- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, is a St. Louis native looking to the Internet as a way to help people improve their health and be more active participants in their own health care by learning from Mayo Clinic's experts.
Dr. Hall-Flavin served on the faculties of Cornell University Medical College, New York Medical College and The George Washington University Medical School before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 1996. He has special interests in adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine. He served as medical director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence from 1986 to 1999, and is currently involved in translational medicine research involving the introduction of pharmacogenetic technology into the daily practice of community psychiatry.
"With the advent of pharmacogenetics and related fields and the advances in translational medicine, informed collaborative relationships between knowledgeable, capable health professionals and informed, proactive individuals and their families are more vital than ever," he said.
"I'm optimistic that our Internet health education activities will contribute to ever-improving health outcomes for all who participate and apply what is learned."
Definition (1)
- 'Clinical depression': What does that mean?
Risk factors (1)
- Junk food blues: Are depression and diet related?
Causes (4)
- Vitamin B-12 and depression: Are they related?
- Caffeine and depression: Is there a link?
- Marijuana and depression: What's the link?
- see all in Causes
Complications (2)
- Depression and anxiety: Can I have both?
- Tinnitus causes: Could my antidepressant be the culprit?
Treatments and drugs (9)
- Mild depression: Are antidepressants effective?
- After a flood, are food and medicine safe to use?
- Antidepressants: Can they stop working?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Alternative medicine (4)
- Fish oil supplements: Can they treat depression?
- Natural remedies for depression: Are they effective?
- Do the benefits of vitamin C include improved mood?
- see all in Alternative medicine
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Question
Lexapro side effects: Is breast tenderness common?
I'm taking Lexapro, and my breasts seem unusually tender to the touch. For women, do Lexapro side effects include breast tenderness?
Answer
from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Escitalopram (Lexapro) is a prescription drug commonly used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Breast tenderness isn't among the published Lexapro side effects, but some studies and unofficial reports have linked Lexapro and breast tenderness.
Lexapro may interfere with the normal processing of prolactin — a hormone that affects breast tissue. It's possible that this could lead to breast tenderness. Breast pain has been documented as a rare side effect of other antidepressants, including citalopram (Celexa), sertraline (Zoloft), venlafaxine (Effexor XR) and mirtazapine (Remeron).
Keep in mind that a number of other things can cause breast pain. Your doctor will consider any possible underlying causes for your symptoms. Your doctor may have you stop taking Lexapro for a period of time to see whether your breast tenderness improves. But don't change your dose or quit taking your antidepressant until you talk to your doctor. If you stop taking Lexapro too fast, you could get serious symptoms such as anxiety, headache or dizziness.
If your breast tenderness seems to be related to Lexapro, your doctor may recommend another antidepressant.
Next questionMAOIs and diet: Is it necessary to restrict tyramine?
- Lexapro (prescribing information). St. Louis, Mo.: Forest Laboratories; 2012. http://www.frx.com/products/lexapro.aspx. Accessed May 10, 2013.
- Aggarwal A, et al. Escitalopram induced galactorrhoea: A case report. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 2010;34:55.
- Coker F, et al. Antidepressant-induced hyperprolactinaemia: Incidence, mechanisms and management. CNS Drugs. 2010;24:563.
- Remeron SolTab (prescribing information). Kenilworth, N.J.: Schering Corporation; 2012. http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/r/remeronsol/remeronsoltab_pi.pdf. Accessed May 10, 2013.
- Celexa (prescribing information). St. Louis, Mo.: Forest Laboratories; 2011. http://www.frx.com/products/celexa.aspx. Accessed May 10, 2013.
- Zoloft (prescribing information). New York, N.Y.: Pfizer; 2012. http://www.zoloft.com/. Accessed May 10, 2013
- Effexor XR (prescribing information). Philadelphia, Pa.: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals; 2012. http://www.effexorxr.com/medication-guide.aspx. Accessed May 10, 2013.
- Golshan M, et al. Breast pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 10, 2013.
- Buss Preszler LK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 20, 2013.
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