Escitalopram, What I Use it For and What It Does

 

Escitalopram is a drug used to help people with anxiety or depression, and I use it for anxiety. Anxiety is the feeling that people get before a big test or presentation, and escitalopram helps with too much of that. citalopram(Celexa) is the lower form of escitalopram, and is commonly known as Cipralex. In 1993 the Danish company Lundbeck had created escitalopram. Because of how similar escitalopram is to citalopram it took only 3 ½ years to get ready to sell (typically takes 10-20 years).  When Cipralex had hit the markets it was used for adults and children for anxiety and depression issues. This is medication is now only used in adults due to problems with children’s brain development when taking Cipralex, which Lundbeck had to pay families 330 Million dollars to families for compensation.

Escitalopram is taken daily because it “builds up in your body”, this is to make the reduction of depression and/or anxiety more effective. Cipralex takes 27-32 hours to get rid of only half of what had been put in your system, this is what makes Cipralex more effective. Unfortunately, because this medicine has to “interfere” with how the brain works there can be side effects. The side effects may include Dry mouth, Nausea, Dizziness, Drowsiness, Headaches, and in high doses Convulsions.  The withdrawal symptoms are feelings of “Electric shock” or symptoms of akathisia (basically severe restlessness). The amount of Cipralex to kill someone immediately is 427.51 grams per pound. To give some perspective it would take 77,807 grams to kill me, that is 5487 tablespoons or 162 pounds.  

Cipralex blocks Serotonin reuptake in the brain. When someone has an anxiety/ depression disorder think of it like a kid playing with a ball, and the ball is serotonin(happiness). Your brain is like a bully, it takes the ball away, and the kid starts crying. Cipralex is a body guard so the brain can’t take the ball away anymore. Sometimes your brain can’t differentiate when the kid needs the ball and doesn’t so it takes it more frequently then needed.

 There are studies suggesting that Cipralex does the same thing as Celexa, but is more expensive. This is a problem because people who are just trying to be “normal” are being charged more than they have to. In rare cases Cipralex has been known to cause higher risks of suicides. I take Cipralex daily and it helps with dealing with the high levels of anxiety from day to day, and since my insurance is able to pay for the medication i am lucky enough not to need to worry about the difference.