Sertraline/Citalopram - end of pregnancy

[queduermesbien]

Hi - I am wondering if there is anyone out there who can offer me some advice/experience/reassurance...I am 39 weeks pregnant and for the past two months have been suffering with serious anxiety including from time to time intrusive thoughts. I have a history of anxiety/depression - two episodes in the past 10 years, both quickly alleviated with Citalopram. I was taking Citalopram when I became pregnant but quickly tapered off and was fine for 7 months. It has been a difficult year in various ways and I was really pleased that I had no trouble - until the past few weeks. I have resisted taking medication, in part because some days I have felt much better, but the past couple of days have been difficult and I am concerned that I am not going to help myself in dealing with my baby when she arrives if I keep refusing medication - I have been told with my history it would be "prudent" to start medication. My real question concerns which medication to take. As I said, Citalopram has worked well for me but I know that Sertraline has the safest profile for breastfeeding. I want to breastfeed but I am frightened of trying a new medication especially at this stage. Has anyone experience of a similar situation? I do worry about my baby being affected by my medication and although I want to breasfeed, I would consider not doing so in order to avoid finding a further reason to be anxious. Sorry for the long post - but just feeling very afraid and disappointed with myself right now and it would be great to hear from anyone who has been through this.

I took Citalopram for PND after DS2 and BF until he was a year old. The GP said it was safe and DS is now a healthy, happy 9 year old. I would think you'd be safer taking something that you know works for you rather than trying a new medication on top of all the hormonal change etc, just my opinion though. Hope you feel better soon.

I thought fluroxetine (Prozac) was safest in that it had been most studied.

I was on fluroxetine for both my previous pregnancies, but I am on citalopram for this one and will continue until after birth due to my anxiety increasing in the intervening period.

My doctor and mental health midwife both feel that citalopram has no more significant risk than any other SSRI's and that there is more danger from my poor mental health without the drug.

I have also bf'd in the past and will try to do so with this one (26 weeks dc3)

Please don't feel disappointed - would you feel disappointed in yourself if you had gestational diabetes and had to have insulin? Or you had a breech baby and needed a section? Or course not, you cannot control your body and after a newborn your health mentally and physically is of prime importance.