Escitalopram told to stop taking them, all patients told at my docs?

[always hopefull]

Hi i was wondering of anybody takes Escitalopram for depression , i was on 20mg a day for my depression / anxiety i went to my docs today to collect a repeat percription of them and was shocked to be told i had to stop taking them straight the way ,
The doctor said to me i am to stop taking them imediatly due do ' somthings been happening to patients ' he didnt really make sense, or give me a valid explanation as to why they so drastically have stoped perscribing them , it seemed that it was very urgent as my doc didnt even tell me to ween off them over a due time .
Hes given me just the citalopram brand, but i am a little alarmed as to what the reason is for this medicine being discontinued at my practice anyway ,
just wondering if anybody else has been told this? and if so what the exact reason is as i find it a little distressing
thanks everybody
sarah

[Tearlessiren]

Hi there,
I went to pick up my prescription for Escitalopram and was told by the pharmacist that it had been withdrawn by the manufacturer.  It is very worrying.

Jo

[LeftCoastChick]

It also depends on your age as well.

[whodunnit]

Hi,

This drug is Lexapro. It's been around for quite some time and is widely used, succesfully for many but like all meds some don't get benefit from it.

There is nothing on the news via Google related to this at all and if there was an urgent problem it would on the news everywhere, including TV where you are. Remember the drug Stilnox which was found to be causing many weird and dangerous problems? A year or two ago now but the media was full of news on that so that's where you should check. News via Google as I just have.

Try this URL for info that may be relevant to your doc's panic reaction :http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a603005.html.

This mentions that a small number of  mainly children, but up to age 24 have developed suicidal thoughts as a supposed result of this drug. This during clinical trials and I believe this has been reported for years so why your doc would be panicking now I know not.

My guess is that the doc has had a patient become suicidal and the doc is feeling legally responsible. Which would not be the case as the drug gives warnings about this side effect. So perhaps the doc is simply looking after the patients and taking everyone off it.

Which is fine really. But they should tell you why else you have doubts about the doc and panic yourself about what may have occurred. Ask the doc again and insist on an answer. You are entitled to know.

Another posibility is that some bizarre and unique side effect has been happening to the patients in your area and the doc is doing the right thing by stopping prescriptions at least pending investigation.

This URL is for the manufacturers of Lexapro : http://www.forestpharm.com/sales.aspx.

It has surprisingly little information on it but there is no mention of any new problems.