XP: Antidepressants

Lisa3683

Anyone on antidepressants while? I was on prozac for 12 years and came off of it last year when my dh and i started ttc. Well after 2 m/c I feel I the anxiety and depression starting to come back but am nervous to get on meds again. Does anyone take meds? If so, what kind is safe? I plan on talking with a couselor this week.

allybaby85

I personally don't have any experience with antidepressants. I would talk to your counselor and your OB to finf something that is safe. There are so many out there I'm sure they will find something

AGFaso

Lisa3683:

Anyone on antidepressants while? I was on prozac for 12 years and came off of it last year when my dh and i started ttc. Well after 2 m/c I feel I the anxiety and depression starting to come back but am nervous to get on meds again. Does anyone take meds? If so, what kind is safe? I plan on talking with a couselor this week.

I have been treated for depression for 12 yrs as well.  Before Zoloft I was on Prozac and it worked for a long time.  When I was about 24 I switched to Zoloft for depression/anxiety and it works well.  That being said, if Prozac works for you, I would start taking it again immediately for a few reasons. 

#1 it is better (safer) than Zoloft because there is minimal if any withdrawl symptoms. 

#2 Happy mama=happy baby.  Your risk for pp depression is WAAAAY higher if you have been Dx'd depressed in the past (per my OB who is head of L&D at Women and Childrens Hospital in Buffalo, NY--which is a great hospital, so I trust him fully).

My OB assured me that 100mg Zoloft is safe,  One of your concerns is probably how it will effect them once they are born as far as withdrawl goes...Well my OB pointed out that if you plan on breast feeding, then you will wean them off the meds like you wean them off the breast...Made perfect sense to me!!

From weeks 9-25 I actually was only taking 50mg and was doing great...Then I started having anxiety and he recommended I go back up to 100mg.  I am back on 100mg for last 3 weeks and am feeling better anxiety wise.  I suggest strongly that if the meds help you take them.

If you are able to see a counselor regularly (meaning you have to see him weekly and that can get costly) then you may be able to get by w/o the meds.  I couldn't afford to stay in therapy.

HTH!  GL!

Teresa1896

I was taking Lexapro for about a year for anxiety. I stopped taking it before we started TTC, although my nurse practioner told me it was fine to keep taking it. Just like any other medication, it's a balance of the benefits and the risks, and she reassured me that a lot of people take it during pregnancy with no ill effect. I was fully expecting to have some anxiety sneak up during pregnancy and to start taking Lexapro again (maybe a smaller dose), but so far it hasn't been an issue.

lalaellac

i'm on zoloft.  i started it after my DD was stillborn in sept.  i had every intention of weaning off prior to or early in my pregnancy.  i tried weaning a few times, both prior to and while pregnant, but have felt too anxious.  my OB is completely fine with me still being on it.  like PP said, its a risk/benefit situation.  GL!

fightingravity

A couple of quick things from someone who works in the field (I'm a psychologist, and have had to actively work on my anxiety and depression in the past):

1. Be careful with lexapro during pg. It's one of the newer antidepressants and doesn't have a long enough track record to confirm safety during pg. Prozac and zoloft are better options.

2. If you have mild-moderate depression and/or anxiety, research shows that antidepressants don't work any better than a placebo (sugar pill). Therapy DOES work better than placebo, and its positive effects stick around after you stop, unlike with meds, where your depression/anxiety tends to come back.

If you have moderate-severe depression or anxiety, the benefits of meds probably outweigh the risk. Either way, therapy can be really helpful (and you don't have to be in therapy forever: 8-25 sessions help most people). PM me if you want more info on finding low-fee therapy if you're worried about the cost.

And most importantly: this is almost certainly something that will get better with help! You're not alone, and you won't always feel like this.