1. Why was I prescribed Lexapro?
2. What is Lexapro?
3. How does Lexapro work?
4. When will I start feeling better?
5. Can I stop taking Lexapro once I feel better?
6. Are there side effects with Lexapro?
7. I'm experiencing side effects with Lexapro. What
should I do?
8. Can I use Lexapro if I am pregnant?
9. Can I use Lexapro if I am breast feeding?
10. Does Lexapro cause weight gain?
11. How and when should I take Lexapro?
12. Can I take Lexapro with other medicines?
13. How else can I help my recovery in addition to
taking Lexapro?
14. Will Lexapro affect my sex drive?
15. Can I drink alcoholic beverages while taking Lexapro?
16. What should I do if I miss a dose?
17. What if I have more questions about Lexapro?
1. Why was I prescribed Lexapro?
Lexapro is a prescription medicine for the treatment of depression
and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults. Just like diabetes,
heart disease, or asthma, these are real medical conditions that require
diagnosis and treatment from a medical professional. Depression and
GAD can be caused by an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain.
The good news is that Lexapro is an effective, well-tolerated therapy
that can help improve symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety
disorder.
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2. What is Lexapro?
Lexapro is an antidepressant and a member of the family of medicines
known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Lexapro
was developed by isolating the medicinal component of CELEXA®
(citalopram HBr), a molecule known as an isomer. As a result, Lexapro
is able to provide effective and well-tolerated therapy for patients.
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3. How does Lexapro work?
Lexapro helps to restore the brain's chemical balance by increasing
the available supply of serotonin, a substance in the brain believed
to influence mood.
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4. When will I start feeling better?
In clinical studies, many patients treated with Lexapro began to feel
better within 1 or 2 weeks, although the full effect may take 4 to
6 weeks. You should follow up with your healthcare professional and
report your progress.
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5. Can I stop taking Lexapro once I feel better?
No. You should take your medicine for as long as your healthcare professional
advises, even if you start feeling better; otherwise your symptoms
could return or worsen. Your healthcare professional may ask you to
keep taking Lexapro even if you are feeling better.
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6. Are there side effects with Lexapro?
Lexapro is well tolerated by most people. The most commonly reported
side effects of Lexapro are nausea, insomnia, problems with ejaculation,
somnolence, increased sweating, fatigue, decreased libido, and anorgasmia.
Most of the side effects experienced by patients taking Lexapro are
mild to moderate and go away with continued treatment, and usually
do not cause patients to stop taking Lexapro.
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7. I'm experiencing side effects with Lexapro. What do I do?
Side effects with Lexapro are usually mild to moderate and go away
with continued treatment. If you experience side effects while taking
Lexapro, talk to your healthcare professional. For most people, side
effects are mild to moderate and go away with time. Do not stop taking Lexapro
unless instructed to do so by your healthcare professional.
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8. Can I use Lexapro if I am pregnant?
If you become pregnant or intend to become pregnant while taking Lexapro,
talk to your doctor. There have been no studies done to confirm that
Lexapro is safe to use in pregnant women. Therefore, Lexapro should
be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the
potential risk to the unborn child. Be sure to talk to your doctor
about this important decision.
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9. Can I use Lexapro if I am breast feeding?
Patients should be advised to notify their physician if they are breast
feeding an infant. Lexapro, like many other medicines, is excreted
in breast milk. Therefore, the doctor and patient must decide whether
to continue or discontinue either nursing or Lexapro therapy. The
decision to continue Lexapro therapy should take into account the
risks for the infant and the benefits of Lexapro treatment for the
mother.
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10. Does Lexapro cause weight gain?
In controlled
studiesA study in which a test treatment is compared with a treatment that
has known effects. The control group may receive no treatment, standard
treatment (which may be another medicine or another approach to care),
or placebo (sugar pill.), clinically important changes in body weight were similar
for patients treated with Lexapro and those treated with placebo.
If you have concerns about any side effects, you should talk with
your healthcare professional.
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11. How and when should I take Lexapro?
Lexapro should be taken once every day. It may be taken with or without
food, in the morning or evening. Remember to fill prescriptions ahead
of time to avoid missing a dose. To get the best results, it is important
to follow all of your healthcare professional's instructions about
how and when you should take Lexapro.
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12. Can I take Lexapro with other medicines?
Lexapro has a low risk of interacting with other medicines in general.
One important exception is the family of antidepressants called monoamine
oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Lexapro and MAOIs should not be taken
together or within 14 days of each other. As with other medicines
in this class (SSRIs), caution is indicated when taking Lexapro with
tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).
As with other psychotropic drugs that interfere with serotonin reuptake,
patients should be cautioned regarding the risk of bleeding associated
with the concomitant use of Lexapro with NSAIDs, aspirin, or other
drugs that affect coagulation. Before you begin taking Lexapro, make
sure to tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other
medicines, including over-the-counter medicines, herbal remedies,
diet supplements, etc.
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13. How else can I help my recovery in addition to taking
Lexapro?
When taking Lexapro, be sure to keep follow-up appointments with your
healthcare professional. He or she needs to track your progress toward
recovery. In addition to taking a medicine such as Lexapro, you may
want to participate in psychotherapy or "talk therapy."
These counseling sessions can help you understand how your disorder
affects you and find ways to cope with the illness.
Regular physical exercise can also improve feelings of well-being.
In addition, it may help to cut back on or eliminate alcohol and/or
caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or soda. To find out which
of these or other suggestions might be right for you, talk with your
healthcare professional. Learn more about options for treating and
coping with depression
or anxiety.
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14. Will Lexapro affect my sex drive?
Although changes in sexual desire, sexual performance, and sexual
satisfaction may occur during a depressive episode, they may also
be a consequence of treatment with SSRI therapies. Reliable estimates
of changes in sexual behavior related to medicines are difficult to
obtain, because patients and physicians are often reluctant to discuss
them. In clinical trials, a low percentage of patients taking Lexapro
have reported sexual side effects, primarily ejaculatory delay in
men. If you have questions about sexual dysfunction, speak with your
healthcare professional.
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15. Can I drink alcoholic beverages while taking Lexapro?
As with many other medications, you should avoid drinking alcoholic
beverages while being treated with Lexapro.
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16. What should I do if I miss a dose?
If you forget to take your prescribed dose of Lexapro, take the missed
dose that same day as soon as you remember; then call your healthcare
professional for more information. 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.
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17. What if I have more questions about Lexapro?
Your healthcare professional should be able to answer any additional
questions you may have about Lexapro therapy.
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