Tablet
Esipram 10 mg Tablet
Generic: Escitalopram
Manufacturer: Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Therapeutic class: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Antidepressant
What is Esipram?
Esipram 10 mg tablet is manufactured and marketed by Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in Bangladesh. It contains Escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) — one of the most commonly prescribed modern antidepressants. Doctors use it for depression and several anxiety-related conditions. It is a prescription medicine intended for sustained daily use under medical follow-up, not an occasional calming pill.
Escitalopram works on serotonin, a brain chemical involved in regulating mood, anxiety and sleep. It blocks the pumps that reabsorb serotonin into nerve cells, leaving more available at nerve connections. With steady daily dosing, this gradually restores healthier signalling in mood circuits — which is why benefits appear over two to four weeks rather than immediately.
Indications
Esipram is prescribed for:
- Major depressive disorder — persistent low mood, loss of interest, poor sleep and energy
- Generalised anxiety disorder — excessive, hard-to-control worry
- Panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia
- Social anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as advised by a psychiatrist
Treatment usually continues for at least six months after recovery from a first depressive episode — often longer for repeated episodes or chronic anxiety — to prevent relapse. Medication works best combined with counselling or psychotherapy, regular sleep, physical activity and follow-up visits, so keep your review appointments even when you feel well.
Dosage & Administration
Typical adult dosing of Esipram:
- Usual dose: 10 mg once daily, morning or evening, with or without food
- Adjustment: the doctor may increase it to a maximum of 20 mg daily after reviewing the response
- Elderly or liver disease: usually limited to 10 mg daily, often starting at 5 mg
Take it at the same time every day. Expect two to four weeks before clear improvement, and continue for as long as your doctor advises even after you feel better. Never stop abruptly: sudden discontinuation can cause dizziness, electric-shock sensations, irritability, nausea and sleep disturbance. When stopping is appropriate, the dose is tapered gradually over weeks under medical guidance.
Side Effects
Most side effects appear early and fade within one to two weeks:
- Common: nausea, headache, dry mouth, sweating, sleepiness or insomnia, temporary increase in anxiety or restlessness
- May persist for some users: reduced sexual desire or delayed orgasm, weight change, vivid dreams
- Serious (seek help): new or worsening suicidal thoughts — particularly in people under 25 during the first weeks; unusual bleeding or bruising; severe agitation with fever and muscle twitching (possible serotonin syndrome); fainting or palpitations; confusion and weakness in the elderly (possible low sodium)
Report side effects rather than stopping the medicine — most can be managed with timing or dose changes.
Precautions & Warnings
Important precautions with Esipram:
- People under 25 need close monitoring during the first weeks, when restlessness or suicidal thoughts can transiently increase — family awareness helps
- Allow 2–4 weeks for benefit; do not abandon treatment early
- Never stop abruptly; always taper under medical guidance
- Tell your doctor about epilepsy, bipolar disorder, heart rhythm problems, bleeding tendency, glaucoma, liver or kidney disease and diabetes
- Combining it with NSAIDs or aspirin increases bleeding risk — mention every painkiller you use
- Avoid alcohol, which worsens depression and side effects
- Be careful driving early in treatment until you know how it affects you
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor about all medicines before starting Esipram:
- MAO inhibitors — absolutely contraindicated together or within 14 days; risk of fatal serotonin syndrome
- Other serotonergic drugs — tramadol, triptans, other antidepressants, lithium, St John's Wort — raise the risk of serotonin syndrome and seizures
- NSAIDs, aspirin, warfarin and clopidogrel — increased bleeding tendency; protective measures may be needed
- Omeprazole and cimetidine — can raise escitalopram levels; dose limits may apply
- QT-prolonging medicines (certain antibiotics, antipsychotics, antiarrhythmics) — additive heart-rhythm risk
Avoid alcohol, and never add herbal mood remedies without asking your doctor.
Contraindications
Esipram must not be taken if any of the following applies:
- Use of a MAO-inhibitor antidepressant currently or within the past 14 days
- Known congenital long QT syndrome or a significant uncorrected heart-rhythm disorder
- Concurrent use of other strongly QT-prolonging medicines, unless a specialist accepts and monitors the combination
- Known allergy to escitalopram or citalopram
It should be used only with specialist guidance in bipolar disorder (used alone it can trigger a manic switch), severe liver disease, poorly controlled epilepsy, and in anyone under 18, where treatment decisions belong to a psychiatrist.
Pregnancy & Lactation
Pregnancy: Decisions are individual. Untreated depression and anxiety carry real risks for both mother and baby, and abrupt discontinuation often causes relapse, so Escitalopram is used in pregnancy when a doctor judges the benefit outweighs the risk. Babies exposed late in pregnancy occasionally show temporary adaptation symptoms (jitteriness, feeding or breathing difficulty) after birth, so the delivery team should know about the medicine.
Breastfeeding: Small amounts pass into breast milk. Many mothers breastfeed successfully during treatment under medical supervision while watching the baby for unusual sleepiness, irritability or poor feeding. Always plan pregnancy and feeding choices together with your psychiatrist.
Storage Conditions
Store Esipram in its original pack below 30°C, protected from light, heat and moisture, and away from bathrooms or kitchen humidity. Keep it out of the reach and sight of children and stored discreetly away from anyone who might take it without a prescription. Take stock before long trips so daily dosing is never interrupted, because missed days can bring discontinuation symptoms. Do not use tablets past their expiry date or ones that look damaged, and dispose of leftover medicine safely rather than passing it to relatives with similar symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Esipram take to start working?
<p>Expect noticeable improvement in two to four weeks, with the full effect often taking six to eight weeks. Sleep and appetite may improve first, while mood and anxiety lift more slowly. Confusingly, mild side effects such as nausea or restlessness can appear in the very first days — before any benefit — which leads many people to quit too early. Keep taking it daily as prescribed. If there is no meaningful change after four to six weeks, see your doctor; a dose adjustment or different medicine may be needed.</p>
Can I stop Esipram as soon as I feel better?
<p>No. Feeling better usually means the medicine is working, not that the illness is over. Stopping early is the commonest cause of relapse: guidelines advise continuing for at least six months after recovery from a first episode, and longer after repeated episodes. When you and your doctor agree the time is right, the dose is tapered gradually over weeks; stopping abruptly can cause dizziness, electric-shock sensations, irritability, nausea and sleep problems. Keep follow-up appointments so the decision is made at the right moment, with a proper plan.</p>
Is Esipram habit-forming like sleeping pills?
<p>No. Esipram does not cause the craving, intoxication or dose escalation seen with addictive substances, and people do not take it to get a high. However, the body does adapt to it, so stopping suddenly can trigger discontinuation symptoms — dizziness, electric-shock feelings, anxiety and poor sleep. That is a physical adjustment, not addiction, and it is easily avoided by tapering the dose slowly under your doctor's guidance. Take it as a planned course of treatment: daily, at the prescribed dose, with regular reviews.</p>
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