Success on 2.5 mg lexapro (An Overview)

In this blog, we are going to talk about 2.5 mg lexapro and discuss what clinical significance it holds. This dose is considered the lowest dose of lexapro and in order to take it, you would have to split the 5 mg tablet in half, as 5 mg is the lowest dose available in the market. 

What are the chances of success on 2.5 mg lexapro? 

2.5 mg lexapro is best for people who can not tolerate antidepressants well or are allergic to it. This dose is the lowest possible dose and doctors usually increase this dose after a while, but this could be a great starting dose for people who are new to antidepressants. 

Our survey revealed that many people started on 5 mg lexapro as an initial dose of their depression or anxiety treatment, but they could not tolerate it well. A few were subjected to extreme side effects and hypersensitivity, which led to the dose reduction to 2.5 mg. 

This dose was tolerated in a much better way. It also holds importance in the treatment of mild depression or anxiety. Although it is a low dose, it could still be potent for people with mild illnesses. 

Studies suggest that 2.5 mg lexapro helped some people and they remained on this dose for a month or two. This variation exists because of different physiological compositions of people. Every human body reacts differently when it is exposed to medications. 

Some people are sensitive and start getting effects on low doses of meds, while others, mostly those with severe conditions, do not respond well to low doses and their dose is increased to achieve their therapeutic goals. 

There is literally no way to figure out how the person will react to medication, so it’s best to start from the lowest effective dose. This way you will be safe from side effects and you can easily determine whether your body can tolerate the med or not. 

If it can’t, or you begin to experience an allergic reaction, the symptoms will be pretty manageable and the drug can easily be stopped. The 2.5 mg dose is also important while tapering off lexapro. When it’s time to discontinue the use of antidepressants, they are not withdrawn abruptly. 

Antidepressants usually take months of treatment to make your depression or anxiety stable. By that time, your body becomes dependent on it. This is why lexapro and other antidepressants should not be stopped altogether. 

The dose is gradually tapered down and the body adjusts each time the dose is reduced. The final dose could be 2.5 mg for people who have been on lexapro for quite a while now. This helps them stop using Lexapro safely. 

Clinical significance of lexapro 

Lexapro is used to treat the following medical conditions:

• Lexapro is also in the treatment of mild to major depression disorder (MDD). It can increase the amount of excitatory neurotransmitters to counteract depression symptoms.
• Lexapro is also used to treat generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). As the name implies, this mental health condition is associated with general worry or anxiety about pretty much everything without having any logical reason. 

Off-label uses include:

• Lexapro is used to help relieve the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It is a condition characterised by troublesome thoughts that won’t go away, no matter what you do, and a weird urge to do things over and over again. 
• Lexapro also helps to treat Vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. These include hot flashes, extreme anxiety, restlessness, heart palpitations, sleep disturbances, mood swings etc. 

Recommended doses of lexapro

Health condition	Recommended doses
Depression	For adults and teenagers (>12 years): 10 mg per day, either be taken in the morning or at night. The dose should not exceed 20 mg.  For elderly: 10 mg per day, as directed by the doctor.  For children (<12 years): Dose is determined by the doctor according to the condition and body weight.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)	For adults: 10 mg per day, either be taken in the morning or at night. The dose is later adjusted by the doctor, if needed.  For elderly: 10 mg per day, as directed by the doctor.  For children: Dose is determined by the doctor according to the condition and body weight.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)	10 mg, once a day. The dose may increase to 20 mg/day after 1 week.
Vasomotor Symptoms Associated with Menopause	10 mg, once a day. The dose may increase to 20 mg once daily, after 4 weeks of treatment, if 10mg fails to provide adequate therapeutic response.

What side effects should you expect when taking lexapro? 

Common side effects of Lexapro include:

• Loss of appetite 
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Sexual issues
• Difficulty in falling asleep or insomnia 
• Vertigo/dizziness
• Decreased salivation or dry mouth
• Sweating
• Anxiety 
• Infections caused by decreased immunity
• Nausea
• Shaking
• Weakness
• Sleepiness and fatigue
• Weight gain

These side effects vary from person to person, so is their intensity. For some people, it is quite easy to manage these side effects because for them, they are much less intense and don’t last that long. 

Side effects should usually begin to subside within 2 to 3 weeks of treatment, but for some people it takes much longer than that. 

There are people who can not even tolerate lexapro and start exhibiting signs of allergic reaction soon after taking it, which includes symptoms like redness of skin, itching, burning sensation, blisters, blue-purple patches, tightness of chest, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, hoarseness etc. 

Such symptoms require immediate medical attention. Lexapro can also cause low sodium concentration which can lead to symptoms like confusion, agitation, inability to understand surroundings, memory loss etc. 

It is extremely important to monitor what kinds of medicines you’re taking along with your antidepressant. Lexapro, if used with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), warfarin and other anticoagulants, can increase the risk of bleeding. 

These meds together also produce serious gastrointestinal side effects.

Proper use of lexapro 

In order to achieve the maximum therapeutic response from a drug, it is extremely important to use it right. Read the following points for the proper use of lexapro:

• Make sure lexapro is the right choice of antidepressant for you. Stick to your doctor’s recommended dose. Do not take more or less than that
• Ask your doctor before taking lexapro if you’re pregnant, trying to conceive or if you’re a breastfeeding mother. 
• If you fail to understand how to use the drug properly or have any other question, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• In case of overdose, immediately reach out to the hospital. Make sure you properly guide them about how much drug you have taken and when. 
• If you have missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but if a lot of time has passed and your next dose is near, do not take it. It’s better to skip the missed dose and take the next one.
• Report any problems with bleeding or bruising to your doctor. If you see any unexplained blisters or rashes on your body, or experience any problems with urination, or if you feel changes in your vision, immediately report to your healthcare provider. 

Conclusion 

In this blog, we have talked about 2.5 mg lexapro and its benefits. It is indeed a low dose of lexapro and the prolonged use of this dose is very rare, as it sometimes fails to provide adequate therapeutic response. 

This dose is usually considered when the person is new to antidepressants. It is best to start from the lowest possible dose ro make sure this drug is a safe option for you and you’re not allergic to it. Any hypersensitivity reaction resulting from a low dose is easy to manage. 

Higher doses possess risk as they produce much pronounced side effects, which sometimes take time to fade away. Once you’re sure that lexapro works for you and is the right choice, your doctor can then increase the dose, preferably to 5 mg. 

It can be used to treat mild to severe episodes of depression and generalised anxiety disorder. Off-label uses are also common with antidepressants. 

Lexapro can also help relieve the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder and vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. 

FAQs: success on 2.5 mg lexapro

How long does 2.5 mg of Lexapro last?

The half life of lexapro (escitalopram) is around 26-33 hours. It means that after this time period, 2.5 mg lexapro will reduce to half, that is 1.25 mg. This amount will further reduce to half in the next 26 to 33 hours. 

Can Lexapro start working in 2 days?

No, Lexapro cannot start working in 2 days. Antidepressants take at least 4 to 5 weeks to start making changes in your system. These meds don’t work overnight. Make sure you take your lexapro daily and as recommended by your healthcare professional and do not stop the treatment halfway. 

Is 5mg of Lexapro enough to help?

5 mg lexapro is usually the starting dose of lexapro. The effects it produces depends on person to person. Some people find this dose too low to produce the required therapeutic outcome, but some people do pretty well on this dose. Make sure you start from a low dose and gradually start to go up. 

Does your brain go back to normal after antidepressants?

Your brain does go back to normal but it depends on the duration of your treatment and the dose at which you spent that duration. People with long-term use of antidepressants at higher doses, can take upto 9 to 12 months to go back to their normal mental health state. 

How do you know if Lexapro is working?

The simple answer: When your symptoms start to subside. Depression is commonly associated with feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness, irritability or frustration, even over small matters. 

You don’t feel like socialising. Even your favourite activities don’t sound so good when you’re going through an episode of depression. So how do you know your lexapro works? 

You simply feel relieved from above mentioned symptoms. When you feel happy and satisfied, when you feel like engaging in your favourite activities and when you start feeling like being a part of your social gatherings again, you know your medicine is working. 

What is the success rate of Lexapro?

Lexapro has a success rate of around 70-80% in the treatment of depression. People taking it have complained of some side effects, but they begin to fade away on their own when the body is adjusted to the medication. 

References 

• Escitalopram (Oral Route) https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/escitalopram-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20063707
• Connie Sanchez, Elin H. Reines and Stuart A. Montgomery (2014) – A comparative review of escitalopram, paroxetine, and sertraline: are they all alike? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4047306/ 
• Andrea Cipriani, Claudio Santilli, Toshi A Furukawa,  Alessandra Signoretti, Atsuo Nakagawa (2009) -Escitalopram versus other antidepressive agents for depression https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4164382/#:~:text=The%20most%20commonly%20observed%20adverse,sweating%2C%20fatigue%2C%20and%20somnolence. 
• Karly P Garnock-Jones, Paul L McCormack (2010) – Escitalopram: a review of its use in the management of major depressive disorder in adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20806989/ 
• Lexapro – Uses, Side Effects, and More https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-63990/lexapro-oral/details