Citalopram and pregnancy

[stephylkh]

Hi, not sure if I'm putting this in the correct place, it's been a long time since I was last here! I've just found out I'm pregnant with #3. I've been on 30mg citalopram for 2 years and after talking to my Dr decided to stop taking anything altogether. Just wondering if anyone else has stopped taking them and how long other withdrawal symptoms lasted?

@stephylkh
What was your doctor’s advice on coming off them completely?
Am currently near the end of my second pregnancy and currently taking sertraline, not the same medication but an SSRI.
However, in my first pregnancy I came off my antidepressants full stop (without the doctor’s permission). Both times around I’ve been on 150mg.
My doctor wasn’t happy in the slightest with me coming off them, especially since it was abruptly. The withdrawal effects are not pleasant, you get pretty jittery, headaches, mood alters etc. If you have decided to come off them, I would highly recommend you wean off them. That way you won’t feel the withdrawals quite as harsh and it won’t take a hit on the pregnancy.

I do understand you wanting to come off them though, I recently posted about my worries of being on them and the effects to baby. It’s a whole benefits out weigh the risk situation.

But please keep a close eye on your mental health during pregnancy as that is most important for when your bundle of joy arrives.

I hope I have helped in some way.
Good luck mamma and congrats.

Thankyou!
It wasn't the doctor that put me on them but another one (she's not my favourite 🙄😂) and she said that if I wanted to stay on AD they'd change me to a different, safer one or I could stop if I thought I'd be able to manage. I told her my mg and she said it was fine to stop completely. I think I'll take the 10mg tablet for a week or so because I'm nauseous and dizzy enough without the withdrawal.
I'm definitely in a better place with other management techniques in place for my anxiety too so fingers crossed!

I think even still with a low dosage you shouldn’t just stop instantly. I mean your body has been used to them for two years! I think your plan is a good idea reduce the dosage first.

It sounds like you have a good plan, I wish you all the best!

Hi, I'm 7+6 and have been on 40mg for 12 months. I have wanted to come off for a while as my anxiety had settled down a lot and when I called GP about pregnancy I asked to come off it and we discussed the pros and cons.

She gave me a prescription of 10mgs so that I could wean off them - took 30mg for 5 days, then 20s, now I'm almost down to my last 5 days of 10mg a day.

I'm actually feeling fine so happy with my decision :)

Your doctor should have discussed a method of coming off them as it's not advised to stop completely suddenly x

Nope, it wasn't my usual doctor but the other one who I usually choose not to see and she just said it's fine to stop completely! I've been taking the 10mgs and I'm feeling fine so far 😊

I came off 20mg before trying for a baby and had to go back on before we fell pregnant as I was struggling so much. Now 20 weeks and really feel like I’ve benefited from being on it during my pregnancy so far as ultimately anxiety/depression will have a worse effect than a relatively low dosage of citalopram.