Celexa

I've been on Celexa for a long time and have had no side effects that I'm aware of. It has been a life-saver for me.

Page, instead of pharmaceutical drugs that will cover and mask what is going on, have you checked into why you might be doing this? There are so many other natural approaches you can take. Fish oil is very good for depression and anxiety. I've taken it for years. Not cod, but fish oil. Nordic Naturals makes a good one and so does Carlson (you can get them with a lemon or orange taste). You can take a teaspoon everyday and see how you are in about 2 months. Both have been tested for mercury, PCB's, etc. Most doctors only know what the pharmaceutical companies tell them through literature or whatever. Sadly, nutrition is an optional course to take in many medical schools. I would do some more studying before I started popping any pills, but that is just me. Dr. Andrew Weil is a medical doctor who graduated from Harvard; he is also a holistic doctor so he knows both sides. You could check out his website and do a search. I am not a doctor, but I have been studying nutrition for the past 30 plus years. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Unfortunately EVERYONE responds differently to EVERY medication, so it's hard to get advice. But, I took Celexa on and off for many years, and it worked very well for me. I tried a lot of other drugs and I kept coming back to Celexa (obviously it wasn't perfect because I tried other stuff). I took it for anxiety and mild depression, and it basically made me feel calm and to a certain extent like I didn't care about stuff that used to bug me. Mouth biting sounds like an OCD behavior, and I also have very mild OCD (hair pulling) which Celexa didn't touch, so I cannot attest to it's ability to stop compulsive habits. But it might make you feel more calm and then as a result you won't have to bit your mouth as a nervous habit any more. I stopped taking celexa because it made me really sleepy all the time, and it makes me gain weight. Boo! :) I'm now antidepressant-free and using homeopathic remedies and vitamins. But I'd say give it a try, but give it a month or so because first you are going to have to tackle the initial side effects and wait for it to build up in your system. If it doesn't work, you can always taper off.

Listen to your doctor.

Hi Page,

I'm curious if you're on the birth control pill. I know people have said they start with chewing habits when taking the pill... anyway, in case that's helpful and something you'd like to research and/or talk to your Dr about.

Since it seems like you're nervous about the medication, I'd agree with the idea of looking into homeopathic options first, if possible. At least then you'll feel like you've looked into other options before diving into something you're not fully thrilled about :)

Best to you!

You could also go to a Naturopath or Accupuncturist & see what they recommend. There are many herbs which are effective with anxiety. Also, working on becoming more Mindful & catching yourself in the urge to bite could be helpful. You could explore internally what emotion is prompting the urge & work on reducing the stress of whatever comes up for you. R. Faridnia, LCSW

Your instincts and intuitive hesitance are already telling you exactly what to do, you don't need drugs for your habit or the side effects one of which is suicidal thoughts. There is something deeper going on that is causing you to bite the inside of your mouth and there are many natural routes you could take to find a solution. One very successful therapy is clinical hypnosis which us used alot to break habits, quit smoking, gambling, emotional eating etc. I had 2 sessions and it was amazing and the best $120 I have ever spent. It is alot like meditation which would also be
helpful. Try and get to the underlying cause of your biting anxiety instead of masking it with drugs. All the best and keep following your instincts.

My son has taken it for nearly 2 years and has recieved so many great benifits for good from it that I can only be thankful for his doctor giving it to him. If you are having2nd thoughts then ask yourself why you wanted this in the1st place and what is dfferent that you think you can overcome the problem not just the manifestation of the habit without some help. Good Luck with all your efforts and I hope that something works for you.

I have taken Celexa for depression for several years and have had no side effects at all and have found that it works pretty well for me. However, the one thing you should know that with antidepressants, your mileage may vary. It might take awhile to start feeling like it's working, you might have side effects, it might not be the right drug for you. If you want to go down the medication route for addressing an issue like this, you really need to be willing to try a few different things if necessary, and keep in close and honest communication with your doctor about your side effects and how it is working, until you find something that does work. I mean, for some folks the first thing they try is the right thing, but IME that is not the norm.

I am wondering what kind of doctor prescribed your medication. A primary care doctor? A psychiatrist? If you have not yet seen a psychiatrist or psychologist about this compulsive issue, I would certainly start there before trying any medication. They might have other suggestions or solutions for you to try too.

Good luck.

Hi Page!
I know exactly how you feel. Many more natural remedy women would prefer handling what we may view as our minor issues without the use of prescription drugs. What I've learned is that Celexa is one which doesn't have to be taken for years on end. It can be used only a couple of months out of a year for problems such as S.A.D. Perhaps that's the length of time you'll need to pull out of your recent habit. After that, you have to wean off of it a bit (cut the pills in half) and you'll be good to go. Apparently, it odesn't cause as many side-affects as many other anxiety meds out there and it's the choice, "mild" prescription for the more "mild" anxieties.
I wish you well with your decision-making.
All the best!
D.

I had a bad reaction to Celexa I was having out of body experiences. I don't want to scare you at all! My son and I have bipolar, for his depression he takes Zoloft works like a charm for him I tried it and it made my depression even worse, for me the charm was Lexapro. All medications have some form of side effects it is just all how your body reacts to it.