# Taking citalopram and ttc? Any advice.



## Starry34

Hi,  we have been ttc for over a year now, having previously had unexplained infertility and sucessful ivf treatment we are now ttc again naturally but obviously still unsuccessfully.  Unfortunatly dh has just been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and has been prescribed the antidepression drug citalopram.  Having done research on the drug it looks like it has an affect on sperm quality/quantity and motility.  I wondered if anobody else out there has experience of ttc whilst on this drug or any other information.  I am beating myself up thinking that it is going to put an end to our trying as he needs to keep taking it to get better.  Any advice would be appreciated.


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## NicL

Hi there

So sorry to here the position you are in. 

My DH has an anxiety disorder too (pure ocd with anxiety) and its hard work! He started off on citalopram and moved on to sertraline as the citalopram didn't agree with him (suicidal thoughts not good!). DH didnt have sperm tests done until he was on the drugs unfortunately but he has had issues with sperm motility. his first test was maybe three or four months after he started taking the drugs. It was pretty horrid as we didnt know if the drugs were the cause or not but there was no way he could not take them - he was a mess without. 

Anyway fortunately the story has a bit of a happy ending as 18 mths on his last few sperm tests have been normal. still no baby (m/c four weeks ago) but things looking up. I did put him on a host of vitamin supplements so perhaps do that to counteract any possible side affects of the drugs (dh took vit c 1000mg, l'arginine, l'carnitine, zinc, pycnogenol, wellman). Also if he has a sperm test check the viscocity. Dh had high viscocity which often gets overlooked. 

pm me if you want to chat - know what you are going through!


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## greatgazza

hi there

i would suggest asking the pharmacist on here. i was on citalopram whilst having tx  and weaned myself off on bfp but when i lost my twin i hit a low and went back on it with the support of my obs and i also had counselling so i was on it throughout a lot of the pregnancy. when lo was born i switched to sertraline as this was/is considered safer whilst breastfeeding. so i know about these drugs with regard to tx and pregnancy from a female point of view but don't know what impact they would have on a man and ttc.

GGx


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## Starry34

Thank you for your reples.

NicL.  I will pm you thank you.  It would be nice to talk to somebody who has been there.  Thank you for the info though i am looking into vitamins now.  I have dh on wellmans but will look at the others too. I'm glad you've got a bit of a happy ending, though so sorry to hear of your m/c, it's a dreadful thing to have to go through.  I do hope you find the strength to keep trying and will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Greatgazza,  thank you also. I hadn't realised there was a pharmacist on here, what a great thing to have.  I have posted to ask them the question also so thanks again.


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## *Coco*

Hi,

DH has taken citalopram in the past, he was taking it while inital infertility investigations were going on. He had low everything. But, the docs thought that was down to late correction of an undescended testicle and/or adulthood mumps. Nothing was mentioned about the citalopram affecting things that way.

One thing we did find with the citalopram was it caused issues affecting ejaculation, ie, it didn't happen. Very frustrating as you might imagine for DH to be very nearly "there" at it just not happening.

However, (it was four years ago, so i can't exactly remember) his count did improve over the various SA that were done. He did come off citalopram around this time, but he also quit smoking, cut down drinking and started taking the Wellman blend. 

Hope your DH is doing ok, i've been there myself and seeing someone you love in a bad way mentally is very hard, esp when you are dealing with such an emotionally draining thing like IF as well. Take care of yourself.


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## NicL

hi ladies

dh started to reduce down his anti depressants about a week ago now. I went away last weekend with a friend and he came and picked me up from the train station and i knew straight away that he was in a bad way again. By tuesday he was even worse. We had our review at the clinic but he didnt say a word - he was just so wound up and angry it was awful. 

We came out of the appointment and all he kept doing was going on about the money and how this round had better work if we are spending all this money and said "i hope if we get a (enter appropriate swearword) baby it doest want anything cos we'll have on money" etc etc. Then ranting on and on about work. 

I am literally at the end of my teather. This has been going on for about 5 years now on and off and i am running out of patience. I know how much he is struggling but i seem to be the one that gets the brunt of the anger the comes out because he gets so frustrated. 

Yesterday and today he is back to his normal self and being all jolly - its like jeckell and hyde and i just don't know what to think. I've told him if he needs to increase his drugs thats fine - his health is most important but he seems ok now.

just don't know what to think anymore. I wish we didnt have to deal with the IVF stuff too, but we've already put the babymaking on hold long enough now because of his illness and my amh levels mean we have to get a move on.

sorry for the moan but just needing some support at the moment

xx


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## greatgazza

nicL sorry you're having a tough time    

i really think regarding anti-depressants or medication of any kind the benefits of taking them have to be weighed up against the risks. i took anti d's during pregnancy and now during bfing and i didn't want to be on them in pregnancy but i had hit such a low they were necessary to salvage my mental health.  we're no use to anyone if we can't cope. is it possible to get an appointment with a psychiatrist to discuss the safest drugs your dh might be able to take whilst ttc? shrinks are the experts on drugs in these instances and their interactions and affect on other things. 

Starry i noticed you didn't get a reply on the ask a pharmacist thread. that's a shame. they must have been very busy and missed it. it might be worth posting it again as they're very helpful.

GGx


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