Lexapro Escitalopram 10 mg 28 tabs

 

Lexapro: instructions for use

Generic Lexapro is a drug that belongs to the group of antidepressants and is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. The active substance of Lexapro is escitalopram.

The drug has a positive effect on neuronal connections in CNS and improves chemical processes in the brain. 

It is used for therapy of anxiety states, severe depressive episodes in adults and adolescents who have reached the age of 12 years.

Lexapro should be taken on a regular basis, at the same time intervals, preferably in the morning. The dose can be divided into several doses or taken as a single dose.

Lexapro for anxiety

Depressive episodes and anxiety are the most common mental illnesses in the world. They are fundamental to the occurrence of suicidal tendencies and actions in general. All this is the outcome of a brain imbalance, on which a person's mood depends.

However, it is worth giving credit to environmental factors and genetics that predispose a person to initiate one or another problem as much as another. 

When a patient with a depressive episode or increased anxiety is treated with Lexapro anxiety medication, certain transformations take place in his organism, namely the ratio of chemical compounds that take place in the brain. They increase the sensitivity of the CNS to chemicals that are responsible for well-being. The latter include dopamine and serotonin. Thanks to these effects, the general mood improves and the severity of depressive and anxious symptoms decreases. 

Being a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, the drug allows for increasing the amount of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that promotes the transmission of signals between nerve cells. The drug inhibits serotonin reabsorption into CNS cells, so neurons receive more unbound serotonin. Drugs that inhibit serotonin reuptake are called selective because they selectively affect only serotonin and not any other neurotransmitter.

Does Lexapro make you gain weight?

There is some increased risk of weight gain when taking this medication. This may be the result of a direct increase in appetite or the fact that the person tends to eat more as his or her depression and anxiety are reduced. 

Lexapro side effects first week

Side effects:

1. Blood and lymphatic system disorders: reduced platelet count; hypersensitivity reactions.

2. Endocrine system disorders: reduced vasopressin production.

3. Metabolism:

• appetite disorder;

• weight gain;

• decrease in Na levels;

• eating disorder (anorexia).

4. Mental side:

• unmotivated anxiety, fear;

• feeling of anxiety;

• change of mood;

• abnormal dreams;

• decreased sexual desire in both sexes;

• lack of orgasm in women;

• nocturnal teeth grinding;

• nervous irritability;

• panic attacks;

• impaired consciousness;

• aggressive behavior;

• impairment of self-perception;

• hallucinatory syndrome;

• manic syndrome;

• suicidal tendencies.

5. Nervous system:

• migraine;

• sleep disorders (pathological sleepiness or insomnia);

• impaired skin sensitivity;

• trembling of the extremities;

• dizziness;

• dysgeusia;

• fainting states;

• serotonin syndrome.

6. Organs of vision: dilated pupils; feeling of fog in front of eyes.

7. Hearing organs - tinnitus.

8. Cardiovascular system disorders:

• increased heart rate;

• decrease in heart rate;

• heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmia).

9. Respiratory system disorders:

• inflammation of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity;

• epistaxis;

• yawning.

10. Digestive system:

• stool disorders;

• dryness of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity;

• nausea;

• gastrointestinal bleeding.

Lexapro side effects first week 10 mg and 2nd week of treatment and become less intense thereafter, and their frequency decreases with continued treatment.

If you have experienced any undesirable effects during the use of the drug, be sure to ask your doctor for help so that he can adjust the dosage of the drug.

Lexapro maximum dosage

This medicine is used on 1 tablet (10 mg) once a day. Depending on the response of the patient's body, the dose may be increased to the highest dose, i.e. up to 2 tablets (20 mg) a day.

Lexapro nausea

The most common side effect of Generic Lexapro that a patient may encounter at the beginning of treatment is worsening appetite and nausea.

Can you take Lexapro while pregnant?

Since Lexapro 10 mg causes many undesirable effects, it is prescribed only under the strict control of the attending doctor. Only a doctor can objectively evaluate the necessity of taking the drug during pregnancy and whether there is a risk of adverse effects on the fetus. Using Lexapro in the first trimester is not recommended. If administered in later terms during delivery, bleeding may occur. 

Lexapro and breastfeeding

The drug is able to penetrate into breast milk. If the baby is cranky or lethargic, it is recommended that breastfeeding or taking the drug be suspended. Treatment with Lexapro (Excitalopram) is often necessary in the postpartum period, but before prescribing this medication to a doctor, it is worthwhile to make a balanced decision and assess all the risks.

Best time to take Lexapro for anxiety

Use of the drug is allowed only when prescribed by a specialist. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are unable to objectively evaluate the necessity of taking this medicine:

Depression

For depressive episodes, the optimal dose of Lexapro (Excitalopram) is considered to be 10 mg per day. If necessary, the doctor may increase the daily dosage to 20 mg.

Panic attacks

In panic attacks, the use of Lexapro (Excitalopram) starts with a dosage of 5 mg for the first week, then the dose is increased to 10 mg per day. The maximum daily dose reaches 20 mg.

Social anxiety disorder

In sociophobia, a dose of Lexapro 10 mg 1p/day is considered the most optimal. If necessary, the doctor increases or decreases the dosage of the drug, based on the individual sensitivity of the patient's body.

Generalized anxiety disorder

The recommended optimal dose of escitalopram is 10 mg once daily. Thereafter, the dose may be increased to 20 mg per day as prescribed by the physician.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

In obsessive-compulsive disorder, it is recommended to take Excitalopram 10 mg once a day, then the treating doctor may adjust the dose if necessary.

Elderly patients (over 65 years of age)

In persons over 65 years of age, the starting dose of escitalopram is 5 mg per day and may be adjusted to 10 mg over time by the attending physician.

Children and adolescents (under 18 years of age)

It is not recommended to be taken in children and adolescents.

How fast does it work?

The results of taking this drug can be seen after a few weeks. If there are no results after 6-8 weeks of using the drug, the dosage should be increased or replaced by another drug. Generic Lexapro should be taken for a long time to prevent a recurrence. 

Forgot to take Lexapro for one day?

If you miss taking your medicine for any reason, never take a double dose. 

If you remember that you missed a pill before going to bed, take it and the next day take the medicine as prescribed by your doctor. 

If you remember that you did not take Lexapro in the middle of the night or the next day, you can disregard the missed dose and continue taking it as prescribed by your doctor. 

If you took more Lexapro (escitalopram) than recommended?

If you take more pills than necessary, seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or the emergency room of a medical facility. If you overdose, you will feel:
 

• tremors in your extremities;

• dizziness;

• increased agitation;

• seizures;

• impaired consciousness to the point of coma;

• dyspeptic disorders;

• abnormal heart rhythm;

• low blood pressure;

• electrolyte imbalance. 

It is imperative that you inform the attending physician, even if this has no effect on your well-being. 

Difference between Zoloft and Lexapro

Although these drugs belong to the same pharmacological group and are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, they have some differences, which can be seen in the table below:

 

Name	Zoloft	Lexapro
Pharmacological group	Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors	Groups of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Active substance	Sertraline	Escitalopram
Indications	Prevention of recurrent episodes of depression, panic attacks with or without fear of open space, obsessive-compulsive disorders in adults and children aged 6 to 17 years, sociophobia, post-traumatic stress disorder.	Depression of any severity, panic attacks with or without fear of open space, sociophobia, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Side effects	impaired sensitivity, including skin sensitivity; sleep disturbance towards insomnia; hyperexcitability and anxiety; nausea followed by vomiting; trembling of limbs; migraine.	dysuric disorders;  pathological sleepiness;  apathy, fatigue;  hyperexcitability;  muscle twitching;  trembling of the limbs;  menorrhagia;  nausea;  disorder of stools toward constipation;  decreased potency;  anorgasmia.

 

The choice of the drug should be coordinated with the attending doctor, because it is important to pay attention to the peculiarities of the body and the presence of concomitant diseases. 

Lexapro cost

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