Celexa is One of the Most Popular Antidepressants
If you go to your doctor to complain about depression symptoms, your doctor will may start with an antidepressant like Celexa. Celexa and Cipramil are the brand names for the antidepressant Citalopram. Citalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI. Celexa is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat major depression.
Celexa is one of the most prescribed antidepressants due to the fact that it works well for many people and it is very inexpensive. Celexa can cost as little as $20 a month; some of the newer antidepressants can cost over $400 for a 30 day supply.
Celexa is Used Off-Label for Many Medical and Psychiatric Conditions
Many doctors prescribe Celexa to treat symptoms of other disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, phobias, psychotic depression and anxiety. Some doctors have prescribed citalopram to treat premature ejaculation and diabetic neuropathy. Citalopram is also prescribed to prevent migraines and treat hot flashes. There are many active studies currently investigating other possible medical uses for citalopram.
Keep in mind that currently citalopram is only approved by the FDA to treat major or severe depression.
How Does Celexa Work?
Celexa works by increasing serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin is a naturally occurring brain chemical that helps maintain good mental balance.
It takes about a week of treatment before you will have steady enough levels of citalopram in your system.
How Should I Take My Citalopram?
Celexa is usually taken once daily. You can take your dosage in the morning or at night. You should try to take your dose at the same time every day. Many people prefer to take citalopram at night, especially if it makes you edgy during the day. Unlike many other drugs, you do not need to eat anything prior to taking your dosage of citalopram. However, if Celexa makes you feel nauseated, you can try eating a small meal prior to taking your dose to see if that will help. Many people feel nauseous when they first start taking citalopram. This side effect usually disappears after you have been taking Celexa for a few weeks and your body becomes adjusted to the medication.
Typical Dosage Levels of Citalopram
When starting an antidepressant, it is best to start at the lowest possible effective dosage. Many doctors will start you off at a low dosage to see how you react to the medication. A starting dosage of citalopram may be as little as 10mg daily. If there is an improvement and you seem to tolerate the medication well, your doctor will probably increase the dosage to 20mg. Eventually, your doctor may increase it to 40mg. At one time, doctors would regularly prescribe 60mg of Celexa for patients with chronic or major depression. However, there were new warnings and cautions released in 2011 that indicate that the maximum safe dosage of citalopram is 40mg. Your doctor may have to try you on several different dosages before you find out which is right for you. Some people experience too many unpleasant side effects on higher dosages of citalopram. Your doctor will increase or decrease your dosage until you feel the benefits of the medication.
Side Effects Associated with Citalopram
As with most antidepressants, citalopram has some pretty scary potential side effects. If you are prescribed Celexa, you may want to keep a daily record of any side effects that you are experiencing. If your doctor changes your dosage (which is a common practice), you will want to write down how the higher/lower doses affected you. Although Celexa is considered to be a relatively safe medication, there can be some serious side effects associated with its usage.
The most common side effects of citalopram are nausea, weight gain, sleepiness, insomnia, wild nightmares, dry mouth, sweating, diarrhea, fatigue, constant yawning, frequent urination and sexual problems. Fortunately, some of the more serious side effects of Celexa are less commonly experienced. These serious, but uncommon side effects can include vomiting, changes in blood pressure levels, anxiety, severe mood swings, headaches, dizziness and cardiac arrhythmia. Rarely, a patient may experience a very severe side effect while using citalopram such as hallucinations or convulsions.
Many people ultimately decide to stop taking citalopram due to the troubling sexual side effects and loss of creativity that its use can cause. Sexual dysfunction is a common problem with SSRI antidepressants. Sexual side effects may include decreased sexual sensation, difficulty in arousal, complete loss of interest in sex or difficulty in reaching orgasm. These side effects will usually go away after citalopram is discontinued. However, in some patients, the sexual side effects are permanent. If you continue to suffer sexual side effects after you stop taking citalopram, you may be suffering from Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction.
Current Clinical Trials Involving Citalopram
As of February 2012, there are currently over 350 clinical trials being conducted on citalopram and escitalopram. You can read about these trials at http://clinicaltrials.gov. Researchers are looking into many potential new uses for Celexa and Lexapro. There are current studies on whether citalopram could be useful in treating schizophrenia, internet addiction, post traumatic stress disorder, bereavement, marijuana withdrawal, pain and borderline personality disorder.
Citalopram is Less Costly than Other Anti-Depressants
Celexa was originally developed in 1989, by LUNDBECK. When Lundbeck’s patent on Celexa expired in 2003, other companies were allowed to create generic versions. In response to this, Lundbeck released a slightly updated version of citalopram called Lexapro (generic name: escitalopram). They were able to obtain a brand new patent for Lexapro, which is considered to be slightly better than Celexa, but more expensive.
Lexapro and Celexa are very similar. Obviously, financial motivation and the expiration of Celexa’s patent were behind the creation of Lexapro.
Serious Health Risks Associated with Celexa
On August 24, 2011, the National Institute of Health notified health care professionals that dosages greater than 40mg per day should no longer be prescribed. Studies have found that high doses of Celexa can cause changes in the electrical activity of the heart. These changes have been fatal is some patients.
Celexa, like many other anti-depressants, also carries the black box suicide warning.
Special Precautions if you are Prescribed Citalopram
- You shouldn’t take Celexa if you are currently taking Lexapro as they are almost identical medications
- You should not take Celexa if you are also taking an MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitor. If you have recently discontinued MAO inhibitors, you should wait 14 full days before starting citalopram.
- You should not take St. John’s Wort if you are also taking citalopram
- You should not drive or use machinery until you know how your body will react to the citalopram
- If you’ve had a heart attack, you should discuss the special risks of taking Celexa with your doctor
- You should not consume alcohol while taking Celexa
- Celexa should not be prescribed to patients with congenital long OT syndrome
- You may gain a significant amount of weight while taking citalopram
What Should I do if I Overdose on Celexa?
The poison control number is 1-800-222-1222
Symptoms of a Celexa overdose include dizziness, nausea, sweating, vomiting, excessive drowsiness, rapid or pounding heartbeat, memory loss, coma, fast breathing or confusion.
Why Celexa May be the Right Antidepressant for You
Despite the fact that there are numerous risks and side effects associated with citalopram, it is generally safer and more effective than most other antidepressants. It is a good choice for a patient’s first antidepressant. Citalopram is also much less expensive than other antidepressants. In fact, many insurance companies will require you to try citalopram before they’ll pay for more expensive medications. The low cost of citalopram can be a big help if you are on a tight budget and don’t have prescription coverage.
You should research different brands of generics. There has been some online discussion that some citalopram generics are better than others.
For some reason, studies have shown that women often receive greater benefits from citalopram than men do.
How to Stop Taking Celexa
You may decide to stop taking citalopram. If you have been taking it for more than a month, you will need to taper off. You cannot just stop taking Celexa suddenly. You should talk to your doctor about a tapering schedule. You should try to reduce your dosage by 5mg a week. If you taper off citalopram slowly, you will have an easier time with the withdrawal symptoms, which can be very troubling. Celexa tablets can be broken in half, which will make it easier for you to slowly taper off the medication.
Celexa Withdrawal Symptoms
If you stop taking citalopram too abruptly, you may develop SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome. SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome can make you feel like you are seriously and deathly ill. Celexa withdrawal can be very uncomfortable and distressing.
Some of the symptoms you may experience while withdrawing from Celexa are brain zaps (an electric shock sensation in your brain), memory problems, difficult in concentration, sweating, nausea, irritability, chills, confusion, body tremors, crying spells, hallucinations, vivid and frightening nightmares, blurry vision, lethargy, vertigo, dizziness, weakness and lethargy. You may also experience flu-like symptoms.
Some doctors will treat SSRI withdrawal with another antidepressant named Prozac. Prozac, also known by its generic name of fluoxetine, can be used as a substitute for citalopram. Prozac has a longer half-life than citalopram which can prevent or reduce the worst symptoms of SSRI discontinuation syndrome.
What are the Chances that Celexa will Cure My Depression?
Celexa has about a 50/50 chance of working for you after you’ve taken it for a month. Initially, you may experience more anxiety with Celexa, but this usually goes away. If the anxiety becomes a problem, your doctor may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication like Valium to take the edge off of the Celexa.
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