Anyone on Prozac (or other SSRI) this pregnancy?

[Perplexed]

I tapered off mine when I found out I was pregnant.But I am feeling like I need to be on it again and really worried about whether it's ok to or not. Would love to hear your experiences ladies.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I was on Sertraline through my pregnancies. I did come off it for a while in my second pregnancy but had to go back on it.

 

[Babybump87]

I think if the benefits outweigh the risks then you should defiantly look into it. Talk to your GP and they might be able to prescribe one with less risks . I’m sure I’ve read (please don’t quote me) that the risks are reduced after 12 weeks. I’m sure many woman take these during pregnancy. I think Sertraline and Fluoxetine are two of the most prescribe medications when pregnant .

Hope you feel better soon. Look after yourself too

 

[Perplexed]

Thank you so much ladies. I had discussed it with my pdr prior to getting pregnant and he said in some cases the benefits truly outweigh the risks. I’ve seen several obgyn so far this pregnancy (due to appointment availability or unavailablity rather) and all of them were completely against prozac in the first trimester. The last one I saw however said the same thing my pdr said, that if it is really needed then i should take it and advised that I discuss my symptoms with him if I wasn’t sure. this to me seems very logical and reasonable.

I am a sufferer of genralized anxiety disorder. I also suffer depression mostly as a side effect of GAD (mind working overtime to worry about anything it could worry about needing to shut down in order to rest). My concentration has pretty much flown out the window a few weeks after the tapering process. I’ve lost energy and become impatient, distant, angry. Often lost in the self-depreciating thought cycles that often haunt me.

Then, something terrible happened. A child at my kids’ school drowned during swimming lesson. The school has closed temporarily for inquiries to be made by officials but I could scarcily stop crying since. I can’t stop thinking of the mom who sent her kid off to school one morning to have that be the last time she sees him alive. This tiny community we live in seems so excited about having something juicy to talk about, they seem to have nothing important to do. People that have never mentioned this school before seem to all of a sudden know all its inner workings. They’re calling for punishment and for the school to close for good.

Yes, the child was the school’s responsibility. But if I were a childhood educator, P.E./swimming instructor, teacher’s assistant, no matter the circumstances, I would not want a child to die on my watch. No one is that horrible. No one intended for this to happen. Those people are suffering, too. Of course there will be consequences but they’re horrified they lost one of their kids.

In addition to that, as an anxiety sufferer... this scenario I already imagined when my dd started swimming lessons last year. On her swimming days I’d pace around unable to calm down because what if I recieve that call?

School will reopen next week and I can’t even imagine being separated from my kids. I just can’t see myself being able to take them in. I’m so terrified. I don’t even know what to tell my kg2 kid. Surely her classmates, especially ones with older siblings, would be talking about it. How am I going to explain death to my child who is not even 5 yet?

I just...really needed to get this out. I can’t stop trembling and heart palpitations have become almost constant again (another known symptom of anxiety for me). I wish I could sleep all this away and put my kids under a protective bubble while I slumber...

 

[Babybump87]

Oh wow hun that’s truly awful I am not surprised you feel this way ! I too suffer bouts of anxiety and I can honestly say if this happen in my girls school it would tip me over the edge too . We trust schools etc with the most precious people in our lives and things happen beyond anyone’s control . We just have to keep our children as safe as we can.

Just keep telling yourself your children are fine . It’s ok to grieve for the Mum who has lost her child too feel sad and cry cause I would too .

My biggest fear is something happening to my children which is out of my control this gives me terrible anxiety exactly how you say your feeling right now .

In your case I would say the benefits to your health and general well being outweigh the risks to your baby and I would look at getting on maybe a low dosage and see if that takes the edge of your anxiety. It’s a awful time for your whole community and I am sure some mums feel just as uneasy/worried as you . Take one day at a time xx

 

[Kiwiberry]

I would suggest to continue taking the Prozac. I am currently on Zoloft and my OBGYN said that it's generally safe during pregnancy. I've done a little bit of my own research and I don't think the risks are very high. At least not in Prozac or Zoloft specifically.

It's so sad what happened at that school. I feel so bad for the parents and everyone involved. I can understand why it's causing you so much anxiety and worrying. I'm always anxious about my kids when they're not with me. When they're at their dad's house or at school I can barely look at pictures or videos of them without tearing up.

I know it's hard not to worry but it's not good for your baby to be stressed out all the time. One thing that sometimes helps me is doing things that I really love to distract myself or cleaning my home.

 

[Perplexed]

I got an appointment with my Pdr but it's not for about 10 days... appointments there are so hard to come by. I heard from another person who takes prozac that there has been a problem with filling prescriptions... out of stock or something, it's so terrible. I hope things get sorted by my appointment. I don't want to be given the other brand of fluoxetine as I did have to take it in the past and its effect was halved for me... I would have had to take double my normal dosage to see an improvement which I just don't have the luxury of doing right now while pregnant. I would take half my regular dose of prozac and see how it goes.

So today is the day school was reopened. I tried to have a talk with my dd yesterday about what happened and she said she already heard from her friend. But we still talked about it and of the importance of safety and following rules. And that when teachers tell you to do something is more or less for your own safety. She told me she was late getting back to class after break because she didn't hear the bell and one of the playground supervisors was very "serious" or was it "cross" and I said well of course they would be because imagine if I called the school and asked where you were and no one knew, then I would be the one who would be very serious and very angry... we also talked about swimming pool safety and how important it was to be attentive to your educators during swimming class, and if they tell you to leave the pool you leave immediately. She was very receptive and I was very proud of her.

A lot of parents were there this morning consoling each other. I almost started crying as I dropped dd off but I'm glad I didn't in front of her. I am fine with my kids seeing me cry but she is very sensitive but I didn't want to have to explain to her that I'm crying because of the little boy and his family and his teachers and friends otherwise I'm sure a lot of other people will join in. A lot of the other parents were standing in front of their kids' classrooms for "just 1 more minute"...

 

[Babybump87]

That’s terrible having to wait 10 days . But saying that most GPs including mine are the same . I hope your feeling ok and not too stressed out .

You dealt with talking to your DD extremely well too . It’s hard sometimes not to show our emotions in front of of children for fear of worrying them even when we feel like crap.

The school might set up counselling session for some of the children or maybe talk to them in class might help them come to terms with this awful event .

Hope your ok x

 

[Perplexed]

Thank you

It's the same for my OB... they tell me to book my appointments 3-4 weeks early. I don't know what would happen later in the pregnancy when they drs expect to see us more often!

 

[sammie13s]

I take mitazapine. I'm now 14 weeks. Iv been on these medications for many years. Throughout all my pregnancies. I can totally relate to the over active mind. It's like it's become ocd and I just can't stop it. It's actually very surreal and terrifying tbh. My right arm actually feels As though it isn't mine. It doesn't look or feel mine. Very strange and scares the crap out of me. My heart pounds out of my chest regular to. This has all spiralled out of control since my positive test. Iv actually had my meds upped today so will be taking my new dose before bed.
Xxx

 

[Perplexed]

I take mitazapine. I'm now 14 weeks. Iv been on these medications for many years. Throughout all my pregnancies. I can totally relate to the over active mind. It's like it's become ocd and I just can't stop it. It's actually very surreal and terrifying tbh. My right arm actually feels As though it isn't mine. It doesn't look or feel mine. Very strange and scares the crap out of me. My heart pounds out of my chest regular to. This has all spiralled out of control since my positive test. Iv actually had my meds upped today so will be taking my new dose before bed.
Xxx

That is so awful I’m so sorry to hear this. Glad that you are getting the help you need. Keeping you in my thoughts xx