antidepressants?

[ohbigdaddio]

Is anybody on antidepressants...or does anyone know of any antidepressants that are safe to take when starting IVF/TTC?

DH and I have started visiting IVF clinics with a view to starting treatment in September and I am struggling so much mentally. I think I've been depressed and anxious for at least the last 6 months but due to a doctor months ago saying she wouldn't advise anti depressants when TTC, I have battled on without them.

I'm doing all within my power to keep from getting severely depressed – exercise, yoga, talking to friends (with mixed results!), talking and lurking on Mumsnet, acupuncture, eating healthily and not drinking but still I feel down most of the time and the future feels bleak. I have a session with a counsellor booked for next week. This infertility lark is shit and doesn't help that I live in a very family heavy area! Babies and pregnant women everywhere.

I've suffered from depression in the past and taken anti depressants and they've really helped me just get my head in the right place to sort the cause of my depression out. Infertility is obviously very different with no certainty of having a much wanted baby but I still feel medication would help.

Is anyone in a similar position?

Thank you x

I swear I wrote that post myself!! Back in January my gp prescribed me sertraline, saying it was the 'safest' for ttc. I did a small amount of research and it seems they just don't really run studies of antidepressants and ttc... so the real risk is the risk of the unknown.

I chose not to take them in the end but really struggling ATM... had my first counselling session Tuesday, which I was shocked by how low I was during it!

Very ambivalent... as my biggest hurdle is ttc and once that's solved I am very hopeful (but not confident) that I'll improve... very much in two minds about it as I don't want to be on meds forever... but have never used ADs in the past so don't really know what effect they'd have on me!

Thanks physicskate it's so tough, isn't it?

I'm the same, I think if I got a BFP then I would be ok, (well very happy actually!) but there really is no guarantee of that happening. With potentially several cycles of IVF ahead of us (clinic told us to expect to do 3-4 rounds) I really need my head to be in a better place. At the moment I feel just one failed cycle will finish me off mentally and emotionally.

I found anti depressants really helped me in the past, they took the edge off my terribly low mood but I wasn't bouncing off the walls or anything! I think I had slight headaches when I first took them but that was about it.

I was on antidepressants when TTC. I was on them due to depression, anxiety from moving to a new area & TTC. When I finally fell pregnant, I slowly came off them & so far, touch wood, I've been ok.

I believe you should resist your urge to go for antidepressant as it's doctor, who is advising you not to go for it just listen to him and find other ways like exercising and yoga to get rid of depression.! best of luck XX

It's not that easy sometimes though Megha22

I'm avoiding going back on tablets and I feel borderline suicidal some days. All the healthy eating and exercise in the world makes zero difference.

megha22 your post is seriously unhelpful. Clearly you have never experienced clinical depression.

Op go and see another doctor.

Absolutely see your doctor. Many woman are on antidepressants during pregnancy and it is always a risk - benefit discussion. If your mental health is poor, this may be more detrimental than anyidepresssant exposure.

I would definitely advise you to see your gp as soon as you can.

Wishing you all the best x

Megha22 your post is totally unsympathetic and unhelpful. In fact not only is it unhelpful, it's potentially harmful. Clearly you don't have any idea about depression. Would you suggest to someone with cancer that they should try exercise and yoga as treatment for it??

Just wanted to express sympathy and solidarity - I'm in a very similar situation, struggling with fertility (multiple miscarriages) and with a history of anxiety and depression successfully treated with the help of antidepressants. I've been really reluctant to contemplate starting the drugs again, but have now accepted there has to be a breaking point where I can't carry on as I am. I find myself very up and down at the moment so it's hard to know if I'm there. I think you should do whatever you need to to get through this - and if that's antidepressants then that's what it is, even if it's not absolutely 'ideal'.

I took 10mg Citalopram. Low dose, takes edge off. Stopped immediately in getting bfp. No adverse effects...