How Bad Are Lexapro's Side Effects?

How bad are Lexapro’s side effects? Are there any dangers or adverse effects with Lexapro? Lexapro (escitalopram) is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). It’s common mental health conditions including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Lexapro, or another SSRI, is often the first type of medication that doctors will prescribe for anxiety. This is because, compared to other types of anxiety medications, SSRIs like Lexapro are generally well tolerated and are effective in relieving symptoms.

For anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), studies have shown that most patients start to see a reduction in their anxiety levels after 1 to 2 weeks, but again, the full effects may not be apparent until after 4 to 6 weeks or more.

Lexapro Immediate Effects

While it can take several weeks for Lexapro to start taking effect, many people find some relief from anxiety and depression symptoms shortly after beginning the medication.

So, how bad are Lexapro’s side effects? First dose – a couple of weeks: When starting Lexapro, be patient. Basically, your body will adjust to the medication, and you might start to feel some symptom relief within a couple of weeks. A small subset of people find that Lexapro works within a day or so, but that percentage is extremely small. Even if you’re not experiencing the full benefits of the drug, continue taking your medication as prescribed.

Lexapro Side Effects First Week

When starting Lexapro for depression, you may experience more energy. Consequently, you may also have different side effects, especially during the first week, as your body adjusts to the medication.

Side effects you might expect to have when starting Lexapro:

Firstly, dry mouth
Decreased appetite
Indigestion
Fourthly, nausea
Difficulty sleeping
Drowsiness
Diarrhea
Constipation
Decreased sexual desire (libido)
Finally, increased sweating

Lexapro Weight Gain

How bad are Lexapro’s side effects compared with other antidepressants?Lexapro may cause weight gain because it blocks the serotonin transporter, which increases levels of serotonin in the brain. It also increases appetite and decreases metabolism. Hence, research has shown approximately 40% of people taking antidepressants such as Lexapro will gain 7% or more of their starting body weight. Another key point, the weight gain experienced with Lexapro is a lot less than that reported with other antidepressants such as paroxetine, mirtazapine, or doxepin but more than fluoxetine.

Monitor your weight regularly once you start taking Lexapro and tell your doctor if you notice weight gain of a pound or two within a short period. Altogether, it is often easier to reverse weight when the gain is small. Stopping Lexapro may not be the answer to weight gain as it tends to occur with most antidepressants. Therefore, it is something that could be considered, although it may not necessarily reverse the weight gain. Your blood sugar levels, lipids, blood pressure, and waist circumference should also be checked regularly after starting antidepressants.

Dizziness Lexapro

Dizziness is more common with tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) than with other antidepressants. All in all, these medications can cause low blood pressure, resulting in dizziness.

Consider these strategies:

Firstly, rise slowly from sitting to standing positions.
Use handrails, canes or other sturdy items for support.
Avoid driving or operating machinery.
Avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Finally, take your antidepressant at bedtime if your doctor approves.

Emotional Blunting Lexapro

The real question is how bad are Lexapro’s side effects? Clinical Relevance: Antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, cause emotional blunting in about half of patients taking them

Consequently, in a new study, volunteers taking the SSRI escitalopram, performed about as well on “cold cognition” tasks (memory, attention, and reasoning) and “hot cognition” tasks (moral judgment, and emotion recognition) compared to those given a placebo.

However, they did not perform as well on two tasks that measured reinforcement learning, a behavioral principle based on trial and error. Although, the findings suggest that escitalopram reduces the way that people respond to rewards and punishments but has no effects on other types of thinking or behavior. It may also explain why a lower sex drive is often a side effect of taking antidepressants.

About half of users who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) report a sense of emotional blunting, a psychic flatness that limits their emotional range, particularly their ability to experience positive feelings like pleasure and joy. SSRIs target serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates psychological functions including mood, sleep, and sexual desire. In general, a lack of this brain chemical, it seems, also plays a key role in psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, and mania.

In a study, the volunteers taking escitalopram showed deficits in a cognitive process known as reinforcement learning, a behavioral principle based on trial and error. At this point, two tasks in particular were used to measure reinforcement sensitivity. This is the degree to which a person is driven by the rewards or punishments that arise as a result of their actions.

What this shows, the scientists said of the study’s results, is that escitalopram specifically reduces the way that people respond to the positive and negative consequences, but has no effects on other types of thinking or behavior. At length, this suggests that the drug affects sensitivity to rewards and the ability to respond accordingly.

***It’s OK, I love you with all my heart!***

Escitalopram Withdrawal Symptoms

Missing doses of escitalopram may increase your risk for relapse in your symptoms.

How bad are the Lexapro’s side effects when coming off of the med? Consequently, coming off Lexapro side effects may result in one or more of the following withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, feeling dizzy, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or parentheses (prickling, tingling sensation on the skin).

Depression is also a part of a confusing illness. Being that, people with bipolar disorder who take antidepressants may be at risk for “switching” from depression into mania. Symptoms of mania include “high” or irritable mood, very high self-esteem and decreased need for sleep. Also, some other symptoms are pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, being easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a large risk for bad consequences (for example, excessive buying sprees).

Equally important, medical attention should be sought if serotonin syndrome is suspected. Please refer to serious side effects for signs/symptoms.

Brain Zaps Lexapro

Lexapro withdrawal brain zaps can begin to appear during abrupt cessation, after a missed or reduced dose, and can occur at random when taking the drug as prescribed. Although, brain zaps are an under-studied phenomenon, despite the volume of reported instances.

Sensations of jolts of electricity going through the head, neck, and down the spine and outward can persist for days, weeks, and even months. Even more, the term brain zap does not come from medical literature, per se, but is taken from vivid anecdotal descriptions. Despite their disconcerting characteristics, and the vast number of anecdotal reports, medical research has not provided complete answers so far to these brain shocks, shivers, jolts, and zapping sensations.

Conclusion

Lexapro is an antidepressant SSRI for treating major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

How bad are Lexapro’s side effects whether first taking it or coming off of it? Side effects are common, especially in the first few weeks of starting Lexapro. However, as your body adjusts to the medication, these side effects should resolve. Therefore, common side effects like dry mouth, decreased appetite, and nausea, among others, are common.

Severe side effects you may experience while taking Lexapro are serotonin syndrome and an increase in suicidal thoughts. For that reason, you should seek help immediately if you notice signs of these side effects occurring and follow up with your healthcare provider.

Lexapro may help improve your sleep, appetite, and energy levels within the first two weeks. However, it usually takes six to eight weeks for you to experience the full benefits of Lexapro. Furthermore, it is important to continue taking your medication as directed by your healthcare provider unless your healthcare provider tells you to stop.

That’s a lot of info to digest in one setting. But I hope it helps you learn about Lexapro and it’s side effects. See you later. Until next time…