Just got BFP but am on citalopram for depression and anxiety

[BotBotticelli]

...both a hangover from the PND I had when 23mo ds1 was born.

I've been feeling so much better in the last 4 months, anxiety and depression vanished in the meds. DH and I always wanted two so we were quite careless/deliberately not not trying and bam! Now I am pg again.

Looking for support from any other mums to be on ADs? I am making an appointment with GP this morning to discuss coming off them as quickly as is safe to do so as I know they're not proven to be safe for the baby.I know this is the right thing to do but am also scared about my depression and anxiety coming back :-(

Anyone else been/going through this??

[BotBotticelli]

Meant to say 'been feeling so much better ON the meds'. Stupid phone.

[TinyMonkey]

I came off my citalopram quickly as I was only on a 10mg dose. Felt a bit odd but otherwise ok. I do know people who have taken it throughout and their children have been fine, but I know gps aren't keen.

I think Sertraline is an ad that is safe to take on pregnancy, so you might like to ask your doctor about it.

Congratulations and good luck!

[shoopshoopsong]

Hi I'm not sure about that particular drug, but there are anti depressants that are thought to be safe during pregnancy (they can never say 100% due to the moral implications if they carried out tests on pregnant women)!

Try to get to your GP as soon as possible to talk about it. When I was planning a baby I went to see if I could carry on with fluoxetine and they said yes. If the drug is working for you it may be more dangerous to come off it for your well being etc. obviously this completely depends on your situation!

Your GP should talk through your options of possibly reducing your dose, coming off it, switching to a different drug or infact staying as you are.

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

I was on 10mg and was a bit teary the first week off them but I'm fine now. The GP said it's one of the anti depressants that is ok in pregnancy, though baby can get withdrawl symptoms if you're on it in late pregnancy, so there's not a massive rush to come off them if you feel you need to take it slowly x

[ChatEnOeuf]

I halved my dose when I found out about my previous pregnancy, down to 10mg. I'd been feeling much better for about four months so was ready to cut down anyway. Sadly I miscarried but I was still able to stop them completely a few weeks later. You do need to do it slowly unless you're already on a low dose. Or talk to your GP about switching. Good luck

[LittlePeasMummy1]

Hello, you should speak to your doctor about this and weigh up the risks/benefits- It's definitely not 'one size fits all' , and coming off citalopram may not be the best thing for you to do on balance. Here is a patient information leaflet that may help you. Good luck with everything

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Citalopram/

[N1982]

A GP told me to come off Fluoxetine in pregnancy 1. I developed terrible depression and ocd anxiety in 2nd trimester which lasted till birth. This time hit with anxiety from 5 weeks and put on a Citalopram. I am not really feeling the benefits 7 weeks on. May I ask how long it took for your Citalopram to take effect?

[Peaceloveandbiscuits]

Hiya
There's no need to be AD-free during pregnancy. I've got a long history of MH problems and there's no way I'd have survived the hormonal rollercoaster without Sertraline. I was already taking it before I got pregnant as it happened, but I spoke to my psychiatrist about TTC and she assured me it was the best thing to be on, and that I would be more of a risk to my baby unmedicated.
The midwife will monitor your mood very carefully and might refer you to a consultant if necessary.
Congratulations and good luck :)

[HeyheyheyGoodbye]

My friend's GP switched her from Citalopram to some other AD which was safe for her during pregnancy and now during breastfeeding. She was a bit weepy during the transition but otherwise fine. Speak to your GP.

[inthewoods4]

Hi, I'm in exactly the same position. I had PND with my first and it came back as anxiety three years later. I'm on citalopram now, 30mgs. My doctor was ok with it, and my midwife told me the worst thing to do was come off as she'd seen many ladies do that and really struggle. I'm 15 weeks now and have had some periods of anxiety, but I think a lot of it is hormone related. I'm planning on sticking with the ADs for my whole pregnancy, maybe tapering off towards the end. XX

[MurtleTheTurtle]

Hi,

I was on 20mg citalopram when I found out I was pg with dc2. Like you it was from pnd with dc1 and I was also feeling much better by that point. My GP suggested halving the dose and then stopping completely over a matter of weeks but did say that if I felt any anxiety I would be fine to stay on it during pregnancy. As it happened the pharmacy didn't have 10mg and I couldn't be arsed with cutting them in half so I did more or less stop completely and as it happens I was fine. I know it's not recommended to do this though.

[MirandaWest]

I was taking citalopram when I got pg with DD. I panicked, came off it straight away. For me this was definitely not a good idea as the depression was definitely there and struck me with a vengeance. By 12 weeks pg I was in a bad way and ended up on sertraline which did help a lot. I wish I had talked properly to the GP and discussed whether I could have stayed on citalopram rather than making panicked decisions.

For what it's worth DD is now 9 and is completely fine in all ways :)

[RubMyLamp]

Hello!

I'm currently TTC and am on beta blockers and Amitriptylene. GP gave me the go ahead and said it would be completely fine for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Im still very nervous and do worry a lot about it. I tried to cut down before coil was removed but ended up with the symptoms raging back and couldn't handle it.

Just because you have a MH issue and take meds for that doesn't mean your life should stop. I've been on and off them for the last decade and haven't taken them in pregnancy previously but this time is different as the anxiety is new and I have no idea how to handle it without meds.