Can I Take Xanax And Lexapro Together?

Posted on Wed, 20 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 20 Nov 2013 Answered on

Mon, 9 Dec 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been on Xanax over twenty years. Currently I take 2mg xr in the morning and 1mg around 5-7pm at night. my doc wants me to mix lexapro 5mg. I do have lots of thoughts and worries in my mind and she thinks the two combined will solve the problem. my concern is she wants me to take them both in the morning and if i need more xanax then that's fine as they don't treat the same problem. My other concern is at 5mg of Lexapro will it affect my sex drive. I would like to try and make it for 4 weeks or so to see if it helps with the mind racing, but do not know if the two medicines are safe together. i'm 5'10" 213 lbs, 55 and take Crestor, Atenolol and Potassium along with a baby aspirin.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: the combination is common and the dose is low Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Lexapro is in the family of drugs called SSRI. These drugs are used for varied causes such as anxiety, depression , chronic pain. These medications are commonly combined with benzodiazepines such as xanax so the combination is not unusual. In terms of possible interactions, there is an increased risk of drowsiness and dizziness in some persons but this is not experienced by most persons who use the drugs together. The dose of 5mg is low, it is normally started at 10 mg. Since the dose is low , it is unlikely it would cause any significant side effects such as affecting your libido. Even at standard doses, the decreased libido is only experienced in 4% of men using this medication so even if it has to be increased there is little chance of a problem. I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar