Here's How Long Lexapro Stays in Your System

How long does Lexapro^® stay in your system? This brand-name antidepressant medication containing the active ingredient escitalopram stays in your system for about six days after you take it.

But how long it stays in your body can vary depending on several factors, like your metabolism, other medications you’re taking, and your overall health.

Lexapro is commonly prescribed to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) — in fact, it’s one of the most widely used prescription medications in the U.S.

If you’ve been prescribed Lexapro and are thinking about stopping it, it’s really important to do so in the safest way possible.

We’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from how long Lexapro stays in your system to its half-life, total elimination time, and how to safely taper off of it. 

Most medications have  a half-life — a fixed amount of time for the drug’s concentration in your body to decrease by half after you take it.

Half-lives can vary hugely from one medication to another. For example, some medications quickly reduce to half their original concentration in just a few hours, while others may require several days.

Escitalopram (the active ingredient in Lexapro) has a half-life between 27 and 32 hours. This means that if you take Lexapro, each dose will reach half its concentration in roughly 27 to 32 hours.

For instance, let’s say you’re prescribed Lexapro at the typical recommended dose of 10 milligrams (mg) per day to treat depression — assuming there are no other factors affecting how your body clears the medication (like drug interactions, kidney function, etc.). In that case, the medication would reduce in concentration like this:

• After 27 to 32 hours, 5 milligrams of the initial 10-milligram dose would remain in your body.

• After 54 to 64 hours, 2.5 milligrams of the initial 10-milligram dose would still be in your body.

• After 81 to 96 hours, 1.25 milligrams of the initial 10-milligram dose would remain in your body.

This process continues, with your body gradually metabolizing and excreting Lexapro until the medication is entirely out of your system. 

According to research, it takes between four and five half-lives for the concentration of a medication to decline to a clinically irrelevant level. In other words, it would be eliminated from the body within four to five half-lives.

So, on average, it takes 128 to 160 hours (or 5.3 to 6.7 days) for your body to fully process a dose of Lexapro. Beyond that point, only tiny, clinically insignificant amounts of the medication will remain in your system. (Clinically insignificant means a drug doesn’t impact how a person feels or functions.)

How quickly your body processes and gets rid of Lexapro (or other medications) can depend on a few factors. These include:

• Age. Research shows that age can often play a role in medication half-life. For older adults, it generally takes more time to metabolize and excrete each dose of Lexapro.

• Liver and kidney health. Lexapro, like many other medications, is processed by the liver and kidneys. If you have liver or kidney health issues, your body may take longer to metabolize and excrete this medication.

If you’re prescribed Lexapro, you shouldn’t stop taking it without talking to your healthcare provider first.

Stopping Lexapro cold turkey can cause a range of withdrawal symptoms, often called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

If you abruptly stop taking Lexapro or significantly reduce your dose, you might experience antidepressant withdrawal symptoms, including (but not limited to):

• Dizziness

• Headache

• Mood swings and irritability

• Nausea or vomiting

• Sleep disturbances like nightmares

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Paresthesias (abnormal skin sensations)

• Drowsiness

• Brain zaps (a feeling of electric jolts to the brain or other body parts)

• General flu-like symptoms

Stopping treatment with Lexapro could also cause symptoms of depression or anxiety to reemerge. If you experience worsening symptoms or suicidal thoughts, seek medical care right away.

Again, if you’re prescribed Lexapro and don’t want to keep taking it, talk to your healthcare provider before making any changes.

They might recommend gradually lowering or tapering your higher dose of Lexapro over the course of several weeks or months. This may make it less likely you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms or a relapse of depression or anxiety.

It’s worth noting that stopping escitalopram won’t make you crave the drug. Even though there’s potential for Lexapro withdrawal symptoms, it’s not an addictive drug, so you wouldn’t need addiction treatment.

Understanding your medication can make a big difference in feeling more in control of your health. So, let’s break it down.

Escitalopram belongs to a group of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it to treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Escitalopram is also sometimes an off-label treatment option for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other mental health conditions, like panic disorder (which is marked by panic attacks).

(Off-label use means a drug is prescribed to treat something it’s not FDA-approved for — a legal and common practice.)

Lexapro acts on a chemical in the brain called serotonin, often referred to as one of the “feel-good” chemicals.

Essentially, Lexapro helps your brain maintain higher levels of serotonin activity by preventing serotonin from being reabsorbed back into the brain cells that released it. This can make a real difference in how you feel day-to-day — helping ease anxiety, improve your mood, boost energy levels, and ultimately improve overall well-being.

Read our full guide to escitalopram for answers to FAQs and details about the common side effects of Lexapro, who it’s for, and more.

How long does Lexapro stay in your system? Here’s what to remember about Lexapro’s elimination time:

• Lexapro stays in your system for about six days, assuming you don’t have liver or kidney issues that could affect your body’s ability to metabolize and excrete its active ingredient.

• A drug’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for the concentration to decrease by half of its initial dose in the body. A typical dose of Lexapro is eliminated from your system within four to five half-lives (six-ish days).

• Stopping Lexapro abruptly can lead to emotional and physical symptoms of withdrawal, including irritability, nausea, and sleep issues. But you probably won’t need to do inpatient detox under medical care.

• If you’re prescribed Lexapro for depression or anxiety, don’t stop taking it without first talking to your healthcare provider. They can let you know how to stop using Lexapro without withdrawal symptoms or other significant safety issues.

If you think you might benefit from an anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication — or you’d like to explore other options — use our online psychiatry platform to connect with a healthcare professional.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.