first day on citalopram

[twosugarandspice]

After 4 years of mood swings and episodes of uncontrollable crying and saddness I have agreed to take the AD's which have been recommended several times before. I have two beautiful girls 3 and 4 and it is fair to say I have found it hard to adapt to motherhood and in many ways feel totally out of my depth.

Both girls are terrible sleepers and have at times found myself feeling extremely resentful and mourning my old life when me and my husband were carefree and happier - what an awful thing to think and something I feel exceptionally guilt about.

Due to financial constraint I also have to work 4 days another thing I feel guilty about as my girls want me to stay with them and are really clingy about being left.

I am also on my own when it comes to my friends who are all stay at home mums or housewives with lots of time on their hands to have immaculate houses, homecooked meals etc which also adds to my sense of failure.

I have decided to take this tablets this time after having an episode of crying which lasted over two days this weekend and over hearing my girls argue over who "made mummy sad" :(

Would appreciate any advice from people liek me who feel they have too many balls in the air and have totally lost themselves

Hi - I was put on Citalopram 5 days ago. I reluctantly agreed to try it... I had my first child 16 months ago and I love her to bits. But since her birth our sex life has dwindled to nothing and I am struggling to keep up with housework etc.. So I went to my GP (because my hubby was tearing his hair out and actually it was beginning to have a seriously detrimental effect on us as a couple). She suggested I could have a bit of PND and possibly ADs were the way forward. I was very confused when she told me this, because I am not in the slightest bit depressed at having had a baby. I feel I get very little help from my husband with our daughter - I do everything for her. But then I feel guilty that I want help from him because I can do it on my own - but then to have to do all the washing/cooking and cleaning on top of it, its just so hard. In his defence he does do some cooking and some cleaning, but other then that his "jobs" list hasnt actually increased like mine since having our daughter?! So, I refused the ADs and asked if there was anything else I could try first. So we changed my contraceptive pill. This had no effect at all! Last week I gave in and started taking these pills. I, like you, also have financial concerns and also have to work a 4 day week which I absolutely hate to do. I am desperately looking for a new job but there's nothing out there right now. So I totally sympathise with the feeling of failure when it comes to housework etc... I too have plenty of friends who are stay at home mums. Anyway, I am on my 5th day of taking the Citalopram and am exhausted (I keep waking up at 1am/3am/4am unable to get back to sleep), I am feeling lightheaded and a bit nauseous and wondering if I am wasting my time on these things? Which pills are you on? how are you finding them so far? I'm sorry, I realise you were after advice and I've not given any...

hi glad im not the only one - seems hard to believe at times as the grass always seems greener. My husband is the same we still love each other but has come close to splitting up several times over the past four years as he says "I'm not the same woman" but no I am not my life has turned upside down since having kids and to be honest sleep to me if far more sort after than sex! He does try with the girls but they are so cling to me it doesnt get him very far - if he trys to take them to bed it takes him 2 hours where it takes my 30 min and if he tried to get up with them in the night they cry until I am there.

I am only taking 10mg as wanted to try the lowest dose possible the doctor told me to go back after a week to see if I have any side effects and that I should take them for around 6 months although no wine for 6 months seems like hard work!

Can I just give you all a bit of encouragement and tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Everything you've all written brings back memories of how I felt when my children were young. Eventually I had Prozac for 6 months and although I wasn't conscious of obviously improving by the end of the 6 months I realised I felt strong enough to stop them.

Motherhood is not all plain sailing but now mine are grown I look back and the joys outweigh the difficulties.

Keep your chins up girls - it is all worth it in the long run

I am looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel. On the upside to all this, you dont need to give up alcohol. Both my GP and the pharmacist said I could still drink, but just not to go crazy! I've had a couple of glasses of wine and felt the same as I usually would...

I know what you mean about sleep being more important than sex! My husband gets very grumpy if he doesnt "get any"... so I end up feeling pressured to give in for a quiet life. It shouldnt be like this - which is the original reason for my trip to the drs in the first place! I hope these pills kick in soon, and I hope you start feeling better soon too x

ps: I took a Nytol last night and slept so much better, they're herbal, but if you have trouble sleeping too then I recommend these!

hi ladies, i remember when i had dd who is now 8 i found it really hard for the first 7 months. dh was away alot of the time, i lived in an area away from family and didn't really know anyone, i didn;t have dd until i was 38 and up until then had had a colourful life/job and suddenly i find myself living in suburbia surounded by housewives i didn't feel i had much in common with other than being a mum. i found it really hard to adapt. my mental state stank too, i had constant anxiety, that feeling of having forgotten to do something really important even though i hadn't, i was always stressed and couldn't relax, ever. i was always against ad's but ended up taking cital' for a year and they worked wonders, they made me feel normal (for me anyway!) as they took away the anxiety and tidied up my mental state. it does get better. i actually loved being a mum and settled into it from when she was around 8 months, but the beginning was a bloody nightmare but it does get better.

ps: i remember when i first took cital' i had terrible insomnia for the first two nights and didn't sleep at all, i remember now, really weird feeling, i was wide away but my body was physically comfortable and i just lay there, really weird but i read the instruction inside and i think insomnia/sleep disturbance is a side effect that does pass after a few days

I was exactly the same as you and put off going on ADs for 3 years. I am on citalopram and can't tell you how much better my life is. My resentment for my two girls (same ages as yours) has gone away and I am finally enjoying them. I am sleeping better too. AND I enjoy a few glasses of wine. It will be good for you too I hope.