What side effects are common when the dose of Citalopram is increased from 10mg to 20mg? 

What side effects are common when the dose of Citalopram is increased from 10mg to 20mg? 

Some of the commonly reported side effects when the dose of Citalopram is increased from 10mg to 20mg include (1):

  • Gastrointestinal side effects 
  • Psychological side effects 
  • Other new side effects

Gastrointestinal side effects 

An increased dose of Citalopram may become a little heavy on your stomach. Although Citalopram is a safer antidepressant and the difference between 10mg and 20mg doses shouldn’t be so significant, it can affect you negatively. 

Some studies have suggested that an increased dose of Citalopram may cause more prominent gastrointestinal side effects as compared to its lower dose. You may experience side effects like:

  • Nausea 
  • Vomiting 
  • Diarrhoea 
  • Flatulence 
  • Bloating 
  • Acid reflux or heartburn 
  • Abdominal pain 

Psychological side effects

Psychological side effects are also expected when your Citalopram dose is increased from 10mg to 20mg. A higher dose means more inhibition of serotonin reuptake which means more of this excitatory neurotransmitter will be available in your brain. 

This may make you feel a little overwhelmed at first and you suffer from mood disturbances as well. Some of the commonly expected psychological side effects are:

  • Irritability 
  • Anxiety 
  • Agitation 
  • Confusion 
  • Forgetfulness 
  • Hallucinations
  • Convulsions 

Although major psychological side effects like hallucinations and convulsions are not common for everyone, they can affect some people, especially those who are sensitive to antidepressants. 

Other new side effects 

Some people may start to experience new side effects that they did not experience at the lower dose. These side effects could be common in general, but new for certain individuals, like insomnia, appetite changes, weight changes, mood disturbances, jaw clenching etc. 

These new side effects will most definitely begin to fade away when your body will adjust to the newly increased dose. If they persist, reach out to your healthcare provider. 

What to do if you can’t cope with an increased Citalopram dose? 

Although it is highly unlikely for a person to not do well on a 20mg Citalopram when shifted from 10mg, some may struggle with it. Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider about this, who will most likely reduce a few milligrams from your dose or will ask you to continue as is. 

Your doctor may again increase your dose once your body settles down. Just stick to your doctor’s recommended dose and make no changes on your own.

Citalopram is generally a well-tolerated antidepressant, but some people may not continue to do well with this drug after some time. If that’s the case with you and Citalopram can no longer benefit you, your doctor will safely taper you off and switch you to another antidepressant.

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References

1.-

Sharbaf Shoar N, Fariba KA, Padhy RK. Citalopram. 2021 Dec 11. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29489221. Bookshelf ID: NBK482222. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482222/

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