Why did celexa work but cipralex is not?

It appears they may be two different drugs, not cipralex being an advanced celexa. Another name for cipralex is lexapro. Here is a link discussing the differences.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/26596 ... a-lexapro/

Hi Azalea3,

Celexa and Cipralex are the 'same' drug in exactly the same way as an Orange and a Lemon are the same thing.

In Chemistry some molecules are Chiral, which means that the molecule is asymmetrical, such that it can have a different chemical which is a mirror image of itself.

Celexa is a tradename of the drug Citalopram, whereas Cipralex is a tradename of is chiral opposite, the drug Escitalopram.
Escitalopram was developed more recently, and is believed to be equally effective as Citalopram, but with reduced side-effects.

Incidentally, the chemical in both oranges and lemons which give each their unique smell is in both cases limonene, but in oranges it is the 'left-handed' version and in lemons the 'right-handed' one. http://americanhistory.si.edu/molecule/04exp.htm

I suggest that you raise your concerns with your Doctor.
I suspect that if you are still not feeling an improvement in your depression that they may well consider moving you to Citalopram (which is a less expensive drug).

Please note, you should only change your medication regime under the guidance of your Doctor.

Best Regards,
John

I was on Citalopram (20mg started right away on that dose) almost two years ago. The first two weeks were difficult with side effects, of course my anxiety was at the highest it has ever been in my life. So looking back on it (I actually logged my first 22 days in this forum) I can't really determine if it was side effects of the meds or the anxiety causing them.... but around day 14 I was feeling great! and never really looked back...

With a major amount of stress at work, winter time blues, and not eating well and no exercise, I found myself back with my buddy ANXIETY. So I tried coping with it for three weeks before I finally decided to get some help. My Doctor wanted me to try Cipralex this time as it is deemed a cleaner version of Citalopram which is supposed to have much lesser side effects...

I started on 10 mg and now with 30+days under my belt I can tell you much: the side effects were not as severe as Citalopram that much is true, the therapuetic period of the drugs seem to be different though, it took two weeks on Citalopram to feel significant benefits where it was 4weeks+ of Cipralex to feel what i would say is the same effects.

One important thing though is that Cipralex did progress from the start and each day I seemed to get better. Honestly, you have a three choices:

1. Try Cipralex and stick with it for at 6 weeks and see if there are benefits
2. Go to your Doctor and talk about your concerns and try a different med
3. Do nothing, and try alternative methods: exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, therapy, naturalpathy (vitamins and nutritional supplements) to name a few...

Ask yourself what is better, feeling like you do now or feeling worse(only a possibility!) on medication but within a couple of months feeling like yourself again? Only you can answer that question...

Hang in there, you can get through the worst of what your anxiety can conjure up, it can't hurt you.

Sorry to seem a little blunt, just want to help you focus on getting better....