# Going from 20mg to 40mg Celexa?



## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

Hey guys, I wanted to see if anyone has had the experience of going from 20 mg of Celexa up to 40 mg. I am on day 20ish I believe and I have noticed many, many positive effects as well as no side effects (besides the first 3 days), but i'm having zero sexual problems etc... however i'm still not 100% where I want to be, but again it's only been about 3 weeks, but I have decided that if by week 6 I am not improving anymore than I am now that I am going to up my dosage to 40 mg. I just wanted to know what upping your dosage feels like? is it like when you first start an SSRI where you get all the ****ty side effects again? or will it just feel like I might be a bit cloudy?

Anyway, anyone who has went from 20 to 40 mg of Celexa, feel free to share your experience and to comment on if you noticed an improvement or not when upping your dosage, because I have heard once you up your SSRI dosage you can get some serious side effects etc.. Thanks!


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## Monroee (Aug 26, 2009)

Did you talk yet with your GP about upping the dosage? Because he might not let you do it. The last time I went, which was about a month ago, I asked if he could up the dose because I didn't feel it was helping me, and he said that the two months I was on it wasn't enough. So.. 3 weeks? Technically, they are going to say that you weren't on 20mg enough time to see the full affect.


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## Little Willow (Oct 26, 2008)

I say wait a while. I was on 20 for almost a year before switching to 40. 3 weeks is not that long. Give it some time. Good luck!


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

It was with Lexapro, which is pretty much the same thing, but I got put on to the equivalent of 60mg Celexa INSTANTLY, without starting at a lower dose. There was no difficulty at all, the only side effect being lowered libido.

20mg Celexa is a pretty weak dose. You don't look like a 100 pound girl, so personally I'd stop wasting my time with the 20mg and move up to 40. A 20mg dose for a guy like you sounds more like a starting dose for a lot of doctors. Not a serious attempt at a stable dose, but something to let you ease in to a more substantial dose in order to mitigate the initial side effects some people get, rather than putting you on a solid dose immediately.

Personally, I've never had a doctor that would expect me to wait a few months at a dose like that...


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

meyaj said:


> It was with Lexapro, which is pretty much the same thing, but I got put on to the equivalent of 60mg Celexa INSTANTLY, without starting at a lower dose. There was no difficulty at all, the only side effect being lowered libido.
> 
> 20mg Celexa is a pretty weak dose. You don't look like a 100 pound girl, so personally I'd stop wasting my time with the 20mg and move up to 40. A 20mg dose for a guy like you sounds more like a starting dose for a lot of doctors. Not a serious attempt at a stable dose, but something to let you ease in to a more substantial dose in order to mitigate the initial side effects some people get, rather than putting you on a solid dose immediately.
> 
> Personally, I've never had a doctor that would expect me to wait a few months at a dose like that...


Thanks for the solid post man. This is my first SSRI and I was started instantly at 20mg. If you reread the beginning of my post, I said that "I know it's only been 3 weeks, and i'm going to wait another 3 weeks or so" or w/e I said. Pretty much i'm saying that i'm planning on upping it, just not upping it right this second. Going to give it another 3 weeks or so, giving me a total of 6 weeks on Celexa, then boost her on up to 40mg. I feel great already, but I feel like I can squeeze a little more out of this. I'm going to make an appointment with the doc within the next week and tell him what i'm thinking and see if he agrees. Thanks for the responses guys, would also love to hear anyones experience they had when upping their dosage and what effects they noticed right away.


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

Little Willow said:


> I say wait a while. I was on 20 for almost a year before switching to 40. 3 weeks is not that long. Give it some time. Good luck!


The question there is, once you upped it to 40 how did you feel? substantial difference? or sublte? were there nasty side effects from doubling your dosage? etc.. ty


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## GnR (Sep 25, 2009)

I have no idea how people like SSRI's. I'm glad they work for some, but my 5 months on Lexapro were absolutely horrible. Apathy is worse than intense emotional pain in my opinion. I guess Serotonin isn't my issue lol.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

GnR said:


> Apathy is worse than intense emotional pain in my opinion.


Agreed, but I never got a sense of apathy on SSRIs. In fact, on Lexapro, there were many times that I cried like a little girl :lol

I never understood the association of SSRIs with apathy. If you REALLY want to get a sense of apathy, anti-psychotics are pretty much a destroyer of souls. My psychiatrist had me try 3 of them until I told her to **** off. I'd be far more likely to commit suicide if I had to live my life so emotionally barren, even if the alternative is mostly pain and sadness.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I don't remember ever going that high with Celexa. I think my max was briefly at 30mg. I was told that the maximum usually given was 60mg.

I do know that going from 20 to 40mg of Paxil made me so much more tired. I remember being nervous as all get out and still taking a bunch of naps.


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## No Surprises (Nov 1, 2009)

meyaj said:


> It was with Lexapro, which is pretty much the same thing, but I got put on to the equivalent of 60mg Celexa INSTANTLY, without starting at a lower dose. There was no difficulty at all, the only side effect being lowered libido.
> 
> 20mg Celexa is a pretty weak dose. You don't look like a 100 pound girl, so personally I'd stop wasting my time with the 20mg and move up to 40. A 20mg dose for a guy like you sounds more like a starting dose for a lot of doctors. Not a serious attempt at a stable dose, but something to let you ease in to a more substantial dose in order to mitigate the initial side effects some people get, rather than putting you on a solid dose immediately.
> 
> Personally, I've never had a doctor that would expect me to wait a few months at a dose like that...


I think you're confused -- Lexapro has a different dose range from Celexa. It's about 4x as strong, so a 20 mg dose of Lexapro would be akin to 80 mg Celexa.

To the OP, there's absolutely no reason to push your dose any higher just yet. I'm actually surprised you were started at 20 mg; usually they start at 10 mg. Just be glad that it's working for you so far and that you aren't experiencing any significant side effects. If you keep pushing the dose higher, noticeable side effects are virtually guaranteed, whereas increased therapeutic benefits are anything but guaranteed.


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

No Surprises said:


> I think you're confused -- Lexapro has a different dose range from Celexa. It's about 4x as strong, so a 20 mg dose of Lexapro would be akin to 80 mg Celexa.
> 
> To the OP, there's absolutely no reason to push your dose any higher just yet. I'm actually surprised you were started at 20 mg; usually they start at 10 mg. Just be glad that it's working for you so far and that you aren't experiencing any significant side effects. If you keep pushing the dose higher, noticeable side effects are virtually guaranteed, whereas increased therapeutic benefits are anything but guaranteed.


Yes I was surprised/nervous to be started out on 20mg, especially since it was my first SSRI, however it has done wonders for me so far, I feel like a dark cloud has been lifted from over my head. I still am anxious but not nearly as much, I also find I don't think negative thoughts as much and my depression is 99% gone. Only side effect which is mostly gone is the jaw clenching, orgasm is still there and so is sex drive. I'm afraid that if I up my dosage to 40mg that I will start experiencing weight gain, anorgasma etc, 20 mg is good for me right now, I just want a LITTLE more kick to take away the remaining anxiety for when I apply for jobs etc, but I guess that it just "normal". Anyway we will see, today is my 3 week mark so i'm going to give it another 2-3 weeks and see how i'm feeling, who knows, in another 2 weeks I may be at my "sweet spot" and feel even better.

Thanks for the awesome responses guys, i'm going to bed now night.

edit: I also don't understand the apathy, I feel more emotional on Celexa. When I was on nothing and was depressed I felt like a psychopath because I numbed myself out for a decade and felt almost nothing besides hopelessness, now I can watch a sad movie and feel good about crying lol.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

No Surprises said:


> I think you're confused -- Lexapro has a different dose range from Celexa. It's about 4x as strong, so a 20 mg dose of Lexapro would be akin to 80 mg Celexa.


I'm not too confused. I said EQUIVALENT to. Celexa is just the racemic version of Lexapro though. I figured equivalent to 60mg because everything I've read suggests it's about 3 times stronger. But if it's equivalent to 80mg, that just reinforces what I've said even more...


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## SilverNova (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi I'm new. Yay first post. 

Anyways, I was on Celexa for a little over a year. I was on 10mg then shortly after that 20mg and shortly after again upped to 40mg I finally started to get my version of normal back. I also didn't have any harsh side effects with each increase. Lower libido but never had a high one to begin with. Great that you can actually cry. I couldn't on Celexa. I would never feel really happy or really sad. It was better than wanting to off myself or hearing sh*t.

I had success with it and have been off since July. Still have the SAS though which is why I'm here now.


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

SilverNova said:


> Hi I'm new. Yay first post.
> 
> Anyways, I was on Celexa for a little over a year. I was on 10mg then shortly after that 20mg and shortly after again upped to 40mg I finally started to get my version of normal back. I also didn't have any harsh side effects with each increase. Lower libido but never had a high one to begin with. Great that you can actually cry. I couldn't on Celexa. I would never feel really happy or really sad. It was better than wanting to off myself or hearing sh*t.
> 
> I had success with it and have been off since July. Still have the SAS though which is why I'm here now.


Ya I can cry, laugh harder and am just more upbeat 24/7. Today I actually feel really spacey for the first time since my original 3 days, maybe my brain is adjusting again so I guess that's a good thing.. Either way welcome to SAS, glad to hear you did have success with it, even if it dulled your emotions it's better than hanging yourself. I feel more emotional now because of my depression/severe anxiety I was afraid to show any emotions and just felt hopeless all the time so I lost touch of my emotions and become a psychopath pretty much, now I feel alive again and I can actually feel what I really feel now instead of bottling it up and not feeling it.

How was your withdrawal from the Celexa? was it fairly smooth with tapering down or did you cold turkey?


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## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

Jcq126 said:


> it has done wonders for me so far, I feel like a dark cloud has been lifted from over my head. I still am anxious but not nearly as much, I also find I don't think negative thoughts as much and my depression is 99% gone.


If you're getting all that, I can't imagine why you'd increase your dose, unless it stops working. A little anxiety and/or sadness are natural human emotions - it would be wrong and probably futile to try to medicate against them.

I went from 10 to 20 to 30 to 40 to 60. I've niticed most difference going up to 60, and that was a difference in the "good" effects, not the (fairly minor) side effects. My Dr told me that the side effects were not dose-dependent.


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

Madison_Rose said:


> If you're getting all that, I can't imagine why you'd increase your dose, unless it stops working. A little anxiety and/or sadness are natural human emotions - it would be wrong and probably futile to try to medicate against them.
> 
> I went from 10 to 20 to 30 to 40 to 60. I've niticed most difference going up to 60, and that was a difference in the "good" effects, not the (fairly minor) side effects. My Dr told me that the side effects were not dose-dependent.


Ya I feel great but I feel like I can milk it just a BIT more, like 40mg will push me over the to right where I want to be. I'm going to talk to my doc about it next time. 60mg is too much for me i'm thinking, 20mg is reacting well, most i'd consider is 40mg. Interesting that dose doesn't effect it, that is good news though since my side effects aren't there.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I would go to 30 first.


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## Redefine (Jan 11, 2005)

Hey Jcq126 I'm actually doing the same exact thing you are right now. I'm moving up to 40mg of celexa. We'll see what happens. It seems like 20mg has very subtle but positive effects for me. Things don't bother me as much as they used too. Sometimes I don't even notice how much it does help me because it's so subtle. Before I got off of it because I thought it wasn't doing anything. Maybe the 40mg will have more pronounced benefits.

We'll see.


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## SilverNova (Mar 19, 2010)

Jcq126 said:


> How was your withdrawal from the Celexa? was it fairly smooth with tapering down or did you cold turkey?


I cold turkied. I actually missed a few days in a span of 2 weeks while on the 40mg dose. How to explain the come down.... Sort of like sitting for a really long time and slowly getting up but your legs are numb. I didn't fall over though.

You're suppose to taper. Glad I didn't have a seizure. I just wanted to be done and not be on meds anymore. I feel lucky I didn't have any relapses.


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## No Surprises (Nov 1, 2009)

meyaj said:


> I'm not too confused. I said EQUIVALENT to. Celexa is just the racemic version of Lexapro though. I figured equivalent to 60mg because everything I've read suggests it's about 3 times stronger. But if it's equivalent to 80mg, that just reinforces what I've said even more...


Oh, wow, it turns out the error was actually on my end. I'd assumed he was talking about Lexapro when he had actually been saying Celexa all along. I suppose the 20 mg dose caused me to think Lexapro.

If he is in fact taking 20 mg Celexa, then yes, boosting his dose to 40 mg immediately is perfectly justified. Twenty milligrams is virtually sub-therapeutic; no wonder he isn't experiencing much side effects.


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

No Surprises said:


> Oh, wow, it turns out the error was actually on my end. I'd assumed he was talking about Lexapro when he had actually been saying Celexa all along. I suppose the 20 mg dose caused me to think Lexapro.
> 
> If he is in fact taking 20 mg Celexa, then yes, boosting his dose to 40 mg immediately is perfectly justified. Twenty milligrams is virtually sub-therapeutic; no wonder he isn't experiencing much side effects.


That's what I was thinking, plus is a bit of a concern. Right now on 20mg, I can still ejaculate perfectly, not gaining weight etc and feel awesome, it's just I want a LITTLE more out of the Celexa, I could stay on 20 mg and be happy still since it has done wonders for my depression etc so far, however I just think 40mg might really kill the SAD since it has already dramatically lowered. The one thing i'm worried about is once I up to 40 mg that is when the anorgasmia, weight gain etc might start kicking my ***.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

SSRIs don't typically cause anorgasmia in my opinion. Some people claim that about MAOIs though. The sexual dysfunction commonly caused by SSRIs is generally limited to a diminished libido. 40mg of Celexa is not a potent dose by any means when compared to other SSRIs anyways...


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## Wizardismydog (Dec 7, 2010)

For Jcq126:

I'm curious to hear what mg you're on now. I've been on Celexa 20mg for 2 months and just increased to 40mg as directed by my Psychiatrist.

thanks, Cal


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

Wizardismydog said:


> For Jcq126:
> 
> I'm curious to hear what mg you're on now. I've been on Celexa 20mg for 2 months and just increased to 40mg as directed by my Psychiatrist.
> 
> thanks, Cal


Hey, damn old bump! Can't believe it's been 9 months on Celexa wow time goes by. I'm still actually on 20mg, I never bumped it to 40mg as I feel 20mg is working pretty solid for me.


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## SkeeredSillly (Aug 17, 2012)

*transition*

Hey, I started on 20's about 6 years ago. The beginning was ok as far as side effects. But I was still very anxious. So the doctor put me on 40's and then I was great! The side effects were sleepiness and dry mouth, but only sometimes and they didn't last longer than a couple of weeks.

Hope you have a smooth adjustment!


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## blondsungoddess (Feb 15, 2013)

*I went from 20mg-40mg*

I just saw my Doctor yesterday for this. One I am not a "depressed" person, I am very social and outgoing, I was put on this due to anxiety, panic attacks from stress and an extreme phobia. I was on the 20mg dose for 2 weeks, first time on any kind of anti-anxiety medication. My doctor and I had quite a lengthy talk, other than feeling nauseaous and a little more calm, I explained in depth what "sets me off" and he decided to up me to 40 mg. I have not felt anything 'different' as of today. I was worried upping the dosage would make me feel even more nausea but it didn't (and after eatting lunch it starts to subside) I haven't experienced any other side effects either, sex drive is still good, sleep is good (I take my medication in the a.m.)

I wouldn't self-medicate though, and up your dosage without contacting your doctor. Mine said I should be seen for the first 12 weeks (ever 2 weeks) to make sure we are getting where we need to be with the lowest dose possible to help me. This isn't the kind of medication you want to randomly adjust. But so far so good for me.


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## Intricate (Dec 2, 2012)

I'm like you sometimes


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## Steevee (Jun 13, 2013)

All,

I'm new to this stuff. 

Does everyone take this on a daily basis? Anyone every other day or so?

Also, can anyone comment about how long one stays on before it's not needed? Months, years?

Thanks
Steevee


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## kels754 (Aug 3, 2013)

At one point I took ten, then 20, and it has helped me mentally but no side effects of it doing anything bad.


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## sas2012solar (Sep 26, 2011)

Celexa made me want to drink (20 mg)...when I
Never was a drinker. I drank 2 bottles of wine and a six pack
A day and was never drunk.. i was functional.

I think its because celexa and lexapro make me wired.

Im hoping to get on Paxil soon.


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## msreed2011 (Sep 17, 2014)

I started the generic brand of celexa, Citalopram at 20 mg. It helped with stressful situations and kept me a little calmer but it did little for my depression. I like it because I have little or no side effects from it. The doctor increased it to 40 mg, but had me on 30 mg for 2 weeks to get me used to it. Feel a little better and still no side effects. Tonight will be my first night of 40 mg. Hope this works. My anxiety level has been lower it's just still the depression.


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