Lexapro side effects are similar to those associated with other SSRIs and antidepressants. In many cases, symptoms are most prominent for the first 1-2 weeks of treatment. After that, typically many symptoms subside.
In fact, you may even feel worse initially. When you start taking Lexapro, you may find that your anxiety symptoms get worse before getting better. You may experience increased jitteriness and an increase in your anxiety for the first two weeks on Lexapro treatment.
SSRIs release two chemicals in the brain that kick in at different times, causing a period of negative effects on mental health, the authors report. The first chemical is serotonin, which is released very soon after an SSRI is taken but might not lessen depressive symptoms until after a couple of weeks.
It may take a few weeks to start noticing a difference in your symptoms when taking Lexapro–usually 4-6 weeks. This is the case with many SSRIs and anxiety or depression medications, and the time it takes to be effective can be dependent on the person and set of conditions as well as the medication's own functioning.
Escitalopram may cause some teenagers and young adults to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed.
Common side effects of Lexapro include nausea, sexual side effects, and insomnia. For some people, these go away as your body gets used to the medication. More serious side effects of Lexapro are rare. These include suicidal thoughts or behaviors, abnormal bleeding, and serotonin syndrome.
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.
Generally, common side effects from Lexapro may improve within 2 weeks of taking the drug. Although some side effects can be serious, these reactions are rare. If a person has concerns about Lexapro, they should speak with their doctor.
Most side effects start to go away after the first week of taking Lexapro. If they don't, or if the effects interfere with your ability to participate in your regular daily activities, talk to your doctor. Your dosage may need to be adjusted or you may need to change medications.
Some people start to feel better in 1 to 2 weeks. But the truth is, antidepressants work slowly. It can take up to 2 months before they reach their full effect. If you do notice an improvement in your symptoms in those first couple of weeks, this can be a sign that your antidepressant is a good fit for you.
Do 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.
You can take escitalopram at any time of day, as long as you stick to the same time every day. If you have trouble sleeping, it's best to take it in the morning.
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®).
While the medication does not cure anxiety, it works best as part of comprehensive anxiety treatment. Lexapro can be effective at reducing the symptoms of anxiety, and it may be especially helpful for multiple types of anxiety disorder, including: Specific phobias (off-label)
Lexapro has an average rating of 8.2 out of 10 from a total of 515 reviews for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 78% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 10% reported a negative experience.
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.
Lexapro is an antidepressant prescription drug used to treat depression and anxiety. You may experience side effects such as fatigue, diarrhea, or headaches within the first week or two of taking Lexapro.
Can Lexapro Cause Brain Fog? Yes. Brain fog is a common symptom for many patients, both when starting and stopping Lexapro.
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.
Although thought to be generally safe and with minimal drug-drug interactions, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of escitalopram-induced liver injury when initiating depressed patients on antidepressant treatment. This requires extra vigilance as most patients may remain asymptomatic.
You may feel dizzy and drowsy.
Lexapro also puts you in a weird head space—it can cause dizziness or drowsiness. The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) recommends that you don't drive until you know how you feel on the medication.
No interactions were found between caffeine and Lexapro.
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. Using an NSAID with escitalopram may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.