3rd Trimester
Zoloft users
I was on Prozac before and at the beginning of my pregnancy. It ran out and I never got it refilled, I thought I would see how I did without it. Turns out, not very well 
Anxiety is mostly the problem. I talked to my Dr. today and she put me on Zoloft but said they were pretty similar. I am worried about the baby having withdrawals when she is born. Anyone else on it? Does it help? Anyone know how common it is to affect the baby?
Anxiety is mostly the problem. I talked to my Dr. today and she put me on Zoloft but said they were pretty similar. I am worried about the baby having withdrawals when she is born. Anyone else on it? Does it help? Anyone know how common it is to affect the baby?
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Re: Zoloft users
If you do choose to go off it, you could speak to your doctor about options to manage any issues... I ended up calling mine in tears after several days without sleep...then had to wait for an appointment just to find out I could have taken Unisom, which you can buy at any pharmacy. It really wasn't easy, but I believe I did the right thing for me. I think having a supportive partner is also really important, just in case you do have more difficult symptoms, like I did. I think deciding whether to go off or stay on is really a personal decision that only you can make, depending on how bad your symptoms are, your support system, and your knowledge of the risks.
Good luck!!
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Patiently waiting for little brother!
This is incorrect. Both Zoloft and Prozac are SSRIs, but that is where the similarity ends. They are very different in terms of chemical make-up. The generic name for Zoloft is Sertaline; the generic name for Prozac is Flouxetine. Because they are both SSRIs, the end result of how they work is similar. "Sarafem" is also a form of flouxetine - it is not the same as Sertaline (Zoloft).
In general, SSRIs are considered to be the safest anti-depressant option during pregnancy. However there is an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) when the SSRI is continued in the second half of pregnancy - women who take SSRIs during the second half of pregnancy are 6 times more likely to have infants that develop PPHN. Studies also show a small risk in SSRI babies being more irritable, having difficulty eating, and difficulty breathing (though that is very rare).
Most studies done by the FDA have not compared the risks associated with specific SSRIs, so there is little information available as to whether Zoloft itself is safer or less safe than other SSRIs such as Prozac. The exception to this is Paxil - which was studied independently and the results led to the manufacturers including in the drug's labeling a specific risk of neonatal cardiac birth defects when taken during the 1st trimester.
You can get this and a lot of other information directly from the FDA - they publish many of their studies for the public. They do not recommend that pregnant women stop the use of their anti-depressants once they become pregnant due to studies that show they have a higher relapse of depression. Only you can determine if how severe your anxiety is and whether it warrants the risks associated with the medication. I stopped taking all mood altering pharmaceuticals about 10 years ago when I realized that the majority of my anxiety was situationally related, and I had the power and the choice to control most of it (not all - and it has certainly increased during pregnancy, but I feel comfortable that everyone to some degree experiences anxiety and I have support in place to handle it). However, I know a lot of my patients who really do have such severe anxiety that they are completely unable to cope without medication. So its up to you to determine that for yourself, and to talk to your doctor about treatment options. Good luck!
* Edited to add that Lexapro (escitalopram) is also a SSRI - and again, most SSRIs have not been studied independently or in comparison in regards to effects on pregnancy - so it is very difficult to determine that Lexapro is any safer or less safe than Prozac or Zoloft.
the #1 issue with babies born with Zoloft in their system is that they are "lazy" at birth...in other words they choose to not breath....they often require a lot of stimulation to get them going....but other than that they do fine.
my three were born w/ it in their systems and they all did this...and this baby will probably too
this has been a very helpful post for me. i just got back from my 32 week check up and my dr. was a little concerned for me. i have terrible anxiety and i take paxil. but as soon as i found out i was pregnant, i stopped taking it. i know, probably shouldn't have but there you go.
so lately i've been blaming all my issues on my hormones but the dr. said to think about it and maybe give paxil or prozac (i'm allergic to zoloft) a try, so that when i have the LO, it will be easier to deal with post partem. she also said that because i will be a nursing mom, it will help the baby not have such bad withdrawls because it will be in my breastmilk.
so i'm going to really think about it. my poor family has been so stunned with my behavior, i'm thinking it will really make a difference!
god luck to you! hope you can get relief!