Babies: 6 - 9 Months

Anyone take Cymbalta while pregnant?

I am in my first trimester. I've taken Cymbalta for over a year to help with my anxiety/depression. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I met with the Dr to discuss my options. She said Cymbalta is still very new...so I took the dose back to 30 mil...and she said I could start to wean myself off by taking every other day and then every three days. Well I tried to skip today and I had all kinds of dizziness...coupled with my pregnancy symptoms, including extreme tiredness, etc...I didn't do well. And then I was super emotional today....I think part of it is hormones...but I am upset that I ended up taking a 30 mil just to get over the dizziness symptoms. They were too intense....

Did you take Cymbalta while pregnant without any negative side effects??

Re: Anyone take Cymbalta while pregnant?

  • I have been on Cymbalta since my first was born. Have tried to wean off slowly twice and both times were ugly. Would like to work on baby two, but being off entirely scares my. Any advice? I can see you posted this three years ago.
  • I was on Cymbalta for about 7 weeks into my pregnancy. My OB highly suggested that I get off of it in fear of birth defects. She put me on Celexa 60mg (not the normal dosage.) Let me tell you for those first few weeks I was very nervous about coming off of Cymbalta because it works so well for me and two, I've heard that the withdrawal for both it and Effexor can be pretty tricky. It wasn't that bad. I knew it was best for the baby and I was willing to do whatever it took to get through my pregnancy. I took it right up until I went to give birth.
    I did suffer with PPD so I went back on Cymbalta within 10 days of giving birth. I know there are people who are totally against being on an antidepressant during pregnancy but you have to do what works best for you. Healthy Your OB should be able to suggest a safe medication for you. If not, go to your family doctor. Happy/Healthy Mommy=Happy/Healthy Baby
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  • Thank you for this feedback:) Hope I can find a nice OB doc to get me through this ordeal.
  • st.augbridest.augbride member
    edited August 2013
    I'm sorry you are in a tough situation. I would highly suggest doing research on what may increase risk in pregnancy and try to avoid those meds. A med that I was on right before becoming pregnant with ds (so not during but side effects overlapped with pregnancy so I believe it was still in my system) was just now found to be associated with some birth defects and problems that ds was born with. He's doing great now, but it took a complicated pregnancy, NICU stay, several surgeries, and years of therapy appts and medical appts to get here. While we can never know for sure that that was the cause, no other explanation has presented itself. If I could do anything to change how that went, I would. It's the hardest thing we've ever been through and it still is a challenge to us today. Dh never had depression but he did after this and needed help. I'm not posting this to scare you, but to really emphasize how serious those side effects can be and that it DOES happen and is so not worth it. Happy mom might equal happy baby, but nothing is more important than a healthy baby. Also, early pregnancy is the most critical time in development and placental health.
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  • Hi-
    I just wanted to encourage you that many others have been where you are!  I was on anti-depressants up until I got pregnant.  In fact, I was on Luvox for 4 weeks early in pregnancy before I "knew" I was pregnant for sure.  I was reducing my dosage in anticipation of being pregnant.  I saw a high-risk OB later because they wanted to make sure there were no problems from me having been on it while pregnant.  My son was born healthy and fine and I ended up doing OK during the rest of the pregnancy without meds (there were some rough spells but I did OK).  Before becoming pregnant I used to take Cymbalta as well but weaned myself off about 6 months before pregnant.  

    Have you considered Zoloft?  This is commonly prescribed for those that need it during pregnancy (and after for PPD).  You might look into it...after I went off the Cymbalta and Luvox my plan was to go on Zoloft if I felt I needed it while pregnant.  I got close and had a prescription filled but ended up not taking it.

    I agree with other posters that you have to take care of yourself - it's not all or nothing- you have many options.

    Also- let me tell you that I thought for sure I would have PPD due to my history (mostly anxiety/ some depression and OCD).  However after giving birth I have felt great and haven't needed to consider going back on anything.  I actually feel better now then I did before having a baby!  I'm still nursing so I think the hormones might actually be helping me out. There is hope!!

      Me:36, DH:37

    DS born 11/2012

    BFP 7/26/14, Missed M/C at 8 weeks, discovered at 10 wks, 6 days, D&C 9/22/14, Dx: Partial molar pregnancy

  • Also- let me add three more random things.  One- I also had bad withdrawal symptoms (diarrhea and headaches) when coming off of Cymbalta- this subsided after 2 weeks.  FYI.

    Two- my friend who went on Zoloft during pregnancy...was told by a midwife that helped her decide to take it during pregnancy was that the baby's brain is bathed in the same stress hormones that are coursing through your body. It would be healthier for the baby not to experience the huge fluctuations in hormones, stress and anxiety during neural development - and so taking the medication would actually help, not hinder the baby's development. 

    Three- if I felt i could swing it- I might try to reduce the anti-depressant for the first trimester only (key development time) but would feel more confident taking it second/third tri.

    ***Check with your Dr. in all things of course!

      Me:36, DH:37

    DS born 11/2012

    BFP 7/26/14, Missed M/C at 8 weeks, discovered at 10 wks, 6 days, D&C 9/22/14, Dx: Partial molar pregnancy

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