How Lengthy Does it Take for Lexapro to Work? — Talkspace

How Lengthy Does it Take for Lexapro to Work? — Talkspace


Printed on: 03 Apr 2023

How Long Does it Take for Lexapro to Work

Lexapro, additionally recognized by its generic identify escitalopram, is a typical selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medicine used to deal with psychological well being situations reminiscent of melancholy, nervousness, and different temper problems. Lexapro will increase serotonin ranges within the mind, serving to regulate temper. 

Earlier than beginning it, most individuals need to know how lengthy does it take for Lexapro to work? The reply depends upon a number of elements, together with all the pieces from physique chemistry to severity of melancholy or nervousness signs — so, how lengthy earlier than Lexapro works? Preserve studying to search out out extra.  

Can Lexapro Work Instantly?

Many individuals with nervousness and melancholy have turned to Lexapro, an SSRI antidepressant medicine, as a part of their therapy plan.

The size of time it takes for Lexapro therapy to begin working can fluctuate. It’s widespread for some signs — like improved power, sleep, and urge for food — to enhance inside per week or two. Nonetheless, different signs — like being tired of actions and having depressive emotions — would possibly take as much as 6 – 8 weeks earlier than seeing enchancment.

How briskly does Lexapro work for nervousness?

With regards to answering how lengthy it takes for Lexapro to work for nervousness, a number of elements come into play. Particular person response time and dose power can each have an effect on how shortly Lexapro therapy begins working. 

Your physician could begin you with a low dose of Lexapro and progressively improve the power over time. This course of can take a number of weeks, as your physique adjusts to the medicine.

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Timeline for Lexapro to Work 

Whereas it may possibly take a number of weeks for Lexapro to begin working, many individuals discover some reduction from nervousness and melancholy signs shortly after starting the medicine.

  • First dose – a few weeks: When beginning Lexapro, be affected person. Your physique will modify to the medicine, and also you would possibly begin to really feel some enchancment inside a few weeks. A small subset of individuals discover that Lexapro works inside a day or so, however that share is extraordinarily small. Even in case you’re not experiencing the complete advantages of the drug, proceed taking your medicine as prescribed. 
  • By 2 months: Most individuals discover a distinction inside 1 – 2 months. Temper and feeling motivated to have interaction in actions ought to be noticeably improved by this time. 
  • 2 months and past: Inside 2 months, the vast majority of individuals begin to see the complete results of Lexapro of their system. When you don’t see a distinction by this level, it is best to discuss to your physician about adjusting your dosage or making an attempt one other kind of antidepressant medicine.

How lengthy earlier than Lexapro works actually simply relies upon — everybody responds otherwise when taking medicines. Every particular person will react otherwise to every Lexapro dosage. Some individuals could really feel higher sooner, whereas others could not discover any adjustments till later. Some could even expertise sure unwanted effects like weight acquire on Lexapro.

*Don’t cease taking Lexapro with out consulting your physician. 

How does Lexapro make you are feeling the primary week?

When first beginning Lexapro, figuring out how the medicine could have an effect on you is important. As your physique adjusts, there are some unwanted effects to concentrate on. 

The commonest unwanted effects for Lexapro customers embody: 

  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Insomnia
  • Drowsiness 
  • Sexual dysfunction

These unwanted effects of Lexapro are normally gentle and infrequently go away on their very own in time. The exception is sexual unwanted effects, that are much less prone to resolve. If signs persist or worsen over time, contact your physician instantly.

How Do You Know if Lexapro is Working?

The effectiveness of a drugs like Lexapro may be difficult to gauge. That stated, sure indicators can point out you’re responding positively. Right here are some things it is best to look out for:

  • Improved temper: Some of the widespread indications that Lexapro is working is improved temper.
  • Elevated power ranges: One other signal that your physique’s adjusting effectively to Lexapro is elevated power ranges all through the day.  
  • Diminished stress ranges: Diminished stress ranges in conditions the place you as soon as felt overwhelmed can point out Lexapro is working.  

“Though the drug is a continuing, we’re totally different. Subsequently, how a drug impacts us vs. one other particular person could also be totally different. That’s the reason it’s so essential to keep in touch along with your doctor to tell them about how it’s affecting you. Psychological well being medicine just isn’t one measurement matches all.”

Talkspace therapist Dr Karmen Smith LCSW DD

What to Do When Lexapro is Not Working

It may be arduous to grasp why a drugs isn’t working as anticipated. When you really feel like Lexapro isn’t serving to, you’ll be able to take a couple of steps to find out the trigger and discover an efficient answer.

  • Begin by consulting your physician: Step one ought to at all times be to speak along with your physician about any issues or questions you’ve. They’ll have the ability to assess whether or not the Lexapro dosage is right or if one other underlying difficulty is inflicting signs. 
  • Consider your food plan and train habits: Weight loss plan and train can considerably affect how effectively medicines work to deal with psychological well being points reminiscent of melancholy or nervousness. It’s additionally essential to remember how Lexapro interacts with sure substances. For instance, make sure you don’t drink alcohol with Lexapro as this may have a dangerous response that counteracts Lexapro’s objective.
  • Contemplate different remedies: Various remedies, like cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT), mindfulness meditation methods, or yoga, would possibly provide further assist for managing psychological well being situations extra successfully over time with out relying solely on medicine alone.
  • Strive different medicines: If all else fails, it could be essential to strive different varieties of melancholy medicine or nervousness medicine. Discuss along with your physician about what different choices they suggest. 

*It’s essential to seek the advice of a medical skilled earlier than altering medicines.

“I’ve had a consumer who started taking much less and fewer of the medicine with the objective of getting off solely. I seen a few of the occasions in her life have been inflicting extra nervousness and she or he was much less in a position to implement her coping abilities. She started to see that this is probably not the time to get off of the Lexapro that was serving to her.”

Talkspace therapist Dr Karmen Smith LCSW DD

Get Customized Psychological Well being Therapy with Talkspace

Talkspace is an internet platform that connects individuals with licensed and skilled therapists and psychiatrists. Get entry to remedy by way of textual content, audio, or video chat on any system, and obtain personalised, skilled assist the place you are feeling most comfy. You can also join with an on-line psychiatrist to get prescribed medicine if a part of your therapy plan. Talkspace makes it simple to get the assist you want and handle your psychological well being from the consolation of your individual residence. 

Sources:

  1. Escitalopram (Lexapro). NAMI. https://www.nami.org/About-Psychological-Sickness/Remedies/Psychological-Well being-Drugs/Sorts-of-Remedy/Escitalopram-%28Lexapropercent29#: Accessed December 14, 2022. 

Talkspace articles are written by skilled psychological health-wellness contributors; they’re grounded in scientific analysis and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our staff of medical consultants (therapists and psychiatrists of varied specialties) to make sure content material is correct and on par with present business requirements.

Our objective at Talkspace is to offer essentially the most up-to-date, helpful, and goal info on psychological health-related matters to be able to assist readers make knowledgeable selections.

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