sertraline snd breastfeeding/co-sleeping

[littlemonkeychops]

Hi
I've suffering from anxiety and have been referred by the perinatal team for cbt, but in the meantime they've suggested sertraline. I'm seeing the gp tomorrow to talk it through but just wondered if anyone has any experience if this?

DD is 10 weeks and breastfed on demand. Did anyone notice any side-effects? I'm scared of harming my baby's development and feeling so guilty she might suffer harm because i'm ill :-(

Also, i'm co-sleeping so any medication that makes me drowsy is a no-no. Has anyone noticed being drowsy whilst on sertraline?

How long will it take to work? How long am i likely to be on it for?

Any advice gratefully received.

Sorry for the typos!

Just reading on nhs website sertraline shouldn't be presribed for bf and also sleepiness ad a possibke side effect :-(

So confused, feeling so on edge, even simple decisions seem blown out of proportion, i feel like i can't concentrate.

Has anyone sucessfully beaten anxiety with just cbt? Worried how long that would take though.

i was under the impression that sertraline was one of the best for use in pg/breastfeeding... jhang on a mo and will find out

ok... this lactmed will be superior to the info on the NHS website.

would I co-sleep with a drug that made me drowsy? no! can you sidecar her cot?

i was on sertraline for a long time and found it very ,very effective, but obviously it varies from person to person. It kicked in, for me, within a couple of weeks and I was on it for a few years

Sertraline is one of the safest AD's to be prescribed for bf mothers.

The breastfeeding network have a line for drugs questions, but their info leaflet for AD's includes sertarline as the SSRI of choice. Insomnia is mentioned as a side effect, rather than drowsiness. I co-slept with sertraline, but DS was 6 months by that point.

Hope your anxiety levels drop soon.

Thank you both for replying. I had a good read of that link thank you thisis.

At the moment she's in our bed, i do have the cot alongside which i could try and get her to settle in, i'd still be worried about falling asleep whilst feeding (which i often do now whilst feeding her lying on my side but i'm instinctively aware of the slightest twitch/murmur from her which i wouldn't trust myself to be if on something that makes me drowsy).

That's reassuring that you co-slept next. Did you notice any effect on yoyr sleep?

I guess i need to ask the gp about drowsiness and how long the cbt might take to work.

Noone said anything about not co-sleeping, and as i beleive pure exhaustion (DS slept max 40 mins day or night) was partly responsible for PND, maximium sleep was on the cards!
I was told 2 main side affects - nausea, in which case take tablet just before bed, and insomnia, in which case take tablet at breakfast time. I took at breakfast, and suffered a slightly dry mouth, but that was it.

Hi I had same worry re drowsiness as I bed share. I took 25mg of sertralinr for a long time partly cause of this and took it in day. Now take 50mg , take it at night and am less drowsy than I was. I wake up at the slightest snuffle from my lo - she doesn't need to cry.

It was interesting that more sertraline made me less drowsy - often ssris effects are not linear iyswim - a low dose makes me a sleepy space cadet, a higher dose rather than making me more sleepy makes me awake and alert.

Re baby's behaviour id be lying if I said I thought there was no effect - she is very happy and easy. Almost suspiciously so. BUT is this because I'm happy and easy? i got upset the other day and i could see how distressed it made her. Whereas she thrives on my laid back smiley happy mood.

Would love to know what other mums on sertraline saw when they stopped breastfeeding their babies - any change in temperament?