Is it necessary to gradually increase the dose when switching from Citalopram 20 mg to Cipralex?

When switching from Citalopram 20 mg to Cipralex, it is not necessary to gradually scale the dose.

Citalopram and Escitalopram are both SSRIs, but Escitalopram is more active, so it is usually used at lower doses. Escitalopram is a more selective and more potent form of citalopram, which is why the dose of Escitalopram is usually lower and doctors often recommend switching directly to the appropriate Ciprax dosage without increasing gradually.

If your doctor decided that you do not need to scale the dose, he or she probably chose the appropriate equivalent amount of the drug. In case of doubts or worrying symptoms, it is worth consulting your attending physician again.

Pharmacotherapy is an important element in the treatment of difficulties in the area of psychological functioning, but it primarily deals with symptoms. In order to get rid of the disease in the long term, psychotherapy is necessary, which focuses on the causes and leads to healthy functioning without the use of drugs. This reduces the risk of symptoms getting worse after or shortly after stopping the medication. If you have not yet undertaken psychotherapy, I encourage you to consult your situation with an appropriate specialist.

If you need more personalized advice, you can use teleconsultations here:

https://www.gdziepolek.pl/telekonsultacja/z-psychologiem

The advice is provided in Polish.