What is the difference between effexor and celexa

Get price alerts. Celexa and Lexapro are both indicated in the treatment of major depressive disorder. MDD is characterized by prolonged two weeks or more feelings of low mood and decreased energy levels. Patients may not find joy in things they enjoyed previously. Lexapro is also indicated in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder GAD.

GAD is characterized by prolonged and obsessive worrying about a variety of topics. Celexa and Lexapro are both used off-label in a variety of disorders that are closely related to depression and anxiety. These include obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. The following is not intended to be a complete listing of potential uses for Celexa and Lexapro. Only your healthcare provider can diagnose your disorder and decide which treatment option is best for you.

A randomized, double-blind study was done to compare Celexa to Lexapro in the outpatient treatment of MDD. A daily dose of 40 mg of Celexa was compared to a 20 mg daily dose of Lexapro. Lexapro also had more people respond to treatment overall.

Tolerability of the drugs was similar between the two groups. The nine studies used in the analysis addressed both moderate and severe depression. After accounting for differences between the studies, Lexapro was shown to be superior to Celexa in the treatment of moderate and severe depression. The difference was both statistically and clinically significant. Ultimately, only your physician can decide which treatment is best for you. Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your treatment regimen.

Sign up for Lexapro price alerts and find out when the price changes! Celexa is a prescription medication that is covered by both commercial and Medicare drug insurance plans. Lexapro is also a prescription medication that is typically covered by both commercial and Medicare drug plans. Get the SingleCare prescription discount card. Celexa and Lexapro are similar chemically but vary somewhat in their potential side effects.

Somnolence is a consistent side effect amongst all SSRIs. Gastrointestinal side effects are more common with Lexapro. Patients on Lexapro reported a higher incidence of nausea, dyspepsia, and diarrhea than patients on Celexa reported. The following list is not intended to be a complete list of adverse events. Please consult a pharmacist, doctor, or another medical professional for a complete list of possible side effects. Due to their chemical similarities, Celexa and Lexapro have a similar drug interaction profile.

Both drugs are metabolized through the cytochrome P enzyme system. Celexa and Lexapro may increase the serum concentrations of antipsychotics, such as aripiprazole, through their inhibition of CYP2D6. Discussion: This study shows that the new SSRI escitalopram has better efficacy in the treatment of severe depression than citalopram, its racemic parent. Mean differences between treatments groups were in favour of escitalopram for all scales.

The benefits of escitalopram compared with citalopram, as demonstrated by both magnitude of effect and time of onset, are superior to the benefits of citalopram, an antidepressant drug with proven efficacy.

This evidence clearly supports the use of escitalopram as a legitimate first-line treatment for MDD. Effexor has been used without approval in obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD , premenstrual dysphoric disorder PMDD , and hot flashes related to menopause. Lexapro is sometimes used off-label for conditions such as OCD, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating.

The following chart provides a list of conditions treated by Effexor and Lexapro. It may not include all potential uses, and you should always consult with your healthcare professional to see if one of these drugs is right for you. A meta-analysis compared Effexor, Lexapro, and several other common antidepressant drugs based on efficacy and tolerability in randomized trials over a year period. The results found that both Effexor and Lexapro were similarly effective at treating depression, and both were more effective than many other antidepressant medications.

This may lead prescribers to attempt treatment with Lexapro before attempting Effexor. Effexor is a prescription-only medication that is typically covered by both commercial and Medicare insurance plans. Lexapro is also a prescription medication that is typically covered by both commercial and Medicare drug plans.

Get a prescription coupon. Effexor and Lexapro both have side effects that may potentially have an effect on patient compliance. Each of these drugs are slow to have an effect on the disorders they are treating, sometimes taking anywhere from two to six weeks to show an impact on symptoms. Patients may experience bothersome side effects before they experience a remission in symptoms of their disorder.

This can lead to patients discontinuing therapy too soon, and their disorder goes untreated. It is important for patients to be aware of the potential side effects before starting treatment. Effexor has a much more pronounced effect on sleep than Lexapro. These drugs may also cause somnolence, or excessive drowsiness.

Effexor is more likely to cause somnolence with 7. Sleep affects the quality of life and these side effects are an important consideration prior to starting therapy. Digestive side effects have also been reported with both drugs. Effexor is more likely to cause incidences of nausea, diarrhea, and constipation than Lexapro, though these side effects can happen with either drug. Decreased libido, or sexual drive, is more likely to be negatively affected by Effexor than by Lexapro.

It is important to have quality of life discussions with patients who are experiencing this side effect. This table is not intended to be a complete list of potential side effects. Please consult a medical professional for a complete list. Effexor and Lexapro each work by increasing available serotonin. When one of these drugs is combined with other drugs that have serotonergic activity, it increases the chance that a patient may experience serotonin syndrome.

Serotonin syndrome is a condition caused by having too much free serotonin and can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, agitation, and dizziness. Our guide offers strategies to help you or your loved one live better with bipolar disorder.

Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Shelton RC. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Handb Exp Pharmacol. Food and Drug Administration. Effexor label. Updated December Seizure induced by a therapeutic dose of Venlafaxine ER: A case report. J Psychiatr Pract. Do antidepressants increase the risk of mania and bipolar disorder in people with depression?

A retrospective electronic case register cohort study. BMJ Open. Suicidality in children and adolescents being treated with antidepressant medications. Published February 5, Risk of suicide during treatment with venlafaxine, citalopram, fluoxetine, and dothiepin: retrospective cohort study. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind.

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