The United States has strict laws against spurious drugs. If you buy from a well-established pharmacy, you can be sure that what you have bought is genuine. However, if you buy through the Internet (which this writer does not recommend), or through sources that sell at prices lower than at the local pharmacy, it is advisable that you check at least the physical attributes of what has been supplied to you. In this report, we shall look at the physical features of Lexapro tablets, which are used for the treatment of depression and general anxiety disorders (GADs). Lexapro is the brand of escitalopram oxalate available in the United States.
The following are the visually verifiable features of Lexapro tablets available in the United States:
Why scored sides: As the above shows, 5mg Lexapro tablets are not scored; only the 10mg and 20mg ones are. This is because the minimum dosage of Lexapro is 5mg; so you are unlikely to be in a situation where you have to break the tablet. However, the higher strength tablets (10mg and 20mg) are scored to enable you to easily and nearly-precisely break the tablets into two halves. The need to break usually arises when the doctor decides it’s time to taper off the dosage (remember: Lexapro or, for that matter, any SSRI drug must not be abruptly discontinued, but always tapered off). Tapering is all about progressively reducing dosage, which is easy with scored tablets (you simply break the tablets into two halves). Your doctor might also advise you to reduce dosage if of Lexapro if its side-effects are severe on you.
Conclusion: You must visually examine Lexapro tablets before you take your first dose. This is particularly recommended if you have bought your Lexapro from an online shop that has no terrestrial presence or if you have paid a suspiciously low price for it. Prices can change with time, so it is recommended that you enquire the current price at the local pharmacy to know if you are getting your Lexapro cheap.
Color: Lexapro tablets are white to off-white in color.
Shape: Round
Surface: Film-coated
Strengths: 5mg, 10mg, and 20mg of escitalopram oxalate.
5mg Lexapro tablets: Non-scored. The letters ‘FL’ are imprinted on one side of the tablet and the number ‘5′ on the other side.
10mg Lexapro tablets: One side is scored; the other side is not.
On the scored side: The letter ‘F’ is imprinted on the left and ‘L’ on the right.
On the non-scored side: The number ‘10′ is imprinted on the non-scored side.
20mg Lexapro tablets: One side is scored; the other side is not.
On the scored side: The letter ‘F’ is imprinted on the left and ‘L’ on the right.
On the non-scored side: The number ‘20′ is imprinted on the non-scored side.