Citalopram and amphetamines?

[Codehead]

I have using citalopram about one and half week already. Should I know something about when I'm taking amphetamines (d-amphetamine/European street speed)? I have heard that citalopram potentials amphetamines, so I would need to take lesser than normal? That would be pretty good.

[Psych0naut]

Citalopram is a SSRI, combining amphetamines with SSRI's can cause serotonine syndrome, which can be very dangerous or even fatal. Read this.

[Codehead]

I don't think that SSRI's and amphetamine would give you a serotonin syndrome. The MAOi's and amphetamine will give you that. SWIM have heard that SSRIs just potentials amphetamine, so SWIY should use lesser amount of amph to get the effects.

Citalopram may also interact with the following medications:
•amphetamine

[Psych0naut]

Amphetamine is a serotonine releaser, though not a very potent one, it is however in high doses. When using amphetamine in medical doses there is minimal risk when combining it with SSRI's, but when taking it in high doses it is something to avoid for safety sake. It is a potential dangerous mixture.

[eltimmy]

Moreover, SSRI will tend to blunt a lot of the subjective euphoric effects that acute amphetamine produces, improved serotonin transmission interfering with dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens (which is thought to be one reason underlying SSRI "effectiveness" over time: improved receptor density for dopamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens).

Again: basically, euphoria will be diminished, but negative cardiovascular effects of amphetamine use will stay and possibly become much worse if serotonin is overpotentiated.

Therapeutically, such combinations of drugs (*at therapeutic levels*) are not uncommon to be prescribed for patients manifesting both ADD/ADHD and depression.

SSRIs: When You Want A Bundle Of Side Effects That Barely Performs Better Than Placebo

[piddleton]

Serotonin Syndrome is serious - the risk is too great. Consider this: if you had a 1 in 100 chance of getting it, that might sound pretty low, a mere one percent, nothing to shout about in the grand scheme of things but if you were locked in a room with a 100 people and was told that one person is about to get shot in the head, it will be a pretty terrifying experience and I'm sure you will want to escape this room, although the odds of survival are clearly stacked in your favour.