Need Advice About Lexapro

After a suicide attempt my son was prescribed a drug called Lexapro. Ten days from this he doesn’t feel any better. I don’t know what to do - is Lexapro the right choice? My son is still filled with hostility and anger; he is restless and suffers from insomnia, too. Sometimes he has severe outbursts of aggressive behaviour and it usually ends up with severe headaches. I really need advice about this medicine. Should my son continue taking it? It seems to me that it doesn’t do him any good.

Lexapro is a brand name for a drug consisting mainly of a substance called escitalopram. The doctor probably estimated that your son suffered from serious depression and thus he prescribed Lexapro, which is, actually, a good choice - escitalopram is widely used as a very effective treatment for various mental disorders. However, it takes about four weeks, sometimes even longer, to start working. You have to be patient, but if your son’s condition remains the same you should inform the doctor. It is possible that the side effects of Lexapro are overpowering the positive effects in your son’s case. Lexapro sometimes causes worsening of mental health and the symptoms you listed are not rare at all. The most important thing is not to stop taking it on your own. Your son must continue with his therapy and his physician will decide whether to change the medicine, or to monitor closely your son’s condition, and then perhaps even suggests hospitalization. In any case, you must not do anything without consulting your doctor first.