Can a healthy diet mitigate the side effects of SSRI's?

July 15, 2011 9:23 AM

Today I was prescribed Celexa for what is now debilitating anxiety. I am concerned about certain side effects. Can these side effects be mitigated through diet?

Long story short, if I avoid sugar, refined flour, etc. and eat a lot of vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, my skin does not break out. If I eat badly, I can see the effects within a few days.

I have read that SSRI's can make acne worse, but I am wondering if that is because the people on it are eating inflammatory foods anyway. Can my healthy eating mitigate or prevent this side effect?

Thanks.

posted by DeltaForce to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

Possibly. I think maybe your anxiety is in play here; you may or may not get that side effect. If you do, you can examine your diet more closely and see a dermatologist. I know this is a hard time and you're looking for what you can control, but don't give yourself stress acne worrying about potential future side effect acne.

But some side effects are really drug side effects and you may experience them no matter how much you control your diet and other factors. If they are worse than the benefit of the drug, you will have to talk to your doctor about finding something else. But that's okay, it's not a personal failure if it happens.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:33 AM on July 15, 2011

SSRIs like Celexa (citalopram) can have lots of side effects. It is likely that you will not experience most of the side effects on your PI sheet. The worst side effect I had when I started taking Celexa was really terrible morning mouth for a couple of months. On the other hand, it can take a few tries to find a medication or dosage that works for you and doesn't cause really unpleasant side effects. So start taking your pills as directed, continue to manage your diet the way you see fit, and talk to your doctor if you experience a side effect that concerns you.
posted by silby at 9:34 AM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I found I didn't really have any side effects with celexa. The major effect it had on me was a certain distance from my emotional swings that let me deal with them rationally and learn new behaviors to cope with them instead of being overwhelmed and shutting down and just seeking escape. After a couple of years I came off of it and that has withdrawal effects but they can be dealt with and go away really pretty quickly (a couple of weeks) the worst of which was a constant dizziness that felt like I was car sick all the time. Good luck and I hope it helps you as much as it did me.
posted by bartonlong at 9:49 AM on July 15, 2011