| Key to ratings for celexa: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken and Dosage | Date Added | |
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| 5 | anger/depression | Male sexual effects, problems with ejaculation were common and problematic. This caused increased frustration. Also dizziness and nausea when going off of the medicine after a prolonged perion. | A wonder drug for me. I was always flying off the handle and in a depressed state. After one week and now after one year, my mood and life has dramatically changed. | M | 34 | 510 days | 5/1/2001 | 5 | Depression and Anxiety | Very few side effects. Some teeth grinding, and occasional sleepiness. No sexual side effects, not negative ones anyway. I actually think it might help as far as that goes. | Great stuff, at least for me anyway. The only anti-depressant I ever took that did anything. I take 60mg once a day. Helped my depression a lot. Also totally cured my social anxiety. Much easier to deal with the ordinary problems of life. Too bad I didn't start taking this years ago. | M | 24 | 3 months | 1/29/2010 | 5 | ADHD, Depression, hyperactivity | ejaculatory delay, very increased sex drive, occassional diahrea and constipation | When i started at 10mg i did have most of the side effects that people experience. It started working in only 3 days, which was nice. I was not really a very serious clinical case, but wanted something to help with some major life changes that i was going through. I backed the dose down to 3.5mg per day and this has gotten rid of all the symptoms except the ejaculatory delay. However, combined with the increased sex drive, this is really not an issue. The main issue now is satisfying the sex drive. At a higher dose the side effects were profound, so i recommend lowering the dose as much as possible. The drug has good psychotropic effects even at low doses, so less is more. Also if you look at this site... the most successful people with the drug are maintained at lower doses. Tried Wellbutrin for the adhd, but that put me into outer space. | M | 30 | 4 months | 9/9/2005 | 5 | manic, depressed | weight gain, night sweats | worked immediately. Enabled me to relate to people socially, eased my workaholic behavior. Eliminated depression and anxiety. | M | 46 | 3 years | 6/20/2006 | 5 | jaw clenching, slightly tired | update to previous post. it's been 1 month now and i can say things have gotten a lot better. at 3 weeks was feeling good but the last week i've noticed a big change. celexa has been a great improvement to my life. like i said in last post no drug is going to make things completely better but it is a huge improvement. i know for some people the whole idea about taking an anti-depressant is a little taboo but here's my take on it and i hope it helps anyone who reads this. when you have a headache you take an asprin. when you're sick you might take an antibiotic. simply put when you dont feel good you take something to ease the symptoms. its no diffrent with an antidepressant. why allow yourself to feel bad if you dont have to? nobody wants to walk around all day with a killer headache so why should you walk around all day feeling blue or as if there is no hope? if a friend or someone in your family doesnt agree with taking an antidepressant who cares! its none of thier business. i KNOW | M | 36 | 1 months | 12/26/2006 | 5 | depression | dry mouth, weight loss (15 lbs in 4 weeks), insomnia, yawning, tiredness, weird dreams, | M | 20 | 3 weeks | 11/13/2006 | 5 | Depression & OCD | Massive weight loss which was great! (about 45 lbs within a few months) Took forever for me to have an orgasm. Marathon sessions (was sweating like a pig by the time it was over) This was not necessarily a bad thing, just time consuming. Had trouble starting to urinate. Horrible withdrawal (even with calculated, long-term, slow, and increment) - lots of vertigo/dizziness while coming off. Absolutely NO creative motivation. If you are an artist, writer, or creator, stay away! (one of the reasons why I stopped) I'm normally an introvert and this turned me into an extrovert literally overnight! I had a strong desire to conect with people which I don't normally have. Actually ended a relationship I started while under the influence of Celexa shortly after coming off of it... | Celexa got rid of the major depression I had been suffering with for well over 5 years - entirely. Almost feel like it has re-wired me to that end. 5 years later and it has not come back. However, I still suffer with OCD and am thinking about going back on for this and for the weight loss (I've since put back all the weight I lost while on the drug) Apparently, this is really good for OCD as I had no desire to over eat and/or stress eat (which I normally do). I lost lots of weight and felt so wonderful that I thought I didn't need the drug anymore and took myself off very gradually. It's newer version Lexipro did NOT work for me at all as I tried this at the beginning of my 2nd cycle. Made me completely paranoid about EVERYTHING! (I cycled Celexa twice in the past 5 years). I'm thinking about going on it again (when I feel like I can clear my creative ambitions for about six months!), but I must admit that the 2nd cycle did not give me the same results as the initial run. It | M | 38 | 1 years | 8/30/2006 | 5 | Anxiety, Panic Attacks | Fogginess at a higher dosage (40 mg). Dry mouth. Slower to orgasm at a higher dosage. | I briefly tried Paxil, but it wasn't for me. My psychopharm had me try Celexa at 40 mg initially as I was going through a difficult divorce. I helped with my depression and anxiety almost immediately, but I felt a bit like a zombie at 40 mg, so she moved me back down to 20 mg, and I've been on it ever since. It really has changed my life for the better. I no longer dread going to parties, going out with people from the office, and I can now speak in front of groups, something I was never able to do. Panic attacks are pretty much non-existent now. Make sure you slowly increase/decrease your dosage when changing amounts. Withdrawal can be a bit difficult. | M | 32 | 3 years | 2/22/2007 | 5 | IBS, depression (?) | Mild: nausea, blurred vision, jaw clenching, sweating. Delayed ejaculation :-) | Switched over from Lexapro, due to insurance no-pay. Has seemed effective for IBS, side effects mild and fading away. Attitude to life is better, more cheerful - though improved IBS symptions would contribute to that ! | M | 57 | 4 weeks | 12/12/2006 | 5 | depression | jaw clinching, tired, sight decrease in sex drive | tried welbutrin with no success. tried effexor and it killed my sex drive. celexa has been great! it knocks off the edge. brings everything to an even keel. getting back to my old self. no drug is going to make everything alright but it certainly helps. this has been great for me. i wish you all good luck! | M | 36 | 3 weeks | 12/21/2006 | 5 | Depression | Insomnia, decrease in sex drive and ability to orgasm. | I cannot believe the positive difference in my life since I this drug has entered my life! For the first time in my life, I feel I can think clearly without my emotions ruling my every move! The side effects have been minimal and, as I have read many other experiences, I have confidence that they will either go away with time or lessen. This drug is definitely a wonder drug to me. It feels SO GOOD to be ME again!!!!!! :-) | M | 43 | 2 months | 1/16/2007 | 5 | Depression, anxiety | Jaw clenching, nausea in the beginning, vivid dreams, delayed ejaculation, some sweating ,premature waking . | This medicine really helped me. Most of the side affects are gone after 2 months,or at least decreased . It was like a broom that swept out all of my negative and black thoughts and took away my nervousness. It won't fix all your problems but at least you can face them better with a more positive outlook .Recommended . | M | 42 | 2 months | 1/15/2007 | 5 | anxiety | delayed orgasm ( not that it is a bad thing ) | Works for me, was having panic attacks. This is not a instant cure, it takes about 2 months to take effect. I now feel normal again. | M | 49 | 4 years | 4/26/2007 | 5 | Anxiety | Sexual dysfunction, night sweats | Cured my life-long anxiety. I now enjoy interacting with people! The proper dose is very important, but be very careful when making adjustments. The sexual dysfunction eased with a 5mg downward adjustment. I am experiencing drenching night sweats so I am going to try splitting my dose. | M | 48 | 10 months | 9/6/2006 | 5 | Anxiety | Weight Gain, night sweats, slow ejaculation, laziness. | The side effects are minimal compared to it's benefits! I suffered from severe anxiety and Celexa really helped. I would highly recommend theropy first, but if you need meds to help, this is the one! | M | 40 | 2 years | 10/19/2006 | 5 | Bipolar II | At 20mg/day, felt a bit stoned and slow. At 10mg/day I have very few side effects and it is enough for maintenance therapy. Some sexual side effects, but nothing major. | Works better than the other antidepressants I've tried and seems to have way less bothersome side effects. I'm quite happy with it. So far, it keeps my depression at bay even at low doses. | M | 26 | 1 years | 11/30/2004 | 5 | for depression | i never had any side effects. | All i can say is that this drug saved my life .It s the best drug out there for depression | M | 31 | 2 years | 11/30/2004 | 5 | Anger/Depression/Domestic Violence | Dry Mouth, Prolonged ejaculation (which is not a bad thing) | This is great. For years, after therapy I did not know what was wrong with me. I abused my wife to the point that one day she wanted to kill herself. That was it for me. I left the house to seek professional help before getting back to her. I was diagnosed with severe depression, anxiety and anger due to depression. Since I started taking the medicine I do not feel irritated anymore. I feel like a new person. I won't get back with my wife until I am sure that I have changed. It is no longer a simple past trauma thing. It is a medical condition and Celexa seems to be working. | M | 30 | 30 days | 10/11/2004 | 5 | Depression | For the first two weeks I had pretty much all the side effects listed by the manufacturer. Chills, trembling, grinding teeth, yawning, restless, dry mouth, insomnia, and I'm sure I've forgotten some. But on the 14th day like clockwork my cloud cleared up, my mood raised, almost all the side effect went away. And by week 3 the yawning and teeth grinding had finished too. So far - 4 months later, I feel great. No depression, I feel like myself again. I do find it a bit hard to get out of bed in the morning (I take Celexa in the morning). The one thing I'm not enjoying is at the start of Celexa I lost about 5 lbs, even now, I'm no longer eating to feel happier and I'm working out again, I've gained back those 5 lbs and 10 more. Today, my doctor switch me to 1/2 the dose of Celexa and added Wellbutrin. I hope that keeps my mood up, and the weight down. | Don't give up on the side effects, I was cold everyday for 2 weeks, wearing sweaters on warm days... but it got so much better after 14 days.... | M | 34 | 4 months | 9/28/2004 | 5 | Depression | Very little, decreased sexual desire at first, went away. | wonder drug, am now taking with wellbutrin and haven't felt this good in years. Went through the zoloft, effexor, prozac, wellbutrin, buspar, nothing worked, this is wonderful. Have been taking for the past 5 years now with no long term side effects. | M | 32 | 5 years | 6/30/2004 | 5 | anxiety | M | 38 | 10 days | 7/7/2004 | 5 | depression, dysthymia | sexual disfunction, fatigue, insomnia | M | 54 | 2 years | 5/13/2004 | 5 | Depression/Anxiety | Headaches(At First),A Few Weird Dreams... | Well what can i say i have taken these only a week now and feel as though that someone has given me a second chance in life ... I feel inner peace and can interact with others which i was finding difficult before im on holiday at the moment from work but am hoping my anxiety clears totally for when i go back ... I am starting to feel like a new person i hope to the future and that it may continue ... Try these out ... | M | 33 | 7 days | 3/28/2004 | 5 | depression/suicidal thoughts | none - no dizziness, no thirst, no anything other than I immediately felt better after two days @ 20mg per day. Have been taking roughly 3 years now. My doctor said not to worry if I need to continue. | Like so many others, truly saved my life. I tried weaning down but it seems everytime I do, the brain kicks out, stress arrives bigtime, tension ,nerves, etc, oh yes, no sleep, maybe 3 interupted hours a night. | M | 55 | 3 years | 2/8/2007 | 5 | Panic disorder | Slight loss of libido. Problems sleeping if taken at night. | This drug has helped me to lead a normal life again after years of severe anxiety and panic attacks that made me close to becoming agoraphobic. Have been on SSRIs for 10 years - originally Seroxat which was nasty if you missed a day. Switched 6 years ago and very happy with results. | M | 28 | 6 years | 10/7/2006 | 5 | Crohns and Anxiety | Very mild ejaculatory delay. Wife didn't mind. I just makes me last a little longer. | It costs less than the others | M | 44 | 3.5 years | 9/1/2002 | 5 | depression | little dizzy and headachey for about a week...then it stopped and i was fine.. i've been on the medication for over 8 months...one tablet daily.... Perfect.... its is an exceptional medicine in my opinion.... | M | 47 | 8 months | 5/23/2002 | 5 | major depression, panic attacks | I had a mild upset stomach the first week or so but aside from that none whatsoever. If anything it may have helped my sex drive. | Nothing short of miraculous - a major depression that lasted 4 1/2 years was done in a matter of about 2-3 weeks. I feel like my old self again! No more dreaded panic attacks either. Best of all - NO side effects. I know antidepressents can affect everyone differently but based upon my experience with it I'd highly recommend it. | M | 26 | 9 months | 2/7/2002 | 5 | Anxiety and Depression | Only side effects I experienced were weight gain and persperation and heat retention. Compared to all the others I tried... This was a godsend. | I have tried almost every available Anti-Anxiety and Anti-Depressant on the market and this is the only one that did not cause sexual side effects. | M | 32 | 10 years | 2/4/2005 | 5 | Depression, SocialPhobia, obsession | Sexual side effects (Lack of desire, delayed orgasm, slight feeling of disassociation from orgasm), sleepiness during the day, vivid dreaming. | I've taken various doses from 20mg to 40mg. It has alleviated almost all depression at any dose (20mg, 30mg, or 40mg), but obsessive thinking only stops at the highest dose. Sleepiness is the most uncomfortable side-effect. I can't get up in the morning even after sleeping 10+ hours. Tired all day. Sexual side-effects are profound but I have no partner so no loss, really. Weight gain, too. I've always been heavy, but now I'm really fat. Drug still good, though. A life saver. Play with the dose 'til you get it right. Try dosing at night, or splitting dose between morning/evening, or whatever works for you. I split pills to get the 30mg dose when needed. | M | 47 | 4.5 years | 5/9/2005 | 5 | Social Anxiety | None, alittle slow to start working. | Began w/ 20m with a little benifit went to 1 1/2 tablets for 4 years. I felt 100% NORMAL, able to go to social events. Some trumatic life events got me down a few months ago, increased med to 40m, and I am back to normal, VERY HAPPY | M | 52 | 4.5 years | 5/30/2007 | 5 | Depression/Social Anxiety | The first 4 to 5 days I had bad headaches, brain fog, and very lose stool. After being on this now at 20mg for 4 weeks the only side effect is sexual disfunction. Unable to achive orgasm but still become aroused. Now I'm every womans dream man.. hahaha | Celexa has totally cleared my depression and anxiety issues. It takes a few weeks before you notice changes in how your feeling. I'm now interested in hobbies and visiting with friends again instead of making excuses why I can't spend time with them. This drug has brought me back to feeling good again! | M | 36 | 28 days | 9/28/2007 | 5 | Parkinson's related depression | None so far as I can tell because the side-effects are similar to that from other Parkinson's medication and the disease its self i.e. nausea, dizzyness, fatigue, tremors, stiffness, and intense dreams. | I've been taking this for a short time, and it seems to have helped to bring my mood up and stablize the ups and downs. I've become depressed due to the condition as depression is common in 46% of patients with the disease. | M | 46 | 1 months | 11/30/2007 | 5 | Depression | Mild nausia lasting a couple of weeks. | Major Depressive Episode brought on by Complicated Migraine episode. Celexa very likely saved my life. | M | 36 | 3 months | 3/27/2008 | 5 | Severe Depression | Excessive yawning (even when I am not sleepy); sexual slowdown (not a bad thing for me). Decreased appetite. | I feel like a new person. I have more energy. It is easier for me to wake up in the morning and get going (I take 30mg at night before going to sleep). I normally have a “Can Do” feeling. I have more self-esteem and self-confidence. Not much can upset my equilibrium. I am much less upset about things, and certainly far from anger. It is easier for me to be loving, patient, and understanding. I am a better listener. I am more of an optimist and worry less. My attitude is : "well, I’ll try my best”. Life is doable, and I am happier and more content. Additionally, certain thinking tasks have improved (I am a CPA). I am able to more easily address problems and resolve them. I also now enjoy speaking with others, whereas I used to be overly shy to a fault. My relationship with others is improved, especially with my wife and kids. I am less desirous of things that can harm me - I finally have a voice and spirit of reason within me. I no longer ne | M | 49 | 3 months | 11/18/2008 | 5 | Anxiety & Mild Depression, 40 mg | Initially, a strong desire to yawn and a strange spaced out feeling. You have to be careful not to turn in to an animal when you first start taking it because you lose alot of natural fear (it returns after a few days). Most side effects wear off within a month, except for the sexual ones if you experience them. I find it very, very difficult to orgasm when I am on celexa. In fact, it is almost impossible for me during regular intercourse. Sounds like a big deal but it really isn't if you're male. | Completely cured my depression and anxiety. I have found it to be the most effective of all the antidepressants. Unlike other antidepressants it doesn't cause weird side effects from dopamine or norepinephrine reuptake and I find its effects on anxiety extremely powerful and immediate. It blew my anxiety right away as soon as I started taking it. Cipralex (just a patented mixture of celexa isomers) is marginally better, but definitely not worth the extra money. I would definitely reccomend this drug as the #1 choice for anxiety, although if you experience more depression than anxiety there are probably better options. | M | 20 | 400 days | 2/10/2009 | 5 | GAD | sedation, dry mouth, yawning, decreased appetite, delayed orgasm, increased sweating | within two weeks of taking it my whole life had improved. my mood became very steady and i felt very content. the anxiety went away along with the derealization i was experiencing. i had increased motivation to do things. exercise felt amazing. sex was great. my sleeping patterns had improved, my eating habits were better. i never felt stressed out. | M | 22 | 4 months | 2/21/2009 | 5 | DEPRESSION | SWEATING. I SWEAT LIKE MAD AND NEVER USE TO BEFORE THIS. | I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER ON THIS THAT ON ALL THE MANY OTHERS THEY HAVE TIRED ON ME. I CAN DEAL WITH THE SWEATING AS LONG AS I AM NOT SO DEPRESSED. | M | 63 | 2 months | 7/17/2008 | 5 | Recurrent brief depression | Some sexual side effects, insomnia, feeling lazy! | After being on 10mg for about 6 months and still having moderate moodswings, I have increased the dosage to 30mg and for the last few days have felt better than ever. I think its a wonderful drug if you get the dosage correct. Still early days though. When I tried to come of it, i did get zaps behind the eyes and pain in the eyes. | M | 35 | 6 months | 7/19/2008 | 5 | derealization | slight trouble swallowing dry food..dry oesophegus , no dry mouth though? ... thats it | amazing drug.. the only one that reduced my derealization, been on all ssri+snri's plus remeron and buspar ... only this works on dearealization at 60mg | M | 30 | 7 years | 6/9/2008 | 5 | Social anxiety, OCD | Some lethargy, sleeplessness, nausea, difficulty to reach orgasm, general anxiety. | I've suffered from anxiety related disorders my entire life. I'm pretty sure it has a purely genetic origin as I have not suffered through traumatic events prior to developing these disorders. When I was 2.5 years old my mother remembered me reacting unusual to normal situations. Officially I have been diagnosed with OCD and Avoidant Personality Disorder, which is an extreme case of Social Anxiety. After intensive research for 2 months into solutions I asked my psychiatrist to prescribe me a SSRI (anti-depressiva). She prescriped me Citalopram (generic) 20 mg. I had a response after about 3 days. Anxiety was still mostly present though. Side-effects weren't too bad, occasional lethargy, bouts of insomnia, some general anxiety, nausea and inorgasmia. Most of them subsides after a few weeks. After 3 weeks of 20 mg I asked to be put on 40 mg. This dose worked even better, I felt even more secure and less anxiety in all kinds of situations. If I had to put it into a figure, | M | 24 | 2 months | 8/21/2008 | 5 | Obsessive thoughts, Anxiety | light headness, nausea, headache, | This drug is very effective once it kicks in. It took me six weeks before I could see a benefit. Now after 3 months it has peaked and I feel much better. | M | 45 | 90 days | 7/29/2009 | 5 | Social Anx/GAD/Moderate Depression | (started on 10mg first day and still at 10mg)the first week i was very sleepy, anxious, had loose bowel movements, difficult to orgasm, -- after first week, felt much better -- after 2 weeks no side effects except difficulty in orgasm...which is good for your girlfriend/wife. ;) | I have been taking 10mg celexa (name brand)for over 6 months and I feel great!! I still have bad days, but it i am no longer anxious or depressed. I am going to increase dosage in a few days to 20mg to see what happens. I will update you all after that. I had taken Celexa many years ago back in college, but it didn't seem to work back then...maybe it was because I was partying WAY too much...i think it negated the positive effects of Celexa. So don't blame the Celexa for not working if you are doing drugs and blowing your brains out on alcohol. That will make the most sane person depressed and anxious!! Also same goes for people who use tobacco and caffeine. I cut that crap out and it made a LOT of difference. Stimulants screw up your HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis and Celexa tries to fix what you screwed up. Read up on HPA axis and SSRI's and antidepressants. If you are depressed or anxious, your HPA axis is probably SCREWED UP!!..also read about Sleep Apnea...that could be your problem. Other than that, try to eat healthy and exercise!!! | M | 27 | 6 months | 8/29/2009 | 5 | MDD, GAD, OCD, Panic disorder, PTSD | Sedation | I have been taking 40mg Celexa since 1998. This medication has greatly improved my depression and mixed anxiety disorder. I have tried every ssri out there and this one has worked the best. Celexa may work for some but may not for others. | M | 30 | 11 years | 11/4/2009 | 5 | OCD, anxiety. | drowsiness, lethargy, but no notable changes in sex. strange fr a ssri. | miracle drug for anxiety. i take it with wellbutrin, and i feel more more relaxed and less impulsive. | M | 23 | 1 months | 1/3/2010 | 4 | Depression, Anxiety | Increased anxiety at first, nausea, tightness in neck muscles | Took about 5 weeks to feel a difference, but now most days are good. Don't sweat the little things as much anymore, and I'm getting excited about the things that make me happy again. Also take 150mg Wellbutrin XL. The side effects of Celexa are rough at first, but give it at least 5 weeks. | M | 56 | 7 weeks | 12/21/2009 | 4 | Depression | weight gain - tightness in jaw - increased libido | tried cymbalta - couldnt have sex, tried wellbutrin 300mg worked great until week 4 .. very short tempered .. now on celexa and 150mg wellbutrin .. seems to work .. whatever you do keep working with your doc & find the right medicine. | M | 48 | 45 days | 12/3/2009 | 4 | Anxiety | Mostly sexual side effects such as having ED issues and having a real difficult time having an orgasm. | It's less sedating than Effexor XR and Cymbalta that I was on before and I'm on the extended release generic version and it's pretty cheap. | M | 50 | 7 months | 8/3/2009 | 4 | depression/anxiety | I have experienced no side effects other than the usual decrease in libido. At the age of 51 that just isn't as important as it used to be. | This med didn't totally handle the depression, but overall, considering the lack of side effects that I have experienced from all the other antidepressants in the last 25 years, it is very good for me. | M | 51 | 4 years | 7/31/2009 | 4 | Depression | Lower libido, trouble having orgasm. When I am hungover a weird dizzy feeling but nothing too bad. | I just wanted to say, reading all the other reviews that I think people who are taking a drug like this have a predisposition of overreacting to this. If you take it and after 8 hours you are extremely nauseous most of the time it will be in your head except for a few people. My recomendation is to take it with a good mood as something that will help you fix your life and than hopefully you can get off it. If you feel spaced out or anything that is a discomfort dont dwell on it, just make busy and I think a lot of ppl will find most side effects arnt that bad. Except I cant orgasm....which is bad hehe. Good luck all | M | 26 | 1 years | 7/13/2009 | 4 | GAD, Depression | At first: Increased sweating, waking up every few hours, gripping myself so hard while sleeping, would leave bruises. All went away within a month. Weight gain, very, very delayed orgasm (if at all- the delayed orgasm and weight gain continued). | Very good drug for letting me sort out what the important things were, and what was trivial. Helped with constantly evaluating what *I* thought other people thought of me. Kinda of an emotional flatline, however, and started to not want to go out and socialize --- no fear about it, just "didn't want to". Decided to cold turkey off after about two years... I know you're supposed to reduce dosage. However, after a couple or three "off" "odd" days (and one day of muscle tremors trying to do fine motor skills (like drinking a glass of water, or standing on a sloped hill), started to feel much better. Now am glad I am off it. After about a month, I can orgasm again when I want to, and it doesn't "hurt" to do so anymore. Short term memory has also greatly improved --- I was driving people nuts with, "We just talked about this last night!". | M | 43 | 2 years | 7/8/2009 | 4 | Depression from mom's illness | Very tired, yawned all the time, no problem with weight. Fell asleep as soon as head hit the pillow, absolutely no emotion at all | I was put on due to extreme emotions regarding my mom's Alzheimer's Disease. Within a couple weeks had no emotional problems. Was able to deal with decisions I had to make, etc. Then after a couple months our dog had a seizure and died in front of us. I was not able to cry or show any emotion to the event. I then realized I would rather have some emotion than none at all. I slowly took myself off and now after a month I am back to crying at least once a day but, and this may sound strange, am happy to feel emotions again. | M | 62 | 3 months | 7/26/2009 | 4 | Depression & marijuana cessation | Mostly sexual dysfunction and drowsiness, and to a lesser degree teeth grinding and increased appetite. | I started at 20mg daily, and increased to 40mg after the first month, it has helped tremendously but with a price. I have no trouble getting an erection, but have to make a lot of extra effort to achieve orgasm and ultimately it's never as satisfying. So I don't bother as often, I went from 1-2 daily to 2-3 x weekly. The drowsiness has subsided the longer I'm on it. Appetite increased and I was more interested in eating, but the medication helped me get out of the house and start exercising again so that balanced itself out. So I'm healthier than I was before I started, and I was able to stop smoking pot pretty effortlessly after the first few days (knock on wood). Slight teeth grinding which has also subsided especially since I fist started taking it. All in all, it was a good move to start taking it, I'm not sure what I would have done without it and would recommend it to anyone in my situation. That said, I look forward to the day my day to day life improves enough that I feel I can stop taking it. | M | 40 | 4 months | 4/30/2009 | 4 | anxiety | none | Taken with wellbutrin. Reduced anxiety and depression episodes | M | 55 | 4 years | 1/23/2009 | 4 | Depression | (on 10mg) Very vivid and detailed dreams every night, slight nausea the first couple days I took it. In withdrawal: weak, dizzy, nauseated most of the day, began to feel disconnected again, dull headache that lasted for four/five days after started taking it again. | I forgot to take it for about a week once-- I didn't even realize I was going through withdrawal at first. Wasn't very fun. As for celexa's effectiveness, it does keep me from being caught up in the loop of depressing thoughts. I feel like I have more energy and more readily go out and do things, feel more like myself. Still, I'm a bit wary about increasing the dosage. | M | 19 | 4 months | 8/11/2007 | 4 | Depression | Mild Jaw Shaking within 4 hours of dose, Lethargy, Yawning within 4 hours of dose. Increased Sensitivity to warm temperature. Insomnia. Decreased Sex Drive and no ejaculation (see other comments) Weight Gain (~15 lbs.) but I don't think the drug is completely responsible. [Taking 20mg dose] | Sexual side effects normally decrease about 6 hours after dose which is why I recommend taking it just before leaving for work in the morning. If you Ejaculate Prematurely then your girlfriend/wife may appreciate it and you'll just go till you're too tired. I use standard gel sleeping pills to help control insomnia and/or cannabis. This drug will help you be much more analytical in your decisions and less guided by emotion. Better time management because it allows you to focus on tasks as your mind wanders less (in a good way). | M | 25 | 8 months | 4/16/2005 | 4 | Anxiety | Drowsiness, when going from 40mg to 60mg, makes you dizzy when you stop taking it, or forget to take it, about 40 hours after you've last taken it.. | did well with anxiety for about 2 years, then got PVCs and doctor recommended upping it to 60mg. Have been very drowsy last 4 days... | M | 32 | 3 years | 6/8/2005 | 4 | anxiety | Jaw clenching, dreaming, sexual dysfunction, weight gain gradual | M | 62 | 4 years | 2/28/2007 | 4 | depression | the first few days i felt a little out of it, but since then i have felt much better. short term memory loss is a b*tch, sleep is still an issue (celexa keeps me wired), i haven't cried since i've been taking it - i kind of miss being able to cry if i am sad!!!!! anyway that's about it, i'd rather be happy and a little numb than sad all the time. | M | 20 | 6 months | 5/3/2007 | 4 | ADHD/Depression | None | Have seen a lift in the way I view my day from about the third day already. Feel better about myself. Able to think about my future. My mom is waiting to make sure that the lift isn't just psychological. I am on Adderall as well. | M | 13 | 16 days | 5/11/2002 | 4 | bipolar II | low sex drive, hand tremors, teeth grinding, some dizziness, causes nausea if you miss a dose | gentler than prozac or zoloft, but doesn't work quite as well either | M | 38 | 5 years | 2/9/2005 | 4 | chronic dysthemia, anxiety | Reduced sex drive and delayed orgasm (not intolerable when compared to life before Celexa). | I don't even know I'm taking Celexa in terms of side effects (except for the sexual issues); it's a very 'clean' drug for me. I'm using a lowish dose (10-15 mg/day) which mostly keeps me on an even keel and allows me to pursue a normal life. I tried Paxil earlier for several years and Celexa works much better for me. The Paxil just made things go by without really affecting me at all; it was as if I wasn't really living my life for two years and I wouldn't use it again! | M | 60 | 2.5 years | 2/19/2005 | 4 | anxiety | doom and gloom attitude | M | 51 | 3 years | 2/22/2005 | 4 | anxiety | doom and gloom attitude | M | 51 | 3 years | 2/22/2005 | 4 | Depression | For the first four days I was foggy, I couldn't think straight. Also experienced lethargy, low sex drive, appetite loss, thirst, difficulty sleeping. After a week and a half most of the side effects went away. I still feel somewhat slow moving. | Has helped for the most part. I am more relaxed, and far more social than before. Bad things just don't hit me as hard as they used to. I feel like I can actually deal with life now. | M | 26 | 2 months | 3/8/2005 | 4 | Depression | Diahhrea for the first few days but not too troublesome. Really bad yawning for about 2 weeks. If it hadn't worn off I would have to have stopped taking them. Couldn't eat for the first few days and was quite trembly and tense but this may have been more due to depression that the tablets The only side effect after 4 weeks is delayed, weakened orgasm but I can live with that, at least for the moment. | Really good response on 20mg. It's the only anti-depressant i've taken so can't compare it to anything else. Still have bad days but not as many and not as crushingly bad as they used to be. most of the time I'm back to my old self and i can concentrate on the things most important to me and can respond more rationally to situations | M | 25 | 1 months | 4/16/2002 | 4 | depression | Insomnia | M | 59 | 2 months | 5/28/2002 | 4 | Depression | omg dysfunctional penis!! no orgams. A little jaw-clenching too. | M | 24 | 9 months | 10/26/2002 | 4 | Depression | Decreased Libido,orgasm difficulties,dry mouth and altered sleep pattern | Whilst I have only been on Celexa for a short period of time I have not (So-Far) experienced side effects to the level that I have with all the others that I have tried! The sexual dysfunction is a small price to pay (could be my age) | M | 50 | 3 weeks | 6/11/2002 | 4 | depression / anxiety | tremor / hand shake a bit no sexual side effects at all - increased dosage and still had absolutely no change in ejaculation | M | 34 | | 9/11/2002 | 4 | ANXIETY | SEX DRIVE REDUCED AND INITIALY THOUGHT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ORGASM AGAIN. I HAVE NOTICED A LITTLE JAW CLENCHING ALSO. | DOCTOR PUT ME ON CELEXA AFTER I HAD CONSTANTLY TOLD HIM THAT I WAS STILL SUFFERING ANXIETY / FEELING OF UN CONTROLLED TREMBLING (THOUGH I WASN'T)WHEN I WAS ONLY TAKING BETA BLOCKERS. I AM TAKING CELEXA IN COMBINATION WITH BETA BLOCKERS (FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND ANXIETY). TREMBLING STOPPED ALSMOST IMMEDIATELY THOUGH ANXIETY IS STILL HERE BUT GETTING BETTER SLOWLY. APART FROM THE SEX DRIVE ISSUE I HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH CELEXA BUT STILL CRAVE THE DAY I WILL BE TOTALLY MEDICATION FREE. | M | 33 | 1 months | 11/22/2002 | 4 | OCD | YAWNING A LOT. TIREDNESS. DIFFICULTY HAVING AN ORGASM. WHEN EVENTUALLY HAVING AN ORGASM AND EJACULATING THERE WOULD SOMETIMES BE VERY LITTLE ORGASMIC FEELING, AS IF I WAS NUMB INSIDE. EVENTUALLY IT GOT A BIT BETTER. | IT HELPS ME A LOT WITH OCD. HELPS LOWER BOTH THE FREQUENCY AND THE INTENSITY OF THE OBSESSIONAL THOUGHTS. | M | 34 | 5 years | 2/27/2003 | 4 | dep | not till taking 2 pills | decreased effectivness after some time | M | 30 | 9 months | 3/13/2003 | 4 | Depression | Sleepiness | M | 24 | | 8/8/2003 | 4 | M | 42 | | 8/18/2003 | 4 | depression | none so far | i feel better emotionally than i have for years and i have not had any side effects to date. | M | 56 | 21 days | 7/18/2003 | 4 | panic attacks | none | Works great! | M | 30 | 1.5 years | 9/21/2003 | 4 | anxiety | M | 34 | 1 years | 12/9/2002 | 4 | anxiety | none | M | 32 | | 12/11/2002 | 4 | depression, ADHD, anxiety | weight loss | Very good, however my short term-memory and ADHD symptoms worsened but otherwise this is an excellent antidepressant! | M | 27 | 2 weeks | 12/6/2003 | 4 | Anxiety | none | M | 25 | 2 years | 1/13/2004 | 4 | Anxiety | headaches, night sweats and prolonged ejaculation | M | 35 | 5 weeks | 3/15/2004 | 4 | Mood stabilization | Very mild medicine side effects wise. I was given it instead of Paxil, which I could not overcome the initial rollercoaster from hell. Leveled my emotional state and, as a beneficial side effect, eliminated my agrophobia/vertigo! Going off Celexa lead to a rather severe and easily triggered sense of vertigo dizziness. Could not drive a car for 10 days because of this. | Halfway through the three months, I went from Celexa to Lexapro as they phased the isomer out because of the patent lasping. American pharmaceutical companies aren't fooling anyone whose principle welfare they're concerned with. | M | 35 | 3 months | 4/7/2004 | 4 | stff | stff | M | 103 | 360 days | 6/24/2004 | 4 | depression | At first tired but take it with Wellbutrin | Really works | M | 31 | 3 years | 8/18/2004 | 4 | anxiety, sleep problems | Some weight gain, delayed orgasms (a good thing!) | Works well but clips off emotional highs and lows. Withdrawal symptons are unpleasant (mostly vertigo). It took me 3 months to taper from 20mg to 0. | M | 55 | 2 years | 9/19/2004 | 4 | Depression, Bipolar 2 | dizziness, dry mouth, weight fluctuation, jitters, sleeplessness and sexual dysfunction. | 4 months on Celexa. I was most deperate and suicidal when I began. With Celexa, overall happiness increased. Anger, anxiety, isolation, mood swings decreased dramatically. Feeling of | M | 53 | 4 months | 11/28/2004 | 4 | Depression, Bipolar2 | With 20mg, I was too hyper. I waded through the initial effects - dry mouth, sleeplessness,agiation, etc. - which do subside. Confidence and power at work have returned. I enjoy life again BUT impaired libido, potency, and orgasm are a huge price to pay. I've just experimented for a week without Celexa and have experienced dizziness others have described and the hopelessness and listlessness are returning. After reading responses here, I think I will return to Celexa because the alternative is suicidal thoughts, dysfunction socially and at work . For all who suffer with these disorders and medications, my heart goes out. It's been hard to be patient but it's worth it when the | (continued from above...) | M | 53 | 4 months | 11/28/2004 | 4 | anxiety from an inner ear infection | Dry mucous membranes at first, frequent waking at night. Now has nearly killed my sex drive, get occasional muscle aching (myalgia), sometimes feel disconnected. | Apart from the above, it saved me from the horrible fallout of extreme anxiety brought on by an illness and gave me my life back. I would recommend this drug for that reason. | M | 39 | 10 months | 11/6/2004 | 4 | depression | Has helped with my depression but I suddenly have had a very difficult time reaching climax. | M | 52 | 14 days | 11/7/2004 | 4 | depression/anxiety | Delayed and sometimes no ejaculation, slight weight gain, increased sleep (that probably a good thing), nausea upon withdrawal (even 1 missed day). Reducing dose slightly on days when I might get lucky decreases sexual side effects, but does not eliminate. On the other hand this could make you (males) a hero to your significant other, but it's nice to get some reward yourself! A pain, may break down and try Viagra, but without this my relationship is too rocky for much sex anyway. | Despite sexual side effects easily the best SSRI for me (also tried Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox, Lexapro (which I guess is chemically similar but didn't seem to work)). Consistently better mood, much less irritability, decreased self-recrimination, more energy. Went up to 60mg, which worked the same as 40, now down to 20-30 and adding Wellbutin, trying to lessen side effects. Can't tell if Wellbutrin really does anything. Less than 20 did not work. Good luck all. | M | 40 | 2 years | 12/17/2004 | 4 | Depression | Sleepiness, being half-erect most of the time, difficulty ejaculating, (these are not BAD side-effects :-)), someweight loss, sour stomache | Decreased my appeitite and ability to eat large portions, feel full quickly and sour stomache if I eat too much. Example, can't really finish a Whopper anymore (and I won a whopper eating contest in my youth) | M | 45 | 35 days | 6/14/2005 | 4 | Depression, anxiety | Since my last post, every side effects dissapeared except for difficult orgasm! Going from 20 mg to 10 mg did it seemingly.I almost quit and I don't regret waiting for the second week for the side effects to vanish. | I fing nothing extraordinary about Celexa so far. But I must admit that some depression clearing is evident now and then: more periods of positive thinking. I must state that my depression is very situational. Will comme come back in 2 weeks to report for a 1 month wrap up. | M | 54 | 15 days | 8/1/2006 | 4 | anxiety/depression | Cold achy feeling in legs and joints usually once or twice a day, Trouble sleeping, a little harder to reach orgasm.(Wife didn't complain. At first experienced bad stomach, yawning and jaw stiffness. | This is my second time with celexa, the first time was for almost 4 years, thought I could do with out it so I slowly weeded myself off. Lasted about 9 months and slipped back into depression, major anxiety. Started taking it again and after about 3 weeks I started feeling good again, able to resume a somewhat normal life. I'm not sure if there is any other pill out there that works as well, but I know celexa has done wonders for me | M | 40 | 3 months | 6/2/2006 | 4 | Depression | Hands would sometimes shake, felt edgy and "crawly", sometimes ringing in the ears for about a minute once a day, mild visual distortions, mild dizzyness, temporary confusion, DRY MOUTH, alternating diahrea and constipation, takes longer to ejaculate, very very tired during the day at first. | I totally underestimated how hard it was going to be to get used to Celexa. I never took anything else before and it was a major surprise. For the first month I was a zombie, sleeping every day in the afternoon for 3 or 4 hours. I also had to deal with the side effects. The dry mouth is actually one of the worst. Most side effects were gone after 1 month but at the 3 month point I still have dry mouth, long time to ejaculate, and diahrea. Sometimes I feel confused at work, like I've been made "dumb". On the good side, I used to have insomnia but now I can go to sleep really easy. I am much less stressed with an "I don't care" attitude towards things I shouldn't be worried about. The issues that created my depression (marital issues) are easier to manage. If it wasn't for the zombie first month and the dry mouth, I would have rated this a 5. I started at 10mg for 1 week then went up to my current 20mg. When I come off, I'm planning on decreasing my dose v | M | 35 | 3 months | 2/9/2006 | 4 | Bipolar II - Depression symptoms | NONE | I think it's a great drug! It was a life-safer for me back in 1999 and I wish I had never messed around with trying different meds because I'm back to what always worked for me in the past - it's worth the copays. | M | 25 | 4.5 years | 2/9/2006 | 4 | depression, NCS (dysautonomia) | none. Went on this after I couldn't sleep with Zoloft. | M | 40 | 14 days | 10/29/2006 | 4 | depression | headache, low sex drive. | Helped with depression, satisfied with results overall. | M | 43 | 3 years | 10/29/2006 | 4 | anxiety/depression | Celexa-daytime sleepiness, decreased interest in anything sexual due to constant cold extremities, painful at times. Increased appetite. Gained a small amount of weight. Lexapro-no side effects so far. I have none of the above. In fact, I've had an increase in libido. | This should be your choice if you wonder which SSRI to take for the first time. Its the most tolerable of the lot. I found Celexa to be better than Lexapro for social anxiety. I take Lexapro now, because I find I'm a lot less tired. I take 10mg, which I might have to increase on my next visit to the doctor. Each person is different. I'm glad I tried Lexapro, because I was so scared of gaining weight again. Here's a combo that some of you might want to ask your doctors about that has helped me. For weight loss while on Lexapa/Celexa-add 200 mg of Topamax. For energy while on Lexapro/Celexa-add 150mg of Wellbutrin. | M | 38 | 6 months | 10/5/2005 | 4 | depression/anxiety | loss of libido/anxiety | very good overall/lifted me from the dead | M | 27 | 3 years | 3/9/2007 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |