Sertraline for PMDD affecting cycle

[MissGueuze]

Hi, I've just started to take 10mg of citalopram during the luteal phase to treat PMDD. I have quite bad reactions to anything with hormones in (erythema nodosum from the combined pill, extreme mood swings from a pill with lower oestrogen) so anti depressants it is. So far so good in terms of mood but it's stopped my period. I have a short cycle and and currently 5 days late. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge on this please?

Antidepressants don't affect your cycle lenght necessarily, many people take them for PMDD and other mental illnesses and it shouldn't have a direct impact. Correlation isn't causation, so just because you've taken them, and now your period is late, it doesn't mean that it was caused by that. It can however take your body a while to adapt to antidepressants so if it'd working I'd stick with that over PMDD.

Has anything else been going on?

Hi @TheLivelyViper, I've not had any other factors that might affect my cycle, no stresses or illness or chance of pregnancy. I've read that's it's a thought but not scientifically proven that anti depressants can increase prolactin which can affect cycles, I presume I'm sensitive to it like I am all other hormonal fluctuations cos it took months for my period to return after finishing breastfeeding the kids. It's early days for me and the SSRIs and I'm very happy with the results. Part of my worry is knowing when the luteal phase is about to begin, I know when my period was returning after the DC's my ovulation symptoms we're very mild and short lived, ignorable really. For me the pmdd symptoms come on like flicking a switch, passive to raging ball of self hate in minutes and worry about mis timing taking the tabs.

The key bit is whilst antidepressants can release and increase prolactin, prolactin levels would need to he very high to stop a cycle. I'd give it some time, a one-off delay isn't something to be concerned about. It can be quite hard to make sure you start taking it at the right time, perhaps using an LH strip, is your cycle pretty regular? This is if I've got it right and that your only taking it during the luteal phase or am I wrong?

Ahh ok. I have a short regular cycle, just 24 days, normally like clockwork. Yeah just for luteal phase. Taking the citalopram two days after the peak of ovulation which is day 12 for me, I have two weeks worth for each cycle but have had 13 of them. Is an LH strip an ovulation pee test?

Yes you wee and then test your urine, they aren't 100% accurate but can help to gauge the right days. So you start taking them on day 14 and then right up toll you have your period? If your cycle is pretty regular, I'd see how it goes for this and the next cycle. Even if it adds a day or two that's not necessarily worrying as it would only be 26 days and if the meds are helping then it could just be your new rhythm.

Yeah that's right I stop taking them once my period starts but it hasn't yet. Still no sign, I can feel some PMDD symptoms creeping in too but that might just be me being paranoid about it. I'll have to just be very mindful of ovulation symptoms and like you say use a strip to test so I know when to take the next round of meds.

Yes it's difficult to tell so try and look out for your ovulation symptoms and continue taking them till it comes. If more issues arise, talk to your GP.