Lexapro Dosage Increase Guide: How To Properly Adjust Dosage From 10mg To 15mg

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Lexapro is the brand for Escitalopram which is also available as an oral solution. It belongs to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors group and has its mode of action. Unlike every other antidepressant drug, Lexapro has its typical side effects. Therefore when increasing the dosage, these effects must be considered and reported to your doctor. This drug is available for individuals above 12, and the effects vary in adults.

Lexapro is an antidepressant drug prescribed by your doctor to treat major depressive and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms. You can take this drug alone or with other specific selected drugs.

Lexapro belongs to a class of antidepressant medicines called SSRIs which reacts with the brain, so increasing the dosage ratio needs to be carefully integrated.

When you increase the dosage of Lexapro, the benefits of the drug are amplified. This is because the higher dosage will effectively tackle anxiety and depression.

The first phase of increasing Lexapro from 10mg to 15mg is to talk to your doctor to know if you need an adjustment in your dosage. If you do, they will help you decide how much of a change would be best for you and what that change should be.

Suppose you eventually need an increase in the dosage. In that case, the best option for most people is to increase their dose by 15mg daily.

When increasing doses, it’s essential that you do so gradually over time so as not to cause any adverse effects or side effects.

How does Lexapro work?

A young woman is about to take her medicine with some water

Escitalopram oral tablets are available by prescription under the name Lexapro. It is also available as a generic medicine, which is often less expensive.

In some circumstances, the generic version may not be accessible in all strengths or forms as the branded counterpart. Consult your doctor to see whether the generic version is appropriate for you.

This medicine belongs to a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). A drug class is a set of medications that function in the same way, such as how SSRIs interact with serotonin.

The SSRIs drug is often used to treat patients with depression and anxiety. It increases the amount of a natural substance in your brain called serotonin. This substance helps to maintain mental balance.

The serotonergic system’s alteration is an important factor in developing depression and related diseases.

Lexapro 15mg is indicated for treating depression (major depressive episodes).

Also, it is suitable for anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, social and generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder).

What you should know before taking Lexapro ratio of 15mg

One of your priorities should be to check the overall ingredient used in producing this medicine.

A woman is consulting with her doctor before considering adjusting her daily medicine dosage

You might find out you are allergic to one of these ingredients if you do that. In that case, do not take Lexapro ratio 15mg until you inform your doctor about your allergy.

It would be best if you also stayed away from Lexapro when you are taking other medicines that belong to the group called MAO inhibitors, including selegiline, moclobemide, and linezolid (an antibiotic).

Furthermore, if you have suffered from any type of heart rhythm disturbance since birth or have ever had an episode of this type, you should not take the Lexapro 15mg.

In addition, you should not currently be taking medicines for heart rhythm disturbances that can affect the heart rhythm.

The proper way to take a Lexapro ratio of 15mg

In order to avoid the adverse effects of Lexapro 15mg, you must follow precisely the instructions given by your doctor. If you are ever in doubt or forgot something, you should ask your doctor again.

For depression in adults, the normal recommendation is to take 10mg once a day. But in the case of panic disorder, you should limit your dosage to 5mg in the first week before increasing it to a 10mg ratio the following week.

Furthermore, you can take a single dose of 10mg daily if you are using it for social and generalized anxiety disorder and Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

You should know that there are exceptional cases where your doctor can decide to decrease or increase your dosage, depending on how you respond to the treatment.

The instances and dosage systems also differ in elderly patients with a dose of 5mg daily and should never be used for children under 12 years old.

You can take Lexapro with or without food, depending on your preference or mood. But, instead of chewing the tablets, be sure you are using them with water.

If necessary, cut the pills in half and place them on a flat surface with the scored side facing up to aid swallowing. You can even break the drugs by pushing them down with the index fingers on each end of the tablet.

What are the possible side effects of increasing Lexapro from 10mg to 15mg?

In general, increasing your dosage to a higher ratio may result that you have more side effects. Therefore when your doctor increases the Lexapro dosage to a higher one, regardless of the ratio, you will likely experience gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea.

The side effects of an increased dosage of Lexapro are the same for both men and women. Side effects in adults and children are slightly different.

Side effects in adults may include:

  • Nausea
  • Anxiety
  • Constipation
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Sleep problems
  • Infection
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dry mouth
  • Weakness
  • Sexual issues such as erectile dysfunction and low sex drive

Side effects for children and teenagers may include the above, as well as:

  • Increased thirst
  • Abnormally increased muscular movement or arousal nosebleed
  • Urination issues
  • Heavy menstrual cycles
  • Slow growth and a change in weight

Lexapro has a link to decreased appetite and weight reduction in children and adolescents. During therapy, your child’s height and weight may be measured by his doctor.

Depression is associated with a loss of appetite and being underweight.

Some publications say Lexapro may induce a little weight gain in adults. However, if you gain weight, it may just level out because your depression has improved and your appetite has returned. Other folks who use Lexapro lose weight.

A rise in serotonin levels might cause appetite loss.

Most of these side effects are mild and should someday go away on their own, without treatment. Tell your doctor if they are more severe or do not go away.

FAQs

When does an increased dosage start to take effect?

Changes or adjustments to Lexapro or other antidepressant treatments usually require 3-4 weeks to make the therapeutic effects visible. However, you may feel some anxiety which has nothing to do with the increased dosage but can be that it is still insufficient.

How do I know if increasing Lexapro dosage will work for anxiety?

Increasing Lexapro dosage from 10mg to 15mg has nothing to do with how well it will work for anxiety.

It depends on the dosage you need in milligrams; concerning anxiety, the increase does not have to produce anything.

Conclusion

As discussed in the article, the most important thing is to ensure your doctor is the one prescribing an increased dosage for you.

This is because Lexapro is a powerful drug that cannot be increased at will. Furthermore, it would help if you gradually increased your dosage from 10mg to 15mg to prevent adverse side effects.

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Nudrat Naheed
Hi, I am Nudrat, The Heart And Brain author, IR student, and painter. Writing about health fascinates me because it helps me to explore a new healthy routine and share it with others. I write primarily about general health, pregnancy, postpartum, and allergies here. If you don't find me writing, I'm busy painting or reading on global politics.

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