What is the generic drug for lexapro and should it be the same effectiveness?!
Question: What is the generic drug for lexapro and should it be the same effectiveness.?
Answers:
The generic drug for Lexapro is called escitalopram, and it's not available yet as a generic. If I recall correctly it will be available sometime in 2009 when Lexapro goes off patent. As a rule, essentially every generic is as effective as the original brand. However, for some people, very tiny differences in the pills (different salts, different 'filler') can make a difference. This happens in psychiatric drugs a bit more than say, antibiotics.
If you want to be technical, Lexapro is a purification of the drug Celexa. Citalopram is a chiral molecule, in that there's a 'right' and 'left' handed version of it. Only the es-citalopram version is believed to be active. So what some people do is buy Celexa (generic Citalopram) and use that instead, as it contains ~50% escitalopram, and 50% of the inactive enantiomer. So 20mg of Celexa = 10mg of Lexapro. Supposedly, Lexapro kicks a little stronger and has better side effects, but people respond quite oddly to subtle differences.Health Question & Answer
If you want to be technical, Lexapro is a purification of the drug Celexa. Citalopram is a chiral molecule, in that there's a 'right' and 'left' handed version of it. Only the es-citalopram version is believed to be active. So what some people do is buy Celexa (generic Citalopram) and use that instead, as it contains ~50% escitalopram, and 50% of the inactive enantiomer. So 20mg of Celexa = 10mg of Lexapro. Supposedly, Lexapro kicks a little stronger and has better side effects, but people respond quite oddly to subtle differences.Health Question & Answer
I found that both medications have the same effectiveness (I've been on both) but Lexapro doesn't make me drowsy whereas the generic one does.Health Question & Answer
Escitalopram, and yes it has the same effectiveness i am on it. ;]Health Question & Answer