Celexa and Vistaril dangerous?

[panic_down_under]

I can't let Ian think he's more popular than me, it'll go to his head

Ah, heckling from the cheap seats right up the back. There's always one!

Some of my, soon to be ex, friends would claim that train left the station a very long time ago, Vee. All I can say is just imagine how insufferable I could be if incredible self-effacing modesty wasn't my most endearing trait.

[melfish]

Thanks again, Ian. I will stick with the citalopram in that case. I didn't realised SSRIs were more effective for anxiety than depression. Mine is constant and debilitating. Do you think the citalopram is a good SSRI for anxiety? My doctor is stuck on it, even after I asked for lexapro. Also, apparently I have some polymorphism that makes SSRIs less likely to cross the blood-brain barrier or something and therefore less effective. Is this a concern? I was taking mirtazapine at 7.5mg to stimulate my appetite and help me sleep. My GP got me to stop that, so now I can't sleep (without the vistaril) or eat. But I guess I just need to suck it up for a couple of months while my brain adjusts to the new meds. Thanks so much for your replies. Last time I called my pharmacist with a question about a med, he literally pulled out the insert and started reading it to me :/

[AntsyVee]

Ah, heckling from the cheap seats right up the back. There's always one!

Some of my, soon to be ex, friends would claim that train left the station a very long time ago, Vee. All I can say is just imagine how insufferable I could be if incredible self-effacing modesty wasn't my most endearing trait.

LOL It's okay, Ian. No one is more insufferable than me Obnoxiousness is my number one trait!

[melfish]

LOL yes, Terry and I have been discussing international politics with Mezzi here

What a freaking mess the world. Glad I am paying someone to listen to all my grievances (yes, I am finally seeing a therapist). I called you Antsy instead of Vee because my brain is soup at the moment while I get used to these meds. Gabapentin makes me forget my words - an insight into dementia

[AntsyVee]

Well, as I told Ian, the one good thing about world politics going to $hit is that at least it makes some students interested in learning government in my class...although, I do think it depresses a few :(

[panic_down_under]

Do you think the citalopram is a good SSRI for anxiety?

With the possible exception of fluvoxamine for OCD, no SSRI is necessarily better than the others for a particular disorders, however, one may be for you. The difficult bit is finding it.

My doctor is stuck on it, even after I asked for lexapro.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. They both have the same active chemical, the 'S' enantiomer (isomer) of citalopram. The difference is citalopram also contains the less biologically active 'R' form. Escitalopram lacks the 'R' enantiomer which is why dose equivalence is half that of citalopram. There can be subtle differences in side-effects because of the small difference in chemistry, but there's not much difference in efficacy. If one doesn't work the other is unlikely to. Escitalopram was mostly about extending the patent, not producing a more effective med.

Also, apparently I have some polymorphism that makes SSRIs less likely to cross the blood-brain barrier or something and therefore less effective. Is this a concern?

So your doctor got your insurance company to pay for a gene sequence test to get a nice little kick-back from the lab, huh?

At this stage of the art these tests don't tell us anything worthwhile. They may prove useful in the future as understanding grows about how to interpret the results, but at this stage in their development genetic tests are mostly snake oil. This editorial in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics provides a good overview of the various tests currently available: The Limitations of Genetic Testing in Psychiatry

You also have to wonder why if your GP prescribed a SSRI if s/he actually believed the test result?!

I was taking mirtazapine at 7.5mg to stimulate my appetite and help me sleep. My GP got me to stop that, so now I can't sleep (without the vistaril) or eat.

Was there an explanation for dropping the mirtazapine? I wouldn't be too concerned about the loss of appetite. One of the most frequent ongoing SSRI side-effects is carbohydrate craving. Citalopram tends to less intense than some of the others, but most people put on at least a couple of pounds while on it.

[panic_down_under]

No one is more insufferable than me

You might say that, Vee, I couldn't possibly comment.

Everyone duck! INCOMING!!

[MyNameIsTerry]

You might say that, Vee, I couldn't possibly comment.

Everyone duck! INCOMING!!

[AntsyVee]

You might say that, Vee, I couldn't possibly comment.

Everyone duck! INCOMING!!

its okay. I’ll just put some spiders in your bed

One of the most frequent ongoing SSRI side-effects is carbohydrate craving. Citalopram tends to less intense than some of the others, but most people put on at least a couple of pounds while on it.

^^^that is very true. The first few months on Lexapro I ate a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips a week! And I don’t even like those!

[melfish]

Thank you for adding duckies to my thread. Cheering Also, hello Terry

Hey Ian, my doctor didn't do the gene test, it's info I got from running my raw 23andMe data through a third-party app. And now that I have revealed the true depth of my ignorance about SSRIs ... Seriously, though, this has been a tremendous help and I don't feel so in the dark. I was on the verge of just stopping the lot and sticking with expensive vitamins and despair