Celexa. Anyone use this???

[mum4jenn]

Does anyone use Celexa? My Gyn prescribed this for me. He took me off hormones and is trying me on this. Any experiences???

 

[Sayla1221]

I was on it for quite a while, and my DH was on it for about 6 months before they switched him to something else. The main problem both of us had was that it was killer on our stomachs. Absolutely vicious. But in fairness, it was the wrong medication for both of us. I don't want that to discourage you, because I know it is a God-send for a lot of people! But quite often you have to try several meds before you find the right one, and Celexa just wasn't it for us.

Good luck!!

 

[MushyMushy]

I was on a low dose of Celexa for situational depression quite a few years ago. It was a lifesaver for me. I didn't have any problems with side effects.

 

[mum4jenn]

OK. Thanks. I have been putting off even trying anything for a long time and the hormones had helped quite a bit but i knew I needed to "bite the bullet" and try something. I guess I was feeling shame about it.
The school counselor at my school said to not be ashamed at all because probably 50% of the folks at our school is having to use something.

I go back in early January so I hope to know by then if it is working or if I need to try something else.

 

[lsyorke]

Does anyone use Celexa? My Gyn prescribed this for me. He took me off hormones and is trying me on this. Any experiences???

If you have a hormone deficiency, Celexa isn't going to help that.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

If you have a hormone deficiency, Celexa isn't going to help that.

I've been on Celexa for at least 8 years. I've never heard of it being used as a hormone replacement, unless the hormone deficiency is causing anxiety or depression. As I understand it, Celexa is an SSRI that levels out the seretonin levels in the brain. It can be used to treat either anxiety or depression.

I have been using it for anxiety which runs in my family. I have been on as much as 20 mg per day, but I have a friend who is on 40! Earlier this year, I wanted to see if I could do without it. My doctor gave me a prescription for it in liquid form and said to taper it off very gradually (it's easier to do this with a liquid than a pill). I did get off of it completely without any major side-effects. Other times if I cut it down too quickly I would get dizzy. This time, I found I didn't like how I felt when I was off of it. Every single little, tiny thing would bother me. I talked to my doctor and we decided I needed to be on a small dose so I've settled at 5 mg/day. I've found that's the smallest dose that helps me feel OK without taking as much as I used to take.

I don't have any real issues when I'm on it. It hasn't bothered my stomach at all. I do find that I'm a little more tired sometimes during the day and at night, I have really weird, vivid dreams. I call them Celexa dreams. I read that this is common for people on the drug. Sometimes I'll wake up and think, "Where the heck did that come from?"

 

[Chris2597]

My gyn prescribed it for me yrs ago and it was great. After my hysterectomy she switched me to Effexor which helped with meno mood swings and hot flashes but it was horrible. If I didnt take it at the same time every day I would get brain zingers that felt like my brain was being zapped and/or was floating in my head. She put me back on Celexa. I have no side effects at all.

 

[Chris2597]

If you have a hormone deficiency, Celexa isn't going to help that.

Very true but as my dr explained...hormone def. can cause anxiety, hot flashes and moodiness. Celexa as well as other SSRI's can treat those symptoms.

 

[mum4jenn]

If you have a hormone deficiency, Celexa isn't going to help that.

Yes I know.

I have been having a lot of symptoms that go along with pre menopause and that is why I was taking the hormones. Depression, mood swings, and related things. I was on a very low dose .03 of Premarin and my Dr at the time said if I needed more help then he would try an anti-depressant. I held off as long as I could but now with my husband's job issues things have really piled up on me.
That Dr retired a few months ago so I had to see a different in the practice. He was not real keen on me taking the hormones even though it was a very low dose. THe previous Dr had not recorded anything about my bloodwork so he could not understand why he prescribrd the premarin. He said since I still had a cycle that he really did not recommend it. Last year when I was prescribed the Premarin I told the Dr I wanted to try anything except Anti-depressant and to use that as a last resort.
He (current Dr)asked what was going on and through my tears he could tell I am a bit overwhelmed and said we would try this. When I go back if it is helping we will stick with this and if not we will try something else.

 

[bumcat]

I take a low dose at bedtime for fibromyalgia. So far so good.

 

[RF536]

I take 40mg/day for depression and as a preventantive for migraines. I did notice that it makes me sleepy when I take it, so I take it just before I go to bed. This is really the only side effect that I have had with it.

 

[3jsmommy]

It sounds like you are having normal stress related anxiety, have you ever tried talk therapy?
It is non addictive, no side effects & can help you long & short term.
The short term side effects of SSRI's are not limited to stomach pains or even "brain zaps"
They include, akathisia, suicidal thoughts, even death, so I would see a therapist, as a gyno has no business playing psychiatrist.
Dr.'s admit that they don't know the long term effects of taking these strong meds, I'm sure we'll find out in the near future w/ the number people taking them.
The FDA has issued "black box warnings" on SSRI's, they do NOT use that warning casually!

 

[mum4jenn]

It sounds like you are having normal stress related anxiety, have you ever tried talk therapy?
It is non addictive, no side effects & can help you long & short term.
The short term side effects of SSRI's are not limited to stomach pains or even "brain zaps"
They include, akathisia, suicidal thoughts, even death, so I would see a therapist, as a gyno has no business playing psychiatrist.
Dr.'s admit that they don't know the long term effects of taking these strong meds, I'm sure we'll find out in the near future w/ the number people taking them.
The FDA has issued "black box warnings" on SSRI's, they do NOT use that warning casually!

Thank you Tom Cruise for your warning however the title of the post was "Celex. Anyone use this?" I did not ask anyone if they thought I needed to see a shrink.

 

[mumom95]

I was on it for a couple of years to treat a bout of depression I had after my mom and grandmother both passed away within a couple of months of each other.

The first few days I was on it I felt very light headed, almost like I was walking around in a fog all day. But that went away after a couple of days.

I also had the very vivid dreams while I was on it that someone else mentioned, but that didn't bother me.

The only bad side affect I had was that it killed my sex drive. But it wasn't like I was having a strong sex drive while I was depressed anyway.

I was on it for about two years, then gradually went off it. The sex drive came back right away, and I haven't suffered any bouts of depression since (it's been about 4 years since I was on it). It was a life saver for me. And don't be embarrassed to talk about it, one thing I learned while I was on it is that there are a lot more people on anti depressants than most people think.

Hope this helped. If you have any more questions, please feel free to PM me.

Good luck.