Can You Get Escitalopram (generic Lexapro) Online?

Yes! Thanks to convenient telehealth platforms like Sesame you can get a prescription for escitalopram online in minutes from a trusted doctor. Following a video consultation or in-person doctor appointment, doctors can write prescriptions for medication or refill an existing prescription. Note that doctors on Sesame cannot write prescriptions for controlled substances. Sesame offers same-day in-person and telehealth visits with real quality doctors who can chat with you about your condition and determine the best treatment options for your condition or symptoms.

Visit www.sesamecare.com to find a health care provider, book an appointment that’s convenient for you, and talk to your doctor about your condition. Sesame’s integrated prescription service lets your doctor write a prescription for the lowest price medication - often just $5 with free delivery on every prescription.

WARNING: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Antidepressants used for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Antidepressant medication, such as escitalopram, may change mental health conditions (such as mood and behavior) in unexpected ways. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or other sudden changes in your mental health. Before starting treatment with escitalopram, or any other antidepressant, discuss the risks and benefits of the medication with your doctor.

Escitalopram is a prescription medication that is often used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This medication belongs to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs block the reabsorption of serotonin - a naturally-occurring neurotransmitter - in brain cells.

Serotonin is a chemical that the body produces to transmit messages between nerves. It’s thought to play an important role in regulating certain emotional behavior, like anxiety and aggression. Having the proper amount of serotonin available in your brain stabilizes your mood and makes you feel happy. By blocking the reabsorption of serotonin, SSRIs elongate the effects of serotonin in the brain.

Doctors prescribe escitalopram as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients 12 and older and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults.

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a type of mood disorder that negatively affects how you think, behave, and feel. Untreated depression can lead to a range of emotional and physical issues. Common symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of sadness
  
• Loss of interest in or pleasure in most normal activities
  
• Outbursts of anger or frustration
  
• Troubles with sleep such as sleeping too much or insomnia
  
• Fatigue or lack of energy
  
• Anxiety or agitation
  
• Loss of appetite or increased craving for food
  
• Feelings of worthlessness
  
• Suicidal thoughts
  

Depression can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks and affect personal relationships.

Depression affects nearly one in fifteen adults, with one in six people experiencing depression at least once in their lifetime. While there are common risk factors for depression (like hormones, brain chemistry, genetics, and environmental factors), depression can affect anyone.

Depression can be caused by any number of things, from genetic makeup to traumatic events or medical illnesses. Depression isn't always caused by just one thing; it often results from the interplay between multiple factors.

Your mood and the way you see reality are controlled by a complex system of chemicals. There could be as many chemical reactions in charge of regulating your mood as there are people on the planet. There is not just one chemical that is high or low when you have depression.

Though your chemical makeup is complex, there has been a lot of research to develop medications such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers to help regulate these chemicals.

Some causes linked to depression and chemical makeup include:

- Hyperthyroidism: People who suffer from this condition have an overactive thyroid, which is a butterfly-shaped gland in your throat that helps release hormones. In the Journal of Thyroid Research, it is estimated that up to 69% of people who have hyperthyroidism also have clinical depression.

- Hypothyroidism: This condition is caused by an underactive thyroid. When a thyroid isn’t as active as it should be, it does not produce the normal amount of thyroid hormones into your central nervous system, which can cause a person to gain weight and feel tired, which are both symptoms and signs of depression.

- Mental illnesses or co-existing mental health conditions: The National Institute of Mental Health or NIMH has listed psychosis as being linked with depression.

- Stressful Events: Death, divorce, a major move, even Covid-19, can all induce depressive episodes. In fact, during the pandemic, more than 1 in 3 adults have reported feeling depressed or anxious. In 2019, this number was closer to 1 in 10.

Anxiety is a condition described as the excessive feeling of worry, unease, or dread. Anxiety can be treated by a primary care physician, therapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist. Having anxiety about a situation or an impending event without a clear-cut outcome is a normal part of life. You may feel anxious before a major deadline at work, studying for a looming test, or while facing a big decision at home. Though most people feel anxious at some point in their daily life, when it becomes intense, episodic, and unmanageable, it may be due to an underlying anxiety disorder.

Escitalopram is an antidepressant belonging to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs block the reabsorption of serotonin in our brain cells. Serotonin is a hormone that is naturally produced and released by the brain. It is usually associated with feelings of happiness and helps stabilize your mood. Sometimes, your brain reabsorbs the serotonin before it can take effect, depriving the brain of the chemicals that, simply put, make it feel good.

Escitalopram works by blocking this reabsorption, which doctors call “reuptake,” to increase the amount of serotonin in circulation in your brain. It is believed that low levels of serotonin may cause depression and anxiety.

The typical starting dose of escitalopram for adults and adolescents with major depressive disorder is 10 mg once daily taken as an oral tablet. Depending on the efficacy of this preliminary dosage, your doctor may adjust your dosage of escitalopram up to a daily maximum of 20 mg.

For patients with generalized anxiety disorder, the preliminary dosage usually starts at 10 mg once daily taken as an oral tablet. Again, this may be increased to 20 mg based on your reaction to the medication.

Consult your doctor before you discontinue your use of Escitalopram. Your doctor will likely recommend reducing your dose gradually to reduce the chance of extra side effects.

In most cases, the full effects of escitalopram occur after 4-6 weeks of consistent dosage. However, your sleep, energy, and appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks of taking escitalopram. Improvements in these symptoms can be a good early sign that the medication is working.

Do not stop taking escitalopram - even if you begin to feel better - unless directed to do so by your doctor. Depression and anxiety symptoms may recur if you suddenly cease the usage of escitalopram.

The most common side effects of using escitalopram include insomnia, ejaculation disorder (primarily ejaculatory delay), nausea, increased sweating, fatigue, and drowsiness, decreased libido, and anorgasmia (difficulty achieving orgasm).

Some side effects can be serious. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following:

Fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, severe muscle stiffness or twitching, agitation, hallucinations, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, rash, hives, itching, or blisters, problems with thinking, concentrating, or memory, seizures, or unsteadiness

Tell your healthcare provider about any persistent adverse side effects you experience while taking escitalopram.

WARNING: In short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders, antidepressants showed an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults compared to placebo. Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide. Patients of all ages who are started on antidepressant therapy should be monitored appropriately and observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or 911 immediately.

This is not a complete list of escitalopram side effects. To learn more about adverse reactions associated with this drug, please visit the National Institutes of Health’s DailyMed page for escitalopram.

Yes, it’s legal and possible to get a prescription for escitalopram online by scheduling an appointment with a licensed medical provider. Fortunately, there are trusted telehealth and marketplaces like Sesame where you can find top-reviewed doctors online and near you, schedule appointments, and, if appropriate, get a prescription for escitalopram at the lowest cash price.

During your appointment, your doctor or provider will assess your medical condition and, if appropriate, write you a prescription. Please note that all prescriptions are at the sole discretion of your provider.

Schedule a time today to speak directly to a doctor about an online prescription for escitalopram (generic Lexapro) or other medications.

Sources:

• Mayo Clinic. Major Depression Disorder. Accessed 12/2/2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007

• MedlinePlus. Escitalopram. Accessed 12/2/2021. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a603005.html

• DailyMed. Escitalopram. Accessed 12/2/2021. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=a98f0040-e8e4-464e-a6fb-1ece98213497

• National Library of Medicine. The Link between Thyroid Function and Depression. Accessed 12/2/2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3246784/

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Depression. Accessed 12/2/2021. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/depression.html