Aropax (Paxil, Paroxetine) in Pregnancy

[fludo]

Thought I'd start a thread to find out who has taken Aropax while pregnant, the dose and if it had any effects on the baby. I want to TTC but am on 10mg of aropax, tried switching to Cipramil, and Luvox, but neither worked for me. I really want to stay on the Aropax although my doc isn't too happy about it (regarding 1% greater chance of heart defects). So just wanted to know what other people have done / are doing.... Thanks.

[SairBear]

i was on aropax same dose as u till i found out i was preg at 19wks then i stopped taking it as doctor advised.
Bubs came out fine even tho i had been taking it for half my pregnancy.

Maybe seek a 2nd opinion :thumbsup:
Sorry i dont have any helpful advice for ya

[fludo]

thanks. It's supposed to be most dangerous in the first trimester so looks like you got through it ok.

Anyone else out there got experiences? Or what meds did people switch to and was it helpful? I am treated for anxiety rather than depression. Thanks.

[misskittyfantastico]

I took 20mgs of aropax daily throughout my preg with the okay of 2 GP's, my Ob and my kidney specialist. I'm going to have to look into this - maybe things have changed?...oh it was for depression rather than anxiety....DD was just fine.

[fludo]

Yeah, a study came out around october 2005 I think which found women taking aropax in first trimester had 1.5% - 2% chance of having a baby with heart defects, as compared to 1% of the general population. I don't know whether my doc thinks that's really a big enough difference to be concerned about or if it's a liability thing. My thinking though is a before this they thought aropax was as safe as the other SSRI's, so who knows if the others are really safer, maybe in a few years we find out they are just as bad! :banghead:

[fludo]

anyone else got experiences to share?

[wannabemum]

Hi hunny,

I started taking paxtine (aropax) 20mg (which is 1 tab) about 4 years ago for depression caused by chronic fatigue syndrome. It helped my depression however my body was then not strong enough due to the cfs to come off it. About 12months I go I finally (over a horrible 3 month period of withdrawal effects) managed to half my dose so now am taking 1/2 a tab (10mg like you) once a day. My doctors knew I was taking it when I fell pg and advised to continue taking it throughout my pregnancy as it would give me some added energy, since my cfs symptoms have worsened during my pregnancy.

In terms of treating depression, most doctors recommend that it is better to be on anti-deps during pregnancy than suffering from depression or anxiety (as it is worse for the baby).

It is ofcourse a personal decision however for me, it was the right one to stay on the meds and I do not regret it. I have a healthy baby growing inside of me, and I am better off aswell remaining on the meds. Please feel free to pm me with any further questions or concerns..... and good luck :)

[fludo]

Thanks Wannabemum. Glad to hear all is going well for you. I have decided to stick with the Aropax, as I know it works for me and I don't have to take very much of it to be effective. We're planning to start TTC next month so :fingerscrossed:

[wannabemum]

Good on you hunny, never feel guilty about taking it! If it works for you then thats the main thing.... :)

[No2WhereAreYou]

Hi Fludo,
I just posted a question on aropax in the prenatal depression forum.
Hope we can help each other out!

[Emma 80]

I was on aropax till I found out I was preg at 8weeks...the first doc I saw said it was fine and my regular doc said no, go off them straight away, (I was made to go off them cold turkey and was violently ill for about 7days and very depressed for about 3 months.) Bubs turned out fine anyway.

[fludo]

Just wanted to say I saw another Doc today who had no concerns about me staying on the aropax!!! yay!!!! and with all my blood tests 100% good I'm now completely ready to start TTcing!!! :smiliedance:

[wannabemum]

Congratulations Fludo :yelclap: !!!!
Sending baby dust your way :wizard: ......

[misskittyfantastico]

Just wanted to say I saw another Doc today who had no concerns about me staying on the aropax!!! yay!!!! and with all my blood tests 100% good I'm now completely ready to start TTcing!!! :smiliedance:

Oh that's great news! I hope we hear about your :bfp: really soon.

[fludo]

I hope so too :fingerscrossed:

[*mumof4*]

I was on 3x 20ml paxtine (aropax) per day when i fell preg with baby #3 and the Dr and also the hospital all said it was fine to take while preg, but I did cut down to just 1 tablet per day....after baby was born, the midwives did watch her just to make sure she wasn't having withdrawals, but she was fine. THEN I fell preg with baby #4 in January 2006 (1 yr after #3 was born) and my Dr told me to STOP taking the tablets as recent studies now show it's not all that safe to take while preg after all :eek: . So I slowly got myself off them as soon as I could.

[fludo]

Glad to hear you got off them mumof4. That's not an option for me as while I have no problems getting off them with regards to withdrawel effects, but after a few weeks, I can feel my body chemistry is just not right and I start getting really tense and then all the wacky thoughts start to come back with avengeance! Have been on that roller coaster at least 5 times in 8 years - no more :shame:

[No2WhereAreYou]

Hi Fludo
Thats great news. My doctor had no real concerns she out weighed the cons with the pros. Even though I came off and went on zoloft.
There is really no study to show pregnant women on aropax are likely to have babies with withdrawal/defects.
I read That women who were on aropax and had babies with problems were also on other meds! So they cant single it out according to Glaxo Smith Kline.

:)

[mia2007]

hi i just thought i would let you know that i am a 42 and had a baby feb 07 and took aropax 20mg a day and all the doctors said it was fine to take and i am also continuing to take it while breast feeding and my beautiful baby girl had no problems when born or there after and i am going to continue to take aropax as it also helps me with anxiety which i suffered from after my first child 23 yrs ago but i didnt know about antidepressants then so i suffered in silence anyway just thought i would let you know how aropax was for me while pregnant

[mumofava]

Hi fludo, sounds like you've already made your descision which is great but thought I'd add this anyway. I was taking aropax for anxiety aswell, before I decided to TTC, when I discussed with my Doc he said I absolutely could not continue to take it. Anyway thought I'd seek a second opinion, so my new Doc and I discussed it and he said he has looked after heaps of women who have had successful pregnancies whilst taking aropax.

He said with all medicines,theres always one that they 'pick on' for a phase and then they will move onto something else.

However we decided that I would try something else which is considered 'safer' so I started taking effexor 75mg, which didn't work as well so am now taking effexor 150g and it works fine for me.

Oh, and am now 4 weeks pregnant, yay.

Hope this helps, feel free to pm me if you want to ask anything.

[nugglyboysmum]

this thread has really put my mind at ease, thankyou all so much for sharing your experiences.

I am on 20mg daily of Aropax, have been on it for 7 months and it has been a wonder drug for me. I suffered with PND with my first son and only admitted i wasn't coping when DS was almost 2 years old, did counselling and in the end we all decided it was best for me to trry meds. I am now feeling fantastic and ready to have another bub, however there is no way i will consider going off Aropax, i know that i need especially when i get preg again have a new baby! It has filled me with confidence to see that plenty of healthy babies have ben born on Aropax.

mumofava - congratulations, best wishes for a happy healthy nine months!

[joyce1980]

Not too sure if anyone still looks at this post.

I am on aropax and have been for eight years, i came off it 7 months ago to try for a baby and was off it for 4 months.....my god I forgot what it was like to have health anxiety and panic attacks!!

I lost a stone and nearly left my husband also all the symptoms!!!

Against my husbands wishes i went back onto my meds and 4 weeks later I was happy and full of energy again

I now feel like trying for a baby and i refuse to stop aropax! I am going to see a ob next week to see if it's ok as I couldn't live with myself if my baby was affected.

I am so confused with all the media and stats about this drug, I will try something else if it works for me... but i doubt it.

I feel selfish, i'm on 20mg a day and my husband does not understand or support my decision.

I just want to be happy and healthy and have a healthy happy baby.

How has everyine else dealt with this, knowing that I can't function without aropax.:no:

Thanks:)

[fludo]

I just wanted to give an update on me as a few people have pm'd me recently. I stayed on the aropax throughout my pregnancy, but cut down to 5mg. My daughter was born almost 7 weeks ago with no problems :yelclap:. I'm also breastfeeding her, but I have increased the aropax to 10mg since she was 3 weeks old as I wasn't coping with all the changes and emotions that come with being a new mum. I've since settled down and things are going really well.

I just want to say to those of you in a similar boat, that if you know that you need the aropax, if you've tried to go without, or tried other drugs and know that you need the aropax to function, to be happy and healthy, to be "normal", then don't feel guilty for taking it. I knew I couldn't function without it, and pregnancy can be a time of added stress as your body goes through all those changes. It's really not the time to try and grit your teeth and get by.

The risks are there but we have to weigh up the risks and benefits and make a decision we can be happy with. This included for me accepting that it is possible my child could have a problem as a result and that I would have to deal with it and not beat myself up over it. I think that is really important.

Feel free to PM me if anyone wants to.

[joyce1980]

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/appi.ajp.2007.07060879v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=paroxetine+pregnancy&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT


I hope this helps but please see your OB or Dr for proper medical advice as I did.

Good luck and If you are in the same boat, just know that you are not alone and pm anytime.:hugs: