Almost every patient has the expectation that their doctor’s prescriptions will work. Certain drugs produce better results if they are administered at the prescribed intervals. When you get a new prescription, the pharmacist has to go over important information about how to take the medicine and answer any questions you might have. When to take medication is one of the topics that he or she might go over with you. When it comes to the timing of your daily medicine intake, timing is just as important as the other factors mentioned above, such as taking some prescriptions with meals or a full glass of water for optimal benefits.
According to the findings of various pieces of research, there are some instances in which it can be essential to take a medication at a specific time of the day. This method, which is also known as chronotherapy, is gaining popularity since research reveals that there may be a connection between the timing of medicine intake and the degree to which it is effective.
It’s possible that the optimal time to take a prescription will change depending on the substance, but if your pharmacist advises you to take your dose at the same time every day, it’s in your best interest to comply with that recommendation.
What is citalopram?
Sold under the brand name Celexa®, citalopram is an antidepressant drug.
Citalopram is a type of medication that has been given the go-ahead by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat major depressive disorder, which is also known as depression. Depression is a type of mood disorder that impacts both how you think and how you feel, and it can negatively interfere with day-to-day activities.
A person suffering from depression may also have feelings of fatigue, hopelessness, a slower rate of speech or movement, problems sleeping, suicidal thoughts, and other symptoms.
Uses of citalopram that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, panic disorder (which is characterized by abrupt panic attacks of great fear or worry), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
This prescription may also be used to treat bipolar disorder, a condition that causes you to alternate between periods of low or depressed mood and times of mania or increased mood.
Citalopram is a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which helps to boost serotonin levels in the brain.
Serotonin has an impact on a variety of bodily processes, including sleep, sex drive, and mood. When your serotonin levels are normal, you’ll feel happier, calmer, and more focused, but low serotonin levels are related with sadness and anxiety. When your serotonin levels are normal, you’ll feel like you have more control over your emotions.
Citalopram’s ability to boost serotonin levels makes it potentially useful for reducing the intensity of depressive and anxious symptoms.
Citalopram can be taken orally in the form of a pill or a liquid solution, and patients are instructed to take the medication once daily, either in the morning or the evening.
A starting dose of 10 milligrams per day is recommended for patients suffering from depression as well as generalized anxiety disorder. Your citalopram dosage may then be increased as necessary by your healthcare professional in order to better control your symptoms.
Benefits Of Taking Citalopram At Night
When taken during the day, the side effects of citalopram can make it difficult to operate effectively, which is why taking the medication at night provides a number of advantages over doing so during the day. Taking citalopram in the night has a number of benefits, including the following:
- Better Sleep. If you suffer from insomnia, which is a common sleep problem that makes it difficult to fall asleep, the best time to take citalopram is at night since it will help you sleep better and it will prevent you from experiencing excessive dizziness or sleepiness that the medication causes.
- Escape Daytime Fatigue. The repercussions of daytime fatigue can be rather detrimental, ranging from impaired attention to impatience, irresponsible risk-taking, subpar work quality, and even falling asleep at the wheel. It is normal to feel tired while taking citalopram, especially in the first few weeks of treatment. Taking the drug at night will lessen the disruption that these usual side effects will cause to your regular activities throughout the day.
- Operating Devices. When taken during the day, citalopram can make it difficult or nearly impossible to safely operate even the most simplest of devices or machines. When someone is on citalopram, it can make it difficult for them to concentrate effectively. It is highly recommended that you refrain from driving and cycling for the first few days of treatment until you have a better understanding of how this medication affects you. It is a violation of the law to operate a motor vehicle if you are impaired in your ability to do so safely.
- Sexual life. The act of having sex in the evening may be a profoundly calming and uniting experience for couples, which is one of the many advantages of this time of day. Research has shown that engaging in sexual activity can result in the production of hormones and neuropeptides that improve mood and promote overall health. These hormones and neuropeptides may help people relax and unwind at the end of a long and stressful day. Citalopram reaches its peak concentration in the blood anywhere between 1 and 6 hours, with the average being 4 hours. When taken during the day, citalopram raises the chance of delayed ejaculation in men as well as a reduction in their desire to engage in sexual activity. If you take the prescription at night, you will be asleep when the medication’s full effect kicks in, which is why taking the medication at night is recommended.
- Reduces Accident Risk. Common adverse effects of citalopram include drowsiness and fatigue, both of which raise the risk of falling and other mishaps that might occur in the home. According to the findings of scientists from Johns Hopkins, one third of all adults in the United States, or 69 million men and women over the age of 40, are up to 12 times more likely to have a serious fall as a result of dizziness. If you take citalopram in the morning, the drug’s effects and side effects will reach their height in the afternoon. This will also enhance the likelihood that you will be involved in an accident during the day.
Common Side Effects of Citalopram
There are potential adverse effects associated with the use of citalopram, just as there are with the use of many other antidepressant drugs.
Citalopram’s most prevalent side effects include the following:
- Stomach pain
- Joint or muscle pain
- Headache
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Frequent urination
- Nausea
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- Dry mouth
- Heavy menstrual periods
If you take citalopram, you run the risk of experiencing sexual side effects, including a reduction in desire to have sexual interactions.
Who Should Not Take Citalopram?
Citalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which means that it raises the levels of serotonin that are already present in the brain. It is useful as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of depression. On the other hand, there are situations when a particular medication can make other conditions worse. Even if it is effective in treating one of your conditions, it might not be appropriate for the other one.
As a result, we are going to explain to you here the circumstances under which you should not use Citalopram. Celexa and citalopram are two antidepressants that should not be taken by those who have any of the illnesses listed below.
Be sure to provide your healthcare practitioner with a thorough history of any diseases you have experienced as well as any medications you have taken. Your doctor will inquire about your past health in order to better understand your current condition before giving you any new medication. You need to make sure that you are mentally alert and that you are telling the truth about everything.
It is important to always provide an accurate disease and drug history, as this can prevent potentially fatal complications. Therefore make sure to be transparent and 100% honest with your physician. Citalopram is not something they will write a prescription for if you have any of the following health conditions:
1. Citalopram should not be taken in conjunction with monoamine oxidase inhibitors
Citalopram and other monoamine oxidase inhibitors, including phenelzine and selegiline, have the potential to produce an interaction when taken together. Because of this, you shouldn’t take both of them at the same time. Within two weeks of stopping citalopram treatment, you should not take any monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
It is possible to develop a condition known as serotonin syndrome if you take citalopram in conjunction with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor at the same time. Serotonin levels that are significantly higher than average are indicative of this potentially fatal disease. The symptoms of serotonin syndrome include loss of consciousness, confusion, tremors, and stiff muscles. Other symptoms include uncontrolled muscle spasms, high-grade fever, changes in the heart rhythm and heart rate, changes in blood pressure, and abnormalities in the electrical activity of the heart.
2. Citalopram Should Never Be Taken Together with Pimozide
Pimozide and Citalopram should not be taken together because doing so can lead to major heart problems. Therefore, if you take any of them, you shouldn’t utilize the others at the same time.
3. Do not put an abrupt end to it
Because of the negative side effects of Citalopram, a lot of people suddenly stop taking the medication. Never, ever do that, though. If you suddenly stop taking Citalopram, it may cause your anxiety and the symptoms associated with it to become even more severe. Tapering off of any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is the method that is used to discontinue taking the medication. If you gradually reduce the amount of citalopram you take each day, you will eventually be able to stop taking the medication altogether.
Putting an end to the treatment abruptly or without the approval of your healthcare practitioner may make your depression symptoms worse. If you feel the need to discontinue taking Citalopram, you should always talk to your doctor or other healthcare practitioner first. They might give you a prescription for an additional antidepressant that is designed to help keep the symptoms of depression at bay.
4. Heart Rhythm Abnormalities
Citalopram should not be taken by anyone who has a history of arrhythmias because it also has the potential to produce an irregular cardiac rhythm in certain people. It is possible for it to develop a condition known as QT interval prolongation or Torsades de pointes, both of which are life-threatening conditions. Therefore, your healthcare practitioner will not prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to you if you had a history of irregular cardiac rhythm in the past.
FAQs
Question- What is the best time to take Citalopram?
Answer- The most effective time to take Citalopram is in the night, right before bedtime.
Question- For what condition is Citalopram prescribed?
Answer- Citalopram is the antidepressant that is most frequently administered. Nonetheless, it can also be prescribed for other conditions such as social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder.
Question- Can Citalopram cause sexual dysfunction?
Answer- Yes! Citalopram may result in sexual dysfunction in some patients. If you are experiencing the same symptoms, you need to talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider. They might recommend another medication in its place.
Conclusion
We have come to the conclusion that taking Citalopram in the evening is beneficial. If you are going to take it, the optimum time to do so is when the sun goes down. Before discontinuing its use, however, you should discuss your decision with a healthcare provider, even if its adverse effects are manageable for you. Do not put a sudden end to it.
