Celapram is an antidepressant medication belonging to a class called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. The active ingredient in Celapram is citelopram, and in the U.S., the medication is sold under the trade names Celexa and Cipramil. Doctors use Celapram to treat major depression, bipolar disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, anxiety, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Fatigue
Although Celapram is a relatively safe medication, fatigue is a mild but common side effect. According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, up to 10 percent of people taking Celapram report experiencing fatigue. In addition to fatigue, they also report increased drowsiness.
Serotonin Syndrome
If taken with Saint John's wort, any medication containing citalopram can cause a condition known as serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition that is caused by excessive activation of serotonin receptors in the central nervous system. The symptoms of that condition are sudden and include increased heart rate, sweating and tremor. Treatment consists of discontinuing the medication and administering a serotonin antagonist, such as cyproheptadine.
Suicide
While antidepressive medications ultimately help to prevent suicide, patients are actually at a slightly increased risk of suicide for the first couple of weeks of taking the medications. That is because, as the Celapram begins to work, people feel more energetic, but their mood may not yet be improved. According to Drugs.com, that increased energy can motivate a depressed person to act out on their suicidal thoughts.
Sexual Dysfunction
Mild sexual dysfunction is a very common side effect of medications containing citalopram, including Celapram. In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, almost every patient on citalopram experienced at least some form of sexual dysfunction. Most of the cases of sexual dysfunction occurred in the initial, or "desire," phase of sexual function.
References
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; Citalopram Therapy for Depression: A Review of 10 Years of European Experience and Data From U.S. Clinical Trials; Mark Keller; December 2000
- The New England Journal of Medicine; The Serotonin Syndrome; Edward Boyer; March 2005
- Journal of Affective Disorders; Burden of Phase-Specific Sexual Dysfunction With SSRIs; Anita Clayton; March 2006
- Drugs.com: Citalopram
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