Escitalopram

[ChrisC]

After Citalopram pooped out my GP changed me to Escitalopram. I have been told this is a strange change. As the two chemicals are virtually the same. Any thoughts?

[novinda]

Citalopram is a racemic drug, which basically means there are two forms (or isomers) of the same molecule in one pill.  As sometimes happens, it was discovered that one form was actually the active drug, and the other form was providing no benefit.  So citalopram was purified, and escitalopram is composed of the active molecule only.  Instead of a drug that contains half of the therapeutic compound, you get a drug that is totally composed of the therapeutic compound.  Might have been more reasonable to just give you escitalopram first. Probably more chemistry than you wanted to know, but I hope that helps.

[Greenyflower]

Just as an anecdotal add-on. I had to switch from citalopram to escitalopram due to changes in my insurance formulary after I had quit citalopram thinking I had been on it long enough and was not depressed. Three months later I asked my doc to put me back on it and was switched to escitalopram. It didn't work AT ALL. Nor did citalopram when we tried that.

It's my guess that if citalopram poops out, the escitalopram won't work, either.

If you're going to consider other SSRIs, my bet would be Zoloft. The Celexa worked great for me the entire first time I was on it, and the Zoloft is nearly as effective.

Greeny

[AuburnSunshine]

I think this is the information I'm looking for. I began taking Celexa about a year and a half ago and thought it was great! I slept for the first time in a long time and I would wake up with energy and excitement at a new day, which I haven't felt for years. It also helped my anxiety, which had been increasing.

HOWEVER, somewhere along the line I realized that not only was I depressed, I was more depressed than I had ever been...and I was becoming agoraphobic to the point I didn't leave the house except to go to the docs (lol...gotta get those meds!).

Is this what you mean by the medicine simply "pooping" out...it worked for a while and then it stopped?

I've hated it so much I began weaning myself off a month ago and am now Celexa-free...and am not depressed (first time in 15 years...wohoo!). However, been there, done that with the stopping meds and then having the depression come back full force so I will be talking to my psych this Saturday (she's been on vacation all summer with no contact...really tells you a lot about her empathy, huh?).