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.
While the first two weeks of taking Lexapro can come with bothersome side effects, the symptoms often go away on their own. As your body becomes used to the medication, the symptoms might decrease.
Nausea, dry mouth, trouble sleeping, constipation, tiredness, drowsiness, dizziness, and increased sweating may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor promptly.
The takeaway. 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.
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.
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. This side effect is most likely to hit during your first few weeks of taking the med.
An unwanted side effect of SSRIs, especially — though not only — in people taking them for a long time, is a diminished emotional response to both unpleasant and pleasurable events, referred to as “ emotional blunting .”
If you haven't noticed any improvements after using an antidepressant for two months or longer, it may be a sign that your medication isn't right for you, or that you need to adjust your dosage. Your healthcare provider may switch you to a different type of medication or adjust your dosage to provide better results.
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.
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®).
Severe side effects of Lexapro that may require immediate attention can include: Serotonin syndrome: Can present as fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, severe muscle stiffness or twitching, agitation, hallucinations, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
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.
SSRIs are thought to improve mood by boosting serotonin activity in the brain. But serotonin is not always a bed of roses. In the early days of treatment, it can increase levels of fear and anxiety and even suicidal thinking in some younger people. As a result, patients may stop using the treatment after a few weeks.
The most common signs your antidepressant dose is too strong are symptoms of serotonin syndrome. If you become overly elated, tense with your loved ones, or irritated and have mood swings, this indicates that you are taking high antidepressant doses.
Lexapro reaches peak concentration in the blood about 5 hours after taking it. However, it does not work immediately and needs around 2 weeks to reach steady and consistent concentrations in the blood. This means the timing of the daily dose is unlikely to affect how a person feels.
In the case of SSRIs, SNRIs, and related medications, the effects of taking antidepressants when not depressed can include developing a condition known as serotonin syndrome. Symptoms of this condition include the following: Confusion. Agitation.
The primary therapeutic advantage of Lexapro is that it can help resolve the symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to Dr. Munir. Lexapro can help manage the following symptoms of depression: Sadness, emptiness and/or hopelessness.
(If a person who isn't depressed takes antidepressants, they do not improve that person's mood or functioning - it's not a "happy pill.") Rarely, people experience apathy or loss of emotions while on certain antidepressants. When this happens, lowering the dose or switching to a different antidepressant may help.
Like all medicines, escitalopram can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. Some of the common side effects of escitalopram will gradually improve as your body gets used to it.
When to See a Doctor. If your depression symptoms return for more than a few days, it's time to see your doctor. But even if you feel like your antidepressant isn't working, it's important to keep taking it until your doctor advises otherwise. You may need a dosage increase or a slow tapering off process.
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)
While it can take several weeks for Lexapro to start working, many people find some relief from anxiety and depression symptoms shortly after beginning the medication. First dose – a couple of weeks: When starting Lexapro, be patient.
Emotional blunting means you are numb to both positive and negative emotions. You can't seem to cry or feel sad about things that normally would make you sad. You also can't seem to laugh or smile at things that would normally make you happy.