Citalopram and Pregnancy - Yay or Nay?

[NurseSunshine]

I found out last week that I was 6 weeks pg, so 7 wks now. I am on 30mg citalopram/day.
Has anyone else got any experience of being on ADs whilst pg? Did you come off or stay on them? Or just reduce the dose?

[Flojo1979]

Hi
I came off, but i think its a very individual thing, depends how long u been on them, whether u really need to be on them etc.
Being pregnant gave me a whole new perspective and i felt much more positive in myself. If u feel u might not need them anymore then reduce your dose to 20mg for a wk or 2 then see how u feel. Either reduce further or increase back to 30mg. Whilst its not a good idea to be of them whilst pregnant, its def not a good idea to have acute AD either. So its up to u to weigh up the risk of medication or risk of AD.

[NurseSunshine]

Thanks for your input. I think I might try reducing and see how that goes. I guess a lower dose is better than a higher one even if I didn't come off altogether.

[Ishouldhavechosenagoldfish]

You really need to speak to your GP. I was on 40mg paroxetine when I found out I was pg at around 6 weeks, and on GPs advice reduced to 20mg. His view was that the critical period was up to 12 weeks, so in a sense I had a goal - to last until then. I have just now gone back to the 40mg, at 18 weeks, because the 20mg just wasn't working by then. As Flojo said, your health is important as well.

Good luck, and congratulations!

[NurseSunshine]

Thanks. After doing some more research I have decided to start weaning myself off slowly. I have an app w/GP next monday so will speak to them about it then as well but I think I would ultimately like to come off altogether. Of course now I won't know whether I've got ms or withdrawal symptoms!

[RoxieP]

I was on fluoxetine 20mg/day when I found out I was preg. In my case, by that stage the original bout of depression had passed and I was feeling better, but had seen no reason to stop taking them as I was having no adverse effects and didn't want the depression to come back. When I saw my GP the day after finding out, I asked him if I should take them or not. He said it was a cost-benefit decision. There is some evidence that SSRIs cross the placenta but noone is really sure what the effect on the baby is, and I think lots of people have taken them with no obvious ill effect. So, if someone can do without them, it may be better to come off them BUT only under the strict supervision and advice of a GP. If, however, coming off them is likely to make you suicidal or severely depressed then of course it is more harmful for you and baby. Depression during pregnancy is just as common as post-natal depression and us with a history of depression may be more at risk.

I came off them and I personally was fine, but I was feeling better anyway and a lot of the issues that were causing the depression had been resolved by that stage. There is no way that I could have stopped them when I was going through the height of my depression.

Be warned, even after you come off them be prepared to be asked at every single appointment with midwife etc. about how you're feeling! My depression happened before I met my current DP and it was a good job I had told him about it because the first appointment I took him to it was discussed in front of him. Also when I went for my 20 week scan,his mum came with us and the Dr wanted to see me - it was a good job I asked her not to come in with me for that bit as it was all about my depression! Of course then she worried and my boyf had to give her some story and reassure her that everything was fine! I guess it's good that they keep an eye on you but you do feel a bit "labelled" as a nutjob! I've had calls from the local mental health team and everything.

PLEASE DO NOT DO ANYTHING BEFORE YOU SEE YOUR DOCTOR THOUGH! He will give you proper advice on how to go about stopping/cutting down if that's what you decide. A few days on the regular dose won't hurt - just think of all the things we get up to after we conceive but before we find out? I was eating blue cheese and everything!

[emptyshell]

I'm massively severely depressed at the moment because of fertility problems and recurrent miscarriages... GP refused to prescribe ANY antidepressant at all on the offchance I become pregnant. There's more chance of me chucking myself off a bridge onto the M1 than having a successful pregnancy - but still, he's prepared to sit there and listen to someone talk about self-harm, planned out ways of suicide and how there's no future than take the risk of anything and a hypothetical pregnancy.

Yet everywhere else I hear about how some anti-ds are relatively low risk while pregnant.

Dunno what help that is - just... don't go to my GP I guess.