Antenatal depression and sertraline

[firsttimemum032020]

Hi all, first time nervous poster. Please only respond with helpful stories. I am currently 19 weeks pregnant. I have always lived with anxiety but very much wanted to get pregnant. The moment I got the BFP I got into a bit of a hole. Felt incredibly nervous, scared, wondering if we have done the right thing. Since thing, I haven't been able to get excited, I feel very detached and disconnected to normal life, feel scared, horrible intrusive thoughts and just basically, living the worst I have ever felt at such a 'positive' time. I have been putting off medication for a long time but after nearly 3 months feeling this way, I have started Sertraline. I am currently on day 6 and feel no different and my intrusive thoughts are worse. I have heard this can happen and things will improve. I just want to feel better and not feel like I 'am going mad' or turning into a bad person.

Does anyone have any support or similar stories? I really hope Sertraline helps and I am also attending counselling privately.

Hey hun. I'm 20 weeks and in the same boat. Sertraline made me feel better at first but gone down again last few days. Anxiety is horrible. I have intrusive thoughts about the baby not being okay or my anxiety causing it harm. Have a lot of physical symptoms too e.g nausea, lack of appetite and racing heart. How about you? PM me if you want x

@luna2019 hi there, I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling :( How long have you been taking them? I’m on day 11 so unsure if they’ll even be in system yet. My anxiety is quite extreme, struggling with horrendous scary intrusive thoughts, not excited for pregnancy, horrendously anxious. The first week on tablets were awful but i think we have to be patient or maybe you have to up your dose?

I feel your pain. It's hell isn't it? Do you have the physical symptoms too? I'm not who I normally am. How much are you on? I was on 25 for ages but not 75. I might need to go to 100. X

It sure is. Yes the racing heart and nausea when I’m very anxious. I have to take deep breaths and try and be rationale. I also go to a counsellor. Do you ? I’m on 50. How long have you been on 75? That’s quite a jump from 25. Maybe too soon?

Yes just started 3 weeks ago and she is brilliant. Been on 75 for 3 weeks and have a review next Monday. Do you feel like your meds are kicking in yet? I hate not feeling excited for the baby to come. What are your anxieties/intrusive thoughts centred around? X

No I don’t think they are. GP said 2 weeks can make it worse, 2 weeks to get in system and 2 weeks to start working. A lot of people have said 6-8 weeks. They are very scary and disturbing and not me at all. They make you feel awful x

I really understand and here for you whenever you want to message! We can try and get through this together. PM me whenever you need x

Thank you and you too!

I'm afraid I do not have a helpful story but I am in a similar position. I'm 19 weeks pregnant and have been feeling very anxious (with intrusive thoughts about death) and feeling quite low. I have a history of depression (bipolar type 2) and generalised anxiety disorder and I find it hard not being able to take my usual anxiety medication (diazepam). I've been prescribed fluoxetine because I can't tolerate sertraline but I don't want to take it while pregnant.

Have you spoken to your midwife about how you are feeling and were they helpful? I've told mine but she just told me to take the fluoxetine if it gets worse.

Hope things improve for you soon

So many women suffer with prenatal depression and anxiety and if you have a history of anxiety and depression as well, I think it can be an awful combination.

As well as medication you should be able to get support from either your hospital mental health maternity team or a perinatal mental health team. You will be fast tracked for counselling and other support like CBT because you are pregnant. I really hope you find something or a combination of things to help.

Hi there. Sorry to hear about you not feeling well. I took sertraline while bf dd1, then throughout the pregnancies and bf time with ds and dd2. I had intrusive thoughts and anxiety as well as depression. There have been no problems with any of my children (apart from the usual teenage dramas - they're now 15. 17 and 19!).

It's worth pushing through to 6-8 weeks if you can stand it, it made a huge difference to me (I was very badly depressed with dd1 and have few memories of the early weeks) and my relationships with my dc and dh!

Hoping you feel better soon.

@weegiemum thank you for sharing that. Did it make a difference to you whilst pregnant and work well for you? I’m only 2 weeks in and praying they take it all away. I will continue them for as long as I have to :)

@brightside11 I’m sorry you’re having a tough time. My sister goes fluoxetine and finds it very effective? Also you can take a low level of diazepam because they offered me that? Have you got a counsellor?

I started sertraline at 20 it helped with my mood and anxiety however it made me incredibly sleepy. To the point I was falling asleep at my desk at work, My baby came early and I felt like sleeping so much wasn’t making things an easier plus I feared I wouldn’t hear her cry when she came home because of the side effects so I have stopped them. I will say I don’t think that was the best decision on my part as I do feel shit again so will start taking them again. I was on 100mg a day going to go to 50mg

Hey @Neverbroken, did you take 100 in pregnancy? I'm thinking of going up to 100 as on 75 at the moment. Was the baby okay? One of my anxieties is impact on the baby but also scared of the impact my anxiety is having on the baby!

Baby came early at 27 weeks but I don’t think that was to do with the tablets I think that was stress. She’s healthy and happy. Trust me anxiety would be the worse option for baby.

Oh bless @neverbroken how is the baby getting on now? And how are you doing? X

@Neverbroken I have been on 50 for 3 weeks and started 100 today, mostly for severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts. How did you see the difference between 50 and 100 and any side effects? I hope
You and baby are well x

She’s lovely she’s home and an ounce off 5 pounds. I am okay, I am getting upset and crying and very anxious doctor said it’s literally manifesting physically now because I keep getting like a palpitation feeling but it’s not to the left by my heart it’s right in the middle of my chest and my head feels funny at times that’s why I’m going to start them again on 50.

I was less sleepy on 50mg.

I'm glad baby is okay, how many weeks is she now? And glad you've decided to go back on meds. How are you feeling today? X

@firsttimemum032020 Saw that you decided to take the sertraline. I hope it helps you feel better quickly. I've started on the fluoxetine this week, my anxiety was unmanageable and my GP said that would be worse for the baby than medication. I have also tried counselling this week but didn't connect with the therapist so I think I will look for another. Hope you're doing okay

@brightside11 thank you. I’m on week 3. Starting at 50 and moved up to 100 yesterday. I think my intrusive thoughts are worse but can’t tell? Hope you’re doing ok and fluoxetine helps you. Finding the right counsellor is hard but you will! X