Anti depressants when pregnant

[bebopanddoowop]

Hi, I am hoping I can find someone with first hand experience on here to help or advise me.

I have been taking fluoxetine (prozac) for years to help with my ongoing anxiety/depression and am able to cope much better with them - every time I have tried to decrease my 40mg a day dosage I haven't managed. Now I am in a stable situation and am getting married next month, my partner and I want to try for a baby. I feel that on my medication I can hold it together to be a good mother.

However, I can't find conclusive arguments either way as to whether it's sensible to stay on my medication throughout trying to conceive and pregnancy or not. I have been to see my doctor, who was quite rude to me, and said if I needed to be on them I should stay on them if I didn't I should come off them. I said I was happy with the medication but wasn't sure if it effects the baby as I have read different things, and the NHS website suggests there are possibilities there could be - though no conclusive evidence. My doctor simply said "I just said - you can take them". Not a great way to reassure someone with anxiety problems, I think you'll agree!

If anyone else has been in a similar situation I'd be really interested to know what you did.

Thanks

I am new to the forum I hope I have posted in the right section x

Not exactly 1st hand exp but one of my very good friends was on ads before she fell pg (domazepan or diazopan I think, not sure if that is right).
I went to the consultant with her and he definitely advised to stay on them, saying it would be much more problematic coming off them in pregnancy than continuing them.
However, it has to be said she fell pg by accident, so maybe that advice is a bit back to front for you as with her the situation was already there. I think she was about 5/6 months gone when she found out.
Is there a different dr at the practice you can see to advise you?
Hope it works out for you, as you want it.

Thanks for your reply. Yes a lot of research I've done seems to point towards that it can be worse if you come off them because obviously your mental health effects your baby as much as the meds might. I will take your advise and book to see a different GP - if i get as many opinions as possible I can make a more informed decision at least. It's very difficult not to be let down by one bad doctor - but there are plenty of good ones out there!

I don't know much about Fluoxetine, but I was on Lofepramine right through two pregnancies - I now have two beautiful children. It would have been far riskier for me to stop the AD's, as my history of depression made me a far higher risk for post natal depression etc. I'd try and see a different GP to get the reassurance you need, but many AD's are safe to take in pregnancy. Good luck

Thank you for sharing that with me it's very reassuring to hear first hand experience!

I was on Prozac through both my pregnancies & have 2 healthy, happy boys. Am struggling with my own MH but that's another issue & I'm sure it's one you're aware of as a possible post natal problem.

I was taking duloxetine but swapped to Prozac before falling pregnant as it's more 'pregnancy friendly'. Have tried many times to come off medication altogether but it just doesn't work.

I took Citalopram through my second pregnancy - was advised that it was safe to take. My DS was born with no problems. In fact, he's perfect! The only downside was I was told I couldn't breast feed while taking Citalopram.