Citalopram for post natal anxiety

[Clair1981]

Hi everyone. My lo is 7 weeks old, I started on 20mg for anxiety 11 days ago. I took it four years ago for pnd with no problems. This time I felt fine for a week, just a dry mouth. But yesterday and today my anxiety has been awful, I feel really panicky. It seems weird for the side effects not to have been present from the start so I'm wondering if my dose is too high. I know I need to stick with it but can't find anyone else saying side effects kicked in later...I've got diazepam but it's not helping that much. Also during the week I got the diazepam and citalopram muddled and took way too much cit. I felt awful on the day but fine the next day and then Friday this started. Could it be an effect of that or would the extra dose have worn off by now? I'm going to ring my gp Monday but I just want some reassurance really or someone like me who has had effects later and none initially.

[dippydeedoo]

i think its the mixing up of drugs and your general anxiety thats causing you to feel like this,
I take citalopram and have been doing for a while,without it i simply could not cope.
Its still very early days for citalopram to kick in it usually takes about 14 days before you feel any slight difference so i suspect youre a little worked up,and who can blame you? its been a tough year pregnancy childbirth and the early weeks xx
youll get there kid just keep on xx

[Clair1981]

Thanks for replying. The jaw clenching / teeth chattering has only started the last couple of days too. I just expected side effects sooner so I'm worried now it's levelling out in my system that it's too much . You're right though I know I'm worked up, the more I think of it the worse I feel but I can't stop thinking about it. I'm glad the depression side of things hasn't set in though.

[dippydeedoo]

The jaw clenching is a coping thing when youre stressed,although i find even now sometimes my teeth chatter and i did yawn a lot at first when on citalopram so it is a side effect,
You are doing the best you can,youve recognised you needed a bit of help and got that help,youve realised youre still not feeling well and have asked for support and advice on here so thats a massive step in the right direction.
anxiety is like a jenga game your wibbly wobbly wating for the blocks to fall ....try and look at your anxiety and put them into context and even the stuff that is valid anxiety stuff you can look at it and think its beyond your control you can only care for yourself and your new baby ...forget everything else for now xx youre doing ok xx

[Clair1981]

I don't even know what I'm anxious about, I just have the horrible adrenaline type feeling all the time.

[dippydeedoo]

yes i know that feeling only too well hun.
like any minute something dreadful will happen.
that is a panic attack and you are on high alert :(
can you have a rest? maybe take a diazepam if there is someone to help with baby? i was offered diazepam but for other reasons decided i simply couldnt so i have propanolol they are very good at helping it when youre panicky xx

[Clair1981]

I wanted propranolol as I had them last time but can't because I'm on other blood pressure meds :( I've got three a day diazepam which I was scared of but they're fine, they only take the edge of slightly though for a couple of hours and I don't want a higher dose.

[dippydeedoo]

have you tried being mindfull??
i may have worded that wrong but reassuring yourself that baby is fine and you are fine and everything is ok can be kind of a useful mantra ...do you have anyone to go to to chat for a bit? or can someone come to you? or can you bundle baby up and go for a walk? x
i absolutely know how you feel and i used to cope by going to bed and putting all the duvets over me and literally hiding under 4 double duvets (saved on the heating lol) xxthe weight kind of cuddled me and made me feel safe.

[Clair1981]

I just want to go to bed but I have my four year old too . I might go to my mums tonight. I know I shouldn't without talking to gp but I might only take 10mg tomorrow

[dippydeedoo]

dont mess around with the dosage hun just do as the gp says and get an appt asap to discuss it x hope you went to your mums and got some rest and some hugs xx

[Clair1981]

Thanks. I got an appt this morning. The doc agreed it could be side effects so I'm trying a 10mg dose. She's also agreed to swap out my blood pressure meds for propranolol. It's a hefty dose to tackle the anxiety and the blood pressure but I know that'll settle in my system in a couple of days. Had a grim morning but a better afternoon so feeling a bit more optimistic. Thanks for replying xx

[dippydeedoo]

Glad today has taken a positive turn x

[Laupen20]

Hi Clair1981, sorry to interrupt your conversation & I hope you are feeling better! I too am suffering from postnatal anxiety & have been put on 20mg citalopram & have been on them 7 days but feel so spaced out & light headed like I'm not in my own body I can't function properly!! I can't drive & don't really want to go out & about while I feel like this. I've spoken to my doctor who said I can decrease my dose to 10mg so I just wanted to know if you were ok changing from 20mg to 10mg? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much xx