Elavil vs. Lexapro

• Are Elavil and Lexapro the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Elavil?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Lexapro?
• What Is Elavil?
• What Is Lexapro?
• What Drugs Interact with Elavil?
• What Drugs Interact with Lexapro?
• How Should Elavil Be Taken?
• How Should Lexapro Be Taken?

Elavil(amitryptiline) andLexapro(escitalopram) areantidepressantsused to treatdepression．

Elavil may also be used to treat other conditions including mood disorders,nervepain, eating disorder,anxiety, andpanic disorder．

The brand name Elavil is no longer availableinthe U.S. It is available as ageneric．

Elavil and Lexapro are different types of antidepressants. Elavil is a tricyclicantidepressantand Lexapro is aselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor(SSRI) antidepressant.

Side effectsof Elavil and Lexapro that are similar include drowsiness,dry mouth,dizziness,constipation, and weight changes.

Side effects of Elavil that are different from Lexapro includeblurred vision, trouble urinating,headache, increased hunger, and changes in味道．

Side effects of Lexapro that are different from Elavil includesleepproblems (insomnia),nausea, upsetstomach, gas,heartburn,yawning,ringing in the ears, decreased sex drive,impotence, or difficulty having anorgasm．

Both Elavil and Lexapro may interact with other products that cause drowsiness (alcohol,antihistamines, drugs for sleep or anxiety,musclerelaxants, and narcotics),aspirinor other nonsteroidalanti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other antidepressants, orbloodthinners.

Elavil may also interact with MAO inhibitors, arbutamine, disulfiram,thyroidsupplements, other drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising, anticholinergics,high blood pressuremedicines,cimetidine,terbinafine, drugs to treat irregularheart rate,amiodarone, cisapride, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine,sotalol,macrolideantibiotics,isoniazid, phenothiazines, ortheophylline．

Lexapro may also interact with medicines to treat mood disorders, or mental illness,lithium, St. John's wort,tramadol,tryptophan,migraine headache药物、兴奋剂或ADHDmedications.

Do not stop using Lexapro suddenly, or you could have unpleasantwithdrawal symptoms．

Common side effects of Elavil include:

• drowsiness,
• drymouth,
• dizziness,
• blurred vision,
• constipation,
• weight gain,
• trouble urinating,
• headache,
• increased hunger, and
• changes in taste.

Common side effects of Lexapro include:

• drowsiness,
• dizziness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• nausea,
• upset stomach,
• gas,
• heartburn,
• constipation,
• weight changes,
• dry mouth,
• yawning,
• ringing in the ears,
• decreased sex drive,
• impotence, or
• difficulty having an orgasm.

Elavil (amitryptiline) is a tricyclic antidepressant used to treat depression and mood disorders. Elavil may also be used to treat other conditions including nerve pain, eating disorder, anxiety, andpanicdisorder. The brand name Elavil is no longer available in the U.S.

Lexapro is aprescriptionmedicine used to treat depression. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not treating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider. Lexapro is also used to treat:

• MajorDepressive Disorder (MDD)
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder(GAD)

跟你的医疗服务提供的r if you do not think that yourconditionis getting better with Lexapro treatment.

Elavil may also interact with MAO inhibitors, arbutamine, disulfiram, thyroid supplements, other drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising (antiplatelet drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], blood thinners),anticholinergicdrugs, and certain drugs for highblood pressure．

Do not take Lexapro if you:

• are allergic to escitalopram oxalate orcitalopramhydrobromide or any of the ingredients in Lexapro. See the end of thisMedicationGuide for a complete list of ingredients in Lexapro.
• take amonoamine oxidase inhibitor(MAOI). Ask your healthcare provider or药剂师if you are not sure if you take an MAOI, including theantibioticlinezolid．
• take theantipsychoticmedicine pimozide (Orap®) because taking this drug with Lexapro can cause seriousheartproblems.

Do not take an MAOI within 2 weeks of stopping Lexapro unless directed to do so by yourphysician．

Do not start Lexapro if you stopped taking an MAOI in the last 2 weeks unless directed to do so by your physician.

People who take Lexapro close in time to an MAOI may have serious or even life-threatening side effects. Get medical help right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• highfever
• uncontrolled muscle spasms
• stiff muscles
• rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure
• confusion
• loss of consciousness (pass out)

Before starting Lexapro, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• Are taking certain drugs such as:
• Triptans used to treatmigraineheadache
• Medicines used to treat mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders, including tricyclics, lithium, SSRIs, SNRIs, amphetamines, or antipsychotics
• Tramadol
• Over-the-countersupplements such as tryptophan or St. John's Wort

• haveliverproblems
• havekidneyproblems
• have heart problems
• have or had seizures or convulsions
• havebipolar disorderormania
• have lowsodiumlevels in your blood
• have a history of astroke
• have high blood pressure
• have or had bleeding problems
• arepregnantor plan to become pregnant.

It is not known if Lexapro will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of treating depression duringpregnancyarebreast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. Some Lexapro may pass into yourbreast milk．跟你的医疗服务提供的r about the best way to feed your baby while taking Lexapro. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines that you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines,vitamins, andherbalsupplements. Lexapro and some medicines may interact with each other, may not work as well, or may cause serious side effects.

Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can tell you if it is safe to take Lexapro with your other medicines. Do not start or stop any medicine while taking Lexapro without talking to your healthcare provider first.

If you take Lexapro, you should not take any other medicines that contain escitalopram oxalate or citalopram hydrobromide including:Celexa．

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• triptans used to treat migraine headache
• medicines used to treat mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders, including tricyclics, lithium, buspirone, SSRIs, SNRIs or MAOIs
• tramadol and fentanyl
• amphetamines
• cimetidine
• the antibioticsciprofloxacin, enoxacin
• medicine to treat irregular heart rate (likepropafenone,flecainide, quinidine)
• theophylline
• the blood thinnerwarfarin(Coumadin,Jantoven)
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (likeibuprofen,naproxenor aspirin).
• over-the-counter supplements such as tryptophan or St. John's Wort
• thioridazine(Mellaril). Mellaril together with Lexapro can cause serious heart rhythm problems or suddendeath．

Ask your healthcare provider for a list of these medicines if you are not sure.

Do not take Lexapro with any other medicine that containduloxetine．

Elavil is taken by mouth intabletform. The medication may take up to four weeks to take full effect.

Take Lexapro exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of Lexapro until it is the right dose for you.

Lexapro may be taken with or withoutfood．

If you miss a dose of Lexapro, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Lexapro at the same time.

If you take too much Lexapro, call your healthcare provider orpoison control centerright away, or get emergency treatment.