Citalopram/lorazepam mixup, posting for traffic

[LaMadrilena]

As title says, not an AIBU...

I take 20mg/day citalopram, and recently I'm taking lorazepam at bedtime. I've just accidentally taken a citalopram before bed instead.

I know it's not a huge deal, I may feel a bit weird in a bit. I've been on citalopram long enough to deal with it I think.

The question is whether it's a terrible idea to take the lorazepam anyway? I'm in for a long night I think...

Ring 111 and they will check for you.

It's been years since I worked in MH services but from memory, you shouldn't as there is interaction between two drugs. You can call 111 for advice. Or even googling "drug interaction citialopram/lorazepam) should give you an answer.

No 111 here unfortunately.

The online interaction checkers are a bit vague. I mean I'm ok taking 20mg citalopram in the morning and lorazepam mid-morning if I need it, but it's more the reaction with the increased citalopram that's making me wary.

Lorazepam and citalopram are commonly prescribed safely together. It's incredibly common for an antidepressant to be prescribed alongside lorazepam. The drugs interact only in so much as they can both have a sedative effect, again, this is common across many psychiatric drugs and wouldn't preclude them being prescribed together.

@LaMadrilena so to clarify, you've taken 40mg of citalopram instead of your normal 20mg daily?

40mg is still within the normal prescribed dose range. It's likely you will feel more drowsy if you take your lorazepam as normal but it won't do you any harm.

I appreciate that you can't take that as gospel as I am realistically a stranger on the internet, but I worked in pharmacy for many many years, and have also had extensive experience of these drugs personally through my own mental health difficulties.

You can obviously call the out of hours GP for reassurance but it is fine for you to take your lorazepam

@BodyKeepingScore Yes, I took my usual 20mg this morning, and have taken another 20mg just now, so not exactly twice the dose as such.

Thanks for your advice.

@LaMadrilena, it would be the same situation if your GP was titrating up your dose of citalopram. Any effect you feel will be from the higher dose of the citalopram as opposed to the interaction with the lorazepam as such, especially if you've been taking the two drugs together for a period of time already.

Take it. You’ll be fine. 40mg Citalopram is a normal dose for many.

Completely fine