Lexapro Withdrawal, Escitalopram Effects, Detox, & Timeline

Lexapro Withdrawal

Lexapro (escitalopram) is an SSRI that is prescribed to treat mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. It is critical not to discontinue Lexapro without first consulting with your doctor, as doing so might result in a number of unpleasant Lexapro withdrawal symptoms. Agitation, nausea, headaches, and other symptoms of this antidepressant withdrawal syndrome might occur.

Although some people do not suffer Lexapro withdrawal symptoms, the majority experience them one to three days after their last dosage. These symptoms usually go away within a few weeks, although they can continue longer in certain situations.

Lexapro Abuse Statistics

Rates of prescription drug abuse have reached epidemic proportions. The majority of individuals prescribed antidepressants do not misuse the medication. However, certain classes of antidepressants do carry abuse potential. Vulnerable patient populations include those with a history of substance abuse and those in controlled environments. Warning signs include the presence of aberrant behaviors. Physicians should include antidepressants when screening for risky prescription medication use. When antidepressant misuse is detected, a thoughtful treatment plan, including referral to an addiction specialist, should be developed and implemented.

---

---

Lexapro Side Effects

Most individuals do not experience severe side effects when taking Lexapro. After a few weeks, any side effects typically go away once the body has grown accustomed to the medication.

It is important to contact 911 immediately when experiencing these symptoms. Moreover, people who are younger than 24 years old are at an increased risk of developing suicidal thoughts or actions when taking SSRIs, including Lexapro.

Individuals who have bipolar disorder that has not been diagnosed or misdiagnosed as depression are more likely to experience a serious manic episode. When a person experiences mania or hypomania, they should not take Lexapro.

Lexapro Long Term Side Effects 

Lexapro has no long-term side effects except for possible dependence and tolerance, which are not associated with addiction in this instance. A physician will work with their patient to appropriately adjust their dose of Lexapro to help with dependence and tolerance over time and, at some point, may decide to switch their patient to a different antidepressant. If an individual has an undiagnosed pre-existing condition, like liver disease, seizure disorder, kidney problems, or a thyroid problem, Lexapro may make these conditions worse.

Drug Interactions with Lexapro

It can be dangerous to mix Lexapro with other medications and supplements. Drug interactions can occur with:

• Other antidepressants: SSRIs like Celexa (citalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Zoloft (sertraline) increase the risk of serotonin syndrome if you take them with Lexapro. So do monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) like Zyvox (linezolid).
• Pimozide: Combining Lexapro with the antipsychotic drug pimozide (Orap) can cause severe heart problems.
• Blood thinners: Prescription drugs that decrease blood clotting, like Coumadin (warfarin), raise the risk of bleeding when combined with Lexapro.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) also increase bleeding risk by decreasing blood clotting. 
• Some supplements: Check with a healthcare professional for specifics, but St. John’s Wort is one supplement that raises the chance of side effects and can cause serotonin syndrome.

What Causes Lexapro Withdrawal?

Withdrawal is a set of symptoms that may occur when the amount of a particular medication or drug in a person’s body decreases significantly. Some patients who take Lexapro (escitalopram) and feel better may assume that they no longer need the medicine, so they stop taking it. 

Stopping Lexapro suddenly is unwise because the medication has an important relationship with serotonin, the neurotransmitter found in blood platelets and the central nervous system linked to depression. As a result, when medications like Lexapro that affect serotonin levels in the brain are suddenly stopped, you may experience very severe emotional and physical Lexapro cold turkey withdrawal symptoms.

Once a person stops taking Lexapro, the body needs time to adjust. The amount of serotonin may decrease suddenly and will need time to replenish. During this time, a person may experience withdrawal symptoms.

Lexapro Withdrawal Symptoms

As previously mentioned, Lexapro withdrawal symptoms start after abrupt cessation following prolonged use. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that this phenomenon is not unique to Lexapro, and it can occur with even greater frequency in those SSRIs that have shorter durations of action than Lexapro. 

With continued disuse of SSRI medications, Lexapro withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety and depression may arise which may be related to the relapse of the patient’s major depression or generalized anxiety for which they were receiving antidepressant treatment with SSRIs in the first place.

The symptoms and signs can occur within days or weeks of stopping Lexapro and are dependent on the duration of usage, the half-life of the medication, and the patient’s individual physiology. There can be over 53 different Lexapro withdrawal symptoms and signs which can occur within 1 to 7 days of stopping or reducing SSRI use as reported by one study [3] which attempted to develop diagnostic criteria for SSRI discontinuation syndrome.

The Most Frequently Encountered Lexapro Withdrawal Symptoms Include:

• Gastrointestinal Problems: Nausea, emesis, anorexia, cramps, and diarrhea
• Hyperarousal: Jerkiness, anxiety, irritability, mania, agitation, aggression
• Vasomotor Instability: Hyperhydrosis, Flushing, Difficulty tolerating heat
• Flu-like Symptoms: Malaise, fatigue, aching, headache
• Paresthesias: Sensations of “burning” “tingling” “electric brain zaps”
• Sleep Disturbances: Insomnia, Hypersomnia, Vivid dreams, Nightmares
• Imbalance: Dizziness, Pre-syncope, uneven gait

Tips for Coping with Lexapro Withdrawal Symptoms

A person should never try to quit Lexapro without discussing this decision with their doctor and developing an action plan. In most cases, a doctor will recommend slowly reducing the dosage and possibly switching to an alternative SSRI medication to aid the tapering process.

Some general tips for coping with Lexapro withdrawal symptoms include:

• Eating a healthful and nutritious diet
• Exercising regularly
• Taking all other medications according to the prescription
• Completing the tapering process
• Tracking changes in the mood on a calendar or in a notebook
• Telling a doctor about any withdrawal symptoms
• Seeking support from friends, family, or community groups

Know the Warning Signs of Lexapro Withdrawal

When you stop or reduce your dose of Lexapro, there is a risk that you may begin to feel suicidal. Large-scale research studies have found a clear association between the discontinuation of antidepressants and suicide attempts. It is important to keep this in mind during your Lexapro withdrawal experience, if you begin noticing unusually strong symptoms of depression it is imperative that you seek help immediately. 

If you or someone you love shows any of the following signs or symptoms after stopping Lexapro, get help:

• Becoming preoccupied with death, dying, or violence
• Engaging in risky or self-destructive activities, such as driving drunk
• Feeling hopeless or trapped
• Gathering the means to commit suicide, such as bullets or pills
• Getting affairs in order or giving away belongings
• Having intense mood swings
• Planning how you would commit suicide if you were going to do it
• Saying goodbye to people as if it were the last time 
• Talking or thinking about suicide more than normal, for example, “I wish I were dead”

Top 5 Withdrawing from Lexapro FAQs