Before taking Lexapro

It is dangerous to try and purchase Lexapro on the Internet or from vendors outside of the United States. Medications distributed from Internet sales may contain dangerous ingredients, or may not be distributed by a licensed pharmacy. Samples of Lexapro purchased on the Internet have been found to contain haloperidol (Haldol), a potent antipsychotic drug with dangerous side effects. For more information, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or visit www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide.

Do not use Lexapro if you are using an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate). Serious and sometimes fatal reactions can occur when these medicines are taken with Lexapro. You must wait at least 14 days after stopping an MAO inhibitor before you can take Lexapro. After you stop taking Lexapro, you must wait at least 14 days before you start taking an MAOI.

Tell your doctor about all other antidepressants you take, especially Celexa, Cymbalta, Desyrel, Effexor, Luvox, Oleptro, Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax, Paxil, Pexeva, Viibryd, or Zoloft.

To make sure you can safely take Lexapro, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
liver or kidney disease;


seizures or epilepsy;


bipolar disorder (manic depression); or


a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts.

You may have thoughts about suicide while taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Tell your doctor if you have worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several weeks of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking Lexapro. 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 Lexapro during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Escitalopram can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Lexapro without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give Lexapro to anyone younger than 12 years old without the advice of a doctor.
I wasn't severely depressed but I was always CRAZY sensitive, flipped out and cried at the smallest things, had pretty bad anxiety for no reason and would think negative thoughts over and over until I couldn't sit with myself. I finally decided to see a psychologist who recommended I have a psychiatric evaluation- in which they prescribed Lexapro. They started me on 10mg for two weeks and bumped me up to 20mg, which I have been taking for the last 2 months. I can't even express the immense change I experienced. I have never felt so content in my life. It never changed my personality in a drastic way, but I feel very confident, I can brush things off easily, I don't feel stuck in life, I can actually have fun. I LOVE this medicine.