[April77]

Celexa seems to really be helping me! It's an anti-depressant that also helps with anxiety. Anyone else have a good experience with this? I'm just barely starting it though- only on it about 2 weeks, but already feeling like it's helping me to not feel as self-conscious around other people.

 

[RockiNToM]

It's nice to hear that it's working well for you. For some people an SSRI is all they need. Let's hope this is the case for you.

 

[April77]

Well, what's weird is that I've been on LOTS of other anti-depressants and none of them EVER helped me with social anxiety. Only the celexa has ever made me feel this way. My psychiatrist told me that celexa and the two related to it (forget their names) are the ones that seem to help the most with anxiety.

 

[soaringfalcon11]

I've been on it for 3 weeks, and it is also helping me. I tried Paxil, but that did nothing. This definitely has removed some of the anxiety, and I'm only on 20 mg.

 

[WinterDave]

I went to a shrink in October and asked for Celexa.She put wanted me to take 10 mg for a week, then go up to 20 mg, and see her in two weeks.Her ridiculously conservative med approach turned me off, and I never went for a follow up visit.Finally, a couple of months ago, I decided to start taking that initial 20 mg. Celexa dosage and make another appointment with her.The shrink's secretary gave me the third degree as to why I didn't go back for the follow up appointment. (If I was sane, logical, consistent, and did what was best for me then what the heck would I be going to a shrink for in the first place!) The secretary then said she would look for my chart and call me back in a day or two.I never got a return call as far as I know....

So, when I was going to my Primary Care Physician for something else, I also asked him to write a Celexa prescription for me as well.40 mg. with 11 refills, for like $2.50 a month at the drug store.So I have been taking 40 mg. for a couple of weeks now.The only thing that I notice so far is the annoying sexual dysfunction side effect that I had when taking 80 mg. of Prozac a day years ago.I am hoping that the Celexa will help with chronic depression, panic attacks, and OCD.The Prozac left me a little too restless and I wanted to try another SSRI that wasn't so energizing.The nightly drinking is extremely counterproductive, but its like the Chicken and the Egg.I drink because I am miserable, and since I drink nothing changes.

I am hoping that the Celexa will help with the severe depression enough so that I won't want to drink every night.But I have a week off from work near the end of July.I am going to get a Sleep Study done during that week for my severe sleep apnea.I might try a Detox that week as well.I hope the Celexa starts to kick in, and am not happy about mixing Celexa and alcohol right now....

 

[Keith]

celexa didnt do anything for me. Prozac seems to be the only ssri that works for me

 

[April77]

Yeah, I guess everyone responds differently to medications. Well, I was feeling great for a week on the 10mg and then I start feeling more and more down over the period the last three days. Called my psych. and she put me up to 20 mg. starting yesterday. I hope it will help me. I was enjoying the 'no depression' and being able to talk more easily with people. Let's hope just a few increases is all it will take. I'm just scared of always having to change medications and that I'll never be able to find anything for long to work for me. Anxiety..right?!

 

[UltraShy]

I've said it many times before -- there is no need to go to a psychiatrist for an SSRI. Most GPs hand them out like candy as Dave found. Psychiatrists just know how to discuss your problem for a hour (at a much higher price) while a GP knows how to have you out the door within 5 minutes with a question like "So you feel depressed/nervous?", you answer "Yes" and they write the script with stunning speed.

I've never tried Celexa, though I tried Lexapro, the active isomer of Celexa. Selling the isomer as a "new" drug is one way big pharma commonly keeps milking their cash cow. I'm not sure how cutting a molecule in half makes it "new". Do I have a new pie if I slice it?:stu

 

[soaringfalcon11]

I've said it many times before -- there is no need to go to a psychiatrist for an SSRI. Most GPs hand them out like candy as Dave found. Psychiatrists just know how to discuss your problem for a hour (at a much higher price) while a GP knows how to have you out the door within 5 minutes with a question like "So you feel depressed/nervous?", you answer "Yes" and they write the script with stunning speed.

I've never tried Celexa, though I tried Lexapro, the active isomer of Celexa. Selling the isomer as a "new" drug is one way big pharma commonly keeps milking their cash cow. I'm not sure how cutting a molecule in half makes it "new". Do I have a new pie if I slice it?:stu

I can attest to the speed at which psychological medication is handed out.

Here is the conversation I had with my doctor regarding my panic attacks:

"So you're having panic attacks?"

"Yes."

"Describe them."

"My heart starts racing and I feel a rush of adrenaline."

"We need to fix this, don't we?"

"Yes."

"...the side-effects of Xanax are."

It was literally that easy for me to get Xanax. I did not even have to describe a specific panic attack. If my doctor will hand out a scheduled drug with this kind of ease, I'd imagine he gives his patients with purported depression a list of antidepressants and tells them to pick the one with the coolest name.

As far as Celexa goes, I've been on 20 mg of the generic for a month for moderately severe social anxiety, and have found it to help greatly. I no longer dread such simple interactions like buying groceries or having a stranger approach me. It has definitely taken the edge of in that respect, which I am very thankful for, and to think of the number of times I contemplated quitting in the first two weeks because I didn't believe it would do anything because "no one on the social anxiety forum has ever gotten social anxiety relief from an SSRI!"