taking citalopram for p n d

[sunny1georgia]

i have been taking citalopram for 3 mths i have a 4yr old, 2yr old and 7mth old im not sure how long 2 continue with this medication but the other day i stopped taking them for 2wks and became very tearful and aggitated and panicky again. i have started taking them again and feel better how long am i going 2 feel like this? i read that citalopram is not addictive but is this true. has anyone else had this medication any advice please

It's not addictive. Once you start to feel better on it, it's usually recommended that you stay on it for around 8 months.

When you come off it, you need to do it gradually - a little at a time. Half the dose for a little while, then half it again, then take the smaller dose every other day, that kind of thing.

Don't come off it without seeing the GP.

you must never stop taking any anti depressant without medical advice

also, you should take them for at least 6 months, then wean off them slowly, to see how you adjust ...

if you are in any doubt, see your doctor

it isn't addictive, but if you are not better, and stop taking them , you will feel bad

thank you 4 your advice wigwambam have you taken citalopram if so did it help you?

I took it for about a year, stopped a couple of years ago.

I found it helped a little but not enough to keep taking it. Plus it gave me electric shock-type feelings in my head every time I turned it, which I couldn't put up with any longer. That's a very rare side-effect though; most of them stop after the initial couple of weeks.

It sounds as if they were working for you for the first three months though, and are working for you again now, so they are worth persevering with. But you really do have to think about them being a longer-term thing than just a few weeks; as I said, my GP recommended I take them for at least 8 months after I started feeling better. They correct the chemical imbalance in your brain, but you have to take them for long enough to allow your brain to start producing seratonin for itself again.

Go and see your GP.

On a peronal note, I took citalopram for 4 months and it had no effect on my pnd (other than causing nausea)

I then took zispin which I found much better.

Dont give up, I am sure there is a medication to suit you.

Hi Sunny i had pre-natal last year and was prescribed fluoxetine, then when Ds was born switched to seroxat as i wanted to breast feed. Although both these weren't the citalopram the rules still apply..take for at least 6 mths, wean off slowly (including chopping up your tablets and taking halves at a time eventually!) and don't have a panic attack when you feel crappy once you've come off them.

I didn't realise but was addicted to the seroxat my STUPID doctor prescribed me and trying to come off them almost had fatal consequences. I almost crashed my car with bambino in the back, had numbness in my face, pins and needles etc and it was awful. Eventually i paid 1300 for accupuncture to come off the things.

What i realise now though in hindsight is that i should have carried on with the meds until i was in a position and strong enough to change my situation. I was so wound up with wanting to not be labelled as having post natal and wanting to show my health visitor that i was sane that i came off them at the wrong time.

My ds is now 10 mths and still feel sometimes in a bit of a pit of depression but then i think... but soemtimes life is just crap and i'm sure winning the lottery etc would help solve my problems but that just aint going to happen. Then when i have fcome to this conclusion it feels like the worst is over and can start picking myself back up again.

I'm just getting over a bad spell, totally shattered fed up working 5 days and no time at weekends etc which is why i've re-joined M/N (hence the major reply!) but although i'm in bed now(disco is so nineties!) i feel i'm over the worst...

Also try a vitamin supplement like echinacea that way you feel you have some back up when the meds are being reduced.

Hope you didn't mind me rattling on and this has been some use to you.
If it hasn't helped you it has certainly blown some of my own pent up stuff away.

x