Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking lexapro as follows:
- Lexapro can also induce frequency of urination or polyuria. Individuals with history of poorly controlled diabetes, frequent urinary tract infections, and intake of diuretics can also present with frequent urination. Such individuals taking lexapro, must be aware of this side-effect, as lexapro can aggravate the discomfort of polyuria significantly. Severely increased frequency of urination can contribute to loss of body fluid and dehydration. Dehydrated individuals can present with low blood pressure, episodes of confusion, increased risk for falls & accidents, and increased risk for urinary tract infections. Observing compliance with timed voiding recommendations and other hygienic practices can help reduce the discomfort of polyuria. Compliance with daily fluid intake recommendations and rehydration measures can help with preventing dehydration and development of any UTIs.
- Lexapro takes some time to fairly balance the chemicals in the brain, before any improvement in mood and behavior are noted. It could take about 3 – 6 weeks to see this change in mood. So, do not discontinue taking the medication without consulting your physician, as you failed to see the improvement with depressive symptoms immediately after taking the medication.
- Lexapro use can sometimes increase the risk for deterioration and worsening of clinical symptoms of mood disorders. Continue taking lexapro, as recommended, even if your mood feels better. Discontinuing the medication abruptly, without your physician’s recommendation, can result in disruption of chemical balance in the brain, resulting in worsening of mood disorder and severe withdrawal symptoms. During withdrawal, individuals can present with complaints such as, feeling low, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, gross appetite changes, impulsiveness, agitation, aggression, hallucinations, mania, and suicidal thoughts. Report any deterioration of symptoms of mood disorder and withdrawal symptoms immediately to your physician, so that, a dose change or change in plan of care could be considered.
- As the balance between the chemicals in the brain has to be finely regulated to help relieve the anxiety and depressive symptoms and experience feelings of well-being, the dose of lexapro also needs to be finely regulated, in order to accomplish this goal. Your physician could change the dose of lexapro, based on the response and side-effects developed. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Notify your doctor of any unresolved and worsening anxiety and depressive symptoms or continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised.
