citalopram

[PatsFan]

I have posted several times about having anxiety on here. Two Sundays ago I was in the hospital for reduced movements and told the midwife how anxious I was. Her and the doctor said that I could go back on citalopram. He said he would prescribe it but it was best to see my GP first so I waited. On Tuesday last week I saw my midwife and she said I could go back on it once I saw a GP. Today I saw a GP and she said that she had to warn me that they didn't know what it done to a babies brain. She said it could cause autism. I'm 26 weeks pregnant. I don't know whether to take it or not now. I have the tablets in their smaller form.

What mg have you been prescribed OP?

10, I was on 25 but stopped taking it before I fell pregnant x

I was on citalopram throughout my last pregnancy, my maternity consultant at the hospital said it was safe. Following my sons birth however he went through withdrawal and had to stay in for a week. He had tremors and cried and cried. It was horrible and if I could turn back time I wouldn't take it.

I was on escitalopram, which is in the same family of drugs, and told that if I got pregnant they would switch me to something known to be safe in pregnancy. Not to say that escitalopram was not safe, but hadn't been tested properly. I'm not sure what those safer drugs are but if it's bothering you, could you ask for alternative drugs?

10mg is the minimum dose I believe but I'm suprised the GP didnt offer you a different type of drug if they were worried about autism tbh, so its probably not a significant risk, but I'm no HCP

No drugs are tested on pregnancies per se, so it's only usually through experience that people find out. No ethics committee will approve testing on pregnant women in case of harm to the foetus.

I was told at 12 week scan that risk if I went back onto sertraline was minimal, if I needed to. If my depression and anxiety come back, I won't hesitate to take the meds again. I'll do more harm to my child with the anxiety levels and stress hormones or not being able to function to care for myself and the baby.

As for autism etc: there is a correlation.. The incidence of autism was higher in women who'd been taking various antidepressants but still small. They didn't look at any other factors though such as genetics, or the conditions the women were suffering from.
That doesn't mean it causes it. I saw a pic on face book today with a correlation between organic veg purchases and autism. It's like saying buying ice cream causes shark attacks when there is a link between hot weather and ice cream purchases and also with swimming in the sea, and therefore sharks attacks