Celexa (generic name: citalopram) is an SSRI antidepressant that helps the brain strongly increase serotonin but not norepinephrine or dopamine. Celexa reaches its peak level quickly, about four hours after you take it. Nevertheless, Celexa stays around a long time; it takes about four and a half days to leave your body. This means that after taking Celexa for a week, it can reach a blood level of about two and a half times your original dose.

Celexa has several side effects, but none pose a danger to your overall health. Patients have reported fatigue, sleepiness, insomnia, increased perspiration, migraine headaches, missed menstrual periods, delayed ejaculation, and impotence. As is the case with all antidepressants, most of these side effects decrease or go away in days to weeks as your body adjusts to the medication.

Celexa comes in 10-, 20-, and 40-milligram generic tablets and a peppermint-flavored oral solution containing 10 milligrams per teaspoon. It is usually started at 20 milligrams per day and increased to 40 milligrams per day. Elders clear Celexa from their bodies more slowly than younger people, and they may need one-half the usual dose.

Unfortunately, Celexa seems to have few remarkable features. Many patients are lukewarm about it, and it can seem as though it doesn’t remove all their depressive symptoms.

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