Then, when you're taking the lowest possible daily dosage, they may recommend taking a dose every other day instead of every day. (For details about dosage, see the “Lexapro dosage” section above.) If you have withdrawal symptoms when stopping Lexapro, talk with your doctor.
One solution often proposed is to take one pill every other day, but some common antidepressants such as venlafaxine and paroxetine are broken down by the body within hours, so this method leads to drug levels in the blood fluctuating from one day to the next.
Lexapro withdrawal symptoms are most often described as flu-like symptoms, such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue, fever, headache, trouble sleeping, and mood swings.
The “normal dosage” of Lexapro for most people is 10 mg once per day. The recommended therapeutic dosage range is 10 mg to 20 mg once per day. (A therapeutic dose is the dose needed to manage a condition.)
There are no hard and fast rules for getting off antidepressants, other than that the approach should be individualized! Some people can taper off an antidepressant in a matter of weeks, while others may take months.
Panic disorder The starting dose of Lexapro is 5 mg as one daily dose for the first week before increasing the dose to 10 mg per day. The dose may be further increased by your doctor to a maximum of 20 mg per day. Social anxiety disorder The normally recommended dose of Lexapro is 10 mg taken as one daily dose.
Lexapro withdrawal symptoms can be severe, particularly if you attempt to stop abruptly. Instead, the dosage should be slowly tapered down over a period of time and under the guidance of medical professionals who can help prevent or mitigate any withdrawal symptoms.
The typical dose⁷ of Lexapro for anxiety is 10mg daily. Your doctor may start you at 5mg and taper up to 10mg to prevent your anxiety symptoms from worsening during the first two weeks of treatment.
The recommended Lexapro dosage for adults living with anxiety is 10 mg once a day. If you need a higher dose, your healthcare provider may decide to raise it to up to 20 mg once a day. But this should happen at least 1 week after starting Lexapro.
An informed physician will know that in the case of Lexapro, the lowest dosage is 5mg white round tablets. The tablets can be cut in half when needed providing a 2.5mg option.
Once you're feeling better it's likely that you'll keep taking escitalopram for several more months to prevent the symptoms returning. The decision to stop your treatment or carry on will depend on what symptoms you have and how serious they are.
“If you make a decision to come off Lexapro, make sure you communicate this with your doctor first. Together, you can come up with a safe plan to wean you off the medication.” They'll be able to help you devise an appropriate plan so you can slowly reduce your use and minimize any withdrawal symptoms.
Missing doses of escitalopram may increase your risk for relapse in your symptoms. Stopping escitalopram abruptly may result in one or more of the following withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nausea, feeling dizzy, vomiting, nightmares, headache, and/or paresthesias (prickling, tingling sensation on the skin).
It's a common situation — busy people often miss doses or take their medication at irregular intervals. The trouble is, not taking an antidepressant medication consistently can prevent it from working as well as it should — or prevent it from working at all, Dr. Hullett cautions.
Antidepressants are usually taken daily. The goal in the first few weeks and months is to relieve the symptoms and, where possible, make the depression go away. Once that has been achieved, the treatment is continued for at least four to nine months.
It's important not to miss any of your doses, as this could make your treatment less effective. You may also get withdrawal symptoms as a result of missing a dose of the medicine. If you do miss 1 of your doses, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.
If you suddenly stop taking Lexapro, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, which can include irritability, headache, dizziness, lethargy, and sensory disturbances. The best way to discontinue the medication is to taper off your dose slowly according to a doctor's instructions.
Adults and children 12 years of age and older—10 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken either in the morning or evening. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 20 mg per day.
How long can you take Lexapro? If this is your first episode of depression, your doctor may prescribe Lexapro for a set period, for example, 6 months to a year. Some people with persistent depression may need to take it for many years. There are no known problems when Lexapro is taken long-term.
Antidepressant medications are used to treat a variety of conditions, including depression and other mental/mood disorders. These medications can help prevent suicidal thoughts/attempts and provide other important benefits.
The best way to prevent withdrawal is to taper the dosage of Lexapro slowly. A doctor will help an individual form a plan for doing this. There are several reasons why a person may not want or need to take Lexapro any longer.
Lexapro Dosage
The 10mg and 20mg tablets are scored and can be cut in half. The oral solution comes in a strength of 1 mg per milliliter (mL). If you are experiencing your first episode of depression or anxiety, you may take Lexapro for a defined period—such as between six months and one year.
It can take an average of four weeks to adjust to taking Lexapro. All bodies react differently. You may notice the effects of Lexapro within a day, or it could take up to six weeks. Most patients report that initial side effects go away after two weeks.
A small number of people who use Lexapro can develop insomnia, where people may find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get good quality sleep. There is no direct scientific evidence that the timing of the daily dose affects insomnia, but some users may prefer to take their medication early in the day.