Posted by Jamal Spelling on August 12, 2007, at 16:25:09
In reply to Celexa blood test measurement - valid?, posted by chiron on August 12, 2007, at 15:48:11
Hi chiron
> There is a dr. who will test your blood levels to determine if you are taking the right amount. There are only some drugs that have tests that are available, including Celexa. Is this a worthwhile test?
Conventional wisdom holds that the usually effective plasma level of citalopram is 85 ng/ml, which corresponds with an average dose of 40 mg/day. At this dose, the mean inhibition of the serotonin pump is 60 %. See also http://www.preskorn.com/books/ssri_s3.html.
I suppose that if this doctor were able to measure your blood levels of citalopram, (s)he might be able to advise you on an appropriate dose modification. In practice however, the correct dose of an SSRI depends largely on the individual and the exact nature of the condition being treated, and is determined through trial and error.
> He also does urine testing for checking neurotransmitter levels, which I understand is controversial.I don't think neurotransmitter levels can generally be inferred from urinalysis.
Jamal
poster:Jamal Spelling
thread:775780
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070808/msgs/775796.html