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Citalopram vs Prozac
I've started taking cilatopram (celexa) at 20mg once per day for my depression and I'm also getting therapy to help sort my life out a bit. Basicaly though, I heard someone say that citalopram is the lowest powerful SSRI that there is which is very discouraging for me. I heard that prozac, which is most commonly prescribed is a lot more powerful but has more side effects. Is all this true? How would I change to prozac? If it is true that prozac is better/ more powerful, ignoring the side effects issue, just for the piece of mind id prefer to be taking it instead of citalopram.
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Reply 1
well if your doctor has perscribed you with cilatopram, they obviously think that that is the best medication for you.
Side Effects of citalopram: The most commonly-noted side effects associated with citalopram are nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, headache, tremor, and inability to sleep. Overall, between 1 in 6 and 1 in 5 persons experience a side effect. Some patients may experience withdrawal reactions upon stopping some SSRIs such as paroxetine, and such symptoms also may occur with citalopram. Symptoms of withdrawal include dizziness, tingling sensations , tiredness, vivid dreams, irritability or poor mood.
Side effects of Prozac (fluoxetine) Common side effects include restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, headache, asthenia, flu-like symptoms, fever, nausea, diarrhea, anorexia, dry mouth, constipation, flatulence, dyspepsia, vomiting, somnolence, yawn, abnormal vision, sweating, trembling, weakness, weight loss, skin rash, delayed ejaculation in men, decrease in sex drive, and there have been reports of subsequent weight gain. As with other SSRIs, an overdose of fluoxetine or combining it with other antidepressants can lead to serotonin syndrome.
Fluoxetine has a wide range of published interactions, notably with MAOIs (serotonin syndrome).
Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/citalopram
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:mYxNLX5B2s4J:www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/conventional/pharmaceutical/prozac.php+prozac+side+effects+answers&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk
my advice is to look up and research into the two drugs and talk with your soctor about the possibilty of switching over. ask for an explaination on why you are on citalopram and not prozac
Side Effects of citalopram: The most commonly-noted side effects associated with citalopram are nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, headache, tremor, and inability to sleep. Overall, between 1 in 6 and 1 in 5 persons experience a side effect. Some patients may experience withdrawal reactions upon stopping some SSRIs such as paroxetine, and such symptoms also may occur with citalopram. Symptoms of withdrawal include dizziness, tingling sensations , tiredness, vivid dreams, irritability or poor mood.
Side effects of Prozac (fluoxetine) Common side effects include restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, headache, asthenia, flu-like symptoms, fever, nausea, diarrhea, anorexia, dry mouth, constipation, flatulence, dyspepsia, vomiting, somnolence, yawn, abnormal vision, sweating, trembling, weakness, weight loss, skin rash, delayed ejaculation in men, decrease in sex drive, and there have been reports of subsequent weight gain. As with other SSRIs, an overdose of fluoxetine or combining it with other antidepressants can lead to serotonin syndrome.
Fluoxetine has a wide range of published interactions, notably with MAOIs (serotonin syndrome).
Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/citalopram
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:mYxNLX5B2s4J:www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/conventional/pharmaceutical/prozac.php+prozac+side+effects+answers&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk
my advice is to look up and research into the two drugs and talk with your soctor about the possibilty of switching over. ask for an explaination on why you are on citalopram and not prozac
Reply 2
I have taken both Citalopram and Fluoxetine (prozac) in the past and found fluoxetine a lot better. However, that was just me it is different for everyone. You really need to give Citalopram a proper chance before you ask to change it. Your doctor obviously must think that it is the right prescription for you.
jermay88
Basicaly though, I heard someone say that citalopram is the lowest powerful SSRI that there is which is very discouraging for me.
This isn't really true. Citalopram (and its newer incarnation escitalopram, the S-stereoisomer of citalopram) is the most selective of the SSRIs: i. e., it doesn't just hit a bunch of other neurotransmitters wildly, and so it has the lowest incidence of side-effects. Fluoxetine is one of the least selective; in fact, despite its being the first blockbuster SSRI (though not the first available), it's actually considered by some to be an atypical SSRI, because of its (admittedly low) affinity for dopamine and noradrenaline receptors, possible neurogenesis, and lack of downregulation of beta-adrenergic receptors. Fluoxetine is also the antidepressant many doctors prescribe to wean patients off other antidepressants (especially those with severe discontinuation syndromes, like venlafaxine). Either way, most clinical trials show that they're about as effective as each other (in fact this is true of most antidepressants); and citalopram tends to have fewer unpleasant side effects. It's a good choice for a first antidepressant.
You've been prescribed what your doctor thinks is the most suitable medication for your situation - and with things like anti-depressants, stronger isn't always better. It's also really important that you go into this with an open (preferably positive) mind set, and give it a while to see its effects. Hopefully, things will start to improve for you very soon 
.
.Reply 6
To be honest I think that if you have depression you can feel so low that there is naturally a tendency think that the least powerful form of anti-depressant is unlikely to help. This is what I thought when I started taking it, I thought that only something really heavy could help. Thing is Citalopram really has helped me a lot and to be honest I didn't really expect it to. Just try it and see how you go.
Reply 7
I'm ultra-sensitive to psychotropic meds. I've been on both Prozac and Citalopram I have to say the ones Prozac gave me were far worse. Everyone's different obviously but you do tend to be more sensitive when you're younger.
tis_only_meee is right; I'd been on four different anti-depressants plus loads of other meds, hospitalised: I really didn't have much faith but even though I have really severe depression, Citalopram (Escitalopram) works extremely well for me.
tis_only_meee is right; I'd been on four different anti-depressants plus loads of other meds, hospitalised: I really didn't have much faith but even though I have really severe depression, Citalopram (Escitalopram) works extremely well for me.
Reply 8
citalopram is usually prescribed, as it doesn't react with other drugs very much, and it's quite stable. Fluoxetine (prozac) has its fairshare of controversies.My mum was on fluoxetine for some time, and it didn't help.
Reply 9
I was put on escitalopram for a while (not depression related),through a reaction to it after 2 days, which landed me in hospital as it was a rare one. And the effect of the reaction has still not worn off after 4 months.
Just to let you know, this is a very strong drug.
Just to let you know, this is a very strong drug.
tis_only_meee
Thing is Citalopram really has helped me a lot and to be honest I didn't really expect it to. Just try it and see how you go.
Ditto. It's worked wonders for me. I don't think my depression was very bad, but it has helped me get my life back on track without any major side effects, and that's on a low dose too. Give it a try, it might just do the trick.
Reply 11
I take Prozac.
Side effects- Makes me shake. I think it makes me v. tired too. Seems to make me a little anxious. It's relatively early days at the moment, so it's best not to be premature when judging these things.
Prozac is v. popular because it has far fewer side effects than most anti-depressants. Give what you've been given a go first though. Anti depressants affect people in different ways.
Side effects- Makes me shake. I think it makes me v. tired too. Seems to make me a little anxious. It's relatively early days at the moment, so it's best not to be premature when judging these things.
Prozac is v. popular because it has far fewer side effects than most anti-depressants. Give what you've been given a go first though. Anti depressants affect people in different ways.
Reply 12
I've also tried both, and I'm currently on a dose of 40mg of Citalopram per day. What I've noticed about the drugs is that, despite relieving physical, emotional, and cognitive difficulties, they never actually get to the root of your problem. Okay, so that bit's obvious (well, sort of, unless you'r depressed because of biological factors). Although my meds can really take the edge off the depression, I can still find myself in a hole sometimes. Just this last weekend, I've been feeling utterly hopeless and 'intrinsically' stupid and worthless, and I've started cutting again (I gave up nearly two years ago - I was doing well). This is with the meds. I know that I need to get to the root of my problems, which, in itself, causes another problem in that doctors don't tend to take me seriously. "Oh, you're feeling worse since the medicine? Let's bump up the dosage a bit." It really makes me angry. Depressives cannot be holed up into one category! So, yes, please keep taking the meds. Here's some practical advice though:
- No alcohol - I know you will have been warned against this already. Please don't be tempted. It messes you up.
- No skipping - Take your meds everyday. I've missed days (by mistake) and it's though I can feel my serotonin levels fluctuating. I'll be happy one day and absolutely suicidal the next.
Good luck. Remember, if you find that Prozac could work better for you in a few weeks, don't hesitate to tell your doctor why. They need to tailor your prescription to suit you.
And last thing: please, I'm not trying get at people, but just because a patient is prescribed either flux or citalopram, it DOES NOT mean that it is right for them. Doctors often get this one wrong. I know this from eleven years' experience.
- No alcohol - I know you will have been warned against this already. Please don't be tempted. It messes you up.
- No skipping - Take your meds everyday. I've missed days (by mistake) and it's though I can feel my serotonin levels fluctuating. I'll be happy one day and absolutely suicidal the next.
Good luck. Remember, if you find that Prozac could work better for you in a few weeks, don't hesitate to tell your doctor why. They need to tailor your prescription to suit you.
And last thing: please, I'm not trying get at people, but just because a patient is prescribed either flux or citalopram, it DOES NOT mean that it is right for them. Doctors often get this one wrong. I know this from eleven years' experience.
Reply 13
I take sertraline? Or I did I'm off it again for six months, which is nice. Anyone know what the difference between this is and prozac is,there both SSRI's is there any real difference in effect?
I used to get side effects when I first took it, sweats, dizzy spells, fairly mild, but I found by easing myself onto the dose gradually and off it I ceased to get any on off medication side effects at all. Definitely should ween yourself off them gradually,if not on to them.
I used to get side effects when I first took it, sweats, dizzy spells, fairly mild, but I found by easing myself onto the dose gradually and off it I ceased to get any on off medication side effects at all. Definitely should ween yourself off them gradually,if not on to them.
Reply 14
You might think this sounds a little nasty but far too many people take anti-depressants and they are given out far too easily, half of you will just be having a little bit of a hard time and you turn to medication, it is psychological issues which you need sorting first. Their are people who have depression that is almost impossible for them to cope with and they are the ones who need the medication, it sounds like half of tsr are taking or have taken anti-depressants (very odd).
My girlfriend was prescribed fluoxetine (prozac) a few months ago as she has been suffering with depression for some time. It resulted in her having lots and lots of very bad thoughts, ending in her self harming quite badly *because* of the drugs, so tbh, stick to what you've got and give it a chance. Most antidepressants take at least 6 weeks to properly show their good effects.
heppelstone16
it is psychological issues which you need sorting first.
True, but sorting 'psychological issues' when you can barely get out of bed or stop crying, or even if you don't know what the issue is, is more than a little tricky. Once you're feeling a bit more on top of things is a better time to 'sort things out', from my experience, and if a (even a low) dose of anti-depressants enables someone to so that, surely they're worth prescribing? Yes, I think the term 'depression' is used too widely, but I also know that just telling someone to 'pull themselves together' or 'sort themselves out' is not the answer.
Reply 18
it is psychological issues which you need sorting first.
I believe I suffer from depression but it has never been diagnosed properly because i always think that they put too many people on medication and i'm worried about what would be right for me, but I don't understand how i could possibly sort out my psychological issues first because I don't even know why i feel this way?? And a lot of people feel the same. Its not necessary psychological and something we can just fix
'In the past, doctors believed that depression was the result of thoughts or emotions that were troubling for a person. More recently, experts realize that there can be several factors working together that will lead a person to become depressed. The three most important of these are biological, genetic, and environmental factors.
Biological causes are due to changes in the chemistry of the brain, such as fluctuations in the levels of important hormones. Genetic causes are the result of what you inherit from your parents. If one or both of your parents have a vulnerability to depression, then it can be transmitted to you. Environmental factors (also called emotional factors) result from stressful emotional situations,'
It looks to me like two of the three contributing factors of depression we can do little about because its not necessarily psychological as such.
Reply 19
heppelstone16
You might think this sounds a little nasty but far too many people take anti-depressants and they are given out far too easily, half of you will just be having a little bit of a hard time and you turn to medication, it is psychological issues which you need sorting first. Their are people who have depression that is almost impossible for them to cope with and they are the ones who need the medication, it sounds like half of tsr are taking or have taken anti-depressants (very odd).
It's a fair criticism, I think these days perhaps pills are given out to easily, by GP's who probably aren't really qualified to prescribe them. Mind you I got mine from a clinical psychologist, I think he knows his job well enough.
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