SIDE-EFFECTS
Please remember that, just because a side effect is listed here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience any side effect – we are all different.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: skin rash or hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Common side effects of Lexapro include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Changes in sex drive or function
- Drowsiness
- Unusual sweating
- Dizziness
- Heartburn
- Stomach pain
- Extreme tiredness
- Dry mouth
- Greater appetite
- Flu-like symptoms, including sneezing and runny nose.
Serious side effects can also occur. If you have any of these side effects, call your doctor immediately:
- Unusual excitement
- Hallucinations, which means seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist
- Fever
- Confusion
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Severe muscle stiffness
- Thoughts about suicide or dying
- New or worse depression or anxiety
- Extreme agitation or restlessness
- Panic attacks
- Trouble sleeping
- Unusual irritability
- Anger or aggressive behavior
- Impulsiveness
- Mania, or an extreme increase in activity and talking
- Other unusual changes in behavior or mood.
Please note, that this is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects – particularly if they are persistent.
SAFETY
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to escitalopram, citalopram (Celexa), or any other medications.
Do not take escitalopram together with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate). You must wait at least 14 days after stopping an MAOI before you can take escitalopram. After you stop taking escitalopram, you must wait at least 14 days before you start taking an MAOI.
You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.
You should know that escitalopram may cause angle-closure glaucoma (a condition where the fluid is suddenly blocked and unable to flow out of the eye causing a quick, severe increase in eye pressure which may lead to a loss of vision). Talk to your doctor about having an eye examination before you start taking this medication. If you have nausea, eye pain, changes in vision, such as seeing colored rings around lights, and swelling or redness in or around the eye, call your doctor or get emergency medical treatment right away.
Tell your doctor what nutritional supplements and herbal products you are taking, especially products containing St. John's wort or tryptophan.
Tell your doctor if you have recently had a heart attack and if you have or have ever had seizures or liver, kidney, thyroid, or heart disease.
Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this medication. Escitalopram may cause heart defects or serious lung problems in a newborn if you take the medication during pregnancy. However, you may have a relapse of depression if you stop taking your antidepressant. Do not start or stop taking escitalopram during pregnancy without your doctor's advice.
Can Other Medicines Affect Lexapro (Escitalopram)?
Many drugs may affect the way Lexapro works and indeed, the drug itself could also affect other medications.
It's very important to let your doctor know about everything you are taking, including illegal drugs and any over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbs, or supplements.
Examples of drugs that interact with Lexapro include:
- St. John's wort
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar)
- Certain pain medications, such as tramadol (Ryzolt, Ultram, ConZip)
- Other SSRIs, such as citalopram (Celexa)
- Blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin)
- Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
- Heartburn drugs, such as cimetidine (Tagamet)
- Drugs used to treat mental illness, such as lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, Lithotabs)
- Anti-seizure medications, like carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- Some heart drugs, including digoxin (Digox, Lanoxin)
- Migraine medications, such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), and frovatriptan (Frova)
- Other antidepressants, such as desipramine (Norpramin)
- Sedatives and sleeping pills, including triazolam (Halcion)
- The HIV drug ritonavir (Norvir)
- Certain antifungal medications, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral, Xolegel, Extina)
- The antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox)
Drinking alcohol will worsen the negative effects of Lexapro on your mental and motor skills. Please do not drink alcohol if you're taking this medication.
Lexapro can also make you feel tired and can affect your judgment, thinking, and motor skills - you should not drive or operate machinery until you know how you respond to the drug.