In thinking there must be a fair few expectant mothers on antidepressants?

[deliakate]

And yet I can barely find any discussions on the subject with users posting personal experiences - not just on mn, but on the whole net.

Am currently trying to cope with a mild depressive episode whilst ttc, and I am trying to avoid taking medication, but maybe its not as bad as I am thinking it is???

It must be fairly common I would think, given how the large numbers of the population who take antidepressants. Or does everybody manage to stop taking their dose before conceiving?

There are masses! PND is often diagnosed and treated before the birth, and frankly it is a toss-up between feeling awful and having loads of cortisol sloshing round your body, or taking a few drugs to feel better, which probably won't do harm to the baby. I was advised that drugs were better for the baby than depression. Have you looked on the Mental Health thread?

I think you are more likely to concieve if you are feeling better. Maybe have a chat with your gp? If your depression is mild, you may be able to cope with it without drugs. Again, your gp will be the best person to advise you. HOpe it all goes to plan!

Definitely talk to your GP and have a look at Mental Health. I was on an anti depressant (not for depression, but fibromyalgia) which is not one suitable for TTC or pregnancy, so stopped, but there are others that may be ok (a GP would be able to tell you for sure).

I had Pre Natal Depression and spoke to my GP who was happy for me to go onto anti depressants - my personal choice at the time was that I would like to try to carry on and see my GP/have counselling regularly rather than use anti depressants. However, now I would probably take them as I have a DS and just don't have the time available to be engaged in GP visits/counselling. Your GP should be able to advise you better - I hope it all works out for you!

I took anti-depressants (amitryptiline) when I was pregnant-I really didnt want to but was told for my own safety (and obviously that of my unborn baby) that I would have to (as well as attending daily counselling sessions)otherwise I would have been sectioned.

I felt really bad about it at the time (and still do!)but it helped me get through a traumatic time of my life.

There is a lot of awareness re PND but not as much with antenatal depression unfortunately. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I don't mean to sound awful but why would you TTC while on antidepressants? My mother has been on and off anti-depressants all of my life (and before) and I still struggle to wonder why she had children. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to be alive but due to her lack of instillment of confidence in myself, I would not TTC unless I was content with myself before bringing a life into my world.

Ffs, hammy, noone would ever have kids if they waited until they were content with themselves.

I was on ads throughout both pg and am on them now while bfing ds2. Sertraline is the drug of choice for pg and bfing mums.

What a ridiculous and offensive post Hammy.

Why would you TTC while any aspect of your life wasn't perfect? Or have you got it all sewn up?

I was on antidepressants through most of my pregnancy, although I did go off them while TTC. I needed them back again when actually pregnant as I had quite severe AND.

And fuck off hammy. You are a twit.

Hammy, it sounds like you have had some difficult and unpleasant experiences. However, a lot of people are completely mentally well on antidepressants but not well without them. Sure, TTC whilst on antidepressants is not ideal, but it may be more important to do what needs to be done for mum to be healthy.
From a GP perspective there is always a risk / benefit balance to be assessed and discussed. Some antidepressants eg sertraline / citalopram I think are quite commonly used in pregnancy and there is a fair amount of experience. Others would make me more nervous and I'd want more expert advice.
But I certainly don't think it's an absolute no. It's just about what's best for each individual mum / future mum and baby.

I'm not talking about having a perect life. I said 'content'. Unless I am massively out of touch with medicine, antidepressants aren't handed out like sweets. Only to people with real problems coping with day to day life? As I said, I didn't mean to offend. But I do have a first hand experience of being brought up in this environment.

Hammy - am sorry to hear about your experiences, but not everyone who is on anti-depressants has the same affect on their children. There are various causes of needs for ADs, various doses and requirements from them. Its a chemical imbalance for a large percentage of people, something that needs to be corrected to allow them to function "normally". Just like diabetics take insulin to balance out their chemical levels. And as for "I would not TTC unless I was content with myself before bringing a life into my world." - some people need to be one ADs permanently. Should they not have children at all then?

OP, there are a lot of people out there. I was on 40mg Prozac for the early weeks of pregnancy, then off them till 20 weeks, and the back off them from when DS was a few months old. I was lucky in that I have a fantastic GP who supported my choice each time. There are also antenatal mental health specialists; it might be worth trying to book an appointment with one to talk things through?

I hope your bad patch passes soon. Know its hard. x

My dad is clinically depressed and has been on medication all of his adult life just to function. He's a wonderful father and has always been there for me and my siblings, he really is a wonderful person regardless of mental health problems.

He was also incredibly supportive of me when I was diagnosed with anxiety. I had to alter my medication while ttc and was on a low dose of prozac (fluroxetine) at 20mg.

I stayed on this throughout pregnancy and did not even need consultant care. I had a healthy happy DD at term and was sent home 24 hours later with the offer of a mental health specialising midwife - which i didn't need.

It can be done. It is far more important that you are happy and mentally healthy I think when pregnant, but medication and options are something to discuss with the doctors.

Lots of luck

I'm currently 17 weeks and taking prozac. My GP said that they don't normally prescribe it during pregnancy but as I was already taking it it was okay. I want to try and come off it as I really want to bf and don't think that's wise with prozac.
Talk to your GP about which ones are liable to be safest and most beneficial for you and a baby.

There are lots of other women taking medication for other illnesses and no one would suggest it would be a bad idea for them to be a mother. This constant misconception about most mental illnesses really upsets me, the fact that deliakate has and is treating her mild depression seriously shows how competent and determined to be a good mother she is.

I understand your frustration with your mother's experience of mental illness Hammy but please don't think everyone is like that.

Needtosleep just to let you know I was told okay to bf while on prozac, but as I said I was on a low dose

Totally appreciate you are hoping to be AD free, but if that's not something you can manage bf may not be totally out of the question.

Hammy, it sounds like you have some issues. Prehaps you need this website rather than blaming your mother for everything in your life.

www.livinglifetothefull.com/

For some women depression (or other mental illness) is a life long condition. It can be a genetic problem and nothing to do with enviromnent. Such people can led happy and productive lives with medication. It is no different to someone with type 1 diabetes taking insulin.

NeedToSleep, DS has been entirely breastfed without any problems. I spoke in depth to several medical professionals whilst I was pregnant, all of whom said the levels of Prozac in the plasma is low. Come off your ADs if you feel you're ready, but only for the right reasons :)

I think some of you have been a bit harsh to Hammy. I dont think she meant to upset anyone.

depression often develops in pregnancy even if you have never had it before - it did with my 2nd - ADs saved me, and thankfully I never relapsed afterwards, nor in my 3rd pregnancy.

I was on Prozac from 17 weeks pregnant until 6 months post partum.

I had extremely severe AND.

She might not have meant to but she has.

I agree NotEnoughTime.

I had mild-moderate antenatal depression in all 3 pregnancies - it was worst in the most recent one. I asked for help and was referred for counselling, which was excellent. I have never yet been depressed outside pregancy. I agree that there is relatively low awareness of antenatal depression (in contrast with PND), which might make it harder to get help.

Good luck to you, OP, with ttc and with your health too.

Antenatal depression is much more common than people think but isn't talked about that much.
I got to 5 months pregnant and then had to go to my GP because i was beginning to fear for my own safety and was sure that my grip on reality was slipping from me. We agreed that AD's although not ideal were certainly better than the despair i was feeling and so i started taking a low dose of prozac and within a couple of weeks started to feel more like me again.
My lovely DD (2 weeks old) seems to be a calm and contented baby. I am fully breastfeeding her and staying on my medication, again with full agreement from GP, midwife, consultant etc.
Good luck x

Hammy. I think people are being a bit mean to you. My mother was depressive all my childhood, I get you. But we need to find a way of letting go otherwise it is really life crippling. People seem to be far more understanding of depression than they were and the meds are so much better. My father was also a regular day patient at the local psychiatric hospital - they both badly needed help with looking after two kids but being "middle class professionals" and presenting a good front with well fed, Clarks shoe wearing children, Social Services didn't seem to notice. It has taken me a very long time to accept that times change and now with my own baby, to ask for help (beyond MN) and not be ashamed or afraid. I only wish I had done so whilst pregant so that the firstfew weeks withmy son were more supported.

May I ask, does anyone know if the baby misses the drugs after it is born?

My DD is 32 weeks pregnant and taking ADs.
She is worried she will have a grumpy baby.