Possible Citalopram Interactions
The doctor or pharmacist you trust for your medications might already know about the possible interactions of the drug you are taking. It is advised that you do not start the intake, change, or stop the dosage of any medicine before you with check its effects with your doctor or pharmacist.
When certain medications are being taken along with Citalopram, serious drug interactions, although rarely fatal, can occur. It is advised to avoid the intake of MAO inhibitors such as tranylcypromine, slegiline, rasagiline, procarbazine, phenelzine, moclobemide, linezolid, isocarboxazid, and furazolidone, along with citalopram for two weeks before underdoing treatment. While doing the treatment, or for two weeks after the last dose of citalopram was taken.
Extremely serious interactions might occur so the drug should not be used with the following medications: weight loss drugs such as subtramine and phentermine, tryptophan, and pimozide.
You should let your doctor or pharmacist know if you are taking any of the medications mentioned before you start your treatment with citalopram. Let them known whether you are also taking other prescription and non-prescription or herbal products especially blood thinners (heparin, warfarin), NSAIDs (ibuprofen), antiplatelet drugs (clopidogrel), drugs that cause bruising/bleeding (aspirin), diuretics (furosemide), metroprolol, or cimetidine.
The intake of aspirin while under cilatopram treatment greatly increases the risk of bleeding. If you were advised by your doctor to take a low dosage of aspirin (81 – 325mg per day) to prevent stroke or heart attacks, you should follow regularly unless you are directed otherwise. You should not hesitate to discuss the risks and benefits present to your trusted specialist.
Also let your doctor know when you are taking other drugs that help increase serotonin. These drugs include amphetamine, MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy), dihydroergotamine, triptans (used to treat migraines), St. John’s wort, tryptophan, SNRIs (such as duloxetine), SSRIs (such as paroxetine), phentermine, propoxyphene, meperidine, lithium, dextromethorphan, and busiprone.
You should also let your pharmacist or doctor know when you are taking drugs that causes drowsiness. You should carefully monitor the ingredients of the medications you are taking as they commonly include drugs that cause drowsiness. These drugs include the following: antihistamines (such as diphenhydramine), psychiatric medicines (such as trazodone, nortriptyline, quetiapine, chlorpromazine) muscle relaxants, narcotic pain relievers (such as codeine), medicine used to promote sleep or prevent anxiety (such as zolpidem and lorazepam) as well as anti-seizure drugs (like carbamazepine).
Cimetidine is a common non-prescription drug that is used for the treatment of excess stomach acid. You should ask your pharmacist for alternatives to this particular medication as it causes undesirable drug interactions when you are undergoing citalopram treatment.
It is very important that you inform your doctor or pharmacist about all of the products that you are using before undergoing any additional drug treatments. These are just some of the drugs that can cause interactions and there are a lot more available. It is advised that you keep a list of the medications you are using and share them with your trusted pharmacist or doctor.
