My experience with Escitalopram
Escitalopram is a medication to treat depressions. Several SSRI are available with slightly different effects on the brain and the body. I tried paroxetine and escitalopram. Compared to paroxetine, escitalopram is much newer.
Escitalopram does come with side effects. I experienced a weight gain of about 10 kg, which is acceptable to me. I did not notice any other side effects. Paroxetine made me very tired, escitalopram did not. Some people have real problems quitting SSRIs like escitalopram or paroxetine. For me, I experience few side effects from moving up or down on the dosage.
Currently, I take 20mg a day, which is the highest dosage allowed by the manufacturer. However, I did read stories of people taking up to 40-60 mg a day. Escitalopram is provided free of charge in my country (paid by health insurance), so to be honest I have no idea how much it really costs. I do know that it works. It definitely took the edge of things, made me calmer and more in control of my thoughts.
