Anxiety medication while pregnant?

[anonuser25]

Hi, name changed for this, hope no one thinks that's cheeky!

I have suffered with anxiety almost all my adult life and have been on and off medication throughout this time.
I came off al medication when we were TTC and have stayed off so far in pregnancy. But I'm not coping well at all, had a panic attack last week and I've never had one before. It's not pregnancy related anxiety but generalised.

I am very scared to go to GP about going back on medication due to the risks to the baby and being concerned this will get me flagged with SS? DH thinks I am being really silly worrying about SS getting involved, that won't even be on the radar and the doctor won't judge me at all for it?

Has anyone continued taking antidepressants/anxiety medication when pregnant? Are the risks as bad as I fear, or is it dr Google pitting the fear in me?

Any ones experiences welcomed!x

I have depression and anxiety, and took Sertraline throughout both pregnancies. It's considered safe to take.

If it's more specifically for anxiety, there will be other things you can take.

Don't worry about SS getting involved - they're not going to be concerned about someone who has a common mental health issue, but is taking steps to deal with it, and has a supportive partner.

I have been on and off antidepressants all of my adult life. I was on the meds when I got pregnant but stopped very quickly on my doctors advice. I won’t lie, it hadn’t been easy. The first trimester was really difficult as the hormones were all over the place and I felt sick constantly too. Luckily, I saw a therapist who really has really been helping me to just live with the anxiety and not be ruled by it. If this is an option for you I would try it. I honestly hope that therapy might actually help me stay off antidepressants once the baby is here too. You should speak to your midwife as she will be able to hopefully get you some pre natal mental health support. If not you also have the option of staying on the antidepressants. My midwife says that she actually recommends pregnant ladies should just stay on antidepressants. Certain ones are considered pretty safe. If this would help you to relax and enjoy your pregnancy then it is really worth considering. If I had t got the therapist, I would have gone back on them.

Like you my anxiety is not related to the pregnancy. Weirdly, I’m not at anxious about the baby at all. It’s more generalised.i think the best thing you can do is be very open with both your gp and midwife and let them help you decide what’s best for you and your baby. And don’t worry about social services. There is no way they will get involved.

Thanks both it's helpful to know that I'm not the only one who isn't just the happy excited pregnant person everyone expects us to be!

I think long term a therapist would be very helpful as I'm scared about post natal depression if I already struggle with mental health. The problem is the cost of private or being able to get time off work to see one through the GP. I've had the anxiety for around 12/13 years so probably do need it o get to the route cause of it all eventually anyway.

I think I will speak to my doctor about it this week, I'm struggling to sleep as well with it all building up on me and I know I'm probably at risk of something happening to me or the baby because of the stress rather than taking medication.

I saw a perinatal psychiatrist when I was pregnant . She changed my anti depressant as my meds were too new to know effects . I was given anti anxiety meds . Can’t remember what but it didn’t help a lot . I used lorazepam before

I've been on citalopram throughout both my pregnancies. In my first pregnancy I was on a higher dose than I currently am both during and after due to PND kicking in. DD1 is perfectly healthy. This time round I've been on the lowest dose (10mg) and coped during pregnancy however I'm struggling a bit at the mo with anxiety so have seen my GP who's got the HV more involved. During both pregnancies I've been offered support due to my long term mental health so please don't be worried about anyone calling SS.

I was on clomipramine for my first 2 and am currently on my third pregnancy. Drs never changed my dose as it suited me well but I just had extra check ups with consultant to ensure I was ok. Afterwards I stayed in hosp for a few days to ensure baby was ok and then did this again for my second. I'm presuming they will do do for this one too.

Honestly OP, babies are pretty robust. i took meds for palpitations in pregnancy 1, and no meds at all with DD2 but had awful palpitations every time I tried to move (was under a cardiologist and investigated.) All the time I worried the babies were being harmed (which if course worsened the problem.) Both children are totally fine. On an evolutionary scale, no children would be born if they couldn't tolerate their Mothers having some stress or anxiety. Go see your GP, they will help you without any judgment.

I was taking sertraline for anxiety/depression and ocd was advised to stop taking it, as it can in some cases cause your baby to develop with a hole in the heart, and in some cases to have other developmental issues - this can apparently vary depending on dose and I believe they haven't done loads of research on it, but the doctor bloody scared me!!!

Things have been really hard but I've been seeing a fantastic therapist who has been helping me with dealing with compulsions and difficult situations, and combined with the changing season I am feeling slowly more able to cope as I also suffer from some SAD symptoms.

Asked the midwife if social services would be involved due to my history of breakdowns/suicide attempts and she basically told me that I was being silly and that they would not be involved unless I was really unable to cope, or if my partner left and was unable to support me.

I would try to stop taking it and maybe try a type of talking therapy or other non-medication route for a while. If you feel you need to go back on any medication then the doctors apparently advise you on what may be less harmful to take, and give you a lower dose to reduce the risk of any side effects on baby.

I've stayed cold turkey from the highest dose you can take of sertraline, so I'm really hoping I can keep in control once baby is here :) good luck OP, hope you can beat the anxiety x

I was taking sertraline for anxiety/depression and ocd was advised to stop taking it, as it can in some cases cause your baby to develop with a hole in the heart,

There is NO scientific evidence for this. One study reported it but many others could not find evidence to back it up. The GP who said this clearly has no understanding of scientific studies and statistical risk which is surprising.

OP, I take sertraline and will continue this throughout my pregnancy. I was only happy to do so after a lot of research into its safety. The benefit to my baby of having a calm non-anxious mother far outweighs a risk that no one can prove even exists.

Sorry, just to add that sertraline is considered one of the safer antidepressants to take during pregnancy.

Thank you all so much.

Heart defects, cleft palate, miscarriage and babies born with withdrawal symptoms are some of the horrors I have read online so it's helpful to hear real life accounts that prove those risks are not gospel.

I thought I was being silly being worried about SS so thank you for confirming this! I will defo contact my gp and see about both getting put back on some form of medication and try to arrange to see a therapist.

You've all been very helpful and I hope all who are currently pregnant have a happy,healthy pregnancy 🤰

@BiscayTrafalgarFitzroy it does actually say in the clinical leaflet about the risks during pregnancy, and I did discuss it with the GP, but the risk is low/not fully proven!

It was better for my anxiety to take away that worry or I would literally be losing my mind worrying about what I may or not be doing to the baby so I think it's just personal preference!

It is pretty annoying that there's so few trials on this kind of thing considering the amount of women that do suffer from mental illness during and after pregnancy! Some of it probably is just freaky coincidences but with anxiety it can make you worry so much x

@chillicheesemama

I totally agree about the lack of trials around these medications. It does a real disservice to women. Anxiety is so overpowering sometimes and can overwhealm what’s supposed to be an exciting time of your life. Surely they scientists can make some sort of educated guess as to what the impact is? The scare factor is t helpful either as the risks aren’t proven but are often sold as fact which deters women who need the medication from taking it.

Hi
I’m taking Fluoxetine for anxiety and been advised to keep taking it throughout my pregnancy. I think the risk of me becoming stressed and unwell will be more harmful to the baby than effects of the drugs which aren’t proven.

Sertraline is one of the safer ones to take during pregnancy and it’s better for breast feeding too.

I think you need to do whatever is best for you and don’t put pressure on yourself (easier said than done I know!) and make sure you take care of it yourself

it does actually say in the clinical leaflet about the risks during pregnancy, and I did discuss it with the GP, but the risk is low/not fully proven!

The risk isn't at all proven. There were a few studies that suggested a risk of heart defects but no further evidence could be found to back this up. Moreover, these studies were flawed as it is pretty much impossible to run a scientifically controlled study on medication in pregnancy due to ethical reasons. So, from a scientific perspective it is completely unproven.

Unfortunately, because the link can't be proven or disproved, the literature has to say that there may be a risk. I agree with @LaurG. It's a massive disservice to women with anxiety to not educate them properly on understanding the risk surrounding medicines like this. It's also potentially dangerous for people to stop taking medication like this when they don't really need to.

Hi, sorry I've not read everything do might be repeating. I'm on quetiapine. Before pregnancy I'd been treated for mental health issues but never taken antidepressants, I trialled setraline from the gp for a few days in early pregnancy (before I knew I was pregnant but suspected), gave me severe insomnia and allthough it was planned it was our first month trying so a shock and I found it hard to process my emotions when I got the positive test. Got moderate antenatal depression and high anxiety. Obstratrican prescribed citalopram at the beggining of the second trimester which I didn't take so next appointment I was referred to a psychiatrist and am currently on low dose of quetiapine. It is really effective for me as its got a sedative which I needed as I had insomnia anxiety got really bad in the second 'happy' trimester. I couldn't cope with work, well meaning people telling me I looked great and glowing when I felt exhausted and headaky. Hard to explain to some people why I needed so many breaks and I expected to be as productive as other pregnant women I've worked with before. Management have been amazing. I'm now signed off at 25 weeks until after maternity leave.

I'm a healthcare professional which is why I'm such a difficult, stubborn patient. Also we are very short staffed and my job is stressful and physical and a gossipy team. I love my job and feel very guilty for stressing everyone and having amazing medical and social support and still struggling. I don't trust doctors as much as I should which is why I didn't take medication, but was focusing on well-being. I'm still being stubborn about not wanting to increase the dose because I'm scared from past experience more than the effect on the baby, feeling selfish... I understand that low doses are quite safe and would reduce stress so be good for the babys future... Still need to properly discuss breastfeeding as doctor said I can breastfeed on medication and meds are most important postnataly but I've read you can't breastfeed...

Just want to thank everyone or your advice reassurance, I went to the doctors this morning and have been prescribed sertraline as it's apparently the safest in pregnancy. He has also referred me to the wellness clinic to get them to contact me re the different therapy options.
As you all did, he reassured me that it's a lot more common than I realised for anxiety in first time pregnancies never mind someone who has had previous history of anxiety.

Already feel in a better frame of mind just being able to talk it over with him

Good. I’m so pleased you are getting a sympathetic ear from healthcare professionals. Good luck! X

Glad you are getting help OP. X

Well done OP! There’s so much support out there but you have to be brave enough to ask for it. I hope this is the start of you feeling MUCH better!

I was on citalopram during my first pregnancy and went cold turkey the minute I found out this time. I DONT reccomend it. The first trimester has been awful, had a total breakdown and my OH had to take DC1 away to his mums as I couldn’t cope. I’m under the perinatal mental health team and a consultant (my GP panicked when I said I’d gone cold turkey) and there has not been so much as a sniff of SS even being interested let alone involved!

You’re doing all the right things and looking after yourself is the number 1 priority, otherwise looking after baby is extra tough! Best of luck for the rest of the pregnancy

Hello, I am in a very similar situation as you are! I am now 12 weeks pregnant. I have a history of anxiety disorder. I was on citalopram for the one and a half year and was coping well. I stated with 10 mg daily, moved to 20mg, and then eventually reduced to 5mg per day. In my 8 weeks, I talked to my GP and I came off citalopram; but now I am not feeling right. for the last week, I have been having panic attacks, couldn't sleep, crying a lot, palpitation... all of my anxiety symptoms seem to come back....
I went to see my GP at once, she said we can consider going back to citalopram, maybe 10mg a day.

I think I do need to take it, but also I am very concerned with the possible damage to the baby. I tried to have a baby for 5 years, and finally got pregnant via IVF. I thought I would be happy, I thought all will be great from now....

Please, if anyone has taken citalopram during pregnancy, give me some advice.

I don't know about citalopram @nicole331 that's what I used to be on before ttc but my doc said it's not a recommended one for pregnancy so has put me into sertraline.
But I think others in the feed have been on citalopram through pregnancy to no ill effect so may be able to offer more advice on that one specifically.

Hope you get some answers and help as needed