Think You Might Be Depressed? Take our self-quiz. If you suffer from anxiety or depression , the struggle to find and get effective treatment can sometimes feel like summiting a mountain without the proper gear. Motivating yourself to get treatment, not to mention slogging through the process of addressing the condition—can all be a bit much for an overwhelmed brain.
Certain types of depression like Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD occur in certain periods or conditions, while others can be constant and persist over months or years. Typically, healthcare professionals are able to diagnose depression if a person experiences down feelings for a period of about two weeks or more. Various biological, genetic, psychological and environmental factors can lead to or exacerbate depression. It typically shows symptoms in the form of moodiness, anger, exhaustion and irritability.
Depression can also lead to more serious issues, like sleep loss, reckless behavior, substance abuse, weight fluctuations and suicidal thoughts. Antidepressant medications work by balancing serotonin levels in your brain. They help regulate mood disorders by creating more typical patterns of interaction with serotonin. Celexa also called citalopram in its generic version is technically an antidepressant medication, with on-label capabilities for fighting other disorders.
Studies have shown that citalopram is effective as a medication for depression. Celexa is part of the group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs which help your brain find balance with serotonin levels. SSRIs prevent the brain from reabsorbing serotonin, which keeps more of it available in supply. Celexa in particular can also help in treating alcoholism, eating disorders, panic disorders and types of anxiety. It should be taken daily, at the same time, and can be taken with or without food.
So, how long does it take for Celexa to work? Good news: Results may occur in as soon as one week or take up to four weeks. Numbness, tingling, sweating, anxiety, confusion, headaches, nausea and more can all result from withdrawal. A doctor will likely take you off of this medication gradually by slowly lowering the dosages to prevent any negative effects. Celexa is generally considered safe and effective, but there are side effects to watch for,, as with any other medication.
All FDA black box warnings are at the end of this fact sheet. Please review before taking this medication. Citalopram is an antidepressant medication that works in the brain. It is approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder MDD. They should be clear about the limits of the research around that medication and if there are any other options. Do not stop taking citalopram even when you feel better.
With input from you, your health care provider will assess how long you will need to take the medicine.
Depression is also a part of bipolar illness. People with bipolar disorder who take antidepressants may be at risk for "switching" from depression into mania. Symptoms of mania include "high" or irritable mood, very high self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, being easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a large risk for bad consequences for example, excessive buying sprees.
Medical attention should be sought if serotonin syndrome is suspected. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, notify your health care provider to best manage your medications. People living with MDD who wish to become pregnant face important decisions. Untreated MDD has risks to the fetus, as well as the mother. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor and caregivers.
For women who take antidepressant medications during weeks 13 through the end of their pregnancy second and third trimesters , there is a risk that the baby can be born before it is fully developed before 37 weeks. This is a potentially fatal condition that is associated with use of the antidepressant in the second half of pregnancy.
However, women who discontinued antidepressant therapy were five times more likely to have a depression relapse than those who continued their antidepressant. If you are pregnant, please discuss the risks and benefits of antidepressant use with your health care provider. Typically patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The dose usually ranges from 20 mg to 40 mg once daily.
For patients older than 60 years, the maximum recommended dose is 20 mg once daily. Only your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you. The liquid should be measured with a dosing spoon or oral syringe which you can get from your pharmacy. Consider using a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication. You may also ask a family member or friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication.
If you miss a dose of citalopram, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your health care provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed. Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking antidepressant medications. They may decrease the benefits e. If an overdose occurs, call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care. You may also contact the poison control center at Headache, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, increased sweating, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping insomnia.
These will often improve over the first week or two as you continue to take the medication. Once you're feeling better it's likely that you'll continue to take citalopram for several more months to prevent the symptoms returning. You'll need to discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of continuing to take citalopram for longer than a few months.
The decision will depend on the type and severity of your symptoms, whether it's a one-off problem or one that keeps coming back, how well citalopram works for you, and whether you have had any bad side effects. A few people may get sexual side effects, such as problems getting an erection or a lower sex drive.
In some cases these can continue even after stopping the medicine. Speak to your doctor if you are worried. Otherwise there do not seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking citalopram for many months and years.
If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off citalopram. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking citalopram for a long time. This is to help prevent any extra side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine. Do not stop taking citalopram suddenly or without talking to your doctor first.
But sometimes people respond better to one antidepressant than to another. Citalopram can make you feel less hungry, so you may lose weight when you first start taking it. If you start to have problems with your weight while taking citalopram, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Some people cannot concentrate properly while they're taking citalopram.
It might be best to stop driving and cycling for the first few days of treatment until you know how this medicine makes you feel. There's some evidence that citalopram can reduce the quality of sperm, but it's not known whether this reduces male fertility. The effect should reverse once you stop taking the medicine.
Speak to your doctor if you're concerned. For women, there's no firm evidence to suggest that taking citalopram will reduce your fertility. But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment. Citalopram will not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill or emergency contraception.
The good effects of citalopram may, after a while, improve your sex life as your mood lifts and you become interested in life and relationships again. Sexual side effects usually pass after the first couple of weeks.
However, very rarely, they can be long lasting and may not get better even after stopping the medicine. If these happen and are a problem for you, go back to your doctor to see if there's another treatment you can try.
You can drink alcohol while taking citalopram, but it may make you feel sleepy. It might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine makes you feel. Antidepressants, including citalopram, are just one of several approaches to treating depression. Choosing a treatment that's most suitable for you depends on how long you have had depression, your symptoms, whether you have had any previous bouts of depression, whether previous treatment has worked, how likely you are to stick with your treatment, the potential side effects, and your preferences and priorities.
Citalopram and escitalopram are both medicines used to treat depression. Cannabis can also make drowsiness worse with citalopram, especially in people who have just started taking it. Methadone can increase the risk of side effects in people taking citalopram. Talk to your doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while taking citalopram. Page last reviewed: 10 December Next review due: 10 December Citalopram - Brand name: Cipramil On this page About citalopram Key facts Who can and cannot take citalopram How and when to take citalopram Side effects How to cope with side effects of citalopram Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about citalopram.
About citalopram Citalopram is a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for citalopram to work. Side effects such as tiredness, dry mouth and sweating are common. They're usually mild and go away after a couple of weeks.
If you and your doctor decide to take you off citalopram, your doctor may recommend reducing your dose gradually to help prevent extra side effects.
Do not take St John's wort while you're taking citalopram. It will increase your risk of side effects. Citalopram can be taken by adults and children over the age of 12 years. Check with your doctor before starting citalopram if you: have had an allergic reaction to citalopram or any other medicines in the past have a heart problem — citalopram can speed up or change your heartbeat have ever taken any other medicines for depression — some rarely used antidepressants can interact with citalopram to cause very high blood pressure , even when they have been stopped for a few weeks are trying to become pregnant, already pregnant or breastfeeding have an eye condition called glaucoma — citalopram can increase the pressure in your eye have epilepsy or are having electroconvulsive treatment — citalopram may increase your risk of having a seizure If you have diabetes , citalopram can make it more difficult to keep your blood sugar stable.
Take citalopram once a day. You can take it with or without food. If you have trouble sleeping, it's best to take it in the morning. Dosage Citalopram tablets come in different strengths ranging from 10mg to 40mg. With liquid drops of citalopram, 4 drops is equivalent to a 10mg tablet.
What if I forget to take it?
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