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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Medication while pregnant.

17 replies

Tuxxjo · 08/01/2020 19:42

Hello ladies,

I have looked up information on taking anxiety medication while pregnant. Essentially it seems it comes down to benefits vs risks. I am considering taking a medication now. I want to know if any of you have taken medication while pregnant and how you felt and how things went with the health of you and your baby. Of course this is a difficult situation and I want to hear first hand experiences/thoughts from ladies who have walked this road.

Also, if you or someone you know started taking medication during 2nd trimester please let me know.. if that is ok, better or more risky than doing it from the beginning.

P.s. I was on medication before becoming pregnant and cut it off when becoming pregnant.

All thoughts and comments are appreciated.

OP posts:
thosethreewords · 08/01/2020 21:21

I've no personal experience but didn't want to read and run.
Anxiety is commonly worse in pregnancy, so I'm not surprised you are feeling the need to start taking something if you've needed medication before.
Depending on the type of medication you are on, the majority of the time it's risk vs benefit. There are certain medications that are thought to be safer than others, and your GP will be able to advise you on this.

Babyg1995 · 08/01/2020 23:06

I was on anxiety medication the whole of my pregnancy it was a high dose as well I was still recovering from pnd in my second pregnancy .I was really worried about the risks but doctor's and midwifes were fine about me staying on it baby was monitored for 72 hours but was absolutely fine . I don't think I would have got through it without the medication .

Ilovepinot · 08/01/2020 23:12

Which medication were you considering?

WilsonandNoodles · 08/01/2020 23:32

Take a look on the bumps (best use of medicines in pregnancy) website. I'm on various medications ( not for anxiety) and was always directed there for information.

Original poster
Tuxxjo · 09/01/2020 00:55

Ok WilsonandNoodles I will.
Ilovepinot zoloft, as this is known to be a safer option.

OP posts:
Anoushka1986 · 09/01/2020 05:10

I made the decision to take Zoloft throughout my pregnancy and I've been really pleased with my decision.When I compare how I feel now compared to how I felt before medication, the difference is huge. I feel like I have provided my baby with a relaxed and stress free environment to develop in the womb and this is actually benefitted him. Haven't given birth yet but so far he is looking healthy.

Nelbert19 · 09/01/2020 07:39

Hello, I’ve been taking sertraline long term for anxiety. When I started TTC I discussed this with my GP and a perinatal psychiatrist (excellent perinatal mental health team in Cardiff, not many around the country but ask your GP if there’s one in your area)

The risk of taking sertraline is very low, but they can’t absolutely exclude a chance of harm (miscarriage and heart defects mostly), but the psychiatrist said this was more because they can’t ethically do a clinical trial on pregnant women. In her experience, there didn’t seem to be a significant risk.

I was very reassured by talking to them, however decided to try and wean myself off and manage without. That did not go well - I was very unwell and had to take 6 weeks off work.

I’m now back on the medication and the GP, midwife and psychiatrist have said that having a happy healthy mum is of far more benefit to the baby than stopping medication that have a tiny (possibly theoretical) risk of causing harm.

So I’m back on the sertraline (double my original dose!) and so far everything is progressing well and I’m a functional human being!

TL;DR your mental health is very important in having a healthy pregnancy and being able to cope with a new baby - look after yourself, baby is very likely to do better with healthy medicated mum, than struggling unmedicated mum

Nelbert19 · 09/01/2020 07:40

Ps sertraline and Zoloft are the same thing

Original poster
Tuxxjo · 09/01/2020 10:35

Thank you mommas. So Nelbert19, does that mean you restarted your dosage during your pregnancy?

OP posts:
Ilovepinot · 09/01/2020 15:08

Yes as others have said Setraline (Zoloft) is one of the safest ones also Citalopram.

20Summer13 · 09/01/2020 15:23

I'm on Citalopram and after speaking to my GP I decided to stick with it. I had a bit of a relapse at the end of the summer and just found my good place again. She said a happy healthy mum is the main priority xx

Original poster
Tuxxjo · 11/01/2020 17:58

Thanks mommas fam SmileFlowers

OP posts:
arpimalhotra · 14/01/2020 12:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Mommy1986 · 12/02/2020 21:39

@Anoushka1986 I'm 18 weeks and have been prescribed Zoloft 25mg, have been nervous to start taking. How are things going with you now? And did you deliver yet?

Nelbert19 · 12/02/2020 22:33

Sorry @Tuxxjo I didn’t see your question.

No I’d restarted the sertraline about 6 weeks before I got pregnant. Now in week 16 and everything is still going smoothly.

I hope you’re feeling well and your anxiety is under control

Anoushka1986 · 13/02/2020 07:51

Hi @Mommy1986 yes I delivered on the 1st of Feb, to a beautiful boy. He's going well! To be honest I didn't have the best birth and so my anxiety has increased since giving birth, so I'm glad I stayed on the meds throughout the pregnancy otherwise I think I would be struggling a lot more than I am.

25 ml is a very low dose, I expect that your gp would suggest increasing it. I was on 100ml throughout the entire pregnancy without any issues and no drs/midwives blinked an eyelid at dose.

4thbaby · 12/06/2022 14:52

Hi there, I'm near 10 weeks pregnant with my 4th child, I have suffered anxiety and bouts of depression since I was a teenager and have been on anti- depressants near my whole life. I was advised to come off them during the 2rd trimester. I suffered horrendous PND after my first child so was put straight back on them as soon as my baby was born. I tried to come off the antidepresant venlafaxine about a year and and half ago buy I relapsed and I'm back on it but the doc advised me to wean off it and hope they will suggest another on (in saying thay I've tried 5 others, they helped me function again but have had loss of libido which has affected my relationships. My anxiety has also affected them in addition to been cheated on so I find it very hard to trust men. I know they're not all the same but I guess I've just been unlucky in love. The last year or so I have had severe insomnia, I can only stay asleep for 2-3 hours and then I wake up in a panic and I can't settle back to sleep which caused me to get signed off work and the sleep deprivation plus worrying about my kids made me feel suicidal even though I could never do that to my kids, I have distanced myself from my friends as I feel a burden to them and some don't understand at all, I get the impression they think I'm lazy which is far from the truth I just have no get up and go and simple tasks seem so difficult. No over the counter medicines work for my sleep or to help calm my anxiety during the day nor a very short course of zoplicone I was prescribed. They refused to prescribe me anything else for my anxiety or sleep but I've heard lots of other people and pregnant mums are on diazepam and other sleeping tablets which work. I understand they don't want patients with addiction but I've tried meditation, relaxation methods, hypnotherapy, counselling, I spoke to a psyciatrist and from what I've told them about my life they said I have suffered trauma as a child and because of spending 14 years with a narcissist plus other things I've been through but I've not been offered regular sessions with them to try and help me rid my anxiety. I try to exercise as often as I can but I just don't have the motivation, I have 3 other kids over 12 to look after and they are my main priority but staying strong when you feel so anxious and have racing thoughts is so difficult. This baby is with a new partner and was a surprise, prior to getting pregnant (about a year or 2) and with the docs refusing to prescribe me anything to help about from trying different anti-d's they left me no option but to buy medication off the Internet. I have been taken xanax and what a difference it has are to my life, I'm working again, not shattered all the time (I only take it when I wake up in a panic during the night to get me back to sleep and I wake feeling good) The anxiety is always there but the xanax has been a serious life saviour but I'm so scared because I've read that it's dangerous to take when your pregnant because it can cause birth defects, I'm desperate to hear from other mums who have been on whilst pregnant and did it affect their babies? They say it's better for the baby to have a less stressed/anxious Mum even though there are risks. I've read older studies saying it's very dangerous to take but then more recent studies saying otherwise. I'm seriously considering an abortion if there's a high risk that it could have harmed the baby and may cause defects and malformations but without it I am a total wreck and can't deal with everyday life, sleep deprivation, not being able to work etc. I really don't know what to do, I know I'll get a lecture for buying it off the net but he docs have left me with no other choice, any advice from Mums or even professionals would be greatly appreciated, I'm in such a panic and so so scared I've already harmed my unborn baby 😢

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