Zoloft vs Celexa

• Zoloft (sertraline) and Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide) are antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) prescribed to treat depression.
• A difference is Zoloft is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
• Side effects of Zoloft and Celexa that are similar include drowsiness, tired feeling, sleep problems (insomnia), dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, upset stomach or stomach pain, dry mouth, weight changes, impotence, decreased sex drive, and difficulty having an orgasm.
• Side effects of Zoloft that are different from Celexa include nervousness, skin rash, headache, changes in appetite, and weight loss.
• Side effects of Celexa that are different from Zoloft include increased sweating or urination, and cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, or cough.
• Both Zoloft and Celexa may interact with other medicines that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicines for seizures or anxiety), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other antidepressants, lithium, St. John's wort, tramadol, L-tryptophan, blood thinners, heart rhythm medications, migraine headache medicines, and stomach acid reducers.

Zoloft

• The recommended dose of sertraline is 25-200 mg once daily. Treatment of depression, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, and social anxiety disorder is initiated at 25-50 mg once daily. Doses are increased at weekly intervals until the desired response is seen.
• The recommended dose for PMDD is 50-150 mg every day of the menstrual cycle or for 14 days before menstruation.
• Sertraline may be taken with or without food.

Celexa

• The usual starting dose is 20 mg in the morning or evening.
• The dose may be increased to 40 mg daily after one week.
• A dose of 60 mg has not been shown to be more effective than 40 mg.
• As with all antidepressants, it may take several weeks of treatment before maximum effects are seen. Doses are often slowly adjusted upwards to find the most effective dose.

Zoloft

All SSRIs, including Zoloft, should not be taken with any of the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) class of antidepressants, for example

• isocarboxazid (Marplan),
• phenelzine (Nardil),
• tranylcypromine (Parnate),
• selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Elazar), and
• procarbazine (Matulane).

Other drugs that inhibit monoamine oxidase include

• linezolid (Zyvox) and
• intravenous methylene blue.

Such combinations may lead to confusion, high blood pressure, tremor, hyperactivity, coma, and death. (A period of 14 days without treatment should lapse when switching between Zoloft and MAOIs.) Similar reactions occur when Zoloft is combined with other drugs for example, tryptophan, St. John's wort, meperidine (Demerol, Meperitab), tramadol (ConZip, Synapryn FusePaq, Ultram) that increase serotonin in the brain.

Cimetidine (Cimetidine Acid Reducer, Tagamet HB ) may increase the levels in blood of Zoloft by reducing the elimination of Zoloft by the liver. Increased levels of Zoloft may lead to more side effects.

Zoloft increases the blood level of pimozide (Orap) by 40%. High levels of pimozide can affect electrical conduction in the heart and lead to sudden death. Therefore, patients should not receive treatment with both pimozide and Zoloft.

Through unknown mechanisms, Zoloft may increase the blood thinning action of warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven). The effect of warfarin should be monitored when Zoloft is started or stopped.

Celexa

All SSRIs, including citalopram, should not be taken with any of the mono-amine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor-class of antidepressants, for example, isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), selegiline (Eldepryl), and procarbazine (Matulane). Such combinations may lead to confusion, high blood pressure, tremor, and hyperactivity. If treatment is to be changed from citalopram to an MAOI or vice-versa, there should be a 14 day period without either drug before the alternative drug is started. Tryptophan, a common dietary supplement, can cause headaches, nausea, sweating, and dizziness when taken with any SSRI. Linezolid and intravenous methylene blue are also MAO inhibitors and should not be combined with citalopram.

Use of an SSRI with aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or other drugs that affect bleeding may increase the likelihood of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Zoloft (sertraline) and Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide) are antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) prescribed to treat depression. Zoloft is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

• Depression
• Depression: Beating the Holiday Blues
• Depression
• Postpartum Depression: Behind the Smile
• Depression Drug Warning: Signs of Suicide
• Postpartum Depression

• Depression FAQs
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder FAQs
• Do Statins Cause Depression?
• 11 Common Depression Symptoms
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and 9-11
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), More Common Than You Think
• Depression and Women
• PMS vs. PMDD - Whats' the Difference?

• Zoloft (sertraline)
• citalopram, Celexa
• Zoloft vs. Lexapro

• Zoloft
• Celexa