Tag Archive for 'depression'

Generic Lexapro is now available

Published on December 5, 2012 in Site News. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Generic versions of Lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and liquid are now available. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has assigned “AB” and “AA” ratings to these medications, which means that they are considered equivalent to brand-name Lexapro.
Lexapro, escitalopram oxalate, is q prescription medication that is authorized to treat depression in adults and adolescents and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults. It is part of a group of antidepressant medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Brand-name Lexapro is manufactured by Forest Pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, the first patent for this medication has expired, and the drug is now available in generic form.
Generic Lexapro tablets are available in three strengths:
  • Escitalopram 5 mg
  • Escitalopram 10 mg
  • Escitalopram 20 mg.
The liquid form of Lexapro is also available in generic form: Escitalopram oral solution 5 mg per 5 mL (equal to 5 mg per teaspoonful).
Generic Lexapro is made by various companies, such as:
  • Amneal Pharmaceuticals
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
  • Teva Pharmaceuticals USA.
All generic medications must be given certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then examines these tests to determine if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and designates a rating to each one.
An “AB” or “AA” rating means that the FDA has specified that a generic medication is comparable to a brand-name medication. The generic versions of Lexapro that are currently available have an “AB” rating (for the tablets) or “AA” rating (for the liquid), meaning they should be synonymous with Lexapro.
Having said that, generic medications are permitted to contain various inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers, dyes, or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities.

Supermoms may be vulnerable to depression

Published on December 27, 2011 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Are you one of those “supermoms” that tries to juggle everything and will jump through hoops to be at all your kid’s activities? Well you may want to slow down a little.

According to a new study on 1,600 women, working moms who try to do everything and have unrealistic standards when it comes to work and family, are more prone to experience depression. On the other hand, working moms who let some things go, have a lesser risk for depression when compared to Type A and stay-at-home moms. So try to relax and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. A happier mom is much better for you and your family in the long run!

Depression can cause problems for your digestion

Published on November 26, 2011 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Is there a link with constipation and depression? Actually yes.

Depression is a condition that many people feel uncomfortable talking about. Then there is constipation. Hardly anyone wants to even think about that. This said, many people suffer from each of these conditions.

Constipation can be a side effect from numerous antidepressants. Also, people who are not very active tend to experience constipation. Depression can cause one to be less active since it can be hard to get out of bed or off the couch when you are down.

So it seems that your digestive health is tied to your mental health; sort of a mind-body connection.

If you are experiencing digestive problems due to antidepressants it would be wise to talk to your doctor before trying laxatives, stool softeners or some other type of medication for constipation. Some people have found that changing their diet is the answer. Eating less dairy, avoiding gluten, consuming more legumes and drinking water are some things to try.

Treating depression is a job that mostly comes from within. Sometimes the humiliation involving depression and its undesirable side effects can leave you feeling like you yourself are your on your own with this problem. But with your doctor’s help, you should be able to find an answer.

Study finds antidepressants more beneficial in serious cases

Published on March 11, 2010 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , .

A recent study has discovered that antidepressants do not give much help to people who have mild or moderate depression. For these people, just going to the doctor and talking about symptoms and understanding more about depression is often all they need to do to begin to achieve the similar positive effects that medication would provide.

Robert DeRubeis, a University of Pennsylvania psychology professor, claims that only the people who have severe depression get the extra benefits from taking antidepressants. The research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

There have been many studies that have shown the benefits of antidepressants over placebos, but most only deal with participants who suffer from extreme depression. DeRubeis said that “confusion arises because there is a tendency to generalize the findings to mean that all depressed people benefit from medications.”

This analysis tried to figure out just how much of the antidepressants’ positive effects is from the specific chemical effects from medicine and how much can be attributed to other things like going to a doctor, making an effort to feel better or simply from the passage of time.

Six placebo-controlled studies were analyzed by researchers for the study. There were 718 patients who either took a placebo (fake pill) or an actual antidepressant. These patients were adults who suffered from a variety of depression cases that ranged from mild to severe according to the Hamilton Depression Ratings Scale, which is a commonly used questionnaire in depression research.

The results from the treatment were similar for those with mild, moderate and severe symptoms, whether or not they had the placebo or the actual antidepressant. The only people who showed notable improvements on the antidepressants were the ones who were considered very severe at the beginning of the study.

So what are some symptoms of a severely depressed person? Well they could have symptoms like feelings of sadness and guilt, feeling that life is not worth living, crying often, sleeping difficulties, being lethargic and discontinuing regular activities. People with this type of extreme depression usually need to take antidepressants to help them improve. DeRubeis said that those who don’t have such deep depression should think about doing cognitive therapies, because treatment can be helpful for any level of depression.

Diet may have strong affect on depression

Published on March 5, 2010 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Here’s yet another reason to listen to your mother when she says to make sure you eat your fruits and vegetables. A new study in the British Journal of Psychiatry has found that those who regularly eat fish, fruit, and vegetables decrease their chances for developing depression.

About 3,500 British civil servant’s diets were observed by scientists at London’s University College. Five years later they evaluated the individuals symptoms of depression. These researchers pointed out the beneficial effect of a whole-food healthy diet that seemed to protect those who consumed it. On the flip side, they found that those who ate a poor diet consisting of sweets, processed meats, fried food, refined cereals and high-fat dairy foods appeared to make them more vulnerable to depression.

The study drew attention to a link between diet and depression. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a poor diet definitely causes depression, but these results are compelling. So what is most likely giving the protection for good mental health? The researchers suggested a variety of possibilities. Maybe it could be the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables believed to protect cells from harm, the folic acid found in leafy greens that affects brain tissue, or the omega-3 fatty acids in fish that are found in specific brain membranes. Or they theorized that the benefits could be from a combination of all of these factors.