GP/pregnancy/ads

[RachelWalsh]

I am 29 weeks pregnant, i had asked my midwife for a referral to the perinatal mh team when I was about 20 weeks-ish, because my mood was getting really quite low at times. I was on ads prior to becoming pregnant but I came off them on the advice of my GP. It took 6 weeks to get an appointment, I finally got one, the specialist psych agreed it might be worth trying sertraline, it was one of the safest etc and he would write to my GP and then I could get started on them.

I left it a week, went to my GP and asked if he had received the letter. He hadn't, I explained what had been discussed and he pretty much refused to prescribe me them. I have ended up feeling guilty for even asking although to be honest I don't think my GP has a fucking clue what he is talking about and seems to be of the opinion that pregnant women should not be given any medication for anything (cue weeks of bother to get an inhaler, refusal to prescribe anything for eczema etc). He suggested I come back and see him weekly instead, but I don't really see how that will help. It's just one more bloody thing I need to fit in.

I don't even know why I'm bothering to write this really, I suppose I just want to vent. I have actually been feeling a bit better, until today, I am just feeling really low, no motivation, weepy, tired etc. I have been having recurring horrible morbid anxious thoughts, picking at my skin etc etfuckingc. I told GP all this.

I feel like I have tried my hardest to get some help and no one will help me. There probably isn't even any point in starting on an ad this far into my pregnancy as I would need to wean off before the birth to prevent the baby having withdrawals anyway.

I feel like as long as the baby is ok no one cares if I feel like utter shit the whole time.

That last bit sounds awful. Of course I care that the baby is ok more than me but everything is just such a struggle. I'm beginning to think my mood had only lifted a bit because I knew it wasn't long to hold on till I'd get some help.

I know people who've had sertraline throughout their whole pregnancies and all was fine. I know that's only anecdotal, but from everything I have heard the risk is absolutely miniscule. And you have to balance that risk against the benefits, which in your case are clearly huge.

And you've also got to bear in mind that depression / anxiety in the mother is not a "neutral event" for the baby either. Depression and anxiety could affect the baby more than any effect that sertraline may have. A happy mummy is a happy baby, that's what I think anyway.

Am sorry your GP seems useless. Is there anyway you can ask to see someone else?

When discussing this with my mw she said tgat she tells her ladies to throw away the advice leaflet it will only scare you.

Chase the letter to your gp on Monday and if he still won't then change gps. You should speak to your mw again as she might be able to help.

Thank you for your support. I still don't know what to do. I was worrying about starting on them anyway and now I feel that maybe I should just leave it. The GPs attitude has just made me even more worried than I would have been anyway I think.

it is very definitely NOT the case that there are no ads you can have when pregnant despite what your gp said. See your mw as soon as you can and ask if she can get another letter- maybe you can ask for a copy yourself, so you can take it. Perhaps gp would refer you to a counsellor, that might be helpful? Is there a mental health mw?

I've had an appointment with a perinatal psychiatrist who recommended sertraline shalli but because the letter hadn't come through the GP wouldn't give me any. I'm also a bit pissed off that a letter will now be sent by the psychiatrist to Hv too, meaning that they will be scrutinising me but actually all I've tried to do is be responsible about my health and have got nowhere with it.

It took so long to get the referral and now is taking even longer to get any progress off the back of it that they would only just have started working when I had to start weaning down pre-delivery. It's just really frustrating.

Maybe it's a sign I should just wait until after the baby is born and hope I can keep my head above water in the meantime?

Are you sure you will have to wean down pre delivery? is that what the psychiatrist said?
Don't worry about the HV, they are 'scrutinising' everybody anyway, it's their job! they screen everyone for PND, so they will just be extra alert in your case, but hopefully you will be fine if you get the meds sorted anyway

good luck