Lexapro (Escitalopram) is an antidepressant introduced by Lundbeck based on one of their earlier drugs known as citalopram and marketed as Celexa. Lexapro is an antidepressant of the class SSRI. Lexapro is the second most popular antidepressant in the United States. It is noted for its great tolerabilility, that many people use the drug with very few side effects. However, Lexapro, like other SSRI antidepressants, can totally kill libido and result in massive weight gain.
There was a great deal of controversy surrounding Lexapro’s release, as the drug is very similar to Lundbeck’s previous antidepressant Celexa, and the release of Lexapro coincided with the expiry of Celexa’s patent. Lundbeck claims that Lexapro is better than Celexa, and that it is better tolerated by patients, but it seems that the drugs are very similar in how they act and the side effects that they cause. Lexapro, chemically, is a stripped down Celexa. Lundbeck retained the active portions of Celexa while removing the inaction portions. This resulted in a different chemical composition, but the two drugs are very similar in their pharmacological effects. In fact, if you had an allergic reaction to Celexa, you should not take Lexapro, as it is likely that you will have an allergic reaction to Lexapro as well.
Most users of Lexapro report typical SSRI side effects, such as headache, insomnia, dry mouth, and nausea, most of which are reported when users first start taking the drug and subside within a month. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Lexapro has a large incidence of causing weight gain in its users, and the majority of users will experience a reduced libido. If side effects persist for longer a month, or are too bothersome for you to keep taking Lexapro, you should talk to a doctor to see about switching to another antidepressant. Suddenly stopping your use of Lexapro can result in severe withdrawal symptoms associated with SSRI antidepressants. Lexapro is particularly known for being well tolerated and thus does not often cause severe withdrawal that other SSRI antidepresants can, but the risk still exists. Some people report feelings of worthlessness or inability to sleep when trying to come off of Lexapro. Other symptoms include sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds, sweating, hot flashes or chills, or inability to concentrate. Although these severe withdrawal symptoms only affect a small portion of Lexapro users, you should talk to your doctor if you are concerned about them. Your doctor can help prevent withdrawal symptoms by gradually stepping down your dosage of Lexapro.
Lexapro is a safe and well tolerated SSRI antidepressant that is very popular in the United States. Although some users will experience side effects or severe withdrawal, the incidence of these are lower than with other SSRI antidepressants, and so Lexapro is a good choice for those wanting a safe and effective choice for combating their clinical depression. Keep in mind that Lexapro is very similar to Celexa (citalopram) and if you experienced difficulty taking Celexa you most likely will not find success with Lexapro. In addition, generic citalopram (Celexa) is available, while generic escitalopram (Lexapro) is not available, meaning that citalopram can be purchased for less than escitalopram. If finances are a concern, you may wish to consider using citalopram instead of escitalopram.