Anyone on Citalopram..? It's not working??

[LittlebearH]

I have been on this for 2 weeks and the only thing I have noticed is waking up when my DD does (for the millionth time) and I am really sweaty.
I was given valium for my severe anxiety which was great, noticed a difference straight away. I am not sure if I am depressed or severe sleep deprivation causing me to feel fed up anxious tearful etc.

Hi Littlebear, don't go looking for Citalopram to help you in the same way as valium - valium is extremely addictive and sedating and a really bad idea in the long run.

Citalopram especially on low doses just helps you cope with things that bit easier. Some ADs are sedative but citalopram is not.

What dose are you on? You may need it increasing. Go see doc.

Citalopram took a couple of weeks to kick in for me. It makes you feel more able to cope rather than have a calming effect.
Sleep will be a major factor for you as well, how old is your DD?

I'm on citalopram and find it helps but I have panic disorder.

Agree with madmouse it isn't a sedative. What dosage are you on? The dr usually starts you on 10mg then increases it to 20mg and maybe higher? I did go on 40mg for a short while but it was too strong. I'm on 20mg usually.

When did the dr say to go back for a review?

It can take up to a month for you to start feeling like it is working. I take it and for the first few weeks I had terrible side effects but they did settle down.

Hi thanks for info...I am on 20 mg which I started on 20th Sept and been given 5 weeks worth and to see dr on week 4. So it has actually been 3 weeks. I ran out of valium 2 weeks ago and have been getting by. But have woken up the last 2 mornings with the severe anxiety again.

I can barely eat, feel like exremely nervous and sick and not sleeping after I have re settled 8 month old DD. Who has never slept through.

I need to get to a point where I feel able to cope with some form of CC (my last resort) as I go back to work after xmas and then I have to be up at 5.30am.

To give you some background..nothing has gone right - 49 hr labour, forceps delivery in which they broke my coccyx,she was 9lb 1,major blood transfusion,stiches fell apart completely 2 infections, and on top my milk dried up and had to get a relactation specialist in to help me BF. Had to give up after 5 1/2 months because due to anxiety my let down reflex failed.

My DD has never slept through she used to wake every hour but some inmprovement since weaning. Only wakes 4-6 times now. But afternoon nap is horrendous.

So anything new or goes wrong fills me with dread and anxiety as I worry about the knock on consequences.

I know I am not the only one who has had it rough but no one I know in real life has breast fed,struggled or had a broken coccyx etc. As I am over the worst people assume I should be coping ok by now and if DD doesnt sleep during the day, then so be it. But they are not the ones getting up.

Sorry for such a long boring post! I am just not sure if Citalopram is the answer or if I need something else. I dont know how I am supposed to feel.

Could you afford some help? Have you tried Home Start? Have you spoken to your health visitor to see if she can help in anyway?

Try and stick with the citalopram for another week if you can as it usually starts to kick in around 2-4 weeks some improvement. Having said that SSRIs (like citalopram and Prozac) can make anxiety worse. Your GP may suggest trying a more sedating antidepressant.

Also, I have been there with the non-sleeping baby - it is hellish. I used to feel panicky as it got closer to bedtime and another night of little sleep. Citalopram helped for me but it may not be the right one for you.

Have you anyone you can talk to - family, friends, health visitor? about how you are feeling. I felt just telling someone else about the anxiety eased it a little.

God what an awful time you've had You need to get all the help you can.

How's your diet? I know lack of certain minerals can make anxiety worse.

Really feel for you with non sleeping baby. DS1 didn't sleep for a year and cried all the time. Luckily ds2 was the total opposite otherwise I think I'd have gone demented.

You need to shout from the rooftops and ignore anyone who thinks you should be coping.

Get back to your gp asap and like Chewy said see your health visitor. Write it all down first if it helps and just let them read it. I've done that before about a different health issue.

Sounds like you need to talk - just some person centred counselling via our GP practice or a local charity. Talk through your horrid labour and how hard it was after that - to give it all a place.

Ctalopram is actually quite good for anxiety - my dh noticed an enormous difference on just 10mg so maybe you do need to go back to docs for a different dose. I thought doc was meant to see you after 2 weeks anyway to check it hadn't turned you suicidal (can do!)

Re: CC - I did it with ds when he was 11 months as his waking and me working was too much. He 'got' it in three nights, like a lightbulb went on in his head - ooooh I can sort out my own sleeping, wow...Never looked back

So don't be too scared of it.

i was given Citalopram for PND, i felt much worse at the 2 week mark but doctor urged me to stick with it, around week 4 it got a bit better and by week 6 i felt it was really helping. So i would say don't stop taking it, but ring your doctor to discuss how you are feeling.

Thanks all. Really loving support and advice. DP tries but he doesnt worry about anything ever and empathy is not on his radar. He thinks I am better on a good day and cant understand why the tears on a bad day. Have got HV coming to see me tomorrow PM and will see what she thinks too and will wait another week and speak to my doctor next week too. Have looked at night nurses etc but just too pricey. Have got the dreaded afternoon nap in a mo. :( She is due a good day. Fingers crossed! Had a long walk this morning, find this helps the anxiety a bit.

Hope the HV can help? And that you get some rest today.

Ah thank you curiousmama. Had a much better night last night. She went from 7.30pm to 2.30am so had an early night without a wake!! Pity she woke every hour thereafter!
Feeling a bit better today.. will see what HV says.

Have got my list ready!! :)

i was on citalopram for years and it worked well,although i was sweaty,tired constantly and had no sex drive then it stopped working for me a couple of weeks ago and im now on fluoxetine,feelin a bit better every day but its taking longer than the citalopram did xxx

Hi Samb, thanks..interesting to know.Will see GP next week for review. I have had no sex drive for the last 16 months. Wont tell DP about that side effect!!!

lol,i never told mine about that either,i just felt like i didnt wanna go too close to my poor partner,luckily he understands!feel less spaced out now im off them but they did really help me for years xxx

Mine not so understanding..he is still living in hope poor thing. It is a wonder my DD is here..ooops looks like I have another "issue":)

pmsl,i have hundreds of"issues" xxx

Glad you go 'some' sleep. Thinking of you today.

Thank you C for thinking of me. Got GP monday am going to ask about councelling or CBT. HV was really nice. Even showed me how to feed DD lumps of banana - see she wont choke!!

DD only woke twice at midnight and 5am. Am in shock. Wont get too excited as maybe a one off.

Almost feel human today..am going to try and enjoy it.

I did wonder if she was hungry? I know I used to feed ds2 at every murmur as I'd learnt with ds1. I think I'd left him to get too hungry tbh?

Mine used to get pasta spirals in homemade tom sauce and they'd eat it with their fingers...I didn't think of choking Bread sticks are good too.

Do you go to mother and baby groups? I found them invaluable and helped run one at one time. I didn't really make friends there just aquaintances but I know a lot do.

Well I am wondering...last night she didnt really like her tea only had two thirds of what she normally woofs. Typical, it was home made for once! However she drank nearly 7oz of milk rather than usual 5oz before bed. So against what other HV said, I am going to make her tea slightly smaller and see if she takes more milk. She only ever takes 5oz in the morning too but she took 7oz this morning.

I always make 7oz in hope and normally end up chucking the rest.

I can never second guess this kid. 4 days she completely dropped her afternoon milk yet took it the last 2 days. The only thing I did different was sit on the floor with her bottle.

When she woke before, I did give her milk at 1am but then she would not take any at 7am.

Her first tooth has just pushed through..maybe her teeth.

Who knows?!!!

May try the bread sticks today then!
Went to first baby group on Monday. It was better than I thought. Got me out as I was feeling rough as had a really bad night.Going again next week.

Dear Littlebear, I have had citalopram, a broken coccyx and a dodgy delivery but never all at the one time. You must be exhausted above everything else (and the coccyx takes forever to heal in my experience- it happened when I was a teenager and took about a year to be fully mended).

After giving birth, it took me about 14 months before my body felt back to normal (I also had infected stitches which was completely exhausting at a time when one is sleep deprived too).

Give the citalopram 6 weeks and then see where you are with it. Be gentle with yourself because the body takes longer than you think to heal and please don't stress about what's happening later, especially going back to work, try to take it one day at a time (difficult I know).

I think that 80% of the time, the thing that makes us most miserable is the lack of sleep and the inability to find time to catch it up. Also, most of my peers were feeling much better in themselves much quicker than I did after having baby so I couldn't really understand why I took so much longer to recover. Now I know that there's no such thing as normal when it comes to recovering from childbirth, it's a huge stress on body and mind!!

You poor thing You've been through the mill. Most ADs take at least two weeks to work, but longer for many. Persevere if you can. Current NICE guidelines are for GPs to try 2 SSRIs and if neither work, to refer pt. on to secondary mental health services. This sounds scary but could be a good thing as it will give you the opportunity to talk through your traumatic birth experience. Even if you aren't referred on, your gp can still refer you for psychological input.

Re sleep - I've been there and it's hell. Nearly destroyed my marriage. I think there's info on the Kellymom site. It's hard to do CC but dd needs sleep as well - think of it as a kind act for her sake so you feel less guilty Or you could try pick up put down. Though it sounds as though that's what you're doing already!

Do you feel guilty for not being able to bf beyond 5.5 months? If so, don't! You did amazingly well to do it for that long given your milk supply problems. I also had issues with supply after I had dd (prem).

Am a MH nurse so if you have any other questions am happy to help if I can

Hi both,

Thanks for the support and advice.
Yes pretty exhausted although last night was a "good" night am feeling a bit better today.

Giving up breastfeeding was a big deal. Everyone thought I was obsessed. No one I know other than my mum did it. She had no problems though. DD used to fuss a lot too.

It seems like a lot of mums my age (early 30's) just go straight to formula. Dont have problem with that. It was just I really wanted to do it.
I did feel like I had failed as my anxiety got the better of me. That said, I have moved on. I still miss it though.

Am considering counselling/CBT so will ask Dr about that too on Monday.