If you have actually depression or generalized stress and anxiety disorder, your doctor may wish to provide you Lexapro This drug can be really reliable in dealing with either condition. However like all drugs, it may cause side effects Some of these might only be irritating, while others may be severe and effect your health.
Learning more about the side effects can help you decide if the drug is right for you. Here’s a summary of the side effects Lexapro can cause.
What is Lexapro?
Lexapro is a prescription drug. It’s available as an oral tablet and an oral liquid solution. It’s approved for use in adults and children 12 years and older.
The medication comes from the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the quantity of the chemical serotonin in your brain. Having more serotonin helps reduce the symptoms of depression and stress and anxiety. Lexapro is ruled out a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). MAOIs work by decreasing the breakdown of serotonin and dopamine, another chemical in your brain. This also helps ease symptoms of depression. Nevertheless, MAOIs have a greater risk of side effects and drug interactions than SSRIs such as Lexapro.
Side Effects of Lexapro
SSRIs, consisting of Lexapro, are endured well compared to other types of antidepressants. In general, you may have more side effects if you take a higher dose of the drug. At a high dose, Lexapro is most likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhea.
Common side effects
The side effects of Lexapro seem to be the very same in both men and women. The side effects are slightly various for adults and children.
Adult side effects can consist of:
- yawning
- sexual problems, such as reduced libido and erectile dysfunction
- weakness
- sleepiness
- infection
- sweating
- anxiety
- nausea
- sleeping problem
- loss of appetitive
- dizziness
- constipation
- dry mouth
- shaking
The side effects for children and teenagers can include the above, plus:
- nosebleeds
- trouble urinating
- increased thirst
- unusual increase in muscle movement or agitation
- slowed development and weight modification
- heavy menstrual durations
There have been some cases of decreased hunger and weight-loss with using Lexapro in children and adolescents. Your child’s doctor might examine their height and weight during treatment.
People with depression tend to have a low cravings and decreased body weight. In adults, some sources state Lexapro might cause a small amount of weight gain. Nevertheless, if you put on weight, your weight might simply be night out since your depression is better managed and your hunger has actually returned. Other individuals drop weight when they’re taking Lexapro. The boost in serotonin might cause anorexia nervosa.
Most of these side effects are mild. They must ultimately disappear on their own without treatment. If they’re more severe or don’t disappear, tell your doctor.
Boxed Cautioning Side Effects
A boxed warning is the most major caution from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Lexapro might increase self-destructive thoughts or actions. This risk is higher in children, teenagers, or young adults. This is most likely to take place within the first few months of treatment or during dosage changes.
Call your doctor right now if you have any of the following symptoms, or call 911 or local emergency situation services if the symptoms are new, worse, or uneasy:
- other uncommon changes in your behavior or state of mind.
- feeling restless, upset, or irritable
- new or even worse stress and anxiety or anxiety attack
- trouble sleeping
- thoughts about suicide or passing away
- aggressive or violent actions
- new or worse depression
- increased activity (doing more than what is normal for you).
- acting upon harmful impulses
- efforts to dedicate suicide
Other Major Side Effects of Lexapro
Lexapro can also cause other serious side effects. Call your doctor immediately if you have serious side effects. Call 911 or local emergency services if your symptoms feel lethal or if you believe you’re having a medical emergency.
Severe allergies
You should not take Lexapro if you’re allergic to it, its ingredients, or the antidepressant Celexa. Symptoms can consist of:
- breathing problem.
- swelling of your face, tongue, eyes, or mouth.
- severe rash, hives (itchy welts), or blisters that might come on with fever or joint pain.
Seizures or convulsions
There have been reports of some people having seizures while taking Lexapro. People with a history of seizures are at greater risk.
Serotonin syndrome
This is a major condition. It occurs when the levels of serotonin in your body get expensive. It’s more likely to occur if you likewise take other drugs that increase serotonin, such as other antidepressants or lithium. Symptoms can include:
- sweating or fever.
- agitation.
- coma (loss of awareness).
- nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- coordination issues, overactive reflexes, or muscle twitching.
- high or low high blood pressure.
- muscle tightness.
- hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t genuine).
- racing heart rate.
Low salt levels
Lexapro may cause low salt levels in your body. This might be most likely to happen in elders, people who take water pills, or people who are dehydrated. This side effect may cause:
- headache.
- unsteadiness that can result in falls.
- confusion.
- weakness.
- seizures.
- problem concentrating.
- thinking or memory issues.
Manic episodes
If you have bipolar affective disorder, Lexapro may cause you to have a manic episode. Taking Lexapro without another drug for bipolar disorder might trigger an episode. Symptoms can consist of:
- severe sleeping difficulty.
- reckless behavior.
- excessive happiness or irritation.
- greatly increased energy.
- racing ideas.
- talking quickly or more than normal.
- uncommonly grand ideas.
Vision issues
Lexapro may dilate your pupils. This might activate a glaucoma attack, even if you do not have a history of eye issues. Symptoms can include:
- eye pain.
- vision changes
- swelling or redness in or around your eye.
Side effects with other health conditions
If you have certain health conditions, you likely ought to not take Lexapro. In some cases, your doctor may reduce your dose or view you more carefully during your treatment with it. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following health conditions before taking Lexapro.
- Low salt levels: Lexapro can even more reduce your salt levels.
- Seizures: this drug might cause seizures and make your seizure disorder even worse.
- Glaucoma: this drug may cause a glaucoma attack.
- Bipolar affective disorder: if you take Lexapro without taking other medications for bipolar affective disorder, Lexapro might cause a manic episode.
- Breastfeeding: Lexapro may enter breast milk and cause side effects in a child who is breastfed.
- A history of self-destructive thoughts or habits: Lexapro can increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior, especially in children, teenagers, and young people.
- Pregnancy: it isn’t really understood if Lexapro will damage your coming baby.
Interactions with other drugs
Particular medications can connect with Lexapro. Make sure to tell your doctor about all non-prescription and prescription drugs, supplements, and herbs you take. Lexapro might engage with the following drugs:.
blood thinners such as warfarin to increase your risk of bleeding.
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin to increase your risk of bleeding.
other substance abuse to treat depression to increase the level of serotonin in your body, which can cause serotonin syndrome.
Lexapro and Weight Gain
Lexapro can cause changes in weight. There are some reports that people start to lose weight when first taking Lexapro, however this finding is not well supported by research studies.
Another study found that Lexapro didn’t decrease the obsessive-compulsive symptoms connected to binge-eating disorder, but it did minimize weight and body mass index. This might be because study individuals taking Lexapro had less binge-eating episodes.
More thorough research study is required on the topic of Lexapro and weight changes. However the present proof seems to suggest that the drug may be more likely to cause weight-loss than weight gain, if you have weight modifications at all.
If either of these impacts is a concern for you, speak with your doctor. They have one of the most insight on how this drug will impact you separately. They can also offer suggestions for handling your weight.
Speak to your doctor
Lexapro is an effective drug used to treat depression and stress and anxiety. While it can be very reliable, it may likewise cause side effects. Be sure to inform your doctor about other health conditions you have and medications you take before starting Lexapro. This info can assist your doctor decrease your chance of side effects. Also tell your doctor if you do have any side effects. If you can’t endure the impacts, your doctor might alter your medication. Bear in mind that Lexapro and other drugs in its class cause a lot of the same side effects.
