Anxiety

[Guest]

Dr.,

My GP raised my dose to 60mg of Celexa(I am going up 10mg every 2 weeks to get there)to try to wipe out lingering residual anxiety symptoms. He feels the "simple approach" is the best first choice since time is not critical in my current condition.

My question is, at 40mgs, I found myself needing more sleep and somewhat lethargic (not terrible, but noticeable). At 50mgs, the reverse seems to be happening. I have had trouble sleeping for the past 10 days at this dose (again, not terrible, but noticeable) and seem to be getting out of bed a lot easier than at 40mg, but tired in the evening from lack of sleep. Can an SSRI like Celexa cause side effects like somnolence at one dose and insomnia at another, possibly by affecting additional chemicals or receptors at higher doses causing new side effects that counter previous ones?

I know Effexor can cause different sides at higher doses due to NE reuptake inhibition which occurs only at higher doses, and Remeron may do the same with NE at higher doses countering Histamine blockade at lower doses, but since Celexa is highly specific to serotonin, I wouldn't think that would be the case, but I am no Dr..

Thanks as always.

[Guest]

You are right. There is no evidence of a change in neurotransmitter pattern with increasing Celexa doses. Celexa and the other SSRIs have variable effects on sleep. I know of no explanation to say why it should vary the way it seems to be for you. On the other hand, we see these variable reactions all the time.
[quote] Dr. ,

My GP raised my dose to 60mg of Celexa(I am going up 10mg every 2 weeks to get there)to try to wipe out lingering residual anxiety symptoms... [/quote]