Zulresso vs. Celexa

• Are Celexa and Zulresso the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Zulresso?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Celexa?
• What Is Zulresso?
• What Is Celexa?
• What Drugs Interact with Zulresso?
• What Drugs Interact with Celexa?
• How Should Zulresso Be Taken?
• How Should Celexa Be Taken?

Zulresso (brexanolone) Injection and Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide) are antidepressants used to treat depression.

Zulresso is specifically used to treat postpartum depression (PPD) in adults. Zulresso is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the Zulresso REMS.

Zulresso and Celexa are different types of antidepressants. Zulresso is a neuroactive steroid gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor positive modulator and Celexa is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

Side effects of Zulresso and Celexa that are similar include drowsiness, sleepiness/tiredness, and dry mouth.

Side effects of Zulresso that are different from Celexa include loss of consciousness, flushing, and hot flushes.

Side effects of Celexa that are different from Zulresso include constipation, nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, decreased sexual desire, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm, dizziness, sleep problems (insomnia), increased sweating or urination, weight changes, and cold symptoms (such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, or cough).

Both Zulresso and Celexa may interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (such as sleeping pills, narcotics, muscle relaxers, or medicine for anxiety or seizures) and other antidepressants.

Celexa may also interact with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), lithium, St. John's wort, tacrolimus, tramadol, L-tryptophan, arsenic trioxide, vandetanib, antibiotics, anti-malaria medications, blood thinners, heart rhythm medications, HIV/AIDS medications, medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headache medicines, seizure medications, and stomach acid reducers.

Do not stop using Celexa suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Zulresso include:

• drowsiness,
• sleepiness,
• dry mouth,
• loss of consciousness,
• flushing, and
• hot flushes

Common side effects of Celexa include:

• constipation,
• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• upset stomach,
• decreased sexual desire,
• impotence,
• difficulty having an orgasm,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• tiredness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• dry mouth,
• increased sweating or urination,
• weight changes, and cold symptoms such as stuffy nose,
• sneezing, sore throat, or
• cough.

Zulresso (brexanolone) Injection is a type of antidepressant called a neuroactive steroid gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor positive modulator indicated for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD) in adults. Zulresso is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the Zulresso REMS.

Celexa is a prescription medicine used to treat depression. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not treating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider. Celexa is also used to treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting better with Celexa treatment.

Zulresso may interact with CNS depressants (e.g., opioids, benzodiazepines) and other antidepressants. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Zulresso; it may harm a fetus. There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants such as Zulresso during pregnancy. Zulresso passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Do Not take Cymbalta if you:

• take a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI). Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if you take an MAOI, including the antibiotic linezolid or intravenous methylene blue.
• Do not take an MAOI within 5 days of stopping Cymbalta unless directed to do so by your healthcare provider.
• Do not start Cymbalta if you stopped taking an MAOI in the last 14 days unless directed to do so by your healthcare provider.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines that you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Cymbalta and some medicines may interact with each other, may not work as well, or may cause serious side effects.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• triptans used to treat migraine headache
• medicines used to treat mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders, including tricyclics, lithium, buspirone, SSRIs, SNRIs or MAOIs
• tramadol and fentanyl
• amphetamines
• cimetidine
• the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, enoxacin
• medicine to treat irregular heart rate (like propafenone, flecainide, quinidine)
• theophylline
• the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (like ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin).
• over-the-counter supplements such as tryptophan or St. John's Wort
• thioridazine (Mellaril). Mellaril together with Cymbalta can cause serious heart rhythm problems or sudden death.

Ask your healthcare provider for a list of these medicines if you are not sure.

Do not take Cymbalta with any other medicine that contain duloxetine.

Zulresso should be taken at the same time everyday. Zulresso should be taken either always with or always without food.

Take Celexa exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of Celexa until it is the right dose for you.

Celexa may be taken with or without food.

If you miss a dose of Celexa, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Celexa at the same time.

If you take too much Celexa, call your healthcare provider or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.