My Dr just put me on this for anxiety. Just wondering what y'all experiences were w/ it as to side effects and how well it worked. TIA!

I've been on it for close to a year now for depression. I'd taken Paxil before that and while Paxil had worked okay in that I was getting out of bed, I was never really motivated to do anything. The first month on Celexa was better than not being on anything (I'd been off Paxil for several months) but I would still not feel like doing anything at all so my doctor doubled my dose to 40 mg's. Within a month at that dose I was baking again (which I'd loved when I was younger and hadn't really done in maybe 10 years) and putting a full face on most days (it had been over a year since I'd used makeup at all). I still wouldn't say I was really happy at that point but before my next appointment that doc retired, my new doctor upped my dosage to 60mgs. I definitely still have my days and honestly I've accepted the fact that I'll always be on medications because I can't function without them.

As for side effects, it caused drowsiness at first but for me only in the two higher dosages and only while my body adjusted to it. With Paxil if I skipped a dose I could feel it, I'd have a terrible migraine and no energy. With Celexa I notice that after two+ days (I'm horrendously bad about forgetting)

One thing to keep in mind though is that obviously not every drug is going to work for everybody so you need to be totally honest with your doctor. If it helps keep a journal about how you feel. It also will take a while for you to notice it working but again, let your doctor know about anything that's still bothering you, just like most meds it can take a while to find the one that really works for you. Good luck:)

I'm using it. :)

I take 30mg daily and it's just lovely.
No weird side effects except a lower sex drive,
(not a problem because the Hubby is in England though).

Oh one other side effect is if I take it later in the morning it made me feel REALLY awake, so I take it in the early morning so I can sleep at night.

I started on it little by little, 5mg a day for a week, then 10mg for 8 days, then up to 15, then 20... 20mg worked really well for the first month, then I noticed I was getting bad mood swings and OCD again and then severe anxiety attacks. So my doctor suggested I take 30mg (1.5 pills).

I've been on it since mid February it only took me a couple weeks to feel the effects. Now I feel normal again!!

I just wanted to update & say that Im really liking this so far...I seem to be sleeping better & no other side effects that I've noticed *yet*. Its only been a week though. I def feel calmer, so *knocks on wood* this maybe the one!

I just wanted to update & say that Im really liking this so far...I seem to be sleeping better & no other side effects that I've noticed *yet*. Its only been a week though. I def feel calmer, so *knocks on wood* this maybe the one!


Good to know sweetie!
Keep us updated.

Now just so you know I have had 2 minor-moderate anxiety attacks while on the medication. But only when I was under a crazy amount of stress. So it's not guaranteed to mean no more anxiety EVER... but it really does help take the edge off.

:) Hope it keeps working for you and you're feeling better than ever soon.

I was taking it for anxiety but I quit cold turkey 3 weeks ago. It did help me, but I switched to Lexapro (which is supposed to be pretty much identical but it is not, it made me feel suicidal, not in the way that I actually wanted to off myself, but I just felt like I didn't want to exist) and then went back on Celexa and it just never worked the same for me. I quit taking it and realized that I did have side effects from it once I was finally off it like lowered sex drive, feeling emotionless, weight gain (that one was huge for me, I gained 40 lbs and was on it less than a year).