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What Are The Side Effects Of Lexapro?
Question: What are the side affects of lexapro. I just started taking lexapro a week ago and feel very out of sorts. Thank you. Mel
Brief Answer:
The combination of meds, and having just started may be the problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hello Mel,
Sorry you are having trouble. Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, and so it has side effects typical of that class of medication. However, Lexapro has one of the best side effect profiles of any of the SSRIs.
That said, in combination with the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptiline and the benzodiazepine sedative clonazepam, side effects are more likely.
The more common side effects of the SSRI antidepressants are dizziness, feeling more sleepy, or insomnia, nausea, decreased sex drive, weight changes, and dry mouth.
Feeling out of sorts is quite possible given that you are on 2 other centrally acting medications. And that you just started the Lexapro.
Many people only have difficulty with side effects when they start Lexapro with the worst symptoms in the first couple weeks and then they feel better by about the first month.
I am assuming that you are taking 10mg of Lexapro? Given the other medications you are on, it would be reasonable to start at half the standard dose (i.e. 5 mg) and not go up on it for a few weeks. This will cut down on the side effects and let your body get used to it gradually.
You should let your prescribing doctor know what is going on and that you are decreasing the dose.
I hope this information helps and that you are feeling better soon.
The combination of meds, and having just started may be the problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hello Mel,
Sorry you are having trouble. Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, and so it has side effects typical of that class of medication. However, Lexapro has one of the best side effect profiles of any of the SSRIs.
That said, in combination with the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptiline and the benzodiazepine sedative clonazepam, side effects are more likely.
The more common side effects of the SSRI antidepressants are dizziness, feeling more sleepy, or insomnia, nausea, decreased sex drive, weight changes, and dry mouth.
Feeling out of sorts is quite possible given that you are on 2 other centrally acting medications. And that you just started the Lexapro.
Many people only have difficulty with side effects when they start Lexapro with the worst symptoms in the first couple weeks and then they feel better by about the first month.
I am assuming that you are taking 10mg of Lexapro? Given the other medications you are on, it would be reasonable to start at half the standard dose (i.e. 5 mg) and not go up on it for a few weeks. This will cut down on the side effects and let your body get used to it gradually.
You should let your prescribing doctor know what is going on and that you are decreasing the dose.
I hope this information helps and that you are feeling better soon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your help. I will start taking the five mg. dose for a couple of weeks
and that may solve the problem. Thanks, again. Mel
and that may solve the problem. Thanks, again. Mel
Brief Answer:
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Detailed Answer:
Yes, 5 mg for at least the first 2 weeks.
Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Detailed Answer:
Yes, 5 mg for at least the first 2 weeks.
Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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