Lexapro
Lexapro is escitalopram, an SSRI antidepressant used for depression and generalised anxiety disorder, sold as 5mg, 10mg and 20mg tablets in packs of 30 to 360.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5mg | 30 tablets | $32.40 | $1.08 |
| 5mg | 60 tablets | $51.00 | $0.85 |
| 5mg | 90 tablets | $69.30 | $0.77 |
| 5mg | 120 tablets | $90.00 | $0.75 |
| 5mg | 180 tablets | $115.20 | $0.64 |
| 5mg | 270 tablets | $153.90 | $0.57 |
| 5mg | 360 tablets | $183.60 | $0.51 |
| 10mg | 30 tablets | $36.60 | $1.22 |
| 10mg | 60 tablets | $72.98 | $1.22 |
| 10mg | 90 tablets | $102.60 | $1.14 |
| 10mg | 120 tablets | $127.98 | $1.07 |
| 10mg | 180 tablets | $181.80 | $1.01 |
| 10mg | 270 tablets | $261.90 | $0.97 |
| 10mg | 360 tablets | $330.98 | $0.92 |
| 20mg | 30 tablets | $59.98 | $2.01 |
| 20mg | 60 tablets | $112.80 | $1.88 |
| 20mg | 90 tablets | $157.98 | $1.76 |
| 20mg | 120 tablets | $196.80 | $1.64 |
| 20mg | 180 tablets | $282.60 | $1.57 |
| 20mg | 270 tablets | $401.98 | $1.49 |
| 20mg | 360 tablets | $510.98 | $1.42 |
- Category
- Antidepressants
- Active ingredient
- Escitalopram
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet, Oral solution
- Strengths
- 5/10/20mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Major depressive disorder · Generalized anxiety disorder
- Therapeutic Class
- SSRI
- Pharmacological Class
- Antidepressant
- Minor Side Effects
- Nausea, Fatigue, Insomnia
- Moderate Side Effects
- Sweating, Loss of appetite
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet, Oral solution
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Forest Laboratories
- Onset Time
- 2–4 weeks
- Duration
- 24 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store in a cool, dry place.
- Drug Interactions
- MAO inhibitors, NSAIDs, St. John's wort
What you will receive
Lexapro is the originator brand name, made by Forest Laboratories. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Lexapro.
- The same active ingredient (Escitalopram) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Lexapro strengths and pack sizes are available?
Lexapro comes as tablets in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg, in packs of 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 270 or 360. This is generic escitalopram, not the original Lexapro.
How is Lexapro delivered to Hong Kong?
Lexapro ships by tracked courier, which takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking, or by standard airmail at 14 to 21 business days, untracked. If a parcel does not arrive within that window, or arrives damaged, it is sent again free.
What is another name for escitalopram?
Lexapro is a brand name of escitalopram, which is also sold as Cipralex, Lexamil, Seroplex and Estar. Here, escitalopram can be bought online as generic Lexapro, and also as escitalopram tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long will I need to take Lexapro?
For depression, treatment usually carries on for six months or more after you feel better, because stopping earlier makes a return of symptoms more likely. When the time comes to stop, the strength is stepped down over several weeks rather than stopped in one go.
What should I do if I miss a dose?
Take the missed tablet when you remember it, unless your next dose is only a few hours away — in that case let the missed one go and pick up the usual routine the following day. Taking two at once to catch up is not safe.
Is Lexapro the same as Cipralex?
Yes. Both are brand names for escitalopram, so the active ingredient is the same medicine; Cipralex is the name it is sold under in the UK and much of Europe. Escitalopram tablets under the ingredient name hold the same 5mg, 10mg and 20mg strengths.
Does Lexapro affect sex drive?
Reduced sex drive is one of the common SSRI effects, and delayed or missed orgasm can happen too. It can start within the first few weeks and, for some people, continues for as long as the tablets are taken.
Can I drink alcohol with Lexapro?
An occasional drink is unlikely to cause trouble, but alcohol adds to the sleepiness escitalopram can bring on, and drinking heavily most days works against the treatment itself.
About Lexapro
What Lexapro is used for
Lexapro is the brand name for escitalopram, one of the SSRI antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). It is used for depression and for generalised anxiety disorder — the kind of worry that hangs around most days for months rather than a bad week. Escitalopram is also used for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder and panic disorder.
The tablets come in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg, in packs of 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 270 or 360, so one pack can cover a first month or a much longer stretch.
How it works, and when you notice a difference
Serotonin is a chemical messenger the brain uses to carry signals between nerve cells. Escitalopram slows its reuptake — the recycling — so more serotonin stays available at the junctions between cells. This is a slow adjustment rather than a switch. Sleep, energy or appetite may improve within a week or two; the fuller effect on mood and anxiety usually arrives after four to six weeks of steady daily dosing.
Escitalopram is normally taken once a day. Tablets are swallowed whole with a drink of water, and food makes no difference, so many people tie the dose to something they already do each morning. Beginning at a low strength and stepping up after a few weeks keeps the early side effects gentler. Headache, nausea, sweating, diarrhoea or constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, restlessness, appetite or weight changes, poorer sleep and a lower sex drive are the ones people notice most; most ease as the body adjusts. While dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision lasts, driving waits.
Lexapro or plain escitalopram tablets?
Same active ingredient, same 5mg, 10mg and 20mg strengths, a different name on the box. Escitalopram is sold under the ingredient name and Lexapro under the brand name, so the choice comes down to which name you prefer on the box.
Before you order
Escitalopram must not be combined with an MAOI antidepressant. Taken with another serotonergic medicine — an SNRI, a tricyclic, tramadol, St John's wort — it can trigger serotonin syndrome, which brings a fast heartbeat, sweating, shaking, twitching muscles and confusion. Alcohol deepens the drowsiness.
Rare serious effects include a severe allergic reaction with swelling of the tongue or throat and difficulty breathing, a fast irregular heartbeat with light-headedness or fainting, unusual bruising or blood in pee, poo or vomit, and a sudden worsening of low mood with thoughts of harming yourself. These need urgent help.
Coming off escitalopram is done by reducing the dose over weeks or months rather than stopping dead, which can cause withdrawal symptoms. Tablets keep best in their original pack, away from heat and damp.
Sources
- Escitalopram: a medicine used to treat depression and anxiety - NHS — National Health Service
- Antidepressants — rcpsych.ac.uk