20mg of citalopram is not working for my severe PMT PMDD

[DingleBerries]

I’ve always suffered from severe PMT (PMDD) I’m on 20mg of citalopram for depression which stemmed from a close bereavement 3 years ago.

I’m staying on them because I suffer with PMDD and originally it improved that quite a bit.

But for the last year it’s not been helping.

For a long time I’ve been putting it down to it ‘just being in my head’ and perhaps I was ‘expecting’ to start my period and have the placebo effect of PMDD or maybe it was just a one of and it will go away.

Except I’m having my worst month every.

The very second I stop ovulating my mood crashes. I hate my husband, my kids can’t get anything right (to be honest all they do is fight and nag me anyway) and I feel depressed horrible ugly and hateful.

I don’t want to increase my citalopram because you’re supposed to decrease AD’s over time not increase!

I was wondering if a different brand might help?

Any experience out there?

My GP who supported me throughout my bereavement, going on antidepressants and handling my PMDD has now had a big promotion and has left the practice. I’m gutted because she was amazing.

FWIW I also have counselling and do mindfulness but nothing stops those hormones dropping.

I feel in a similar way. Im on the same dose of citalapram and five months pregnant.

Quite regularly I have these almighty episodes of total worthlessness and I just can't handle it. I dont have a great deal of support around me, my own family lives far away and im not close to my in laws.

I literally don't know how im going to get through the next four months. Sorry I cant offer any advice, but I know how it feels to hate yourself.

It's maybe a higher dosage rather than a different AD that you need. I'd speak to a GP about increasing the Citalopram first. If 20mg isn't working there's no harm in increasing you need to find a level that helps and clearly 20 isnt. I was increased to 40mg and was on it for some time and it's now been decreased to 30.

It's more important to get the correct level than to worry about decreasing it at the moment

Didn't your GP ever suggest hormonal solutions, rather than ADs? This might be helpful:
www.studd.co.uk/pms_various.php

Meanwhile, 2mg/day of omega 3 fish oils has been shown in a study to help the MH aspects of PMDD.

"CONCLUSION: It appears that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the psychiatric symptoms of PMS including depression, nervousness, anxiety, and lack of concentration and may also reduce the somatic symptoms of PMS including bloating, headache and breast tenderness. These effects increased by longer duration of treatment."
(www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23642943/)

Get the best quality you can afford eg Lamberts:
www.lambertshealthcare.co.uk/omega-3-ultra-p8506/
A vitamin B complex could also help.

No, I started taking AD’s because my friend was dying from breast cancer and I was very very depressed.
It was simply an ‘added bonus’ that it would help with my PMDD.

I have taken all sorts over the years to combat it, including fish oils, evening primrose and star flower oil and many many more.
Taking them all at once or for years at a time.
Some of it helped a tiny bit but in no way enough.

I’m trying the pill instead.

The doctor suggested trying that first and if it doesn’t work to try and different AD.
I’m reluctant to increase it.

@AuntyElle having read the article you posted that would explain (as I suspected) why the pill makes me feel so terrible and like I have pmt all month round.

Therefore, I will be taking the article to my GP and discontinuing taking the pill.

I appreciate you posting that, as it’s very helpful and given me a different option.
I will make an appointment with my GP tomorrow or Friday.

DingleBerries, I'm glad that's useful.
I'm sorry, I realised that paper on fish oil was re PMS, not PMDD. My error. (Although I think it's still worth taking a large enough dose of high quality fish oil fwiw.)

I found sertraline better than citalopram for me; I also tried mirtazapine, which was awful and just made me sleepy all the time. These things coupled with daily excersize and a nice early bed time for LO really helped. HTH xx

@bullinachinacup did it specifically help with pmt?

I really appreciate your reply. I didn’t make an appointment today. I’m desperately trying to get an essay written but will have to on Monday. I really wanted it sorted before my next AF.

Well, I’m at the doctors. I’m going to try Sertraline.

I’m so confused by your post