Celexa® users may become violent or suicidal, and often experience severe withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing use. Celexa® is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor prescribed to treat depression, but its chemical structure differs from other SSRIs; it has negligible affinity for neurotransmitter receptors, other than serotonin. Celexa® is the top-selling antidepressant in 13 countries, and is often prescribed for other mental disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobias, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The most commonly reported adverse effects of Celexa® are sexual problems, generally seen in males, and profuse sweating. However, nausea, dry mouth and drowsiness have also been reported. Celexa® falls under the FDA pregnancy category C, which means it is currently unknown if the drug will harm an unborn baby. It is, however, recognized that Celexa® is passed into the mother’s breast milk and can cause harm to a nursing baby.

Patients who are considering Celexa® should inform their physicians if they are pregnant or have suffered from mania, seizures, liver disease, or severe kidney problems.

Celexa® is not FDA-approved for treating children, and is thus barred from marketing the drug as a pediatric therapy. However, physicians are afforded the ability to prescribe the drug for “off-label” conditions when treatment may be beneficial, and Celexa® is the fourth most commonly prescribed treatment for depression in children. Forest Pharmaceuticals has come under attack for allegedly failing to disclose the results of a study on Celexa® use in children, in which the drug was deemed unhelpful. Results on a similar study with successful results were released to the medical journal in the same article, though. Forest Pharmaceuticals employees were co-authors of the article.

In 2004, advised that Celexa® amend the labeling to include an additional warning that patients who suffer major depressive disorders and take Celexa® may experience a sudden worsening of symptoms, and may encounter the emergence of suicidal or homicidal tendencies. The so-called “new and improved” version of Celexa® is marketed under the name of Lexapro, but since all SSRIs are under scrutiny for exacerbating mental distress, Lexapro also carries an updated warning label. More information on Celexa® can be found at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/druginfo/celexa.htm.

If your physical or mental well-being has diminished from using Celexa®, our lawyers can help. Contact our Philadelphia-based Celexa® attorneys at the Law Firm of Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, P.C. We will assess your history with Celexa® and help you determine the proper path of legal action.