Consumer Medicine Information
CELAPRAM
Citalopram 20mg Tablets
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about CELAPRAM. It does not contain all the information available on this medicine. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of using CELAPRAM against the benefits expected it will have for you. If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet. You may want to read it again.
What CELAPRAM is used for and how it works
Your CELAPRAM tablets contain citalopram hydrobromide. It belongs to a group of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
CELAPRAM is normally used to treat depression and help prevent potential recurrence of the symptoms of depression. It is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in parts of the brain. This affects your whole body and can cause emotional and physical symptoms such as feeling low in spirit, loss of interest in activities, being unable to enjoy life, poor appetite or overeating, disturbed sleep, often waking up early, loss of sex drive, lack of energy and feeling guilty over nothing. CELAPRAM works by correcting this chemical imbalance and may help relieve the symptoms of depression.
Your doctor may, however, prescribe CELAPRAM for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why CELAPRAM has been prescribed for you.
There is no evidence that CELAPRAM is addictive.
CELAPRAM is available on prescription from your doctor.
Before you take CELAPRAM
When you must not take it
Do not take CELAPRAM if:
- You are allergic to citalopram or any other ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
- You are taking another medicine for depression called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or have been taking a MAOI within the last 14 days. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure as to whether or not you are taking a MAOI.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Before you take it
Tell your doctor if:
- You have had an allergic reaction to any medicine that you have taken previously to treat your current condition
- You have heart problems, kidney or liver disease
- You have, or have ever had a bleeding disorder
- You have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether CELAPRAM is safe to use during pregnancy. However, there have been reports of unwanted effects occurring in the newborn with the use of medicines of this class when used during pregnancy. Therefore, if there is a need to take CELAPRAM during pregnancy, your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits with you.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
CELAPRAM passes into the breast milk and may affect your baby. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking CELAPRAM when breastfeeding.
Taking other medicines
If you are taking any other medicines, including any you get without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Medicines that may interfere with CELAPRAM include:
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (e.g. moclobemide, phenelzine, tranylcypromine)
- Other Antidepressants (e.g. imipramine and other tricyclic antidepressants)
- Serotonergic drugs (e.g. sumatriptan, tramadol)
- Lithium
- Diuretics
- Cimetidine
- Carbamazepine
- Metoprolol
- NSAID's (e.g. Aspirin)
- Warfarin
These medicines may be affected by CELAPRAM or may affect how well CELAPRAM works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking CELAPRAM.
Hypericum perforatum (St John's Wort) should be avoided as adverse interactions have been reported with a range of drugs, including antidepressants.
How to take CELAPRAM properly
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how much CELAPRAM you need to take each day. It is important that you take CELAPRAM as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than the recommended dose.
It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks before any response to CELAPRAM is noticeable. Your doctor may increase the dose by 10mg every 2 to 3 weeks depending on your response to the treatment.
The usual daily dose of CELAPRAM is:
- For adults: a single oral dose of 20mg daily. The dose may be increased to a maximum of 60mg daily depending on your response and severity of depression.
- For elderly patients: 20mg daily, starting with 10mg daily. The dose may be increased to a maximum of 40mg daily depending on your response or severity of depression.
CELAPRAM should not be used in children and adolescents (under 18 years of age).
Your doctor may tell you to take different doses to these. If so, follow their instructions.
The dose can be taken in the morning or evening, with or without food. The tablet(s) should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. Do not crush or chew the tablets.
How long to take it
For depression, the treatment is usually continued for at least six months to prevent potential recurrence. You may not feel better immediately as most antidepressants take time to work. Do not stop taking CELAPRAM even if you begin to feel better, unless your doctor tells you to do so. Make sure you do not run out of tablets.
If you forget a dose
If you forget a dose, just take the next dose when it is due. Do not take more than one dose at a time to make up for missed doses.
Taking your medicine at the same time each day may help you to remember to take it regularly. If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask you pharmacist for some hints.
While you are taking CELAPRAM
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking CELAPRAM.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking CELAPRAM before you start any new medicine.
Tell your doctor if you develop a skin rash or hives, or you become pregnant while taking CELAPRAM.
If you are going to have a surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking CELAPRAM.
If you are going to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking CELAPRAM.
Keep all appointments you and your doctor have scheduled so that your progress can be followed.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following, especially if they are severe, abrupt in onset, or were not part of your presenting symptoms: anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), irritability, hostility (aggressiveness), impulsivity, akathisia (restlessness or difficulty sitting still), hypomania, mania (mood of excitement, over-activity and uninhibited behaviour), worsening of depression.
Tell your doctor immediately if you have any distressing thoughts (thought of suicide or self-harm) or experiences during this initial period or at any other time.
Do not take CELAPRAM to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking CELAPRAM or lower the dose without first checking
with your doctor.
Stopping CELAPRAM suddenly may cause dizziness, headache and nausea. Your
doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount of CELAPRAM you are taking
before stopping completely.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.
CELAPRAM may cause drowsiness in some people. Be careful when driving, operating machinery or performing jobs that need you to be alert, until you are certain that CELAPRAM does not affect your performance.
Your doctor may suggest avoiding alcohol while you are being treated for depression.
Side effects
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking CELAPRAM.
All medicines can have some unwanted effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- Stomach or bowel problems (e.g. nausea, diarrhoea, constipation)
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth or taste change
- Increased sweating
- Tremor
- Ejaculation disorders
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Trouble sleeping
- Weakness
- Vision problems
- Irregular heart beats, also called palpitations
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding.
These are the more common side effects of CELAPRAM.
Tell your doctor immediately if you:
- Develop a rash or hives while taking CELAPRAM
- Vomit blood or develop black or blood stained stools
- Abnormal bleeding or bruising.
These side effects are rare but serious. You may need urgent medical attention.
See your doctor if you experience any of the following when you stop CELAPRAM treatment:
- Dizziness
- Tingling or numbness of the hands or feet
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Nausea.
These symptoms are generally not serious and disappear within a few days.
The list of side effects mentioned above is not complete. If you should suffer from any of these side effects or any other undesired effect please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
In case of overdose
You should only take the number of tablets that you have been told.
Immediately contact your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) or go to the Emergency department at your nearest hospital, if you think that you may have taken too much, or if anyone else has taken any CELAPRAM by mistake. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Take the pack of CELAPRAM with you if you can.
Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.
Storage conditions
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date shown on the pack/blister strip or if the packaging shows signs of tampering.
Keep your CELAPRAM tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
Store below 25°C and out of reach of children. Avoid exposure to heat, light and moisture.
Do not store CELAPRAM, or any other medicine, in the bathroom or near a sink.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking CELAPRAM or if the tablets have passed the expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with the remaining medicine.
Product Description
What CELAPRAM tablets look like
CELAPRAM tablets are white, oval shaped, engraved "CM" breakline "20" on one side and "G" on the other.
CELAPRAM is available in blister packs of 28 tablets.
Ingredients
Each tablet contains 24.98mg of the active ingredient, citalopram hydrobromide, corresponding to 20mg citalopram base.
Each tablet also contains lactose, maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, crospovidone, magnesium stearate and purified water.
If you want to know more
Should you have any questions regarding this product, please contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Who supplies this medicine
Distributed in New Zealand by:
Mylan New Zealand Ltd,
P O Box 11183,
Ellerslie,
Auckland.
Telephone: 09 579 2792
Date of information
3 September 2009 (Based on datasheet 2 February 2009)