Antidepressants, did anyone else stop for the baby? I need advice

sepiatoned1

I've been on Welbutrin for over a year and finally felt normal. I thought I remembered reading it would be safe during pregnancy. But, when I went to the dr last and announced I was already prego he stopped my RX. I was all for it because I have the au' natural ideal. I just feel like this is such a shock to the system that I'm not coping with too well. I can barely motivate to do anything but the fun stuff (anything to do with baby and anything that is more fun than being responsible) but now I see my work piling up watching the time tick by and still i'm stuck like I can't move or motivate to do anything that I'm supposed to do. Then I get mad at myself for not being more focused and I feel hopeless as more work needs to be done in less and less time; compounding my orignial depression. 

I dropped a class to lighten my load but I think ultimately i need to be taking something before its too late to get back on track. I feel bad but being depressed isn't physically good to me or baby.

Is there anyone out there dealing with this? anyone taking antidepressants now? I want to but I'm nervous  

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dmizak

I don't have any experience with depression or the medication that goes with it.

That being said, I agree with @meladoriestar that you shouldn't feel bad about doing what's best for you and ask your OB what the best option is.

Good luck, and Congratulations!

mrs.vanderwall

I was on lexapro for both of my pregnancies and I'm currently on zoloft for this one. I can't not be on medication. My doctors and I have discussed the options and me being a functioning human outweighs the small risk that taking the medication while pregnant presents.

rmjones15

I went off mine when we decided to start trying. My Dr gave me a whole list of "natural" anti-depressants (foods to eat, exercise, therapy, etc) to start doing instead. They kind of helped. I have had a hard time in these first few weeks feeling so tired...because it makes me feel guilty for being so lazy, etc. Sometimes 9+ months seems like too much, but I'm trying to take it one day at a time. Hopefully you'll feel better soon. Sorry I don't have any better answers.

mom2be614

I took Zoloft all through my first pregnancy (switched from Lexapro when I started TTC). It has a lot of data behind it being safe in pregnancy, especially in lower doses. Wellbutrin is a newer drug, so they might feel safer switching you to another SSRI. 

Depression is no joke, and post-partum depression is beyond scary. Also, I know myself well enough to know that when I'm depressed, I don't eat well, I don't get enough exercise, I can't ride my emotional swings well enough to be a decent mom... The list goes on. Taking a pill means I can have a much healthier pregnancy overall. There is no shame in taking care of yourself.

sepiatoned1

I want to but i'm still holding out. I actually planned on going on a new workout schedule tomorrow, I think I'll move it up to today. I usually feel pretty good after a decent workout. I skipped class all week (right before mid-terms). but my plan was to do my work on my own and just send it in. I feel like the pressure of getting it in on time was making it worst. At least I have the chance to do my best late penalties or not. Its better than not handing in anything. I felt it coming so I went to the school and filled out my students with disabilities form. I just asked for extra time to complete course work and permission to record lectures.

BTW i'm high risk pregnancy so that is all the more reason why I don't want to push it with meds if I can handle it. I'm already hyper aware of my medical issues and the depression technically isn't nearly as threatening as the rest. Plus, I won't change a thing until I can talk to my midwife/ob team. I really appreciate hearing your experience and thoughts. 

sepiatoned1

SO many thanks you guys. I actually feel a little better having read all your responses! I will work on coping but when the time comes I won't be so afraid to make that move if I need too.

chickpea912

I have also been on Wellbutrin (this time, since DD was 3 months old - from November 2010 until this past May), and went off this spring in anticipation of TTC.  I'm mostly doing okay so far, and I'm hoping to be able to keep my shit together for a good long while.  

But agree with everyone else - if you need to be on it, be on it.  

JulieSmiles

I'm currently coming off of Effexor. My doctor wanted me off of it once we confirmed pregnancy. Right now, I take a half dose, but am off after tomorrow. I think it will be rough, but I am in a better place emotionally now than when I went on them. If you need them, don't hesitate to talk to your doc. If they won't put you on one, they may have ideas to cope.

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JulieSmiles

meladoriestar said:

I'm currently coming off of Effexor. My doctor wanted me off of it once we confirmed pregnancy. Right now, I take a half dose, but am off after tomorrow. I think it will be rough, but I am in a better place emotionally now than when I went on them. If you need them, don't hesitate to talk to your doc. If they won't put you on one, they may have ideas to cope.

So have you had any withdrawal symptoms? I had super super bad withdrawals coming off Effexor. My dr didn't believe me, but from what I hear its normal. I just wanted to warn you just in case, since many doctors don't seem to acknowledge its possible. So if it happens, don't freak out lol. (For me it was like sharp electric shocks in my brain and I'd get super dizzy, lasted about 3-4 weeks after I stopped completely).

Yikes! I haven't had that yet, but I read that it was possible. I've had headaches so far, but that seems to be it. I've been dizzy, but I attributed that to pregnancy. Thanks for the warning. I will try not to freak out,

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sepiatoned1

RLS wow. I couldn't imagine is it just annoying or is it painful like my sciatica?

megandee2014

I have OCD, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. On effexor and staying on effexor!!

megandee2014

And starting effexor was awful, the first 2 weeks at least. And my doc def warned me of withdraw!!

christinemurray91

I would tell your doctor that you're nervous about stopping. I'm actually surprised he took you off without talking to you about it. In those types of things, they always look at the benefits to the mom outweighing any effects on the baby... If nothing else you could have talked about your worries and things you can do to keep your mood up without the meds and what to do if you find you're struggling.

christinemurray91

Okay, I jumped the gun and just re-read what you said. If this is affecting your life, you need to talk to him. 

I'm on a medication for my moods that actually ups the chance for certain defects but I have to be on it. It's a small percentage but still something, so I'm getting seen a little more.

My point is, this is an exciting time in your life. Something you should be able to enjoy and really experience and depression can really mess with that. There are safer depression meds for pregnancy and you need to be your own advocate and tell him you aren't doing so well.

FXed for you, from another medicated mommy :P

masterofallcheese

i went off Zoloft completely about a month before conceiving but wanted to share how hard it was for me to wean off of it due to the dizziness and nausea. the whole process of tapering took about 4 months. at the end when i couldn't cut the pills any smaller i dissolved the pills in water and drank 1/4 of the water one day and continued this for the other three days. good luck

ljs4117

Oh wow.. Usually you are not supposed to stop any SSRI cold turkey.. You can have some pretty terrible withdrawal with it. I suppose your doctor determined that it would be better to experience withdrawal than to risk whatever negative effects it could have on your pg.  I wish you luck with this!!

Mommiekel

I am currently taking Wellbutrin, I notified my reg dr an the gyno. The gyno told me to stay on it, and my family dr said it was up to me. He also said if I quit taking I would have to go to weekly appts. I chose to stay on them, (until gyno say to he off) as its inu best interest. If u are having these thoughts notify ur dr as soon as possible. Pregnancy depression often leads to post-partum. Your well-being is also important for your little baby!

( sorry, on iPhone)

sepiatoned1

I feel the worst of it has past and I'm funtioning again, albeit slow but i'm happy. Dropped two classes and rocked the three mid-terms of my remaining classes. forcing myself to go to school was the hardest thing but now i'm feel less pressure and I'm finally on top of my work I am motivated to stay in this happy place. falling behind only creates more anxiety which begets depression which makes me feel paralyzed that in turn feeds my anxiety. I just need to remind myself how i feel and i'll stay on my game and out that horrible cycle. BTW got to see our little gummy bear turns out we are a week and change behind where we thought due date moved from jun 2 to jun 11!

carissalynn82

I was on Celexa and stopped before becoming pregnant. I do plan to go back on it at some point after the baby comes. I also now feel seriously unmotivated and overwhelmed, but I guess I was attributing that to general pregnancy misery.

I would say you might want to talk to your doctor about alternatives while you're pregnant. Maybe at a certain point in the pregnancy it would be safe to go back on some medications.

MonaMuse

meladoriestar said:

I stopped all my meds last summer when I first started TTC. I'm going to be honest- it's been really damn hard. Really. But I don't think I'm quite so bad that I need to go back on meds at this point. I've actually found exercise helps a lot. 

But if you are honestly finding that it is too difficult to manage without meds, do NOT feel upset or embarrassed about it. I can't tell you what is safe or not, but I know that if you talk with your OB, she will be able to discuss the risks/benefits and together you can hopefully find something that is safe enough (or at least where the risks of the med are less than the risks of not being on anything).

Agreed! Exercise really helped improve my mood a lot when I went off my meds. I also tried to start keeping a journal again - which is hard with a crazy toddler running around. I'm trying to make sure and take time out for myself, to do things that make me happy. For me it's: bubble baths, reading, good food, time away from my DS, time out with the girls, and alone time with my hubby... Anything that turns that frown upside down. I know, I'm corny. Can't help it! Lol. :-P

But if it is too much to handle don't be afraid to ask for help. -- that's tough for me, but I'm getting better at it with practice. You're not alone. Take care of yourself and your little nugget.

Gigi8212

I was on lexapro with dd but went off of it right before this pregnancy because my doctor and I felt like I no longer needed to be on it. With both pregnancies I have taken Xanax with my OB's blessing.

jwarnerb

This is a great thread- I appreciate everyone's honesty and support!  I too stopped taking Zoloft (about 3-4 weeks in I think) after talking it over with my husband and doctor.  Although it is considered safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding I decided that I'd try without for a little bit- making a pact with my doctor and husband that we'd all be on high alert for any major downtimes.  I've been feeling ok so far- way less even and definitely more trigger happy on the emotions, but that might just be the pregnancy itself.  I am worried about post-pregnancy, but, one day at a time, right?

Also- if you don't feel like you can have an honest conversation with your doctor about needing/wanting to be on medication then maybe you should try doctor shopping?  

Good luck to all of you medicated and formerly medicated mommies- I'm glad to know there is a good group of you around here for support!  

lhop1979

I stopped my lexapro when I found out I was pregnant cold turkey (so about a month ago). I do not recommend this approach. While I haven't experienced the physical withdrawals but emotionally about 2 weeks in I was out of my mind crazy town. Just annoyed, sobbing, then laughing...CRAZY. My poor husband. I had my first OB appointment yesterday and discussed my options. We decided to try and go through the 1st trimester drug free then regroup. I will definitely get on a low dose of something about a month before my due date so I can hopefully stay ahead of the highs/lows.
Working out has always helped a lot especially if I can work out first thing in the day and get that endorphin rush.
Keep your head up! Totally agree with @jwarnerb about your doctor. You need to feel supported and like you can talk honestly.

LegalLadyBug

I took Zoloft all through my pregnancy with DD and there were no problems. I am taking it all through this one as well. I've been on it for like 10 years though. I have tried to switch to another depression med but my body is too dependent and I go through withdrawal. For me it's a chemical imbalance and there's nothing I can change to make it better. I think you need to look at your own situation and decide what is best for you.

mom2be614

Please, please don't stop meds cold turkey, friends. That can lead to very serious problems. Talk with your OB first. 

And everyone is being gentle here, which I appreciate, but we need to remember too that mood and anxiety disorders are real problems not always easily solved by ramping up positive coping skills (exercise, etc.) We should all be working those positive coping skills, but there should be no guilt for needing meds.

/endlecture

courtneyjean1980

I was on low doses of Lexapro and Wellbutrin throughout my first pregnancy, which turned out fine. My son is now 4 years old, no problems from my taking meds while pg.

In this pregnancy, I'm seeing a reproductive psychiatrist. Since my last pregnancy in 2009, Wellbutrin is now considered a greater risk. My doctor weaned me off of Wellbutrin before TTC and I reduced to 5mg of lexapro which I will continue to take throughout the pregnancy. There are risks, but they are worth it to me. I went off my meds when I was nursing my son and suffered severe PPD. Not worth it for me.

I also take a prenatal which has l-methylfolate instead of folic acid. Many people with serotonin imbalances do not properly or fully convert folic acid to folate, which can contribute to depression. L-methylfolate is a form of folate that is partially processed so that it is more easily absorbed by people with this deficiency. You can google l-methylfolate and depression or Deplin. It's a supplement.

Sorry for the novel! It's very hard to find a reproductive psychiatrist, so I figured I'd share the info she's given me, since very few docs are up to speed on the latest research. Obviously speak to your own dr as everyone is different. Exercise and light therapy also help considerably, but there's no shame in taking meds when you need them.

Take care!

starsinger17

I stopped when I got pregnant with DS but had no extra emotional issues and haven't since other than a the first few weeks postpartum. So far this pregnancy I have had depression issues I haven't had since before I got pregnant with DS. I'm going to have to talk to my OB at my first appointment and see if they suggest therapy or medication both of which have worked for me in the past. So we'll see. Glad to know I'm not alone.

mom2be614

@courtneyjean1980 Thank you for bringing up light therapy! I've been using a light box for a year now (mostly in the winter) and it really does work wonders for my mood. Absolutely no contraindications for pregnancy, either.

Mrs_D_in_KY

Depression is no joke. Definitely keep your doctor in the loop on how you feel.

Chloenicolle

I take Zoloft and have been told by my doctors that the benefits of staying on it throughout the pregnancy far outweigh any risk (though the risk is negligible with Zoloft according to the literature). Stopping cold turkey is a very bad idea when it comes to ssri's and moai's, pregnant or otherwise, but I have discussed tapering in the last three weeks to minimize the baby's reaction in the first day or two following birth. We've decided we'll cross that bridge when we come to it though (doctor says MFM and I should address after the 20 week mark). Ultimately the dangers of being stressed, depressed, and/or anxious while pregnant are measurable and pose a greater risk to the developing baby than that of staying medicated. That being said, I have stopped all my other meds (Ativan, Zomig, etc) completely and don't intend to start back up until after nursing, if ever. My GP, MFM, and psychiatrist all recommended https://www.motherisk.org for checking out the safety of any meds throughout pregnancy (they have a hotline you can call with questions too) and I've found it to be a valuable resource. Hope this helps and apologies for the novel!