Pregnancy and Major Depression (WARNING)

[VixenAndCub]

I'm reaching out here to get some tips and advice more than anything.

I've had MDD since I was 12 (Im 25 now) and been on various medications/therapies. It's helped me deal with the bullying as a kid, my suicide attempts as a teen/early adult and the domestic abuse in my early 20s. I'm now with a good man, a decent job and a good support system.

However, now I'm pregnant I've gone cold turkey on my happy pills (Setraline, 100mg) and I've been struggling.

I broke down in work, leading to me now being on 2 weeks sick, and with a mix of pregnancy hormones and a lack of medication I'm a mess. I can barely sleep, haunted by terrible thoughts.

The thoughts have sometimes gone back to suicide. I even pondered suicide after birth so my child doesnt have to deal with me. I've been open with my partner, who has mild depression himself but he doesnt need meds, and he's been there as best as he can - but part of me feels he doesnt TRULY understand. I cant expect him to, he's not growing a baby whilst coming down off meds.

Also went back to my GP and she's still uncertain whether to put me back on the meds.

Are there any Mums with similar issues out there? How do/did you deal with it?

Your GP is a dick. See a different one.

I have MDD, PTSD and GAD. I was on 150mg of Amyriptylene and 120mg of Propanolol during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I can’t take SSRIs for various reasons. Baby was monitored for 72 hours; no withdrawal symptoms at all. I had been on these meds for 5 years solid (I’ve been various combos for 17 years) before TTC and had them given the okay by a psych before having my coil removed.

You’re experiencing withdrawal. It is incredibly dangerous to just stop SSRIs, you need to put a formal complaint in. Not just mental withdrawal but physical too.

The Breastfeeding Network have the most upto date information on medication.

YY to everything BlueKittens said, not least regarding a complaint! Can't get over the fact a GP can get it so wrong - what she's saying is in direct contradiction with the medical literature, which I saw my GPs consult to make sure they gave me the right advice

Also, I know you haven't mentioned it and I don't want to make you more anxious, but none of this will trigger a referral to social services - I asked because I was worried

Also, apologies for my first post, which included a lot of redundant tips due to not RTFT.

Consider talking to your gp about restarting your meds. Going cold turkey can't be a good thing. Maybe restart with a view to come off them slowly in the future.
I currently take citalopram which my psychiatrist deemed fairly safe. I wanted to come off it as I was planning a baby.
We reduced my dosage and I've noticed! I had another chat with the Dr and decided I should start on Sertraline as that's seemed safe for use in pregnancy x
Good luck.
Just be honest and open with your doc and midwife. They'll help support you xx

I would definitely second the advice to see a different GP, or ask your midwife to refer you for a consultant appointment in antenatal clinic (most hospitals have a particular consultant who sees women woth mental health concerns).

It’s well known that the risks and harm caused by not treating mental health conditions properly during pregnancy outweigh any small risks from taking medication.

You shouldn't be suffering like this - someone should be sitting down with you and helping you make an informed decision about what the best course of action is for you. Fingers crossed this gets sorted for you asap x

@SilverbytheSea
I don't mean to hijack the thread but can I ask what perinatal team you are under? I've recently been referred and really frightened.

I took sertraline through both my pregnancies and breastfeeding.
There is no solid evidence that it has any negative effects. There is solid evidence that depressed mothers have negative effects on their babies. good luck and I hope you feel better soon x

OP - I’m so hopeful you get the help you need.

To everyone else who has contributed to this thread- it’s so heartening to read so many replies from people saying taking ADs in pregnancy is a positive option. I’ve read so many comments on other threads from people saying they’ve cut them out ttc or when pregnant and no one challenging why. It worries me that women will read those comments and assume they need to do the same thing. GPs need better education around this issue as the guidelines are clear- if there is no strong evidence of harm and mum benefits, then continue taking the medication (while monitoring for withdrawal post birth).

Obviously if it’s the right time, women can come off a drug in a managed way, but it shouldn’t be to the detriment of their health. It’s not just ADs, there seems to be so much stigma around prescription drugs during pregnancy when the actual evidence says many are fine. We need to be basing decisions on cost-benefit analyses not hearsay. It’s the same with a lot of advice- I find much of it overly cautious just because of a tiny risk.

Personally I’m on two types of meds during pregnancy (neither ADs) for chronic, but non-life threatening conditions. They are life enhancing to me and there is absolutely no reason to stop taking them, but I hear people do stop because they worry it will have an impact on baby... but isn’t mum important too?

Sorry for the rant, I just wish the stigma over this issue would go away and pregnant women can access to the actual evidence to make an informed decision.

Request a perinatal mental health referral. I can’t believe your GP has given you such poor and dangerous advice. And your midwife should be doing more too if I’m honest. They should be liaising with each other.

Must say, the comments I’ve skimmed through on here have been very good advice. It is true that taking medication for mental health far outweighs the risks of not taking them - and this should be advised and monitored by a professional trained in this area of expertise.

Good luck OP, really hope you get the support you need.

BlueKittens is spot on again!!! Slight derail, but I've just bought Expecting Better, curious to see what that says about medication.

Hi there, I'm currently 6 weeks pregnant and suffer from depression I also take 100mg of sertraline a day, and have been told by my GP that it is completely safe to take when pregant so maybe you should try and get back on them

NCPuffin I read that book during my last pregnancy- it was brilliant as it presented the actual evidence. That is probably what’s informed much of my thinking. So much of what pregnant women are told is over the top. It’s all about risk management. If we took the same approach to everyday life as we’re expected to take with pregnancy, we’d never get in a car or on a bike!!

If it’s prenatal depression it will pass, just be patient and kind to yourself and try not to worry. I had prenatal depression, my GP was terrible, told me it was just me and no one feels like that, just made me feel worse. It was like being hormonal/ pmt and having no control over emotions. It did pass and was totally gone about 8weeks post birth, it didn’t effect bond with baby, good luck x

YMMV OP, and I'm so sorry you're going through this, but I personally don't feel scared of being on medication. I got diagnosed with major depression at 26, followed by 3 years of relapses and remissions and trying several different meds, my psychiatrist advised me I had to manage a year of unbroken remission before trying for a baby which I finally achieved last year.

I'm on a potent cocktail of desvenlafaxine 250mg/reboxetine 8mg/lithium 900mg daily and am 6 weeks pregnant. I saw a specialist in pregnancy and medications and she and the psychiatrist agreed the risk of my meds to the baby was small compared to the risk to me (and thus to my baby) if I was to go off them - I'd already tried and failed to come off lithium twice.

I think you should talk to your GP and maybe a psychiatrist who specialises in looking after pregnant women, if you can be referred. I sincerely hope things get better xxx

@MrsTeacake Ayrshire and Arran, was previously Aberdeen, once I finally got my first appointment in Aberdeen they were fantastic, it was getting the appointment in the first place that was a nightmare.
Ayrshire and Arran have been fantastic straight from the booking appointment and a much shorter waiting list, just make sure your completely honest about how your feeling and you will get the support you need. So sorry you are going through this too 💐

I have BPD, MDD, Cyclothymia, and other related MH issues

I also have a number of quite severe physical disabilities

I'm quite newly pregnant (6+5), and was using two forms of protection - so it was a massive surprise

I've spoken to all of my doctors about meds

We've taken the decision for me to remain on my meds, to prevent risk

It was a tough decision, but weighing-up the risk-benefit of each of my meds, it wasn't worth the risk to me or baby to stop taking them

I have reduced my pain relief by half, and I'm getting by on the bare minimum with lots of rest, but everything else has remained the same

Please speak to your doctor and do a full risk-benefit analysis on your meds, so that you can come to the right decision for you and baby

Either decision will be difficult, but you need to protect you as well as baby

Good luck xxx