Citalopram

CAUTION:
Studies have shown that children and teenagers who take antidepressants ('mood elevators') such as citalopram may be more likely to think about harming or killing themselves or to plan or try to do so than children who do not take antidepressants. Children younger than 18 years of age should not normally take citalopram.If your child’s doctor has prescribed citalopram for your child, you should watch his or her behavior very carefully, especially at the beginning of treatment and any time his or her dose is increased or decreased. Your child may develop serious symptoms very suddenly, so it is important to pay attention to his or her behavior every day. Call your child’s doctor right away if he or she experiences any of these symptoms: new or worsening depression; thinking about harming or killing him- or herself or planning or trying to do so; extreme worry; agitation; panic attacks; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; aggressive behavior; acting without thinking; severe restlessness; frenzied, abnormal excitement; or any other sudden or unusual changes in behavior.

General Information and Indications:

Citalopram is used to treat depression. Citalopram is in a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.
 

Information For Users:

Citalopram comes as a tablet and a solution (liquid) to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with or without food. To help you remember to take citalopram, take it around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label, ask your doctor or pharmacist If you have any questions. Take citalopram exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your health care provider.

Your doctor might start you on a low dose of citalopram and slowly increase your dose, not more than once a week.

It may take 1 to 4 weeks before you feel the full benefit of citalopram. Continue taking citalopram even if you feel well. Do not discontinue taking citalopram without informing your doctor.

Citalopram is also sometimes used to treat eating disorders, alcoholism, panic disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and social phobia. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.

special precautions:

o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergy to citalopram or any other medications.
o do not take citalopram if you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or have stopped taking them within the past two weeks.
o you should know that citalopram is very similar to another SSRI, escitalopram (Lexapro). You should not take these two medications together.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn); carbamazepine (Tegretol); cimetidine (Tagamet); ketoconazole (Nizoral); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); medications for anxiety, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, and seizures; metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL); other antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); sedatives; sleeping pills; sumatriptan (Imitrex); and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
o Inform your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had depression, bipolar disorder (mood that changes from depressed to abnormally excited), or mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood), or if you or anyone in your family has thought about or attempted suicide. Also Inform your doctor if you have recently had a heart attack and if you have or have ever had seizures; or liver, kidney, or heart disease.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking citalopram, call your doctor.
o you should know that citalopram may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
o remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication.
o you should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways, especially at the beginning of your treatment and at any time your dose is increased or decreased. These changes may occur at any time if you have depression or other mental illness, whether or not you are taking citalopram or any other medication. You, your family, or your caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: new or worsening depression; thinking about harming or killing yourself or planning or trying to do so; extreme worry; agitation; panic attacks; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; aggressive behavior; acting without thinking; severe restlessness; and frenzied, abnormal excitement. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor when you are unable to seek treatment on your own.

Possible Adverse Effects:

Citalopram may cause adverse effects. Inform your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away:

o upset stomach
o diarrhea
o vomiting
o stomach pain
o drowsiness
o extreme tiredness (fatigue)
o tremor
o excitement
o nervousness
o difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
o muscle or joint pain
o dry mouth
o excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
o changes in sex drive or ability, impotence
o loss of appetite (anorexia)

Some adverse effects could be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience either of them or those listed in the CAUTION section, call your doctor without delay:

o seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
o seizure

Possible Symptoms of Overdose:

o dizziness
o sweating
o upset stomach
o vomiting
o hand tremor, shaking hands
o drowsiness
o rapid, irregular, or pounding heartbeat
o memory loss
o confusion
o seizures
o coma
o rapid breathing

Brand Name(s):

o Celexa®