Posted by kaleidoscope on November 13, 2007, at 14:11:46
In reply to Re: Lexapro/Celexa: The Best for Anxiety? Differences? » kaleidoscope, posted by RM73 on November 12, 2007, at 16:48:56
>there are so many people who say that the R-part (inactive) of Celexa causes more side effects
Citalopram and Lexapro both cause typical SSRI side effects. If you suffer side effects with citalopram it would be better to try a different type of med rather than switching to Lexapro.
>I truly believe that many Pharmaceutical Companies do these sort of things once their medication goes generic
It is a fact that the majority of 'new' meds are (minor) modifications of existing meds eg. single isomers, controlled-release formulations, active metabolites and minor chemical modifications. We rarely see truly novel drugs in psychiatry.
>Unless of course someone comes here and scares me with some awful story.
There are millions of SSRI scare stories all over the internet (including both Celexa and Lexapro......although you will probably find more scare stories for Lexapro because it is currently remarkably overprescribed). The fact is.... all SSRIs can cause side effects and some people react badly. On the other hand, some people do well on them.
All SSRIs cause frequent sexual side effects, all SSRIs can cause emotional numbing, all SSRIs can cause initial agitation and anxiety. There is no difference here between Lexapro and Celexa.
It is unlikely to make any difference to your mental state whether you start with generic citalopram or Lexapro. The major difference is that Lexapro is a great deal more expensive. Also, don't worry about which generics company makes the citalopram. It is highly unlikely to make a difference unless you convince yourself that there is a difference - which some people do.
In the treatment of anxiety, it is usual to start with 10mg citalopram. The dose can be increased to 20mg after 1-2 weeks if tolerated. You should try 20mg for a couple of months before considering whether you need to increase the dose further. Doses above 40mg are not normally necessary.
Take care
poster:kaleidoscope
thread:794618
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071104/msgs/794859.html