Help! Newly pregnant but on citalopram!!

[ellasmum1]

Have found out one week ago that I'm pregnant (about 5/6 wks)with my second child. I have been on 20mg citalopram for past 6 mths and its really helped me. I don't think I would have tried to get pregnant if i hadn't been on it because I felt life was just too hard with one child!
However I always wanted more than one.
So now I don't know what to do. Do I wean myself off it and risk awful side effects? Or do I keep taking it and hope for the best? I know there isn't much research out there on the safety of this drug in pregnancy. I haven't seen my Gp yet, to be honest I'm a bit scared of being told off for getting pregnant while on the drug!!
Anyone out there that has stayed on this drug throughout their pregnancy? And what about breastfeeding?

Hi there

I was desperatly depressed during my 1st pregnancy and like you am now expecting our 2nd child. I didn't take any medication while i was pregnant because i was constantly informed by my midwives and husband that i wasn't depressed i was having mood swings!!!!!

I took prozac for about 6 months after william was born (now 2.5 yrs) and breastfeed during this time. I'm afraid i can't comment on citalopram but i would urge you to talk to a doctor/midwive/NHS direct.

Sorry if this isn't very helpful.

Don't know about citalopram I'm afraid but I was on dothiepin throughout pregnancy and bfing and dd is fine. Might be worth considering a change of ad to an older one where there is more evidence of safety in pregancy?

BTW my GP, midwife and psychiatrist were all amazingly supportive about this so your GP should not tell you off - if s/he does then change!

HTH, all the best

I don't think you should breast feed while on Ciralopram, so I imagin it would be best not to take it while you are pregnant. Ask your GP if there is an alternative.

hi Ellasmum.Tried to find any new messages of yours a few weeks back,but couldn't somehow-wanted to know how you are.Anyway,been suspecting too that for this last year,i may too have been depressed,but not seeked any help for it yet.WOW-i'm so happy for you,that you are over the hurdle of the 2nd child decision and that you feel your medication has helped you feel up to trying.CONGRATULATIONS!-i hope all goes well,with both your health and the baby's.
I've totally gone cold on the idea of another,this last two months,but having said that,i've felt more depressed lately too....reading your post has made it make sense!!!...like you,being depressed might have been the cause for my lack of interest,and maybe if i can get on top of it,i too may have a different attitude again about it.That is truly a great thought for the new year!!. if things don't improve,i may see the GP.
I don't know anything about Citalopram,but i do know that you are a very caring mum,because you care enough to be researching it and you have been brave enough to tackle your depression.You are doing right,though,putting your health as a high priority now and it is important that you stay feeling good during your pregnancy..I may be wrong ,but i heard once that the baby has it's own 'sac' and that it may not absorb things from you at first.A long while back,i heard on other threads this,from mums worried the things they had taken may affect the baby.Like i say i'm not totally sure about this,so you would have to ask the proffessionals.I would just check with your GP or whoever,to make sure the citalopram isn't harmful.
Good luck and hope you had a good Christmas and Happy New Year

Hi
Please be reassured as I took citalopram during 2 of my 3 pregnancies & had no adverse effects - please ask any more questions if ouy'd like - good luck xx

Notolerance, Apologies I am jumping in here as also on 10mg daily of Citalopram for anxiety since going back to work after first baby in September and this Xmas holiday we decided to try for number two. Actually been talking about this tonight and saying I must go and see GP this week with view to coming off this. What was the view of your GP, did you ask them? Thanks in advance.

I got pregnant on Citalopram by accident too (maybe it should be listed as a side-effect on the packet!!). Baby hasn't made an appearance yet so I'm in a bit of a panick too. GP & Obs have said its not very toxic and quite common, so I'm just try to stay positive and calm. I stopped it straight away and didn't suffer any withdrawal problems. Congratulation and good luck.

Thanks Happyathome- I searched recently for your messages so I could tell you! We basically tried for first month to "leave it to fate" and bang! Can't believe it, was weird though, didn't show up as bfp until AF 14 days late.I'd pretty much lost hope by then! I've taken 15mg instead of 20mg for past week or so and will try to see Gp soon.Feel ok so far. All citalopram does for me is take a little edge of the stress/worry of every day life. I don't notice it, I just feel better about life and can cope better.
My best friends are expecting their first , and my little sis her second though so that also made me want to take the plunge. Sibling rivalry for you!
Really hope you feel better soon yourself xxx

Thanks to everyone else too, its especially encouraging to hear notolerance had two healthy babies while on citalopram.
And good to hear bluedomino managed to wean off ok too! I think I will try to wean off because pregnancy gave me wonderful calm happy hormones first time around,so hopefully will be ok.

so glad youv'e found my message.WOW!-one month,that was quick...fate obviously wanted it for you too.Been reading a book lately from library,to try and turn my negativity around(feel the fear and beyond).Want to try to shift anxiety e.t.c. before resorting to the gp.Also going to try more yoga at home and walking.Have you heard about hypnobirthing-heard loads of good stories about it!-think i would try that if i ever have another.
this book has some good affirmations-my favourite is....IT'S ALL HAPPENING PERFECTLY,meaning that there is a grand design for us all and that the universe sees to it that life brings us things that are for our highest good and that if things don't go as we planned,it must mean there is something better waiting for us!...another good one is I LET GO AND I TRUST,again it gives me that feeling that i don't have to control every little thing in my life.
Everything will work out for the best-apparently if you keep saying it,you do believe it...think i'm starting to already.
please keep in touch.if you have trouble finding messages,then maybe if you start a thread called ellasmum's progress or something like that,in this section,or in parenting,i will look out for it.i trawl down the list very regularly.just let me know which topic you would put it in.i'd love to hear how things go.how's your job going and how's your DD finding school thesedays(have you got used to her not being at home everyday yet?!).
take care

I did hypnobirthing and it is fantastic, can't recommend it enough. I am a worrier extrordinaire (hence the tablets) so I did HB which was a two day course and listened to the CD every day for the last two months of pregancy and had a totally great water birth. I can honestly say through most of my labour I just felt 'uncomfortable' and I only had gas and air for the last hour before I started pushing. I can't recommend it enough though I was massively sceptical beforehand. I tell all my newly pregnant friends about it because my birth was my first (hopefully not my last) and I look back on it all as a really positve experience. Hope this helps, let me know if you want more info and I would be happy to email...MissyT.

Hi there, thank god you are all there. I have just tried to come off Citalopram as I thought I was feeling better ! Hah. Now I feel terrible and am crying all the time. I feel sick, dizzy etc so thought it was the side effects now I am not sure. I wanted to come off it as we want to try for another baby. Has anyone actually been told it is ok to take in pregnancy as I think i have made a bad decision to stop. Thanks.

I was only on 10mg so came off it but another girl on my thread stayed on it during her pregnancy - shall direct her here so she can help you

congrats on your pregnancy

I just checked the start of this thread and it was almost a year ago! However, JulieH - I took Citalopram for 20 weeks of my pg. My lovely gp rang the regional drugs centre and one of the hospital psychs to check whether it was ok. The only research they had was that in a small trial, on expectant mothers taking 60mg daily, there was a 0.05% increase in foetal blood pressure. Basically too small to matter (the trial size that is) and not enough known about it.

At 20 weeks I saw the peri=natal psych team and they put me on to clomipramine which I took for the rest of the pg and will continue to take until I finish bfing.

Feel fab, had a wonderful pg (mentally) and have been fine post-natally

hth
Ps Dizzy sent me!!

i am 12 weeks pregnant was on a different anti depressant till i found out them stopped it but dont feel i can manage without just been 2 my docs a nd has gave me citalopram very reluctatly i just dont no what 2 do should i start them or not

Hi just woundering how you all got on with your AD'S nd pregnancy?

just wanted to say that i also took citalopram during my third pregnancy and bf for 10 months. i have a very healthy, happy baby boy. the only thing that may have been a side affect is that when ds was born he was quite purple- took a couple of mins to pink up. i havent been told that this is due to citalopram but just wonder in my own mind!

How many mg where you on charzoko? did you feel the need to up your dose at any time during your pregnancy or thought the deppression/anixety got to much due to the hormones?

Sorry if i sound nosey, just hoping to ttc soon and i am on 20mg and was hoping to stay on them

x

Hi
Congrats on your pregnancy!

Just wanted to say that I am on 20mg Citalopram and 26 weeks pregnant. Have had no probs at all. Both GP and midwife said its fine to take it.

I fell pregnant whilst on Fluroxetine with my first baby and stopped taking it immediately without consulting my GP- the results were hellish and I felt awful for the whole pregnancy. Your GP should be able to advise you if the benefits outweigh the risks in your particular case and the best way to cut down the dose it if that's what you feel you want to do

Hope this is helpful

Ah, just realised the date of original post!

Oh well, hope this helps someone else anyway

Came across this thread and just wanted to add my experience for anyone else who is taking ADs and pregnant.

I have had 2 pregnancies whilst taking fluoxetine (and one without). I was on 40mg for the first one and 60mg for the second one. Both my DCs are fine. I am lucky that the antenatal care at my local hospital were really understanding and have an antenatal psych to help in these cases and her view it's all a question of balance and a mentally healthy/coping mother/mother to be easily outweighs any risk to the baby.

My first pregnancy was without ADs and I had horrendous PND, which was not a good experience.

Hi jam they has really helped me thank you. I'm on 20mg of citroplam spelling? And me and hubby are going to ttc dc3 soon. I'm so worried even with ad's the hormones will make me feel terrible!
But your story is positive thank you.

Hi all, I have just got back from the docs having been on citalopram 40 and reduced it slowly over several months to prevent withdrawel and then been off it totally for the last 3 weeks, I had a big wobble! I had decided to try to come off it due to wanting to conceive drug free, I had had conflicting messages from gps, saying its fine to be on it, but theyd rather I wasn't!any way, seems that I need the dam drug to be stable enuff to cope with life !better a mum on citalopram and happy with life, than a bivering wreck in the corner drug free no use to anyone! I am hopeful that having accepted this is the case, I shall be relaxed enuff to conceive and have a happy healthy pregnancy. Wish me luck x

Clairbear, realize you posted a while ago now but I'm in exactly the same position and wondered how you were getting on? I had PND which mostly took the form of crippling anxiety after having my dd who is almost 3 now. Have been on sertraline and now citalopram since she was 10 months. I have felt like I am (finally) ready to start to try for number two but reduced my dose to 10mg two weeks ago and now having a massive wobble. Starting to doubt I can get off the medication 'in time' to conceive drug-free. Husband in the military so we are trying to time things around am expected tour of duty as well as the usual biological clock etc!! Anyway - if you are still around would be lovely to hear how you are getting on! x