citalopram withdrawal/ safein pregnancy?

[dawnlb]

hi everyone, im so cheesed off with my gp..
i have been on citalopram for a year now after having my son. i was on 40mg they reduced me to 20mg for 2 wks then 10mg for 2 wks then told me to just stop....oh my god i have never been so ill in my life, i thought i was dying so i went back to my gp.
he said they dont cause those sort of side effects but to just get back on 10mg again daily and then go to 5mg after 2 wks.
...anyway, i asked him about citalopram in pregnancy as i would love another baby now and he said its not adviseable, fair enough i thought, but he then followed with.... " dawn u must ask yourself this, if you need this sort of medication, do u really think it would be sensible to have another child while your mind is still this way? " !!!!!!
i could have knocked him out! i mean i wasnt feeling stressed or panicky like before...just bloody ill!
has anyone had any success from withdrawal cause im seeing alot of similar stories with no actual success of getting off the bloody stuff. xx

yup, me. I was on citalopragm. 50mg. i think they started me on 20mg. did u find that when u first went onto them, u fealt a bit crappy for a week or two? Sickness, shakes, lack of appetite, crappy sleep patterns, headaches?
anti d's have a multitude of side effects, if u read the advisory label in the box, the list goes on forever.
u can take them through pregnancy, its just not advised that you do so for the first 3 months until you're past the 'safe' zone. GP's have to cover their own arses, theres not really much that is advised 'safe' during pregnancy but it doesnt mean that ur GP cant legally prescribe it to u, as long as they have made u aware of the risks involved beforehand, The decision is ultimately up to u.
Instead of critasising u, They should be putting u in touch with a mental health unit if u do get pregnant again, so that they can monitor & support you throughout the pregnancy (thats what theyve done with me this time around, am presently 17 weeks)
My GP put me on 150mg sertraline hydrochloride with my last pregnancy & i didnt have any probs & had a perfectly smooth home birth that didnt even require stitches! lol!
They should be supporting ur decision to go onto ad's, as this is ultimately u taking preventitive measures to avoid unecessary stress 4 u & baby.
Ive found that most docs cant bloody wait to put u on ad's and have no problem with upping the doseage or signing u off on the sick!(which, admitidly has come in very useful at times!)

Heya all

How did you manage to have a home birth? I'm fighting tooth and nail with the doctors and midwives to have a home birth because I'm on 40mg of Citalopram. I really want a home birth, the idea of having to go to a birth centre or hospital fills me with dread.

It was so lovely to read your message - I am on 40mg of citalopram and 4 weeks pregnant with my third child - I can't get a straight answer out of any doctors, some say its fine other's no way - mum's what do you think? I can't just come off them as the side effects were awful but I am scared I am harming my baby x

Christ, that isn't a withdrawal regime! It should be over a period of months, not in two week blocks. Please see another doctor!

Hi, I'm 10weeks and was on 20mg per day...when I went to my GP to tell him I was pregnant, he just told me to stop taking the tabs. Apparently there is a slight risk of them causing minor heart defects in baby).

I've spent the last 3 weeks cold-turkeying, but have stuck with it for babies sake. And I think I'm on the other side...

So much guilt put on us by others...I'm appalled by what your GP advised dawnlb...interesting that that is a man's perspective...bet a female doc wouldn't have made such a sweeping statement. (no offence intended to any men reading BTW)

Good luck xx