Lexapro vs. Prozac
- Are Lexapro and Prozac the Same Thing?
- What Are Possible Side Effects of Lexapro?
- What Are Possible Side Effects of Prozac?
- What is Lexapro?
- What is Prozac?
- What Drugs Interact with Lexapro?
- What Drugs Interact with Prozac?
- How Should Lexapro Be Taken?
- How Should Prozac Be Taken?
Are Lexapro and Prozac the Same Thing?
Prozac (fluoxetine) and Lexapro (escitalopram) are both a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used for treating depression.
A difference is that Prozac is also used to treat bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and Lexapro is also used to treat anxiety.
What Are Possible Side Effects of Lexapro?
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.
What Are Possible Side Effects of Prozac?
Common side effects of Prozac include:
- nausea,
- upset stomach,
- constipation,
- headaches,
- anxiety,
- sleep problems (insomnia),
- drowsiness,
- dizziness,
- nervousness,
- heart palpitations,
- loss of appetite or increase in appetite,
- weight changes,
- cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat),
- dry mouth,
- decreased sex drive,
- impotence, or
- difficulty having an orgasm.
What is Lexapro?
Lexapro is a prescription medicine 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:
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting better with Lexapro treatment.
What is Prozac?
Prozac is a prescription medicine used to treat depression. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of nottreating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider.
Prozac is used to treat:
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Bulimia Nervosa*
- Panic Disorder*
- Depressive episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder, taken with olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- Treatment Resistant Depression (depression that has not gotten better with atleast 2 other treatments), taken with olanzapine (Zyprexa)*
*Not approved for use in children
Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting betterwith Prozac treatment.
What Drugs Interact With Lexapro?
Do not take Lexapro if you:
- are allergic to escitalopram oxalate or citalopram hydrobromide or any of the ingredients in Lexapro. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in Lexapro.
- take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if you take an MAOI, including the antibiotic linezolid.
- take the antipsychotic medicine pimozide (Orap®) because taking this drug with Lexapro can cause serious heart problems.
Do not take an MAOI within 2 weeks of stopping Lexapro unless directed to do so by your physician.
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:
- high fever
- 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 treat migraine headache
- Medicines used to treat mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders, including tricyclics, lithium, SSRIs, SNRIs, amphetamines, or antipsychotics
- Tramadol
- Over-the-counter supplements such as tryptophan or St. John's Wort
- have liver problems
- have kidney problems
- have heart problems
- have or had seizures or convulsions
- have bipolar disorder or mania
- have low sodium levels in your blood
- have a history of a stroke
- have high blood pressure
- have or had bleeding problems
- are pregnant or 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 during pregnancy are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. Some Lexapro may pass into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider 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, and herbal supplements. 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: Prozac.
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 antibiotics ciprofloxacin, enoxacin
- medicine to treat irregular heart rate (like propafenone, flecainide, quinidine)
- theophylline
- the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (like ibuprofen, naproxen or 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 sudden death.
Ask your healthcare provider for a list of these medicines if you are not sure.
Do not take Lexapro with any other medicine that contain duloxetine.
What Drugs Interact With Prozac?
Prozac may interact with cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, medicine for seizures or anxiety, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other antidepressants, blood thinners, or migraine headache medicines.
Prozac may also interact with alprazolam, clopidogrel, clozapine, flecainide, haloperidol, nebivolol, vinblastine, or seizure medications.
Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking Prozac
How Should Lexapro Be Taken?
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 without food.
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 or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.
How Should Prozac Be Taken?
Take Prozac exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of Prozac until it is the right dose for you.
Prozac may be taken with or without food.
If you miss a dose of Prozac, 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 nextdose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Prozac at the same time.
If you take too much Prozac, call your healthcare provider or poison controlcenter right away, or get emergency treatment.