Celexa Side Effects

Generic name: citalopram

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 16, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Celexa Side Effects associated with citalopram. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Celexa.

Applies to citalopram: oral capsule, oral solution, oral tablet.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits, to allow for changes in your dose and to help reduce any side effects. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Do not take citalopram (the active ingredient contained in Celexa) with a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (eg, isocarboxazid [Marplan®], linezolid (Zyvox®), methylene blue injection, phenelzine [Nardil®], selegiline [Eldepryl®], tranylcypromine [Parnate®]). Do not start taking citalopram during the 14 days after you stop a MAO inhibitor. Wait 14 days after stopping citalopram before you start taking a MAO inhibitor. If you take them together or do not the proper amount of time, you may develop confusion, agitation, restlessness, stomach or intestinal symptoms, a sudden high body temperature, an extremely high blood pressure, or severe seizures.

Do not take pimozide (Orap®) while you are taking this medicine. Using these medicines together can cause very serious heart problems.

Citalopram may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if taken together with some medicines. Do not use citalopram with buspirone (Buspar®), fentanyl (Abstral®, Duragesic®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), methylene blue injection, tryptophan, St John's wort, amphetamines, or some pain or migraine medicines (eg, meperidine, methadone, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, tramadol, Demerol®, Frova®, Imitrex®, Maxalt®, Methadose®, Relpax®, Ultram®, Zomig®). Check with your doctor first before taking any other medicines with citalopram.

Citalopram may cause some teenagers and young adults to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Some people may have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. If you or your caregiver notice any of these unwanted effects, tell your doctor right away. Let the doctor know if you or anyone in your family has bipolar disorder (manic-depressive) or has tried to commit suicide.

Contact your doctor right away if you have any changes to your heart rhythm. You might feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem including QT prolongation or slow heartbeat.

Do not suddenly Stop taking citalopram without checking first with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely. This will decrease the chance of having withdrawal symptoms including agitation, breathing problems, chest pain, confusion, diarrhea, dizziness or lightheadedness, fast heartbeat, headache, increased sweating, muscle pain, nausea, restlessness, runny nose, trouble in sleeping, trembling or shaking, unusual tiredness or weakness, vision changes, or vomiting.

This medicine may increase your risk for bleeding problems. Make sure your doctor knows if you are also taking other medicines that thin the blood, including aspirin, NSAIDs (eg, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, Voltaren®), or warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®).

This medicine may cause hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood). This is more common in elderly patients, those who are taking diuretic medicines for high blood pressure, or those who have decreased amounts of fluid in the body due to severe diarrhea or vomiting. Check with your doctor right away if you have confusion, headache, memory problems, trouble concentrating, weakness, or feel unsteady when standing.

The use of alcohol is not recommended in patients who are taking this medicine.

This medicine may cause some people to become drowsy, have trouble thinking, or to have problems with movement. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert or well-coordinated.

Your doctor may want to monitor your child's weight and height, because this medicine may cause decreased appetite and weight loss in children.

Check with your doctor right away if you have decreased interest in sexual intercourse, delayed or inability to have and orgasm in women, inability to have or keep an erection in men, or loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance. These could be symptoms of sexual dysfunction.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of Celexa

Along with its needed effects, citalopram may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking citalopram:

Other side effects of Celexa

Some side effects of citalopram may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to citalopram: oral capsule, oral solution, oral tablet.

General adverse events

The side effects observed with citalopram (the active ingredient contained in Celexa) in clinical trials were generally reported as mild and transient, occurring most frequently in the first 1 to 2 weeks of therapy, and attenuating subsequently. The most commonly reported side effects were nausea, somnolence, dry mouth, increased sweating, tremor, diarrhea, and ejaculation disorder.^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Headache (up to 26.9%), somnolence (up to 17.9%), dizziness (up to 10.3%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Amnesia, extrapyramidal disorder, migraine, paresthesia, tremor,
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal gait, ataxia, cerebrovascular accident, convulsions, dystonia, hypoesthesia, involuntary muscle contractions, neuralgia, speech disorder, syncope, hyperkinesia, hypertonia, hypokinesia, dyskinesia, vertigo, transient ischemic attack
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Abnormal coordination, dyskinesia, grand mal convulsion, hyperesthesia, stupor
• Frequency not reported: Akathisia, movement disorder, serotonin syndrome
• Postmarketing reports: Choreoathetosis, myoclonus, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, nystagmus^[Ref]

Potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with SSRIs and SNRIs as monotherapy, but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs and drugs that impair the metabolism of serotonin.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Nausea (up to 21.4%), dry mouth (up to 20%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, increased saliva, taste loss/perversion, vomiting
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal bleeding (predominantly of the mucous membranes), dysphagia, eructation, esophagitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastritis, gastroenteritis, gingivitis, hemorrhoids, stomatitis, teeth grinding
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Colitis, diverticulitis, duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux, gingival bleeding, glossitis, rectal hemorrhage
• Frequency not reported: Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
• Postmarketing reports: Pancreatitis^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Very common (10% or more): Insomnia (up to 18.8%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal dreams, aggravated depression, agitation, anxiety, apathy, confusion, depression, impaired concentration, nervousness, suicide attempt, sleep disorder
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Aggressive reaction, delusion, depersonalization, drug dependence, emotional lability, euphoria, hallucination, mania, panic reaction, paranoid reaction, paroniria, psychosis, psychotic depression
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Catatonic reaction, melancholia, suicide-related events
• Frequency not reported: Bruxism, restlessness, panic attack, suicidal ideation/behavior
• Postmarketing reports: Delirium, withdrawal syndrome^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Asthenia (up to 11.5%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Fatigue, fever/pyrexia, tinnitus, asthenia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Facial edema, malaise, rigors
• Postmarketing reports: Spontaneous abortion^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Very common (10% or more): Increased sweating (up to 11.3%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Rash, pruritus
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal bleeding of the skin, acne, alopecia, dermatitis, dry skin, eczema, flushing, photosensitivity reaction, psoriasis, purpura, skin discoloration, urticaria
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Decreased sweating, cellulitis, hypertrichosis, keratitis, melanosis, pruritus ani
• Frequency not reported: Angioedema, ecchymosis
• Postmarketing reports: Epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal orgasm/anorgasmia (female), amenorrhea, decreased libido, dysmenorrhea, ejaculation disorders/ejaculation delay, impotence, menstrual disorders, polyuria, ejaculation failure, micturition disorders
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Breast enlargement, breast pain, dysuria, galactorrhea, increased libido, menorrhagia, micturition frequency, nonpuerperal lactation, vaginal bleeding, vaginal hemorrhage, urinary incontinence, urinary retention
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Hematuria, oliguria
• Frequency not reported: Metrorrhagia, priapism^[Ref]

Urinary retention and galactorrhea have been reported with other SSRIs.

The estimates of the incidence of untoward sexual experience and performance may underestimate their actual incidence, partly because patients and physicians may be reluctant to discuss this issue. In placebo-controlled clinical trials, ejaculation disorder (primarily ejaculation delay) was reported as a treatment-emergent side effect at an incidence of 6% and at least twice the incidence in placebo-treated male patients.^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Coughing, pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infection, yawning
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Bronchitis, dyspnea, epistaxis, pneumonia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Asthma, bronchospasm, hiccups, increased sputum, laryngitis, pneumonitis, pulmonary embolism^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, hypotension, palpitations, postural hypotension, tachycardia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, cardiac failure, edema (extremities), extrasystoles, hematomas, hot flushes, hypertension, myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Bundle branch block, cardiac arrest, phlebitis, QT prolongation, torsades de pointes
• Frequency not reported: Ventricular arrhythmia, orthostatic hypotension
• Postmarketing reports: Thrombosis^[Ref]

This drug has been associated with a dose-related QT-interval prolongation; there have been reports of QT-interval prolongation and ventricular arrhythmia, including torsade de pointes, particularly in females, patients with hypokalemia, or with pre-existing QT-interval prolongation, or other cardiac disease.^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Arthralgia, back pain, myalgia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Arthritis, leg cramps, muscle weakness, skeletal pain
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Bursitis, osteoporosis
• Postmarketing reports: Rhabdomyolysis^[Ref]

Epidemiological studies, primarily in patients aged 50 years or older, have shown an increased risk of bone fractures in patients receiving SSRIs or TCAs.^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Common (1% to 10%): Anorexia, decreased/increased weight, decreased/increased appetite
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal glucose tolerance, thirst
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Alcohol intolerance, dehydration, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, obesity^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal accommodation
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal vision, conjunctivitis, dry eyes, eye pain, mydriasis
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Abnormal lacrimation, cataract, diplopia, photophobia, ptosis
• Frequency not reported: Visual disturbance, acute narrow angle glaucoma
• Postmarketing reports: Angle-closure glaucoma^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased alkaline phosphatase
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Increased ALT, GGT, and AST
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Bilirubinemia, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, jaundice
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal liver function test
• Postmarketing reports: Cholestatic hepatitis, hepatic necrosis^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Influenza-like symptoms
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Hay fever^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Anemia, leukopenia, leukocytosis, lymphadenopathy
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Coagulation disorder, granulocytopenia, hemorrhage, hypochromic anemia, lymphocytosis, lymphopenia
• Frequency not reported: Thrombocytopenia
• Postmarketing reports: Decreased prothrombin, hemolytic anemia^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Goiter, hypothyroidism
• Frequency not reported: Inappropriate ADH secretion
• Postmarketing reports: Prolactinemia^[Ref]

Renal

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Pyelonephritis, renal calculus, renal pain
• Postmarketing reports: Acute renal failure^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Frequency not reported: Anaphylactic reaction, hypersensitivity not otherwise specified
• Postmarketing reports: Allergic reaction^[Ref]

See also:

Frequently asked questions

• SSRIs vs SNRIs - What's the difference between them?
• What is the difference between Celexa and Lexapro?
• What are some common side effects of antidepressants?

Further information

Celexa side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer