Pregnancy and anti-depressants *YOUR STORIES PLEASE!*

[santascRUMPELedsuit]

Please can you tell me your experiences of taking anti-depressants whilst pregnant?

Any Doctors out there I would really like to hear your opinions too.

I took seroxat while pregnant-I had suffered on and off with depression since 17 so spend alot of that time on anti-depressants.
I was concerned about the effects on my unborn baby obviously so discussed it with my consultant-he felt it more suitable for me to drop my dose of med then to come completely off and risk a depressive episode which he said would be more harmful to me and the baby than the very small risk of the AD.I dropped from 20mg everyday to 10mg daily

My son was born healthy and suffered NO side effects-hes 5 now and I havent been on anti-depressants since he was 2.

I was on seroxat, then when PG was switched to fluoxentine. Am on 20mg a day as couldn't manage on 10. GP said same as goinggriggincrazy - that being on level of AD's was less risky to baby than risking depressive episode. Baby not due til April but so far everything is fine.
Why? Are you pregnant and needing AD's?

Am pg and on Citalopram (started April). 5mg a day for floating anxiety. It gets much worse when pg though because of hormones. Dr was a bit blunt and unhelpful today and am feeling a bit bemused, angry, upset etc. Just wanted to hear everyone elses experience. IMO nobody WANTS to take meds when pg, but she made me feel like a real bitch for even mentioning it. I hace miscarried before so I know how it feels to lose a baby so it is not like I am completely unaware that things can go wrong.

Poor you, that's rubbish. I am lucky enough to have very understanding doc and therapist, who are quite sensible about such matters. Doc said the worst thing to do is come off something suddenly, and if I can't manage without taking something, then to take it. Like you say, no one wants to take medication when PG, but it is a question of balancing risks. I know mine is classified as being not so risky in pregnancy, but obviously they can't do drug trials on PG women to check.

I was taking citralopram when DD was conceived (but tbh it wasn't really helping much anyway) and came off it straightaway when I found out I was pregnant.

Pregnancy was unplanned which triggered more major depressive feelings. I went to the GP when I was 12 weeks pregnant and he made an urgent referal to the psychaiatrist who prescribed sertaline for me. This one was considered to be less risky in pregnancy and for breastfeeding and it was definitely better for both me and DD to be taking it than not.

I breastfed DD until she was 10 months, whilst still taking sertraline and at 2.2, she is a very normal 2 year old .

Your doctor's attitude seems very unhelpful - in many situations you have to do something that isn't ideal, but in the case of taking ADs it is generally better than the situations that could otherwise arise.

Oh - I meant to add - perhaps think about seeing another doctor? The last thing I would have needed was an unhelpful one like your sounds. When I was early PG my mood was terrible, and if I hadn't been on medication I dread to think how I would have coped.

Thanks all. That is what I think too. I have made an appointment to see her again in 2xweeks but I may see someone else sooner.

Good for you. Most useful thing is having someone who understands and isn't judgemental. Good luck and hope you feel better soon x

Thanks EllieG was going round and round my head last night. You know that way in retrospect you wish you'd said this or that?

Yes but you shouldn't have to feel that way when you're asking for help. People should offer support, not make you feel crappy.

Just bumping tonight to see if anyone else has anyhting they can chip in.

Hi santa - I was on citalopram (20mg) when I accidentally fell pregnant with no3. My depression was too severe to come off them, and it was decided that it was better for the family if I remained on them. I was referred to a consultant psychiatrist, who said that there had been a small study (31 mothers) whihc showed a small elevation of the number of babies with restless and unsettled behaviour after birth. He told me the half life of the drug was at its highest between 3 and 9 hours after taking the tablets, so I timed it so that I expressed outside those hours in order to avoid the effects. It worked well for me, and dd has not been affected at all - even when I had to go up to 40 mg after the birth. I was referred to a paediatrician after the birth to check, and she said dd was fine, and it was a very very thorough examination. In my experience, I would say staying on them was the best thing for me, and I was able to manage the baby and the tablets. Good Luck.

Thanks a lot. The more I hear from people the more reassured I am feeling - will go armed to the Dr with a print out.

the psychiatrist had some sort of text book of antidepressants he kept referring to - I wonder if GPs have it too?

I was prescribed Prozac at 30 ish weeks PG - OCD and at times suicidally depressed, so psych felt that risks to me (and baby) of the depression going untreated, and effect of quality of life were greater than potential risks of taking the meds. My son was healthy and had no withdrawals. He does have some language problems but I think that's due to aspie type genes on both mine and DH side, rather than the meds. If GP is VERY unhelpful, you could suggest a second opinion from a psychiatrist or even possibly from obs/gynae doc at maternity hospital.