For patients diagnosed with depression, their doctor may prescribe an antidepressant medication called Celexa to help alleviate their symptoms. Celexa is the brand name for citalopram hydrobromide, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that works by regulating the levels of mood-balancing chemicals within the brain. This medication should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. Abruptly stopping treatment with Celexa can cause side effects of withdrawal to occur in certain patients.
Abnormal Body Sensations
Abnormal body sensations can develop as side effects of Celexa withdrawal in patients who suddenly stop taking this medication. They may begin to feel unusual sensations of tingling or numbness within their toes, feet, fingers or hands, warns Medline Plus, an online medical encyclopedia provided as a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. These sensations can be uncomfortable and may cause the patients to stumble or drop items they are holding. Side effects of Celexa withdrawal are temporary and will progressively subside within a few days of onset.
Sleeping Difficulties
Missing a dose of Celexa or abruptly stopping this medication may result in sleeping difficulties as a side effect of withdrawal. Certain patients can begin to feel unusually tired or drowsy, explains Drugs.com, a peer-reviewed drug information website for consumers. Alternatively, they may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night, leading to side effects of daytime drowsiness and fatigue. These sleep-related side effects can contribute to difficulties concentrating while at work or school. Sleeping difficulties can also occur in conjunction with headache, dizziness, confusion or additional mood-related changes.
Mood Changes
If patients stop taking Celexa without first consulting their doctor, they can experience significant mood changes as a result of withdrawal side effects. They can begin to feel abnormally irritable, agitated, anxious or confused, which can negatively affect their social, work or school relationships. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also warns that this medication may be associated with an increased risk of developing suicidal thoughts or behaviors--especially in patients under the age of 24.
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