Lexapro instructions

Active Ingredients: escitalopram oxalate

Brand Name Lexapro

The following product information is not a substitute for physician's or manufacturer's instructions.

Lexapro medical uses:
Lexapro is in a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Lexapro is effective in the treatment of depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Lexapro may also be used for purposes other than those listed here. Lexapro, and other SSRIs, block the ability of the nerve terminals in the brain to bind and break down serotonin so that more serotonin is available for the brain to use. Abnormally low levels of serotonin may play a role in diseases such as depression. Increasing serotonin levels in the brain can help treat this disorder.

How to use Lexapro:
Follow the directions for using this medicine provided by your doctor. Lexapro comes as a tablet taken by mouth. It should be taken once every day. This drug may be taken with or without food, in the morning or evening. Take the dose at the same time each day. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. You may begin to feel relief from your symptoms, such as depressed mood or anxiety, after taking Lexapro for just 1 or 2 weeks, but most people receive full benefits in 4 to 6 weeks. Do not stop taking Lexapro without first talking to your doctor. It may take several weeks before its full effect is felt.

Lexapro possible side effects:
Lexapro is well tolerated by most people. Common side effects from Lexapro are nausea, insomnia, problems with ejaculation, drowsiness, increased sweating, headache, nervousness, anxiety. Most of the side effects experienced by patients taking Lexapro are mild and go away with continued treatment, and usually do not cause patients to stop taking Lexapro. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away contact your doctor. If you experience any of the following serious symptoms, call your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction; irregular heartbeat or pulse; difficulty breathing or swallowing; fever; chest pain; bone or muscle pain, or spasms; severe skin rash.

Lexapro precautions:
Lexapro can be taken with most other medications except another family of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Lexapro and MAOIs should not be taken together or within 14 days of each other. A dangerous drug interaction can occur if Lexapro is combined with any of these medications. This medication might make your drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how Lexapro affects you. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while taking Lexapro or affect your condition, so avoid alcohol while taking Lexapro. Tell your doctor if you have an allergy to Lexapro or have had an allergy during therapy with other SSRIs (Celexa, Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft). Before you begin taking Lexapro, make sure to tell your healthcare provider if you are taking any other medications, including over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies, diet supplements (especially ketoconazole (Nizoril), sumatriptan (Imitrex), warfarin (Coumadin), cimetidine (Tagamet), carbamazepine (Tegretol), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), desipramine (Norpramin)).Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, suffer from seizures, suffer from mania or suicidal thoughts. Do not take escitalopram without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking Lexapro, notify your doctor.

Drug interations:
Lexapro and MAOIs should not be taken together or within 14 days of each other. Before taking Lexapro, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications: another antidepressant (citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil)); a tricyclic antidepressant (amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor)); an antibiotic (erythromycin (Eryc-Tab, E-Mycin, Erythrocin, P.C.E.), clarithromycin (Biaxin)); an antifungal medication (fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral)); a stomach medicine (cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB), ranitidine (Zantac, Zantac 75), omeprazole (Prilosec)); a seizure medication including carbamazepine (Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol); a migraine medication (almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan (Imitrex), zolmitriptan (Zomig)); the asthma medication zafirlukast (Accolate); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, Lithonate, Lithotabs).

Missed dose:
If you forget to take your prescribed dose of Lexapro, take the missed dose that same day as soon as you remember. The next day, resume according to your regular dosing schedule. Doubling a daily dose to compensate for a missed dose is not recommended. If you have additional questions about dosing, please talk to your healthcare professional.

Overdose:
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of the Lexapro overdose include nausea, vomiting, tremor, drowsiness, dizziness, sweating, fast heartbeat.

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