Many people around the globe are fighting against the anxiety order. The number is quite increasing every year. In US, nearly 25 to 30 percent of people are suffering from anxiety disorders. What is anxiety disorder? Anxiety disorder can be termed as some kind of mental illness. Actually, everyone experiences anxiety in their lives. It is obvious that we do worry for some nor the other reasons like, facing exams, interview, illness, financial crisis etc. But some special categories of people keep on worrying every single passing day, even if there is nothing to worry about.

Lexapro Escitalopram medicine is designed to deal with the anxiety disorders. It is an oral drug that is used for treating depression and generalized anxiety disorder. It works by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain, the chemical messengers that nerves use to communicate with one another. Neurotransmitters are made and released by nerves and then travel to other nearby nerves where they attach to receptors on the nerves. Some neurotransmitters that are released do not bind to receptors and are taken up by the nerves that produced them. This is referred to as reuptake.

Many experts believe that an imbalance of neurotransmitters is the main cause of depression. Escitalopram Lexapro prevents the reuptake of one neurotransmitter serotonin by nerves, an action which results in more serotonin in the brain to attach to receptors. Chemically Escitalopram is very similar to Citalopram. Both are in the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs, a class that also includes Fluoxetine Prozac, Paroxetine Paxil and Sertraline Zoloft.

Lexapro comes in a tablet form and has to be taken orally. It can be taken with food or without food. It is usually taken once a in a complete day.

Try to maintain the timing of your dosage i.e. either in the morning or in the evening, which indeed will help you to remember that you have to take Lexapro on this specific time. Read the instructions carefully that are prescribed on the prescription label. Do not hesitate to talk to your pharmacist or doctor, if you have any doubts related to the medicine. Ask them about the quantity of the medicine and in which portions the medicine has to be consumed, because your doctor may give you a low dose in the starting and may increase the dose gradually by seeing your reports.

Do not stop the medicine in between, even if you feel well. It may take 2- 4 weeks for you to get complete benefit of the Lexapro medication. Ask you doctor, if you wish to discontinue the medication. Your doctor may decrease your dose slowly and may guide you well on how to stop it.

Some side effects can be seen, while using the Lexapro medication. Inform your doctor if any of these symptoms do not go away with the time and appear severe to you.

Dry mouth, sneezing, increased or decreased appetite, upset stomach, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, changes in sex drive or ability, runny nose, constipation, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, drowsiness, increased or excessive sweating, heartburn, stomach pain, excessive tiredness, dizziness etc. side effects can be seen.

Lexapro may cause some other side effects, which are not mentioned here, so contact your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Some side effects can be serious and bothersome. They may be – hallucinations seeing things or hearing voices that do not exists, unusual excitement, unusual fainting.

For more drug interactions information, please gain knowledge from your doctor. Continue to your normal diet, unless doctor adds some restriction in it.

All SSRIs including Escitalopram should not be taken together with any drugs of the MAO mono-amine oxidase inhibitor-class of antidepressants. For e.g. isocarboxazid Marplan, phenelzine Nardil, tranylcypromine Parnate and procarbazine Matulane. Such combinations may lead to confusion high blood pressure high fevers tremor or muscle rigidity and increased activity.

This same type of interaction also may occur with - selegiline Eldepryl, fenfluramine Pondimin, and dexfenfluramine Redux. Tryptophan can cause headaches nausea sweating and dizziness when taken with any SSRI. At least 14 days should elapse after discontinuing Escitalopram before starting a MAO inhibitor.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If the suffering patient has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Beta-adrenergic agonists are adrenergic agonists which act upon the beta receptors.
Lexapro tablets are round in shape and film-coated, which contains Escitalopram oxalate in strengths equivalent to 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg Escitalopram base. The 10 and 20 mg tablets are scored. The tablets also contain the following inactive ingredients: sodium, microcrystalline cellulose/colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, croscarmellose, and magnesium stearate. The film coating also contains hypromellose, titanium dioxide, and polyethylene glycol.

If you miss a dose of this medicine take it as soon as possible as you recall. However, if it is almost the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue to your regular dosing schedule. Serious side effects can occur if double dosed.

Escitalopram is approved for the treatment of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Drugs in the SSRI class also have been studied in persons with obsessive-compulsive disorders and panic disorders.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the Lexapro medication.

Escitalopram tablets should be stored at controlled room temperature 59-86°F 15-30°C. Always keep the tablets in some cool and safe place. Avoid storing the medicine in the bathroom. Protect the medicine from moisture, direct light, heat etc.

Following precautions must be taken while using generic Lexapro medication:

1. Discuss the complete medical history with your doctor before consuming Lexapro, so that accordingly the doctor will suggest you for the medicine and its dose. Also inform your doctor if you have recently had seizures, thyroid, heart disease, a heart attack, bipolar disorder, liver or kidney problems.

2. Inform your doctor or pharmacist, if you are allergic to Escitalopram, citalopram Celexa or any other medications.

3. If you are consuming some other medicines, supplements, vitamins, herbal products etc. let your doctor be aware of this. If you have any allergies of certain drugs, feel free to share it with the doctor.

4. Do not share your medicine with others, even if they are suffering from the same condition.

5. Lexapro may make you drowsy and so it’s advisable that, do not operate any machine or drive a car, until you are clear that how this medication affects you.

6. Alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. So avoid alcohol during the course.

7. Do not consume Lexapro simultaneously with MAO inhibitor such as tranylcypromine Parnate or phenelzine Nardil or have stopped taking them in the last 1 - 2 weeks. You should be aware of the fact that Lexapro is very similar to another SSRI, citalopram Celexa. You should not take these two medications together.

8. Pregnant women, women planning to conceive, and lactating mothers should consult their doctors before using this medicine.

9. Inform your doctor if you are taking any of these substances like: anticoagulants blood thinners such as ketoconazole Sporanox cimetidine Tagamet lithium Eskalith, Lithobid, Lithotabs warfarin Coumadin antihistamines carbamazepine Tegretol medications for anxiety, mental illness, or seizures metoprolol Lopressor, Toprol XL other antidepressants such as desipramine Norpramin sedatives sleeping pills sumatriptan Imitrex and tranquilizers.

10. If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking Escitalopram.

11. Learn the proper method of discarding the medicine from your pharmacist or doctor and discard it when not in use.

12. Keep the medicine out of reach from the children.