Pregnant and in need of advice anxiety/depression

[pheasant1]

Any mumsnetters have personal experience of taking antidepressants in pregnancy? Would anyone be kind enough to share? I was on 20mg escitalopram pre pregnancy and stopped them soon after I found out. I've been doing ok, however the past couple of weeks I've been finding the feels creep up on me more and more. Anxious to the point of some mild panic attacks and generally feeling like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. I'm seeing a counsellor, which helps, but I don't feel its enough!
Worried about talking to GP about meds again, because if like to remain med free for the pregnancy and for breastfeeding but I'm worried that my anxiety and worry will hurt baby. This is a rainbow pregnancy following late loss almost a year ago. I'm 23 weeks now.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate your time xx

Sorry to hear you're going through this OP, I'm afraid I have no useful information but wanted to bump your thread!

Congratulations on your pregnancy

I was prescribed 50mg of sertaline and 50mg of quetiapine during pregnancy.

Do go and see your GP (you don’t need to take meds if you don’t want to) but they can refer you to Perinatal Mental Health and also for CBT for your anxiety.

Thank you oooompa, I really appreciate it

Thank you SpottingTheZebras,

Were you on meds before or just through pregnancy? If you don't mind me asking.
I'd take meds if they'll help and are safe, I just worry about the safety of them. I'm very worried about the outcome of this pregnancy and I am fearful of adding any further unknowns in to the mix....yet I'm aware that feeling like I do is of no use to baby either! Catch 22!
The counsellor I see is a specialist women's health pregnancy/bereavement one but I have wondered if some CBT mag help me also.

I was prescribed them for the pregnancy (I had a late miscarriage beforehand and prenatal depression). I was promised repeatedly that they were safe. I was worried about taking them and I didn’t in the end (although I told my GP I was taking them) which I am very glad about because something awful happened just before my baby was born and she died neonatally; I would have spent forever fearing the medication contributed despite the fact not only do I know they didn’t (because I didn’t take them) but the huge number of doctors and also the pathologist all said they were considered safe to take during pregnancy.

Thank you for sharing your story, which must be very difficult for you. I'm so sorry for your losses. It's reassuring to know so many health professionals consider them safe. It's good for thought, thank you.

Thank you. I really hope everything goes smoothly and well for you.

Late reply but I was on 20mg for the first 6 months of my pregnancy. I made the decision to come off them for the last 3 months but had slowly been weaning myself off of them for a month or two as I didn't feel I needed them anymore.

I know there is 1 type of AD that is fine for breastfeeding but I can't remember which one. The one I was on wasn't recommended for BF and also I read some horror stories about it affecting babies (very rare!) but as I felt ok I came off them. Speak to your GP and midwife as they can recommend what is best, and if you have to stay on them, there's ones that are safe to take.

I was prescribed sertaline during my pregnancy with dd2. I never actually took them.
I was referred to the perinatal mental health team by my midwife.

Thank you for your reply nimfly. I stopped mine in early pregnancy, around 6-7 weeks, but unfortunately feel like perhaps I need them more now. I've done fine up until the last couple of weeks. I think I need to speak to my GP and see what they recommend. I found in early pregnancy that they weren't very helpful, didn't want to offer any advice, just said It was my decision. I came off them because in a previous pregnancy that ended in miscarriage the GP felt it best to be off them entirely. So hard to know what to do.

Thank you parkheadparadise, I'm not sure if or how the perinatal mental health team differs from the women's health counsellor that I see now, but I can check.

@pheasant1
I'm not sure if they are different. It's all a bit of a blur if I'm honest.
Good luck.

@ParkheadParadise I think it probably varies between health trusts too, just to confuse it all a bit more!

Anyone else?