Celexa Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Celexa (citalopram) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat depression in adults. Like other drugs, Celexa may have interactions.

Some interactions occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. For example, sometimes alcohol, another drug, or a supplement can affect how a drug acts in your body. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.

Keep reading to learn about Celexa’s possible interactions, including what you should not take with Celexa. And for more information about Celexa, see this article.

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Celexa. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Celexa for you. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Celexa are described below.

If you take monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Taking Celexa with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) may raise your risk of serotonin syndrome. (MAOIs are a type of antidepressant.)

With serotonin syndrome, you have a high level of a chemical called serotonin in your body. This can cause symptoms such as:

• muscle rigidity
• confusion
• twitching muscles
• excessive sweating
• nausea and vomiting
• fast heart rate

In severe cases, serotonin syndrome can be life threatening.

MAOIs that may interact with Celexa include:

• selegiline (Emsam, Zelepar)
• linezolid (Zyvox)
• methylene blue (Provayblue)
• phenelzine (Nardil)
• isocarboxazid (Marplan)

Because of this risk, your doctor isn’t likely to prescribe Celexa with an MAOI. If you’re taking an MAOI, your doctor may have you stop taking the MAOI before Celexa treatment. In this case, they won’t start your Celexa treatment until at least 14 days after your last dose of the MAOI.

If you have questions about Celexa and MAOIs, talk with your doctor.

If you take pimozide. Taking Celexa with pimozide may cause an abnormal heart rhythm. Due to this risk, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Celexa with pimozide. If you take pimozide, your doctor may recommend a treatment other than Celexa for you.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you have had an allergic reaction to Celexa or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Celexa. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better options for you.

Before you start taking Celexa, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Celexa is safe for you to take.

It may not be safe to drink alcohol during your Celexa treatment.

Celexa isn’t known to interact with alcohol. But drinking alcohol while taking Celexa may increase your risk of certain side effects with Celexa. These include trouble with concentration or coordination.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor before taking Celexa. They can advise whether there’s a safe amount of alcohol to consume during your Celexa treatment.

Before you start taking Celexa, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The chart below lists drugs that may interact with Celexa. Keep in mind that this chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Celexa. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.

* To learn more about this interaction, see the “When should I avoid Celexa?” section above.

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Celexa.

Interaction with triptans

Taking Celexa with triptans can increase the risk of side effects from Celexa and triptans. (Triptans are a group of drugs used to treat migraine.)

Examples of triptans include:

• sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• zolmitriptan (Zomig)
• eletriptan (Relpax)

What could happen

Taking Celexa with triptans could raise your risk of serotonin syndrome. With serotonin syndrome, you have a high level of a chemical called serotonin in the body.This can cause symptoms such as:

• confusion
• rigid muscles
• twitching muscles

In severe cases, serotonin syndrome can be life threatening.

What you can do

If you take Celexa with a triptan, watch for symptoms of serotonin syndrome listed above. If you have these symptoms, tell your doctor right away. But if your symptoms seem life-threatening, you should call 911 or your local emergency number.

Interaction with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Taking Celexa with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can increase the risk of side effects from Celexa and NSAIDs. (NSAIDs are used to reduce swelling or treat pain.)

Interaction with hydroxyzine

Taking Celexa with hydroxyzine (Vistaril) can increase the risk of side effects from Celexa and hydroxyzine. (Hydroxyzine is a drug used to treat anxiety and allergies.)

What could happen

Taking Celexa with hydroxyzine could raise your risk of having an abnormal heart rhythm. This may not always cause symptoms. But in more severe cases, you may experience fainting, especially during physical (such as exercise) or emotional stress. Other symptoms can include shortness of breath, sweating, and feeling as if your heart is skipping beats.

What you can do

Before taking Celexa, tell your doctor if you take hydroxyzine. They likely will not prescribe Celexa in that case. Your doctor may recommend a treatment other than Celexa for you.

Celexa may have other interactions. They could occur with foods, supplements, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Celexa.

Does Celexa interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Celexa interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Celexa, talk with your doctor.

Does Celexa interact with supplements?

Before you start taking Celexa, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Celexa interactions with herbs

Taking Celexa with St. John’s wort may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. (St. John’s wort is an herb used to treat depression and other conditions.)

With serotonin syndrome, you have a high level of a chemical called serotonin in the body.This can cause symptoms such as confusion, rigid muscles, and twitching muscles. In severe cases, this condition can be life threatening.

Before taking Celexa, tell your doctor if you take St. John’s wort. They can recommend whether it’s safe to take Celexa with this herb.

If you take Celexa with St. John’s wort, watch for symptoms of serotonin syndrome. Tell your doctor right away if you experience these symptoms. But if your symptoms seem life-threatening or severe, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Celexa and vitamins

There are currently no reports of Celexa interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Celexa.

Does Celexa interact with vaccines?

There are currently no reports of Celexa interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines while taking Celexa, talk with your doctor.

Does Celexa interact with lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Celexa interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests done while taking Celexa, talk with your doctor.

Does Celexa interact with cannabis or CBD?

There are currently no reports of Celexa interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Celexa.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Celexa. Before taking Celexa, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Celexa is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Celexa include:

Being age 24 years or younger. Celexa may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This risk is especially high in children and adults ages 24 years and younger. In fact, the drug has a boxed warning about this risk. For more information, see the “Boxed warning’ section at the beginning of this article.

Seizures. Celexa may cause seizures in some people. If you already have a condition that causes seizures, your risk of seizures with Celexa may be higher. Your doctor can tell you whether it’s safe to take Celexa with your condition.

Bleeding problems. Celexa may cause bleeding. If you already have a bleeding problem, such as hemophilia, your risk of this side effect may be higher. Before starting Celexa treatment, tell your doctor about any bleeding problems you have. They can determine whether it’s safe to take Celexa.

Kidney or liver problems. If you have a kidney or liver problem, tell your doctor before taking Celexa. Examples of these problems include kidney failure and liver failure. Your doctor may give you a lower dosage of Celexa than what’s typically used.

Heart problems. Celexa may cause an abnormal heart rhythm. Your risk of this side effect may be higher if you have existing heart problems, such as heart attack or heart failure. If you have heart problems, talk with your doctor about whether Celexa is safe for you.

Bipolar disorder or mania. Celexa may cause mania or hypomania (which can be symptoms of bipolar disorder). Before taking Celexa, tell your doctor if you have bipolar disorder or mania. They may prescribe a drug other than Celexa for you.

Narrow eye angles. Before taking Celexa, tell your doctor if you have narrow eye angles. Celexa can dilate your pupils, which may lead to close-angle glaucoma in people with narrow eye angles. Closed-angle glaucoma causes severe eye pain and vision loss. This condition is a medical emergency. Your doctor may suggest you have an eye exam to check for narrow eye angles before you take Celexa.

Pregnancy. It’s not known whether Celexa is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about the risks and benefits of taking Celexa while pregnant.

Breastfeeding. It’s not known if it’s safe to take Celexa while breastfeeding. Celexa passes into breast milk, which may lead to side effects in a breastfed child. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before taking Celexa.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Celexa or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Celexa. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Celexa and possible interactions.

Does Celexa interact with birth control?

No, Celexa isn’t known to interact with birth control. It should be safe to take Celexa while using birth control. If you have questions about taking these medications together, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can I take Celexa with L-theanine?

Yes, if your doctor tells you it’s safe. Celexa and L-theanine aren’t known to interact with each other. But it’s possible it could interact with other medications you may take or conditions you may have. So, it’s best to check with your doctor before taking any supplement, including L-theanine, with Celexa.

L-theanine is a supplement used to treat insomnia (trouble sleeping). It’s also used to reduce stress and anxiety.

If you have questions about Celexa and L-theanine, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Celexa. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• Whether you drink alcohol.
• Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
• What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Celexa treatment.

It’s also important to read Celexa’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. You may see colored stickers on the label that describe interactions. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Celexa, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.) If you need help understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Celexa exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

If you still have questions about Celexa and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

• Do I have any health conditions or take any medications that could affect my Celexa dosage?
• Could I still take Celexa if it interacts with a health condition I have?
• Should I tell you if I start taking a new supplement or medication during my Celexa treatment?

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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.