AD's during Pregnancy - the least side effects please?

[Toothache]

Hi all,

I have just been prescribed an AD called Amiltryptolene (or something similar!). I'm 32 wks pregnant with my 2nd. It's been prescribed as I suffered PND for 2 yrs after ds (now 3) was born. And I'm showing signs now that I'm headed that way again. I've never had AD's before.

Anyway... that was the low down.

I took 50mg at 9.30pm on Wednesday night. I woke up feeling terrible! I was dizzy, 'drunk', spaced and SO sleepy I thought I would pass out at work!

It lasted all day then when I went home at 4.30pm I fell into a deep deep sleep for 3 hrs. Luckily DS was at my Mum's!

The side-effects were just too extreme and long-lasting for me to consider taking another one last night so I didn't. I couldn't risk feeling like that when I'm alone with ds.... I couldn't even be arsed getting up to go to the toilet (I had to force myself to stand up)!

I was wondering if all you wise Mumsnetters could give me your experience and views on which are best during pregnancy and also which ones I can take in pregnancy and carry on taking whilst breastfeeding?

Also... I'd love to hear of any where the side-effects are minimal and don't turn you into a completely useless, vacant Zombie for the 1st few weeks!

TIA..

You must be sick of me on the other thread by now! Not that I am stalking you through MN or anything . Just a quick post before I go out to the park, so sorry if this doesn't all make sense!

Unfortunately coz we all react to pills etc differently, I can't guarantee that just coz Prozac was great for me it would be great for you - however I do think that SSRIs (Fluoxetine (Prozac), Cipramil, Paroxetine etc) are less likely to zombify you than the older tricyclics - I think the one you have been taking is a tricyclic. GP will also have his own views from his experience of prescribing - so he may say - e.g that quite a few people have a better experience on Cipramil, say than Prozac. As Prozac is older than the other SSRIs this has the benefit that this is probably the best researched SSRI in pg/b/f, but the downside that the other similar drugs are more refined if you like, so possibly a bit less likely to give you side effects than Prozac. Re:breastfeeding - I was specifically told Prozac was OK for breastfeeding - there was a study where it showed that traces of Prozac came through in the milk, but had no ill effect on the baby. I was also told it would be better for me to b/f than not, as baby would have chance to "withdraw" more gradually from Prozac!!!

Noone will ever say that any AD is 100% safe for pg - they will talk in terms of balance benefit to risks - but that is more because they are being ultra careful and there haven't been big studies on it, than because they know it is dangerous IYSWIM. Ever since Thalidomide, the culture of prescribing for pg women has changed to the ultra cautious.

Hope you have a good day

Thanks MummytoSteven - Not sick of you at all.... you've got loads of great advice!
Yes the one I have is an old Tricyclic AD.