anti-depressants while pregnant [Archive] - Bub Hub Pregnancy & Parenting Forum

jala

15-02-2007, 10:55 AM

nuddle

15-02-2007, 12:28 PM

zoloft is apparently the safest of them I have a few friends that were on it during their pg, and bubs turned out fine.

I have also been told that lovan is another one.... talk to your dr, as this is something that will require carefull swapping over...

EcstaticEm

15-02-2007, 12:32 PM

Like Nuddle said, Zoloft is for sure, and there are others. Great to talk to your Doc about swapping now, before you start TTC.

Here's hoping its an easy swap over, and you can keep the black dog at bay.

Good luck on yout TTC Journey!:thumbsup:

fludo

04-04-2007, 09:15 AM

I am in the same boat as you jala. I have been taking aropax for over 6 years, and it is the one SSRI drug that has been singled out as being the most dangerous while pregnant! I tried Luvox last year, but it felt the same as if I wasn't on anything. I have just started on Cipramil today, feeling a bit nauseous, but otherwise ok so far. It's really frustrating, because I want to do the best I can for my baby, but I know that if I am no on medication, or the right one, I will not be able to cope and that's no good for the baby either. I hope I make the transition to the Cipramil ok. But if not I am still considering staying on a low dose of the aropax as the risk is still really small. It would be hard to live with though if it did result in an abnormality in the baby :shame:

OopsieDaisy

04-04-2007, 12:42 PM

Weird. I was on Efexor too and was told it was safe.

polony

04-04-2007, 12:45 PM

I took Efexor throughout my pregnancy and bubs is fine and I was told it was safe. ???

sunnyflower

04-04-2007, 12:48 PM

I was on Zoloft while i was pregnant,no problems.

mum2my4

04-04-2007, 03:28 PM

Hi,

I took high dose zoloft throughout my pregnancy and 9 months of breastfeeding and my DD is ok, had no side effects.

I was told that zoloft was one of the safest. Maybe try the therapeutic goods administration site they categorise drugs for pregnancy with different codes starting from A the safest and then works it way down.

I think it's www.tga.gov.au (http://www.tga.gov.au) (maybe wrong)

Or there is also a line you can ring maybe called mothersafe? not sure.

MammyMammy

04-04-2007, 03:42 PM

Hi

No doctor will put themselves on the line and tell you that any anti-depressant is safe for taking when you are trying to concieve....

My sister is trying to be drug-free before her and her hubby try for baby number 1 - she has been off aropax now since xmas/january and i think she is going ok, but occasionally she still has irrational thoughts and panic attacks etc...

You will largely have to ride this one alone in a way, of course there are support groups (and bubhub is wondeful for chatting with people in same boat as you) but you will probably not find CLEAR answers in the medical world.

Do what is right for you - if the result of you not taking your meds is that you'll be a depressive mummy - then the risk can be not worth taking....the incidence of birth defects as a result of anti-depresssants is just not documented / known really...so go with your instincts...

Good luck to you! xxx:hugs:

Baby Dreaming

04-04-2007, 07:00 PM

I know this is hard decision to make. It will depend on the type of drug you are on. The one I was one was reasonably new and therefore no good research. So they looked at other like drugs. It was determined that mine was a high risk drug. The risks of the drug will differ but for mine it was birth defects and heart disease so I wasn't willing to take the drugs. I spoke to my doc, and he said the safest thing to do is to come off the anti-depressants altogether. However, if I was having to many issues that I could go one one of the other drugs. The drugs are categorised. Being on the lowest risk drug will still put you in a category C pregancy (I think) but many people do take the risk on these drugs. From my perspective I have found that I am coping reasonably well. I essentially had a nervous breakdown about 3 years so this suprised me quite a lot. If you want to change drugs I suggest talking to therapist at the same time. Are you using the drugs for pure depression or is it anxiety or something completely different? Talk to a specialist that deals a lot with these issues and it will help. Good Luck.

firsttimemum2007

05-04-2007, 12:53 PM

I was taking Zoloft before conceiving, and stopped on the advice of my GP. Between 4 and 6 weeks pregnant, I went through some really dark times, and discussed re-starting it with him, but he discouraged it. I did get some relief via naturopathy, but what I thought was worth mentioning here (although it's only my experience, and every one is different) is that my depression and anxiety (anxiety was my main problem) has decreased since 6 wks preg. (Now 13 weeks). Mentally I feel better than I have in years. (Am having lots of specific anxieties about labour, but this is very different from my generalised anxiety pre-pregnancy).

Although I took my GPs advice, it's worth mentioning that my IVF obstetrician never said that Zoloft would be a problem. Also, from working in a mental health team with psychiatrists in the past, my understanding was that while all drugs can have side-effects, it is certainly possible to consider anti-depressants during pregnancy and breastfeeding if there is a need.

Erin1980

10-12-2007, 08:33 PM

misskittyfantastico

10-12-2007, 08:44 PM

Hi All

I'm currently going thru extremem depression because i depseratley want a baby but having trouble and been trying for a very lonng time. I am currently on anti-depresants because of this, its called Esipram and my husband told me today it causes defects in children.

A bit of history.....in the last year i have had 14 new babies around me and its been excrutiating. i can't deal with it without the anti-dpressant. however now i am very worried anit-depresants cause birth defects. i know i'm being too paranoid as the point of getting pregnant is the biggest issue i've ever had to deal with.

can anyone offer any advice?

Without knowing you and your story, all I can say is talk, talk, talk. Talk to your GP, your psych, ask questions and ask them again and again.

I'm not familiar with the drug you mentioned, but I'd be going on more than a google or someone else's word before making any decisions.

I think the greatest gift that you can give another being, is yourself - a whole and happy person.

kas3

10-12-2007, 11:25 PM

I am taking one zactin (prozac) capsule a day. Before we started ttc I was taking three capsules a day, but I wanted to cut back as much as possible to avoid any possible risk.

Talk it over with your doctor. You might even like to get a second opinion from another gp...

Jbelle

11-12-2007, 01:41 AM

Hello...

has anyone been on anti-depressants while they were pregnant?

what drugs were you on?

im on efexor and looking forward to starting a family soon with my husband...

but my doctor told me a while back that these drugs aren't safe for baby so i shouldnt fall pregnant right now

what should i do?

i dont want to wean off them.. tried to do that last year and hit absolute rock bottom.

is there an anti-depressant out there that is safe for babies?

i would never be able to forgive myself if i fell pregnant while on some medication and the baby ended up injured in some way

what should i do??

there has to be an anti-depressant thats safe for women while they're pregnant surely

I would get another opinion.

I was on Effexor all the way thru my pregnancy and I was fine, and baby was born as healthy as can be and still is thriving to this day. My best friend also was on Effexor through her pregnancy and she was fine as was her bub.

I saw a doctor before TTC and asked about it. She rang the Childrens Hospital and they agreed that it was safe to be on this meds and it would be much more detrimental to my health and that of my babys health if I tried to wean myself off them. They said that stress would have a much more damaging effect.

So I would see another doctor and get a 2nd opinion.

Erin1980

11-12-2007, 08:13 PM

Hi Jbelle

I am currently taking one tablet of Esipram a day and my husband and i have been trying to get pregnant for 18 months now.

I spoke to my GP about this today and he advised there are different categories of anti-depresants, which are used for different situations. My doctor said I was on a category C, which meant there are little evidence of side effects. However, the drug hasn't been around for too long, so the question is; is the drug safe? or has there simply not been enough testing on it yet?

However my GP agreed that stress levels were just as important, if not more. therefore another question is asked; which is more important, stress levels of not taking ant-depressants or the level of dossage you are on. And if you were to stay healthy whilst pregnant, ie no smoking or drinking and getting enough exercise with a clear mental happy view is far more important whether you are on anti-depressants or not.

I'm glad I had this chat to him as it has made me feel more at ease. However I have also made the decision to cut the dosage in half (ie half a tablet a day) and slowly wean off them prior to getting pregnant (if it ever happens!!). But I'm going to see how i go, fingers crossed I won't hit rock bottom again. :gloomy:

Oh and for all those of us who have hit rock bottom - don't you just hate those who judge you for it. :thumbsdown:

livnjulesmum

12-12-2007, 10:08 AM

I had severe post natal depression with my first baby and then accidentally got pregnant again. I was taking zoloft at the time - high dosage, and psych said it was more dangerous for me to come off the drugs than to stay on them! My baby girl was born absolutely 100% perfect with NO problems. I am now pregnant with my 3rd and have been on Zoloft for the past 6 years. I am now on a lower dosage as my depression is much more manageable and my obstetrician said it is absolutely fine - No worries! Good luck with it all, but I would say that your mental health is very important and you need to be well and look after yourself.

OopsieDaisy

12-12-2007, 10:38 AM

I used to take Efexor too, and the obstetricians/midwife/drs all told me if need be that I could have taken them again while preg last time.:yes:

Erin1980

16-12-2007, 03:43 PM

I've decided to half my dosage, to give it a go and see how i go. So far so good, so fingers crossed!! :smiliedance:

StrawberryTheMilkshake

16-12-2007, 04:29 PM

ok im going to get my butt kicked here but i was on lexapro for about 6 months and im not sure if im pregnant or not. GP said it was a class C, so to keep taking it but im so concerned (miscarried before, premature birth with DD) and ive stopped cold turkey.
Of course i havent been doing wonderfully, the headaches, dizziness, vagueness and cant think right moments are there but im doing ok.
Im communicating alot more with the ones i love. Once i get a confirmation of pos or neg pregnancy, ill probably decide then with my gp if i need to go back on them or not.
I just dont want to take the risk.

Mrs J

16-12-2007, 06:39 PM

I am on Zoloft and its prefferable you dont take any, but i cant get off them, i am on a stronger dose this time then i was last time but so far so good, there isnt alot of studdies on them this is why they put them in the high category of things to take in pregnancy which is up there with your strong drugs, but i was told its safe, i got through my first pregnacny fine, its only because its unknown that they put them in category c and i guess u could say they are covering there butts.

samanda99

19-12-2007, 04:26 PM

may be I have wrong information but isn't anti depressants bad for the child?????

fludo

20-12-2007, 12:26 PM

may be I have wrong information but isn't anti depressants bad for the child?????

While there are always risks, they are relatively safe. Some women don't have a choice (myself included), they can't function at all without them. Being in a deep depression or high state of anxiety is much worse for the child than taking these drugs, most of which have not been shown to cause birth defects.

kittykatz

20-12-2007, 12:58 PM

There are many that are safe during preganancy, and as Fludo said, the consequences of not taking them could be far more dangerous.

samanda99

22-12-2007, 10:20 PM

While there are always risks, they are relatively safe. Some women don't have a choice (myself included), they can't function at all without them. Being in a deep depression or high state of anxiety is much worse for the child than taking these drugs, most of which have not been shown to cause birth defects.

Hmmm wont be able to say much on that. But my mother says that if the mother is relaxed and happy during pregnancy it has a good effect on the child. Other wise just the opposite.

grkgrl

13-04-2008, 09:38 PM

Hello...

has anyone been on anti-depressants while they were pregnant?

what drugs were you on?

im on efexor and looking forward to starting a family soon with my husband...

but my doctor told me a while back that these drugs aren't safe for baby so i shouldnt fall pregnant right now

what should i do?

i dont want to wean off them.. tried to do that last year and hit absolute rock bottom.

is there an anti-depressant out there that is safe for babies?

i would never be able to forgive myself if i fell pregnant while on some medication and the baby ended up injured in some way

what should i do??

there has to be an anti-depressant thats safe for women while they're pregnant surely

My husband and I are thinking about trying for baby no.3, but I am concerned just like you,about the babys health since I have been taking effexor xr for 3 yrs now. I tried to wean myself off them last year, with doctors supervision and I relapsed after a few weeks.So I am in the same boat as you and I have been doing some research on the internet and found that zoloft is one of the safest.I have spoken to my doctor about having a baby while taking effexor and she said if I cant wean myself off them then its okay for me to take effexor while pregnant.I have also heard that its best to wean yourself off all med's at the 3rd trimester before baby is born to reduce side effects when baby is born.
Good luck, and hope everything goes well for you.:thumbsup::yes::baby:

Miss_Vicki

14-04-2008, 08:12 AM

as safe as they tell you it is , They cant tell you the effects on which it will have on your child till they hit puberty or even become a adult , you have to weight up your options :)

preciousbabyboy

14-04-2008, 08:18 AM

I was on Prozac, it is safe as advised by my ob, midwifes and doctor.

liza44

08-05-2008, 10:41 AM

i take lovan 60mg my partner and i are wanting to start a family will it hurt the baby?

tyler's mum

08-05-2008, 10:51 AM

I was on lovan 60mg and changed to efexor when pg. Im still on efexor now 150mg they up them cause i have pnd.

tyler's mum

08-05-2008, 10:52 AM

i take lovan 60mg my partner and i are wanting to start a family will it hurt the baby?

I had to changed my lovan to efexor my doc told me i could'nt stay on the lovan so maybe talk to your gp

Auntyamber

08-05-2008, 03:13 PM

Hi,

I have not had children and am not even thinking about it for a couple of years (partners choice not mine) but I take effexor and have been on different antidepressants for the last 11 years and always worry what will happen when i do decide to have a baby. I found this website that I found very helpful, it suggests that if potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the fetus they can be taken, it also suggests
Not teratogenic in animals but at high doses can cause decreased fetal weight and increased stillbirths.
No fetal adverse effects in the limited human data published.
This to me suggests that it should be ok if the medication is really needed however not necessarily for breast feeding.
Excreted into human breast milk.
May cause unwanted effects in nursing infants