I have PND after third child, started citalopram yesterday and feel pretty bad

[Peckarolloveragain]

Can anyone tell me how long the tablets take to kick in and lose the side effects? I feel worse than I did before

[justaflyingvisit]

It can take up to two weeks for the effects to kick in. I felt better for two days and then really felt like shit for about three then felt ok. When are you taking them, morning or night?

[poppypops]

Hi, i've been on them a week now and have just posted the same question! Sorry i've no advice to offer. Have you been having bad side effects? It is horrible the uncertainty that comes with finally admitting you need a helping hand!

[NappiesGalore]

takes a couple of weeks to stop feeling ziombified and settle down. you can play about with what time of day to take them.
hold in there for 3 weeks and then see how you feel.
best of luck

[Peckarolloveragain]

I have been taking them at night as im scared the side effects will interfere with my day and looking after kids but it did disturb my sleep last night

i just feel zombified and more anxious and depressed than before. also like my brain has a delay on it!

[lulumama]

oh honey.. why did you not tell auntie lulu you felt so bad give it 2 -3 weeks for it to settle.
what dosage you on?

if you have sleep issues, then a short time of sleeping tablets , like a weeks worth , might really help

you will get through it

I did

[Peckarolloveragain]

im goign away to london on friday for a girly weekend but at the moment feeling like this im absolutely dreading it

[Peckarolloveragain]

lulu it has happened so quickly, within the last 4 weeks i have just crashed

i dont feel depressed as such just very very very anxious and tending towards being a bit agrophobic and not looking forward to things

it is scaring the shit out of me as i have never ever felt like this before

looking back havent been quite right since the birth but have always managed to keep completely on top of it and now just cant

they prescribed 20mg but im doing 10mg to start with, is that ok?

[lulumama]

it can happen like that, but great you have recognised you need more help

i personally would take the dose prescribed, 10 mg is a small dose.

[Peckarolloveragain]

i feel really scared to take 20mg, worried the side effects will be too much

[NappiesGalore]

i dont know if you have to listen out for a monitor or what (i do, but mine are biggish now so i dont need to hear and run immediately iyswim)... but if you are having trouble sleeping from anxiety, one thing ive found to be helful is foam earplugs. i got them coz dp snores so loud when first asleep... but actually theyre great for really signalling my brain to switch off and go-the-hell-to-sleep.

take care pecka, you'll be right
hi lulu

[lulumama]

you might find 10 mg does not do enough to help you. 20 mg not a huge dose. really , it isn;t! don;t be afraid, you would not take half the amount of antibitoics you needed or half the amount of other meds just in case.. take the whole dose x

[NappiesGalore]

lulu is right. 20mg is the lowest dose as far as im aware. the sooner you start taking the proper amount the sooner your body will get used to it and the side effects will fade.

you do know that the reluctance to take the meds is part of the illness, right?

dont be afraid and dont feel guilty; you are doing something utterly reversible if it turns out not to be for you, and you are also trying your best to be well so you can be the best mum and person you can/want to be.

[moodlumthehoodlum]

Pecka - promise things will get better. I am on 20mg, and feel much more myself. I had several weird nights' sleep and felt a bit hypery strange when I took them, but the side effects soon went. And I feel more like myself than for a long long time.

So keep it up, its hard, but so so worthwhile. And as I've said before on previous threads, and what other people have said on this thread, all the anxiety about taking them and a reluctance to take them is all part of the depression.

It will ease.

[justaflyingvisit]

Pecka, do please start taking the 20mg dose. I started on 20mg and felt good for a while, but it wasn;t enough for me and im on 40mg now. You can take up to 60mg. Ive read that 20mg is the most common dose but 40mg is actually the most effective. It will take time for the drug to get into your system anyway. The side effects will pass.

I sympathise with the anxiety, its horrible isn't it. I was really reticent to take them, but im so glad i did - saved my marriage.

Once you have straightened yourself out you can start to reduce your dose, but PLEASE don't do this without consulting your doctor first.

You have to treat your illness like it is, an ILLNESS, you would not be so concerned about taking medication if it were for a liver complaint. you'll be fine.

[Peckarolloveragain]

i think im worse than i thought, yes, i can see now that maybe my anxiety about the meds is all tied up with it all.

i am going on a girly weekend to london on friday that i just cant get out of and its also with people i wouldnt want to tell about the pnd.

if i start taking the heavier dose will i get worse side effects on not be able to function normally?

[NappiesGalore]

if you start taking them now i should imagine youll be somewhat used to the side effects by friday, even if youre not quite over them iyswim. i think the side effect period is already partially over for you, even if you have been taking a reduced dose...
good luck on w/end... if it gets too much remember you can cry off and duck back to place youre staying claiming a belly ache or something.

[justaflyingvisit]

it is natural to be anxious about taking ADs, and of course your anxiety will not help that. FWIW i always take mine in the morning as i found they interfered with my sleep.

[Peckarolloveragain]

do you function ok for the day thought taking them in morning?

[NappiesGalore]

maybe try at lunchtime... then the tiredness might kick in at about bedtime...
take care, hang tight.
x

[Dragonbutter]

i'm 4 weeks into taking citalopram. for me the headaches and nausea settled at about 2 weeks, and I started to feel more positive at around 3 weeks.
i'm so glad i started them. i'm feeling much more productive and starting to make lots of changes now.
i take mine at night.
i'm still suffering with tiredness that doesn't seem to shift however.

[Candlewax]

I am on the same tablets. I take them immediately after eating breakfast. You should not take them on an empty stomach. If you are taking them when you go to bed you are losing out on most of the benefit as you are sleeping whilst they are "working". I did feel nausea at first but it soon passed. I feel a lot less anxious now I am on them. I am taking 20mgs.

[Peckarolloveragain]

I took it (10mg) directly before I went to sleep last night and managed to sleep and am feeling much better than I have done for a nights sleep in me.

[Nbg]

I wonder why some people are told to take the at night and some in the morning?
Very odd.

Glad you had a better night

I'll be on msn today if you want to chat.

[Peckarolloveragain]

NBG have sent you a message. I need to go and get shopping so Im going to force myself to do that now and will be back later.

A funny thing happened this morning, can only imagine its the tablets playing with emotions, but I was talking to DH and cracked a really pathetic joke and then had about 15 minutes of extreme giggles which turned into floods of tears, it was actually very funny but mad that I wasnt in control of my emotions!

Now feeling a bit spaced out.

This is all so odd, all my life Ive taken my sanity for granted - I will be very grateful if/when I get it back!

[Nbg]

Got it

Chat later.