pregnant and withdrawing from fxr

[bpdfortoolong]

I am recently pregnant and withdrawing from effexor.  my dr has me on 50mg of zoloft but these withdrawal symptoms are really starting to annoy me.  I am missing work today because of them.  my head feels like it's short-circuiting, i'm exhausted, and i can't focus (due to the buzzing in my head). i didn't quit cold-turkey, i tapered off this past week.  Today is ten times worse than 3 days ago (1st day without effexor).  how long does this last?  is there anything i can do to appease these symptoms without harming the fetus?  

[SLadylani]

I'm so glad the withdrawls are over! Thank goodness! Now you can focus on what's most important, your pregnancy :). I'm glad you;'re a member of this website and that our posts could help. And I'll keep that benadryl tip in the back of my mind if I ever decide to make the bold move and spen a few-weeks for me at my dose- in misery and detox from this med. Congratulations on making it through, and good luck with the baby and best wishes!

Sara RN

[run4you]

Glad to hear you're feeling well!

Best wishes for a happy and uneventful 9 months :)  

[bpdfortoolong]

Thank you all.  It's been 10 days  since I stopped weaned off effexor and i am not noticing any more withdrawal symptoms....except minute traces in the morning.  I really found that benadryl helped a lot.  I was taking 1 liquid capsule every 4-6 hours and by the late afternoon, I did not have to take anymore.  The brain-zapping has ceased!  This was the worst thing ever I have felt!  THe Zoloft is working wonders and I feel great....except for the lethargy which everyone is telling me it's because I am early in pregnancy.  we were very concerned about me being on a category c drug during the pregnancy, but zoloft does not appear to have any withdrawal symptoms for the baby like effexor has.  I am so grateful for this community and your responses!  You have really helped me in giving me your stories.  So far, so good-- my psychiatrist is a gem and she has bent over backwards for me since I became pregnant.  I feel so blessed that we have a website like this b/c it's the meds that make us feel better but the therapy and stories that help us heal........warmest regards to all!

[sallyscissorhands]

I was on a number of different meds for bipolar when I found out I was pregnant. My psychiatrist and my ob worked together to find a mix for me that would be as safe for my developing baby as possible but also keep me stable. Your health is as important as your baby's. The mix that they left me on was all category c drugs, which means they have an unknown effect on the baby, but again the doctors were concerned with my health as much as my child's. Some of the side effects you are describing could be withdrawal from the med in combination with early pregnancy symptoms such as exhaustion and difficulty concentrating. Perhaps they should consider a different antidepressant than the zoloft. I am not sure which ones are recommended for pregnancy because they took me off of celexa when I was expecting and did not replace it with a different one.  Maybe the ob and your doctor prescribing the antidepressant can put their heads together and come up with a better plan for you. I was worried about what I had to take when I was pregnant but my daughter is now seven months old and healthy as can be.  Good luck to you and your baby.

[therese83]

I would say 3 weeks max.  I gave it up after tapering and i felt bad for 3 weeks.

Be kind to yourself, at the moment you are not feeling well, so take rest.