Amitryptaline 10mg or to go back on Citalopram 5mg in third trimester

[HannahRosie]

Hi ladies,

I am new to this forum but signed up as I wanted to know if anyone had had similar experience to me -I was on 30 citalopram for a couple years and came down to 20mg before I conceived (without actually planning this!) I was then advised to come off them so weaned myself off over about 4 months or so. I was doing okay, but then the anxiety started coming back -and now it's got to the point where it's debilitating, every morning starts out bad and I'm hardly getting out and it's very hard to cope.
The doc prescribed me 10mg amitryptaline, saying it's safer for pregnancy/baby -but I'm anxious(!) about starting something new. I saw a midwife who gave me the option of going back on 5mg cit. But now I am really not sure which is better as the ami doesn't seem to have the potential risks the cit could have but I have read things about palpitations being a side effect which I really do not want as got enough of!!
Thinking of going back to the doc to explain my fears, but does anyone here have any advice/experience on this?

Many thanks!

Hello, below are patient information leaflets about use of both amitriptyline and citalopram in pregnancy. Hopefully this info may help you to make a decision about which is best for you. Since you are after 12 weeks of pregnancy, there is no possibility of a medicine causing birth defects, so you don't have to worry about that.

Hope this helps

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Amitriptyline/

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Citalopram/

Hi, I am on 30mg of citalopram and am 6 weeks. I saw my midwife yesterday who was very relaxed about it, and advised I didn't come off. I asked about the risk of heart defects, but she said the risk was so tiny they don't worry about it. The only thing is risk of withdrawal at birth, but that doesn't always happen. She said she has seen lots of ladies who come off Anti ds and feel worse, and that it's much better to feel happy and relaxed. I am now going to stop worrying and try to enjoy this pregnancy as much as I can. I hope this helps xx

That sounds like very good advice. In an ideal world, these sort of patient-specific risk-benefit analyses would always be carried out...

Thanks for the advice, good to know others in the same boat. I'm going for the citalopram as I know it works for me.

I started amitriptyline at about 22 weeks for very bad migraines. I've been told to stop when I start thd third trimester to see if the migraines have stopped anyway but also was told that taking them right up to birth can cause adiction for the baby and they have to get used to not taking them.
Something to consider is it is very likely that amitriptyline will make you very drowsy, at least to begin with - they are often prescribed for sleep problems - and after weeks of taking them I'm still feeling shit in the mornings, kind of hungover! So if you know citalopram suits you and you have been given the go ahead to continue perhaps stick with it. One thing I found - its amazing how many medical papers you can find on google, really helped me when deciding whether to ask for something for the migraines!