Lexapro Side Effects:
Side effects are side effects. They may or may not cause any problems with your life.
Some of them might make you feel good or bad, but they do not affect your ability to function normally. You cannot get rid of all the side effects, so it’s better if you just accept them and move on from there. However, some of these side effects are very serious and can result in death.
The most common side effect of Lexapro is drowsiness. Drowsyness causes you to lose consciousness and fall asleep.
If you take too much of the drug, you could experience a coma. If you suffer from seizures, then this will happen even faster because your brain won’t be able to control its functions properly due to being drugged up. You would die before anyone could call for help!
You might also experience other symptoms like confusion, depression, anxiety, delusions, hallucinations and even suicidal thoughts. These are only a few of the possible side effects of Lexapro.
Alcohol Side Effects:
If you mix Lexapro with alcohol, then you will probably experience some unpleasant side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Also you might experience a hangover which is caused by alcohol intoxication.
Alcohol can also make you feel dizzy and affect your reflexes. You might also begin to feel sleepy, which is the result of a depressant taking effect.
Other possible side effects are headaches, shuddering and shaking hands. Sometimes, these side effects lead to more serious problems like kidney or liver failure, which can result in permanent tissue damage and even death.
Combining these drugs is very dangerous and shouldn’t be attempted by anyone.
Can I Drink Alcohol:
Yes, but you should never mix alcohol and antidepressants because this can have fatal repercussions. If you really want to drink alcohol then you need to follow a few simple rules in order to avoid dangerous consequences.
Do not drink more than one drink every 2-3 hours.
Never get behind the wheel of a car after drinking. Avoid operating any heavy machinery or doing anything else that could be dangerous.
Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
Never drink alcohol if you are taking more than one medication, especially if those medications also contain alcohol. This could lead to accidental overdose.
Always ask your physician about the safe amount of alcohol that you can drink while taking any given medication. The warning on some alcoholic beverages are there for a reason!
Mixing alcohol and antidepressants together can be deadly, so it is very important that you do not try this under any circumstances. The only time when it may be safe to combine the two is when they are prescribed to you by a physician who monitors your condition for the duration of your treatment.
If you are going to engage in any sort of activity that requires coordination, then you should avoid alcohol altogether. This means no drinking if you intend on driving, operating heavy machinery, swimming or engaging in sports.
Any amount of alcohol can have an effect on your ability to concentrate and react quickly, so it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Alcohol can also cause dehydration, so it is a good idea to drink lots of water so that you avoid sickness as well. If you begin to feel sick at any time after drinking, get into a cool area and have something sweet.
Sugary snacks should do the trick, but only eat what you need because if you overdo it then you could have the opposite reaction and throw up whatever you just ate as well!
The best way to avoid trouble with alcohol is to not drink at all, or at least not very often. Many people are under the misconception that if a little is good, then a lot would be better.
This is not necessarily true. Too much alcohol can cause serious issues with your body, especially your liver. It can also cause depression, anxiety and even psychotic episodes. If you don’t already drink too much, then you are unlikely to begin doing so because Lexapro will not change your habits in this way.
However, if you do drink too much on occasion then you may be at risk of this happening even more due to the medication. Make sure you keep yourself in check while you are on this medicine.
Does Lexapro Cause Weight Gain:
One of the most common side effects of Lexapro is weight gain. Because this side effect is so common there have been numerous studies to try and determine whether or not it is caused by the medication itself, or whether there are other factors in play.
While further testing is still ongoing, it would appear that some people are more prone to experience weight gain while on this drug than others. The reasons for this remain unknown, but some of the factors that appear to play a role include:
Age
Genes
Diet
Other medical conditions you may have
Other medications you are taking or have previously taken
Whether or not you smoke cigarettes
How much exercise you get and your general lifestyle habits
Whether or not you are mentally ill without medication (Some research suggests that those with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia have a greater tendency towards weight gain when on the drug)
If you are concerned about weight gain when taking this medication, it is a good idea to keep track of your diet and exercise. Try to eat healthy foods and limit your consumption of high calorie snacks or fatty foods.
Get in some exercise every day if you can, but don’t overdo it. Everyone’s body is different, so make sure you find the right balance between eating and working out that works for you.
Does Lexapro Cause Loss Of Libido:
Another common side effect of this medication is the effect it can have on libido. There are two main factors at play here.
The first of these is that some people find that they simply don’t feel like being sexual when they are on antidepressants because of the way these drugs effect the brain and the chemicals within.
The second factor is a little more complicated. Antidepressants are known to cause a drop in sexual hormones within the body.
This means that your body is not producing as much testosterone and estrogen. For men, this leads to a reduced interest in having sexual activity and a decrease in the amount of ejaculate. For women, this leads to problems with arousal and an increase in time before climax occurs.
Does this mean that everyone on antidepressants will lose their libido?
No, it just means that it is a potential side effect of the drug. There are some people who have no problems with their libido when taking this or any other medication. If you feel like your interest in having a sexual relationship is waning, then you might feel tempted to stop your medication. This is generally not recommended however, as depression can return and cause serious issues in your life. If this is a major concern, then you might want to talk to your doctor about a different drug or simply ask if there is anything that can be done about the sexual side effects.
Sources & references used in this article:
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The pharmacokinetics of escitalopram in patients with hepatic impairment by LH Muhonen, J Lahti, H Alho, J Lönnqvist, J Haukka… – Psychiatry …, 2011 – Elsevier
Escitalopram, an antidepressant with an allosteric effect at the serotonin transporter—a review of current understanding of its mechanism of action by J Areberg, JS Christophersen, MN Poulsen, F Larsen… – The AAPS journal, 2006 – Springer
Escitalopram treatment of kleptomania: an open-label trial followed by double-blind discontinuation. by H Zhong, N Haddjeri, C Sánchez – Psychopharmacology, 2012 – Springer
An open-label trial of escitalopram in the treatment of pathological gambling by LM Koran, EN Aboujaoude… – The Journal of clinical …, 2007 – europepmc.org
Escitalopram in the treatment of adolescent depression: a randomized placebo-controlled multisite trial by DW Black, M Shaw, KT Forbush… – Clinical …, 2007 – journals.lww.com
Treatment of cannabis dependence using escitalopram in combination with cognitive-behavior therapy: a double-blind placebo-controlled study by GJ Emslie, D Ventura, A Korotzer… – Journal of the American …, 2009 – Elsevier
