Struggling big time :(

[CharCharxxx]

Hi ladies, I suffer extreme anxiety abd have done on and off since 2009. I came off sertraline (zoloft) about 5 months ago as they were making me feel worse and i started seeing a therapist as i want to try and beat this with no meds. However these past few weeks i feel shockingly bad as if all the happiness has been sucked out of my life which gets me down as i have such a good life and deep down I'm so happy with it. The thing is Im terrified of going back on tablets as there is increased chance of heart defect and also autism from what I've read. I would be completely devastated if either of these happened. I know they always say if the benefit outweighs the risk then do it but even though i think it does that doesn't put my mind at rest at all, and its going to ruin my whole pregnancy with worry that something will be wrong with my baby. Im.still seeing my therapist and having dome hypnosis tomorrow im praying it works. Please help someone im in pieces over this decision. X

 

[eppgirl]

Not much help, as I’m roughly in the same boat, but didn’t want to read and run.
I hope things start getting better for you.

 

[CharCharxxx]

Not much help, as I’m roughly in the same boat, but didn’t want to read and run.
I hope things start getting better for you.

Thank you for the reply! Are you on anything currently or thinking about it? Im glad its not just me with these concerns! X

 

[Ravenrose08]

Ive suffered from severe anxiety and depression for over 10 years and been on my antidepressants throughout both my pregnancies and had no problems whatsoever. Both my kids are healthy and im continuing to take them throughout this one. For me the benefits outweigh the risks as i cannot cope without them and the risk is very very small. Feel free to pm me if i can help at all

 

[CharCharxxx]

Ive suffered from severe anxiety and depression for over 10 years and been on my antidepressants throughout both my pregnancies and had no problems whatsoever. Both my kids are healthy and im continuing to take them throughout this one. For me the benefits outweigh the risks as i cannot cope without them and the risk is very very small. Feel free to pm me if i can help at all

Thank you so much for your reply its very reassuring. Pretty much everyone who has written on forums has said what you have, you'd think that would put my mind at rest lol its when you type it in google and all these studies come up that have been carried out and although says the chances are little it still worries the hell out of me. I know that i need medication for sure. Can i ask which one you are taking? X

 

[Ravenrose08]

Im on 20mg fluoxitine (prozac) been on it throughout both of my pregnancies and now this one too. Im also breastfeeding my toddler on it as well, never had a problem with it x

 

[eppgirl]

Not much help, as I’m roughly in the same boat, but didn’t want to read and run.
I hope things start getting better for you.

Thank you for the reply! Are you on anything currently or thinking about it? Im glad its not just me with these concerns! X

I have been thinking about it, but have read so many bad things on dr google of course and then my doctors are adamant against me taking them in pregnancy and breastfeeding and the ones they say are safe don’t work for me. I’m so paranoid of something happening to the baby. My anxiety meds specifically say Do NOT taking if pregnant or breastfeeding. I’ve just been trying to maintain. It’s harder with the pregnancy hormones.

 

[CharCharxxx]

Im on 20mg fluoxitine (prozac) been on it throughout both of my pregnancies and now this one too. Im also breastfeeding my toddler on it as well, never had a problem with it x

Oh ok, so do you stay on the lower dose while pregnant then up it afterwards? Sorry for all the questions! I feel so so sad because i wanted a 4th child more than anything but was planning on waiting a year purely for this reason so i could sort myself out mentally and get tbe help i needed before getting pregnant. We had a broken condom followed by morning after pill and it still happened! Its not that im not happy but im terrified of this pregnancy and suffering with the anxiety it literally consumes me some days x

 

[CharCharxxx]

Not much help, as I’m roughly in the same boat, but didn’t want to read and run.
I hope things start getting better for you.

Thank you for the reply! Are you on anything currently or thinking about it? Im glad its not just me with these concerns! X

I have been thinking about it, but have read so many bad things on dr google of course and then my doctors are adamant against me taking them in pregnancy and breastfeeding and the ones they say are safe don’t work for me. I’m so paranoid of something happening to the baby. My anxiety meds specifically say Do NOT taking if pregnant or breastfeeding. I’ve just been trying to maintain. It’s harder with the pregnancy hormones.

Oh im so sorry hun. It's horrible when the doctors are against it as that makes you worry more. Which one was it that says you mustn't take? From my knowledge it's sertraline abd fluoxetine which are considered the safer ones. Such a hard one isnt it. Would give anything if i could just get on with this pregnancy without having to consider this x

 

[housewifey]

Sorry didn't want to read & run but I'm not sure I have much advice. Could you try non-medical ways to ease your anxiety? You may have already tried this but it was just a thought if the risks of the medicine were going to stress you out even more. Mindfulness? Yoga? CBT? Anything that works for you?

Wish you all the best & congratulations!

 

[eppgirl]

Not much help, as I’m roughly in the same boat, but didn’t want to read and run.
I hope things start getting better for you.

Thank you for the reply! Are you on anything currently or thinking about it? Im glad its not just me with these concerns! X

I have been thinking about it, but have read so many bad things on dr google of course and then my doctors are adamant against me taking them in pregnancy and breastfeeding and the ones they say are safe don’t work for me. I’m so paranoid of something happening to the baby. My anxiety meds specifically say Do NOT taking if pregnant or breastfeeding. I’ve just been trying to maintain. It’s harder with the pregnancy hormones.

Oh im so sorry hun. It's horrible when the doctors are against it as that makes you worry more. Which one was it that says you mustn't take? From my knowledge it's sertraline abd fluoxetine which are considered the safer ones. Such a hard one isnt it. Would give anything if i could just get on with this pregnancy without having to consider this x

It is! I was on hydroxyzine as needed with lamotrogine as the main meds. I found some fluoxetine that I didn’t even know I had, I think my dr told me it was antibiotics even though it clearly isn’t. At one point I haven’t taken anything in a couple months I feel as if I shouldn’t start them now but at the same time with the level of anxiety and depression I have I’m worried.

 

[Lightgetsin]

So sorry to hear you’re struggling. I’ve suffered from a ton of anxiety and depression over the years. This may be off the beaten path, but have you tried acupuncture? If you let the practitioner know you are pregnant, it is incredibly safe and can be really helpful for people unable or unwilling to take medication for depression and anxiety. I actually went off Zoloft after getting acupuncture regularly. Depending on where yo7 live some places offer community acupuncture treatments, for less money and often on a drop-in basis. Just an idea. Sending you well wishes.

 

[CharCharxxx]

Sorry didn't want to read & run but I'm not sure I have much advice. Could you try non-medical ways to ease your anxiety? You may have already tried this but it was just a thought if the risks of the medicine were going to stress you out even more. Mindfulness? Yoga? CBT? Anything that works for you?

Wish you all the best & congratulations!

Thank you hun, yes ive been seeing a private therapist for the last few months and been having hypnosis. Just obviously not an overnight process i wish it was i did a mindfulness course a couple of years ago but it didnt ever really work for me. Thanks for your message

 

[FivexFive]

Hihi, I have anxiety and depression and I also work in the mental health field, so I'm right there with you. I have been speaking to my doctors throughout the ttc process and weighing the pros and cons. I am staying on my meds but I have lowered the dose significantly. I know that off my medication I am non functional as a human and could never be a good mom. There is a lot of misinformation and there are is a lot that we don't know about how meds effect pregnancy, for better or for worse, so all we can all do is do the best we can with the bodies and brains we have.

 

[Ravenrose08]

Im on 20mg fluoxitine (prozac) been on it throughout both of my pregnancies and now this one too. Im also breastfeeding my toddler on it as well, never had a problem with it x

Oh ok, so do you stay on the lower dose while pregnant then up it afterwards? Sorry for all the questions! I feel so so sad because i wanted a 4th child more than anything but was planning on waiting a year purely for this reason so i could sort myself out mentally and get tbe help i needed before getting pregnant. We had a broken condom followed by morning after pill and it still happened! Its not that im not happy but im terrified of this pregnancy and suffering with the anxiety it literally consumes me some days x

Yeah i was on 60mg and then dropped when my coil went AWOL just in case and then bam! but yeah im doing okay on the lower dose and have done each time. x

 

[Reiko_ctu]

I didn't read all the comments here but firstly I would say get into counselling asap, and then I wonder if there are any other antidepressants considered safe during pregnancy? And perhaps some natural mood stabilizers, herbs etc to use as well? It's really important that you get your mental health stable, it's such a trying time mentally and honestly only gets worse when the baby is here. My SIL dealt with PPD and it was horrifying. So be honest with your care provider and get the best option xx GL mama!

 

[CharCharxxx]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I'm seeing my therapist tonight so will discuss with her maybe some new and more intense strategies and see what she says. Thanks all of you x

 

[laila 44]

I had very bad anxiety while pregnant with my third. It was awful. I saw therapist and was determined to work though it— wasn’t easy but I was hell bent against using anytype of meds while pregnant. I got by and survived but it sucked! Post partum I was fine.

 

[CharCharxxx]

I had very bad anxiety while pregnant with my third. It was awful. I saw therapist and was determined to work though it— wasn’t easy but I was hell bent against using anytype of meds while pregnant. I got by and survived but it sucked! Post partum I was fine.

Thank you for sharing your experience! Im glad you got through it I'm the same as you I just don't want to take anything if I can do other things to help it. I had some hypnosis last night which seems to of helped a bit. Today hasn't felt as hard x

 

[Allie84]

I am on 50mg of Setraline /Zoloft as well as 1.5 mg of Clonozapam which is CATEGORY D!!!!

I have terrible, terrible anxiety and have for a very long time including my last pregnancy. My last pregnancy I was on nothing and every day felt like the end of the world I was so on edge!

I didn't know/think I'd get pregnant again which is why I was on Clonazepam and when I got my surprise BFP at 5 weeks I'd been taking 3mg a day. My OB said to cut to 1.5 mg of that and keep up the Zoloft at 50 mg.

Basically I've read everything you can and Zoloft is one of the safest SSRIs so I am not worried about that one. I've also read everything on Clonazepam and the biggest risk (as they've debunked birth defect studies) is that the baby will have withdrawals when born. SO what I am going to do is slowly taper off the medicine in third tri so baby doesn't have withdrawal. OB said it's better to do it then than now in 1st tri.

Of course I do feel guilty/terrible sometimes that I'm not 'normal' and have to be on medication while pregnant, but I do know my panic and anxiety is terrible for baby too so I think I'm making the right choice out of two hard choices.

Good luck. xoxox