Lexapro is usually taken for a period of many years, either until a person feels that they don't need it anymore or until they begin experiencing negative side effects and decide to switch medications.
Lexapro is prescribed long-term, allowing it to create neuroadaptation in the CNS, brain, and body. Long-term effects of Lexapro may develop making continuing treatment untenable. Lexapro is not a cure.
Lexapro is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Lexapro is safe and effective for you, you'll likely take it long term to manage your mental health condition. Continuing Lexapro treatment after your symptoms ease can help prevent them from returning.
If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off escitalopram. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking escitalopram for a long time.
Antidepressants such as Lexapro lose their effectiveness when overused. Many complain of its ineffectiveness after consumption for an extended period (after continuous use for more than six months). A licensed mental health expert should treat such cases.
Lexapro may cause serious or life-threatening side effects such as birth defects, heart conditions, serotonin syndrome, and an increased risk of suicide.
“If you've been on an antidepressant for a long time, your body may develop a tolerance,” notes Hullett. As a result, a medication that once worked well at quelling your sadness, anxiety, and other symptoms no longer has that power. Sometimes, Hullett says, increasing the dose under supervision by your doctor may help.
If You Do Have to Take Antidepressants Forever, You Will Be OK. Some recent studies suggest long-term antidepressant use may come with side effects previously unknown to scientists. “These risks include an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, especially for SSRI users,” Dr. Hong explained.
Lexapro may cause weight gain because it blocks the serotonin transporter, which increases levels of serotonin in the brain, but also increases appetite and decreases metabolism.
You may be tempted to stop taking antidepressants as soon as your symptoms ease, but depression can return if you quit too soon. Clinicians generally recommend staying on the medication for six to nine months before considering going off antidepressants.
Lexapro is usually taken for a period of many years, either until a person feels that they don't need it anymore or until they begin experiencing negative side effects and decide to switch medications. However, ceasing to take Lexapro should not be undertaken lightly—or without clinical oversight.
There are several reasons why people decide to stop taking SSRIs like Lexapro. Some people may find the medication does not work, they experience unwanted side effects or they become immune to the medication.
Specifically, weight gain seems to be a common long-term risk, especially the medications that affect serotonin levels. This could be because serotonin is associated with an increase in appetite. There is also a risk of higher blood sugar levels and diabetes with taking antidepressants long-term.
A person taking Lexapro may experience some weight gain, especially with long-term use. That risk may continue for up to six years. 3 There are many reasons why this may occur. One of Lexapro's weight gain mechanisms is that it increases serotonin levels, and serotonin plays a role in weight control.
Escitalopram is used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It is an antidepressant that belongs to a group of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medicines work by increasing the activity of the chemical serotonin in the brain.
According to the University of Regina research, popular SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) antidepressant medications, such as Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, etc., are associated with a twofold increase in the odds of developing some form of cognitive impairment, such as dementia, including Alzheimer's.
According to research, approximately half of the people who take Lexapro may experience weight gain of 7% or more while taking this medication [2]. Gaining weight unexpectedly and struggling to lose it can worsen self-esteem, anxiety, and depression [3], which ultimately defeats the purpose of taking Lexapro.
Does Lexapro slow your metabolism? Metabolic changes can occur when a person has depression and is taking antidepressant medications. However, the relationships are complex, and there is not enough evidence to show that Lepraxo specifically affects metabolism.
Guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommends that antidepressants are used as 'maintenance' treatment for up to 2 years to prevent their depression returning (relapse). It also recommends cognitive-behavioural therapy to change habits of thought and behaviour.
It's usually recommended that a course of antidepressants continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition recurring when you stop. Some people with recurrent illness are advised to carry on taking medicine indefinitely.
In addition to reducing interest in sex, SSRI medications can make it difficult to become aroused, sustain arousal, and reach orgasm.
A second therapeutic candidate, LYT-310 (oral cannabidiol), is expected to enter the clinic in Q4 of 2023. A second therapeutic candidate, LYT-310 (oral cannabidiol), is expected to enter the clinic in Q4 of 2023.
Lexapro can be effective at reducing the symptoms of anxiety, and it may be especially helpful for multiple types of anxiety disorder, including: Specific phobias (off-label) Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (FDA-approved)