Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[NJ1930]

Hi ladies

I am new to this. I turned 39, I was on citaloplam since 2020 on 20mg, gradually very slowly tapering off over 4 years till 2mg drops every 3 days and that’s when everything went downhill. Although I did/ do have low moods plus night sweats when time of month was coming.

Been getting insomnia/ night sweats / anxiety - still not right and now back on 10mg since yesterday ( slowly increasing dose since Jan) I am feeling flat during day now but okay in the evening! 


I was wondering if anyone tried sertraline ? What is best for peri - sertraline / citaloplam? I was such a good sleeper and it is really getting me down.

Thanks

[Katherine]

I’ve never tried sertraline but a very good gp once recommended it as I was considering antidepressants. He said it was a calming one. I would totally trust his judgement on that as he was one of the best gps ever.

[CLKD]

Morning,    some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use as we should not blame menopause on all our symptoms.

It's the Change, does what it says on the tin.  Peri are those years when we may notice changes in our body inside and out  . 

Did the Citalopram ease symptoms?  Why did U decide to wean off?  I take 10mg Escitalopram monring and night which helps depression, as well as an emergency go-2 anti-anxiety pill . 

Anxiety may become problematic during peri so appropriate medication can help.  Some ADs can relieve symptoms and HRT is recommended as the first line of defence, however.

Sleeping is often disturbed due to probably not requiring as much even though we think that 8 hours is essential; b) hot sweats c) cramp ......... also caring for young/old and working may impact on our feelings.

My worse time is in the early hours when cortisol hits, leaving me terrified.  By evening I'm a different person so have learnt over many years not to say 'yes' to anything because anxiety will floor me the following morning 

[Minusminnie]

That is a long taper off Citalopram and good that you were able to obtain drops in order to do so.

Emphasise that this is just my opinion having supported a family member but Sertraline seems to be the ‘given’ now for anxiety. I’m sure others will be along to comment on whether it is ‘better ‘ in peri & re if HRT might be beneficial.

If titrating back to 20mg which you are familiar with why seek to change ?

[Minusminnie]

Morning,    some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use as we should blame menopause on all our symptoms.

Do you mean ‘should not’ ? 

[bombsh3ll]

Antidepressants are not recommended as first line treatment for perimenopause or menopause.

If you have a genuine indication for psychiatric medication, and one SSRI has previously worked well for you, then that would be my go to rather than an untried agent.

It is also worth considering non drug psychological therapy either instead or alongside medication.

[CLKD]

 .  Tnx.  I will modify.

Whilst ADs etc. R often not recommended, I do feel that HRT is pushed rather than treating the anxiety/depression initially - it may well work quicker than HRT which can be a long while B4 women find something that suits - it does depend on what the patient presents with in the Surgery.  Once appropriate meds kick in 1 can then consider HRT if it remains necessary.

Hindsight does make me wonder whether my odd symptoms were due to peri, I was already on ADs and anti-anxiety meds which helped, so would have been reluctant to put anything else into the mix.

Once anxiety is eased 1 can see the wood for the trees [what ever that means  ]. If ADs ease sweats and other symptoms can be tolerated, why add HRT if it isn't necessary at that time?

It took me 9 weeks to ease off 1 AD, name escapes me.  Once I realised that the bounce back feelings of 'what if I need to go back on this' didn't last any longer than 36 hours, I began to relax.

[NJ1930]

Thanks for all the messages.

I didn’t realised at the time I was meant to get fresh drops after 16 weeks but I had those drops more than 16 weeks. Reason for wanting coming off was the weight gain. Withdrawal sweats / insomia started when I changed it to 3 days. Went back to the new drops after a month - didn’t really help at all. Only started drops on 2mg after using pill cutter for ages.


Anixtey/ cortisol was quite controlled - had a few blips then but was quite calm most of the time although my folks mentioned that I have been quite low esp during luteal phase, not myself.

I have tried the patch - only lasted
2 weeks on ostergorn after tweaking to small patches - the anxiety was insane! It did help with night sweats/ sleep…


I was wondering if my body is done with citaloplam cos it is not helping with night sweats at all.

[Mariab]

I am on hrt and citalopram..for me personally the citalopram makes be hotter in fact the higher my dose the worse it became...I'm on 30mg and although I'm relaxed most of the time I sweat really easily now but I figured sweating was the lesser of two evils...
I also tried sertraline before but unfortunately it was not a match as it made me feel nauseous all the time.

[Dorothy Gale]

Citalopram saved my life. Literally.

During perimenopause when it reached its peak in 2023,  I was suicidal and had a year feeling like this. It was the worst time of my life.

Citalopram has changed my life for the better in so many ways.

Xx

[Mariab]

Me too..it was definitely a life saver for me.

[Sja44]

Very similarly I have been on 20mg citalopram for some time - as
Perimenopause started all my anxieties and ocd got worse so I am on lowest dose of HRT, it doesn’t seem to be helping so I upped my citalopram to 25mg and this helped the ocd a bit after a couple of weeks. I have been off and on HRT for two years as it seems to help with sweats and few other bits but pretty sure it makes my anxiety worse - now I don’t know what to do. Am
With GP tomorrow and this is one of my questions around the AD vs the HRt so will let you know - I just want to stop
my anxiety and fatigue but not sure if I can get both those! Xx

[Winterangel]

Citalopram has been a Godsend for me. When my meno symptoms were at their worst, my anxiety was through the roof and I felt suicidal. 20mg of Citalopram has given me my life back with no side effects, which I usually have from everything. My friend was on Sertraline and had lots of side effects; sexual dysfunction, headaches, nausea and sweating.