Side Effects When Taking Lexapro

Lexapro, clinically known as escitalopram, is a medication used to treat depression and anxiety in adults and adolescents. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002. It is the second most commonly prescribed antidepressant in the United States, after sertraline, commercially known as Zoloft. Lexapro works by increasing the overall levels of serotonin in the brain. Lexapro has been studied extensively and has been shown to be consistently safe with few adverse side effects. Lexapro has different side effect rates depending on whether it was prescribed for depression versus anxiety.

Headache

Headache is one of the most commonly reported side effects of Lexapro. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 24 percent of patients treated for anxiety experienced headache, while patients treated for depression reported headache less than 2 percent of the time. From this data, headache may more likely be caused by the anxiety itself rather than the medication, known as a psychogenic reaction. Headache may also occur from dehydration, as Lexapro is also associated with increased urination and dry mouth.

Nausea

Both anxiety and depression patients reported nausea at significantly higher rates than placebo. Anxiety patients reported nausea 18 percent of the time, while depression patients reported nausea 15 percent of the time. Lexapro works by increasing the overall level of serotonin in the brain, improving mood, but also affecting the appetite and nausea regions in the brain. Dr. Joel Elmquist at the University of Texas found that serotonin activates neurons that curb appetite and blocks neurons that stimulate appetite. These combined effects may amplify the nausea experienced from taking Lexapro.

Wake and Sleep Disturbances

Patients taking Lexapro reported being sleepy during the day, but also having insomnia at night. Insomnia and somnolence occurred in around 13 percent of patients and rates were similar with depression and anxiety patients. EMedTV, an online health resource, suggests that Lexapro patients keep a regular sleep-wake cycle by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Patients should also avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine five to six hours before going to bed.

Sexual Disturbances

Anxiety patients reported slightly higher rates of unwanted sexual effects than depression patients. The most common sexual side effect was delayed ejaculation or inability to ejaculate. This occurred in around 12 percent of patients. Decreased libido was the second most common side effect, occurring in around 6 percent of men and 3 percent of women. Sexual side effects have been reported at much higher rates by third party studies. In the July 2007 issue of "The Journal of Sexual Medicine," Dr. Anita Clayton and associates found that Lexapro resulted in sexual side effects in 43 percent of study participants. Sexual side effects did not subside and were present from the start of the study and continued for the duration of the eight-month study.

Suicidal Ideation

Lexapro comes with a black box warning stating that patients under 24 may be at an increased risk for suicidal behavior. It states that children, adolescents and young adults must balance the risk of suicide with the clinical need for antidepressants. Younger patients should be monitored by a mental health therapist for the first several months to reduce any potential risk of suicidal behavior. Paradoxically, Lexapro is associated with a reduced risk of suicidal behavior in older patients.