Pregnancy and Anti-depressants

[KateNicola]

I have been on Effexor since 2002. The dose has varied every now and then, but the drug itself has not. Now that I am thinking about getting pregnant, and cannot come off it, I am worrying about the effects on the fetus. As stated I cannot come off of this medication without doing extensive harm to myself. As my doctor said "You can be happy while pregnant, or miserable". All the research I have done thus far states that there is very little effect on the fetus and since you wean the child off of breast milk, you wean them off of the medication as well.

Is anyone else on, or has been on, this medication or others like it?

 

[KateNicola]

Bump!

 

[topsy]

Hi hun,

Sorry not sure I am going to be much help, but I am on citalopram, amongst other things and when we ttc next year, this is the only one, I hope to be on, but have spoken to my GP and he is happy for me to be on it at 20mg. I imagine I will do the same thing if I can breast feed, then the baby would be weaned off it that way-hadn`t really thought about that.

I know it`s hard hun, but if you being on the tables (like me), helps keep me "safe" then you really need to be on them.

Sending you baby dust

Take care xxxxx

 

[hellohefalump]

I'm on Fluoxetine and I came off it when I got pregnant - big mistake. My depression got so bad I went into psychosis and then had to go onto more meds for that anyway. So I'd say if your doctor says it's safe, then stay on your meds while you are pregnant.

 

[Chris77]

Hi hun, I don't know much about Effexor but I'm on Fluoxetine. I've been told that I can't come off of it and that it's safe to take during pregnancy. But I won't be breastfeeding.

Ask your doctor about it. He or she will be able to put your mind at ease.

 

[mumtobrandon]

I was prescribed setreline for depression during my pregnancy (had my baby last monday)
after speaking to my gp, midwife, support worker and a pharmacist who specialises is anti depressants as he works for a mental health team. I was very concerned about taking anything, I have severe clinical depression and had been on flouxetine and diazepam before becoming pregnant which I stopped immediately and became suicidal in the early stages so it was important for me to have some form of medication. I have not heard of the medication you mentioned but have been told for pregnancy and breastfeeding setreline is one of the safest. Best wishes. x

 

[kerryinsussex]

I was prescribed setreline for depression during my pregnancy (had my baby last monday)
after speaking to my gp, midwife, support worker and a pharmacist who specialises is anti depressants as he works for a mental health team. I was very concerned about taking anything, I have severe clinical depression and had been on flouxetine and diazepam before becoming pregnant which I stopped immediately and became suicidal in the early stages so it was important for me to have some form of medication. I have not heard of the medication you mentioned but have been told for pregnancy and breastfeeding setreline is one of the safest. Best wishes. x

hi just read your post. can i ask did your gp say it was ok to take sertaline during pregnancy? i'm asking because i was on sertaline before i got pregnant but when i told my gp about pregnancy he told me to stop taking it immediately. i'm really concerned now as i feel the drepression has come back and when i last spoke to docs they wouldnt give me anything.

 

[littlemonster]

There are some alternatives on the market. It's a category C drug meaning it's equal to Prozac or Zoloft or any other C category medication as far as pregnancy goes. I know alot of doctors are hesitant because they worry since there's not enough studies out there to truly tell us what we need to know, but as long as your doctor is going to keep a good eye on you and your doctor says it's okay, I wouldn't worry about it. My best friend was on Zoloft her entire pregnancy and did wonderful! I also know some women who have been on Prozac their entire pregnancy and they did wonderful as well! All had beautiful healthy babies with no problems from the medication! I don't know anyone who has taken Effexor, but I would say, since your doctor most likely has patients who have been on it during their pregnancy, that it's totally okay to take while pregnant or else they wouldn't have said so.

 

[JessJC]

I was on citilopram throughout my pregnancy and im now breastfeeding.
In my case, and it seems the same for you, the benefits of taking them outweigh the risks of not.

I suggest go toyour gp and talk about the tablets you are on, it may be suggested you stay on them or change the tablets to another kind, which is what i had to do. x

 

[LunaBean]

Ive just been put on fluexetine, and was worried about continueing TTC, but wud it be ok? The doc told me to have a 6 month break cus of my miscarriages, but I know I wudnt need to be on them if I had a 'sticky' pregnancy!

 

[littlemonster]

I know plenty of women who have taken fluexetine while pregnant and had perfectly healthy babies. So yes it's okay to take. It's doubtful the med caused your miscarriages. Actually alot of studies, from what I have read, are showing that mothers who stayed on their medications tend to have better pregnancies than if they didn't. I know a lady that will tell you fluexetine saved her from having more miscarriages. Not that the med actually has that effect, but when you get stressed out your body doesn't focus on what it needs to, which would be the baby.