Sertraline

[Dede124]

Has anyone had any experience of taking Sertraline during pregnancy either continued taking it from before pregnancy or starting it whilst pregnant. I have been prescribed 50mg but I'm a bit worried about starting it even though i need to. Does it give you any side effects at all? Thanks

Following as I am in the same situation x

I took Sertraline during pregnancy. The same dose as you and didn't experience any side effects at all.
I had to go back on Venlafaxine a few months after my DS was born because I started to feel low and the Sertraline just didn't seem to be working anymore.
I'd advise that you give the Sertraline a go....you can always discuss alternative medication with your GP if it doesn't suit you.
Good luck!

@Peacelover1975 did it help? I just came off venlafaxine and I think my GP will offer Sertraline x

Hello. I'm 38 weeks pregnant today and have been taking 200mg of Sertraline for nearly a year now. I talked it over with my local perinatal mental health team when I found out I was expecting and we agreed it was the best decision for me as I have a history of anxiety and depression.

I know there are some potential risks to taking Sertraline (although I was told it's the recommended medication in pregnancy) but on balance, we decided if I am calm and relaxed, that will be good for my baby.

I mentioned it to the sonographer at my 20 week scan and she had a really thorough look at the baby's heart which helped put my mind at rest. I also found the Bumps website really useful for explaining the pros and cons. My last suggestion is PANDAS, a charity for women with depression either before or after pregnancy.

I hope you enjoy your pregnancy and do what feels right for you.

Hi Hotpink. I definitely think the Sertraline helped during pregnancy, as my mood was stable throughout.
My Dr said that pregnancy hormones help to ward off depression, which i think was the case with me.
Since my DS was 8 weeks old it's all gone tits up! I initially had my sertraline increased and attended a CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) course, have since gone back onto Venlafaxine and had it increased yesterday to 225mg which was the dose I was on before being pregnant. My gp has advised that i take 150mg in the morning and 75mg at night instead of the whole lot in the morning.
Depression is an absolute pain in the arse. I've struggled with for most of my life, but am determined to continue to manage it in the best way that i can.
Thanks for the PANDAS suggestion L1amagirl...will check it out

@Dede124 You should really discuss this with your doctor asap. Normally the rule of thumb for meds that are not high-rank counter-indicated (such as more complex antipsychotics) and on which you are stable is to continue, if possible reduce over time to a minimum in the third trimester. Each case if of course individual. If you are not on the specific drug yet, there are "safer" options available. So please (you and others on this thread) do not self-medicate but consult a medical doctor.

@L1amagirl that's my worry to the risks that are involved however at the moment I feel my happiness is important right now in order to be able to bond with my baby in good time and feel stressed all the time. And thanks will have a look at PANDAS.

@Peacelover1975 sorry you've been suffering I hope things pick up for you soon. It's such a struggle and my biggest fear is that I end up with postnatal depression as I'm prone to depression and anxiety myself that's why I think it's important to address it now.

Awww Dede try not to worry. You're doing all the right things by addressing it now and if you do develop PND, then you will know what to look out for and ask for help quickly. I'm sure you'll be fine though x

Hi @Dede124

I was on 100mg of sertraline and also propranolol for anxiety and depression for a year. I made the decision to come off the meds when I found out I was pregnant around 3 weeks ago, currently 8+3 (had a very long conversation with my gp and had already been thinking off coming off). I can't say I felt any negative effects on the 50mg apart from slight dizziness in first few weeks which subsided, i can honestly say it worked wonders for me and my mental health. I think I started to feel side effects more when my dosage was increased - slight dizziness, sleepiness and some weight gain.

My gp said that I could've continued the sertraline throughout pregnancy if I wanted to but would recommended going back to a 50mg dosage. If I remember correctly he said that fluoxetine is one of the recommended anti depressants in pregnancy as there's loads of research to back up its safety. He told me to go back if I start to feel low again and we could look into that so I'm going to see how I feel. Been a little down and anxious lately but putting it down to the soaring hormones right now! Anyone tried fluoxetine?

Remember, your happiness and health are the most important things right now!

Hope this helps in some way !