SSRIs like Celexa and the Risks of Serotonin Syndrome
Serotonin syndrome is the name given to a rare side effect associated with Celexa and other serotonergic medications, and can happen in any age group. This dangerous condition may present in taking one medication like Celexa alone, (nearly half of all SS cases involve a single drug), or when 2 or more medications are concurrently used, or if they are taken too close together in switching from one to another medication. Serotonin syndrome can also occur in overdose.
Please be aware that adding serotonin precursors to the daily regimen SHOULD NOT be done while you are taking a serotonergic medication like Celexa, or any similar drug. This creates an added risk for serotonin syndrome from too much serotonin being released. Always seek professional help for how to use precursors to rebuild your health in a safe way. Tryptophan or 5HTP are tools better suited to gradual withdrawal of Celexa, and certainly NOT concurrently with a prescription of
Celexa or other SSRI. As an aid to depression, insomnia, precursors may make a viable alternative to drug therapy, but this is not at all advised during an ongoing course of drug treatment
You can find out more about drug-free Celexa alternatives and how to safely use them and you would be advised to speak to your naturopath or your care provider to help you integrate these into your health protocols at the proper point in your recovery plan
SSRIs are designed to affect (increase) the availability of a hormone/neurotransmitter called serotonin. Serotonin syndrome occurs when too much serotonin is released and must be handled like a medical emergency. When it happens, it can come on quickly — for instance when a medication dose is increased or another one is added — and must be handled immediately in a clinical/hospital setting. Left untreated, the condition can result in fatality.
Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome include:
- Sudden high fever
- Copious sweating
- Nausea, vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Confusion
- Racing heart rate
- Low or high blood pressure
- Hallucinations
- Coma
- Uncontrolled muscle movements, twitching, stiffness, rigid muscles
- Swelling of soft tissue areas i.e. the mouth, throat, lips, face, etc.
- Trouble breathing
- Agitation, other sudden changes in mood
Prescribers are supposed to inform their patients completely, but sometimes omit telling their patients about side effects and about serotonin syndrome.
What Drugs Should be Avoided While Taking Celexa?
Drugs and even some herbal preparations can interact with Celexa and create dangerous side effects such as serotonin syndrome, lowered respiration or heart rate.1,5
Avoid these while taking Celexa:
- Alcohol
- St John’s Wort or other serotonergic herbal preparations or supplements
- MAOIs, SSRIs, SNRIs, or other types of antidepressants as these are serotonergic
- Serotonin precursors such as 5HTP or tryptophan
- Amphetamines
- Antipsychotics
- Tramadol, dextromethorphan (opioids)
- Cimetidine: a heartburn/ulcer treatment medication that is an H2 blocker (histamine) that may increase concentration of certain antidepressants in the system.
It is in your own interest to inform your prescriber about any other drugs, over-the-counter preparations, or other substances you are using when taking Celexa to prevent dangerous side effects from Celexa interacting with these.
Even though some prescribers will opt for combining multiple antidepressants for a patient whose symptoms are “treatment- resistive”, or to dampen side effects that are coming from the other drugs the person has been prescribed, this practice can be very high risk, and not backed by research on safety.18
If SSRI therapy “didn’t work”, even if multiple different or combined drugs also didn’t work, it may be time to consider safely transitioning over to natural alternatives for treatment instead of continuing down a path of repeated failure and the risk of drug interactions and drug side effects, that for some, may linger even after the drug is stopped. Never try to stop taking antidepressant medication on your own. Always seek informed, professional help to guide and manage the process correctly.
How to Tell if it’s a Drug Side Effect or a New Condition/mental illness Emerging?
You can refer to the list of commonly reported side effects to help determine if you are experiencing a side effect from Celexa, especially if it is something you never experienced before For example, “John” was mildly depressed but sleeping well and physically felt well before taking Celexa. After a week of starting the drug, John experienced unusual stiffness in his muscles despite no other changes in his daily routine. 
He also experienced 3 or 4 nights of restlessness, twitching in his fingers, insomnia, and random thoughts about ending his life. These are most likely Celexa side effects as they were not present before taking Celexa. John should speak to his prescriber about them.
“Sylvia” was diagnosed with major depression and was prescribed Celexa. After 3 months of drug therapy, she was experiencing feelings of restlessness and having panic attacks at work for the first time in her life. She should speak to her prescriber about these likely Celexa side effects.
“William” was happily married with 2 kids and a beautiful wife, but feeling bored, and without direction in his career. His prescriber diagnosed him with mild depression and started him on Celexa. After one month, William was experiencing sexual dysfunction for the first time ever. As he never had this symptom before Celexa, he spoke to his prescriber who began a gradual withdrawal of the Celexa. The adverse reactions disappeared, and William was referred to lifestyle counseling where he worked on a new and more satisfying career path, and found a new exuberance in his life.
“George” was prescribed Celexa at age 28, and was doing OK on it for a year. Then he was diagnosed with an ulcer and was prescribed a heartburn medication as a maintenance treatment. Due to his discomfort, he took a double dose of this medication one night and was awoken with an extreme headache, visual hallucination, and disorientation. His prescriber traced this episode to the heartburn medication, which was terminated. George was referred to a nutritionist who changed his diet to exclude all inflammatory foods and beverages. On stopping the heartburn medication these side effects also stopped. However, if his prescriber had been unaware of such drug side effects, he could well have been misdiagnosed as psychotic or schizophrenic, and could have been subject to much unnecessary distress.
Similar situations happen with cannabis-induced psychosis. Cannabis-induced psychosis can tragically lead to misdiagnosis, especially in young people, but can occur at any age. Keep yourself as informed as possible about what types of substances and recreational substances can cause side effects that mimic “mental illness” in the uninformed.6
ATMC Specializes in Finding and Treating the Underlying Cause for Symptoms
It is true that prevention is better than a cure, especially an imperfect cure. You can’t fix a flat tire by changing the windshield wipers on a car. You do have to LOOK for underlying causes, and you also need the proper tools to fix the problem.
ATMC uses lab testing to investigate the toxic burden in the body, including environmental toxins from air, water, food, or exposure to chemicals used in everything from toothpaste to carpets. Toxic exposures are almost never considered in mainstream treatment protocols. These are fundamental principles of orthomolecular medicine, which can pinpoint effective solutions that might otherwise be completely overlooked.7,10
Research shows that toxic chemicals can cause many symptoms such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety. If these elements are not checked, and if found, safely removed, a person may be subject to not only misdiagnosis but ineffective drug-based treatment.
Lab testing can also reveal nutritional deficits, which are commonly found to be the guilty party in many unwanted health symptoms. A nutritional overhaul would be required to correct the diet, and for many, the transformation can be life-changing.17
Client Testimonial
When I first arrived at ATMC, I was very skeptical that this program would work for me. I had tried many different treatments with negative results and it was hard to imagine myself getting better. My anxiety and depression were consuming my life and I felt like I was struggling to stay afloat. On top of this, I had been prescribed a host of medications that made me feel like a zombie, where I just didn’t feel anything at all. I felt like I was a hopeless case and like this program was going to be a failure for me just like so many other things I had tried.
Right after I got to ATMC, things got even worse. I got very sick and had to visit the ER twice. I felt like just giving up and leaving the program. However, I continued to get up, go to the Detox Shoppe, attend therapy, and work the program. And after a couple of weeks, I started noticing changes in my anxiety and depression. I was happier, I had less ruminating thoughts, I felt more hopeful, and I also started feeling physically better.
I now feel like I have a handle on my anxiety and depression, like I have a confidence in myself that was never there before. The time I spent at ATMC’s holistic recovery program was very difficult, but it has literally changed my life in ways that other treatments couldn’t. ~RS
Find Out More
You are invited to thoroughly review the vast range of protocols successfully used every day at the center in resolving unwanted symptoms, and please feel free to review the success stories of our clients.
Safe, medically monitored medication withdrawal is also an important component of ATMCs services. Staff at the center are specialists in their fields, whether it be traditional medicine, green psychiatry, personal counseling, holistic detox, nutrition, exercise and physical therapies, therapeutic massage, acupuncture, relaxation methods, IV NAD treatments, Equine assisted therapy, sound healing, and more.8,9,11-13,15,17
The center is situated at the foot of the majestic Red Rock Mountains in Sedona, where the weather is typically sunny and temperate. The center is pristine, friendly, and perfect for outdoor exercise, hiking, and group exploring. Please call us for more information because we have the tools you may not have been able to utilize in your recovery journey. You can transition from suffering Celexa side effects and lingering symptoms to drug free AND symptom free. Call us or email us for more information. We are here to help.
