Escitalopram Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• If you are 65 or older, use this medicine with caution. You could have more side effects.

• If you have bleeding problems, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have liver disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have seizures or are on seizure medicine, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have had an ulcer or bleeding from your stomach or intestines, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have been taking this medicine for several weeks, talk with healthcare provider before stopping. You may want to gradually withdraw this medicine.

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.

• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) or other medicines and natural products that slow your actions and reactions.

• Talk with healthcare provider before using aspirin, aspirin-containing products, other pain medicines, blood thinners, garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, or vitamin E.

• If you are taking any natural products, talk with healthcare provider.

• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

• Feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, or a change in thinking clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Headache.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

• Dry mouth. Frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

• Diarrhea.

• Change in sexual ability or desire. This is usually reversible.

• Inability to sleep.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

• If you are planning to harm yourself or the desire to harm yourself increases.

• Significant change in thinking clearly and logically.

• Significant change in balance.

• Agitation, twitching, sweating, or muscle stiffness.

• Very nervous and excitable.

• Fast heartbeat.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Unusual bruising or bleeding.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.