pregnancy/effexor xr

[movin_on]

I am 35 yrs old and I have been taking effexor 300mg for 1yr now. It has helped me tremendously.
I think I might be pregnant and I am scared that it might cause some problems. My daughter Hailey is 2 1/2 and I was taking zoloft during my pregnancy with her , prescibed by a Phsyciatrist who works with pregnant women and depression. Hailey is perfect. What should I do? I am dx with
major depression and anxiety. And even if I am not pregnant now, I would hope to be ssome day soon .

[uberadtx]

I take Effexor XR 225mg.  It has helped me also but I am about to begin a taper.  This is the first time I am writing about this but I am giong to tell you the truth.  You shouldnt take Effexor while pregnant.  I was recently pregnant, it was not an intentional pregnancy.  I knew that I wasn't supposed to be pregnant taking it and a rapid taper would put my health and the fetus in major distress.  I contacted doctors at the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia Presbyterin Hospitals and their answers were the same.  The baby will be born with abnormalities.  The extent would not be known until the 6th month.  The likelihood of me carrying full term was grim even if I did a rapid taper.  Taking the high dose of Effexor impacts the cardiac, pulmonary and digestive development in the first 9 weeks so I was going into the pregnancy with a few strikes against me.  And I am a very healthy person with no known background for high risk.  My fiancee contacted the drug company, FDA and CDC regarding their opinion of this and they basically said the same thing.  Pregnant women shouldn't take this drug.  Actually the CDC said they would not give a definitive comment on it.  THere are no statistics of carrying the baby full term without defects.  My medical doctor felt this would be a difficult pregnancy on many levels and I had a decision to make.  Please do some research on your own.  Check out this website: http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/research/wbhc/staff.shtml Dr. Wisner and Dr. Kolko are on the cutting edge of research. PLEASE post to me.  I would love a friend in arms right now.  I can share my information and give you support and I am sure you will do the same for me.

[dangard]

Its funny but the research you quote states the exact opposite of what you claim:

"The drugs include the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's), tricyclic antidepressants, and venlafaxine. Exposure to these agents did not increase risk for intrauterine fetal death or major birth defects. Decreased birth weights of infants exposed to fluoxetine in the third trimester were identified in one study. The development of children whose mothers took tricyclics or fluoxetine during gestation did not differ from that of controls. Direct drug effects and withdrawal syndromes occurred in some neonates whose mothers were treated with antidepressants near term."