Anti-Depressants while pregnant

[liscamdave]

Does anyone know if you can take an anti-depressant while pregnant. A few people just told me you can take zoloft, is this true? I told my dr the last visit I was sad and feeling depressed and he said to wait and if it got really bad he would give me something but didn't recommend it. I will deal with it if there is no other choice..but if there is, I need it...

[Latrice414]

I no at least 5 women who took antidepressants, and bipolar meds while pregnant, but doctors decreased dose to have them off the meds in the third trimester.  Women who are depressed and cause harm to their baby because of the unbalanced serotonin, dopamine etc. I started zoloft 50 mg 3 weeks ago, and plan on taking it until end of 2nd trimester.  Anything we do in life is decision based and we are always taking chances in what we do, wheather you take meds or dont.  God has a plan for everyone. My cousin smoked ciggs and drank beers when she went out, and has a healthy 15 yr old. and Some people who do that end up with the worst, i think its a personal choice, just no that you are not alone, try going over to the depression forum, i no a couple of months ago i was over there chating and there were some women who was preggo and on anti depressants.  If you feel you can overcome your depression with a support system mayb a low dose anitdepressant might me good, as i said b4, depression can affect your baby.

I ll keep you in my prayers

[liscamdave]

Bimb..thanks so much for answering me. I don't know how much longer I can deal with it. I mean, I hate everything. I am miserable. I have had to deal with alot of things and none of them were ever resolved and I think that on top of the hormones is just too much. I cry all day and most of the night over nothing. I am irratible, mad, angry, sad, never happy..I never want to talk to anyone. And my sex drive is gone. I am just miserable to be around. ANd its effecting everyone, including my 9 yr old...I have to do something. Thank you all so much..

Lisa

[bimbicat7]

As someone suggested you DONT take anything i disagree! i have suffered at the hands of this horrid illness for years and have 2 beautiful children and am trying for another, there is nothing wrong with taking something to make you feel more able to cope each day!, make sure you talk to the dr and see which one is safest while you are pregnant i know Zoloft is safe!!!!!
you dont have to put up with feeling this way if its that bad its more than just pregnancy hormones! and dont leave it to late get help now while you still can,
best wishes xx

[LACh1]

Hi

i had PPD after my first baby was born and so was very worried i would get it again this time around - so i saw my doc and we agreed that i should take Zoloft witht his pregnancy.  I only started taking it 2 weeks begfore my baby was born and was on a pretty low dose which was increased as soon as i had my baby (7 weeks ago).  It was fantastic and i and my baby have had no side effects except that we are both happy and healthy and i have had little of the anxiety and depression i had with my first baby.  I also have other friends who are cuurently pregnancy and also had PPD with their first and are now taking zoloft.  They have stared it earlier in their pregnancy than i did but this is also fine and actually better than starting it later (or so i have been told).  Zoloft is safe to take as so little of it enters the blood or breast milk and is actually quite common.  Talk to your doc and really let him know how you are feeling because a happy and  healthy mum is better than one that is anxious and depressed while pregnant and after.

[mamaof6]

Hi! I am currently going through the same thing. I started zoloft today as a matter of fact. I have anxiety and panic disorder and was starting to get a little depressed. It got to the point I couldnt take it anymore. I had the terrible shaking, CONSTANTLY feeling like there was something wrong, I was going to die, etc... I could not go throught the rest of my pregnancy feeling htis way. I was also scared of PPD. I did not want to have to take anyhting, to the point I was crying awful this morning trying to get the pill in my mouth :(  But I think the stress I was having was waymore harmful to the baby than the med. But talk to your doc and he/she will know the best course of action for you! Good luck hun!

[leighanne143]

the main med that i know is pregnancy safe is prozac,  I run a  group home and deal with meds all day long and that is one of the main meds that a psych will allow their pregnant patients to take.  i would strongly suggest talking to your prescribing doctor though.

[krushing]

Well, I don't have personal experience, but I have a friend who is on 2 antidepressants and she and her husband are looking into TTC later in the year and she said her psychiatrist told her she could get pregnant while taking them.  I told her she needed to talk to her medical doctor before doing anything.  I think she is on Wellbutrin and Cymbalta.

[lovemypillhead]

No no don't take anything.  There is some pill u can take...but, drs really steer people away from it.  Listen...being sad and depressed is so normal because of your hormones.  I was so sad. Id cry for no reason. I hated my bf.  Just everything. I was so sad. I didnt have my mom during that time so i was depressed about that......and my dr was like well we could put u on something but...this too shall pass.  It's just hormones. Plus, i was never on anti depressnts before...................meaning....if i was before i got pregnant...and really needed them...then that's one thing.  But, it was just hormonal.  

[nadsmaree]

As someone who also suffers from this hideous disease and is also a mental health nurse I think you need to be very careful - talk with your dr/psychiatrist about this and make sure you have a strong support system around you throughout this pregnancy that are aware of your early warning signs etc.  Also be aware that you are at a greater risk of post-natal depression and your family need to be aware of this also.
It is true that it is better for the baby to not take medication but at the end of the day, the decision is made on a case-by-case basis and if you are not emotionally able to cope without it, the impact on the baby will be far greater than the impact of medication.
Hope this helps.

[sweetangel7]

It is best discussed between you, your doctor and possibly a pharmacist.  In pregnancy, no medication is the ideal however there are some conditions where the risk to the mother without medication is worse than the risk of the medication on the baby.  Tough choice, but if you can live without it, I'd give it a try...even if it is 'safe', remember that it is still going into your baby's system...do you really want your baby on medication?  I'm not trying to sound rude, but I am trying to pose questions to get you thinking about what YOU want and what you can deal with.  Ultimately, you decide in the end what is right for you.

Good luck!