General Info about Lexipro

Lexipro is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Lexipro affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression or anxiety. In a nutshell, Lexipro is used to treat anxiety and major depressive disorder.

An important risk to consider if that you may have an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior at the start of treatment with an antidepressant medication, especially if you are under 18 years old. While you are taking Lexipro you will need to be monitored for worsening symptoms of depression and/or suicidal thoughts during the first weeks of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed. In addition to you watching for changes in your own symptoms, your family or other caregivers should 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.

Contact your doctor promptly if you have any of the following side effects, whether they are new symptoms or if they are symptoms they you had but have gotten worse: mood changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, irritability, agitation, aggressiveness, severe restlessness, mania (mental and/or physical hyperactivity), thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself. If you are planning a pregnancy, or if you become pregnant while taking Lexapro, do not stop taking the medication without first talking to your doctor.