people taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but further work is necessary to understand the underlying mechanism.
On antidepressant medication, it is possible that you might experience a sense of feeling numb and less like yourself. Though the symptoms of depression have decreased, there may be a sense that other emotional responses – laughing or crying, for example – are more difficult to experience.
Lexapro is prescribed long-term, allowing it to create neuroadaptation in the CNS, brain, and body. Long-term effects of Lexapro may develop making continuing treatment untenable. Lexapro is not a cure.
Share on Pinterest Doctors advise against drinking alcohol while taking Lexapro. Doctors usually do not recommend drinking alcohol while taking Lexapro or any other antidepressant. This guidance is because alcohol can make depression worse and can counteract the benefits of a person taking antidepressants.
Lexapro weight gain can be a common side effect, but it doesn't impact everyone who takes this medication. Multiple studies conclude that SSRIs like Lexapro can result in weight gain. However, it varies from person to person depending on individual factors such as age, lifestyle habits, diet, and activity level.
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like escitalopram (Lexapro), paroxetine (Paxil), and fluoxetine (Prozac), taken for depression or anxiety, can make you feel sleepy.
Improved mood: One of the most common indications that Lexapro is working is improved mood. Increased energy levels: Another sign that your body's adjusting well to Lexapro is increased energy levels throughout the day.
It works by helping to restore the balance of a certain natural substance (serotonin) in the brain. Escitalopram belongs to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). It may improve your energy level and feelings of well-being and decrease nervousness.
Do not use escitalopram with buspirone (Buspar®), fentanyl (Abstral®, Duragesic®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), tryptophan, St. John's wort, amphetamines, or some pain or migraine medicines (eg, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, tramadol, Frova®, Imitrex®, Maxalt®, Relpax®, Ultram®, Zomig®).
If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off escitalopram. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking escitalopram for a long time.
Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of drug-induced liver injury associated with escitalopram use, when initiating depressed patients on antidepressant treatment.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
You can take Lexapro at any time of day. It's typically taken once per day. If you start taking Lexapro and find that you're having trouble sleeping, try taking it in the morning. This may make it less likely that you'll have trouble falling asleep.
Each person will experience slightly different side effects, but the most common side effects are drowsiness, headache, insomnia, nausea, and vomiting. These effects may emerge during the first weeks of starting Lexapro. If the starting dose of Lexapro is too high, these side effects may be even worse.
Lexapro may cause serious or life-threatening side effects such as birth defects, heart conditions, serotonin syndrome, and an increased risk of suicide. These severe side effects linked to Lexapro have been the basis of lawsuits filed against the manufacturer.
There are several reasons why people decide to stop taking SSRIs like Lexapro. Some people may find the medication does not work, they experience unwanted side effects or they become immune to the medication.
Yes, Lexapro can cause brain fog. Most people report experiencing brain fog when starting Lexapro. In fact, this is one of the most common side effects associated with the drug. Brain fog is most likely to occur in the early stages of treatment but can persist long-term for some people.
The drugs did not affect attention and memory or cognition that involve our emotions. But this is what they discovered: Patients on SSRI antidepressants feel numb because the drug reduces reinforcement sensitivity, that is, our sensitivity to positive feedback, which you can also call rewards or pleasure.
Nearly half of patients on all types of monoaminergic antidepressants report emotional blunting,6 and it is associated with serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy as follows: among 161 patients, 46% reported a narrowed range of affect, 21% reported an inability to cry, and 19% reported apathy.
Emotional blunting—inability to feel positive or negative emotions, detachment, or reduced emotional responsiveness—is common in people with depression. However, there is a paucity of studies comprehensively investigating this symptom and its functional impact.