Depression - Nashua, NH

Hi K.,
I took Lexapro with both of pregnancies. As some people pointed out, I talked to my dr and we agreed that with my anxiety it was going to be better for the babies for me to be on meds. I now have two very healthy kids, ages 4 1/2 and 2 and both made it full term (8 1/2 lbs and 9 1/2 lbs) and perfectly normal deliveries etc. Good luck, I know for me there was a lot of guilt with this decision, but I did what my dr and I thought was best for all of us.

Hi K..
I've been where you are. My first pregnancy I didn't take anything. It was horrible. I cried, sobbing, daily. I was terrified of every new sensation and worried that we'd never make it as parents.
I delivered at 37 1/2 weeks, 7 lbs & 10 oz. He's almost 4 now! The PPD after that was something I wasn't prepared for. I don't think I was prepared for any of it.
So I was put on Prozac, 30mg. We stayed there through my second pregnancy. Full term, and absolutely perfect. He just turned 2!
We bumped it up to 60 for my second ride on the PPD roller coaster and added the clonipin. When the PPD was at it's worse, I was still breastfeeding and taking the clonipin 3x daily + prozac at 60mg. You just need to watch the timing on the clonipin with the breastfeeding, I had to pump & dump a couple of times.
They are both doing great! I've learned a whole new process for facing my depression, and found out that my husband is a great dad. (He didn't 'get' it until the first was born.)
Your husband sounds wonderfully supportive and understanding. Don't let the depression and anxiety eat away at your self confidence. Take care of YOU first. If you are healthy in body & mind, it will be better for everyone. My midwife told me that I didn't have to suffer through my pregnancy. She was right. There are so many treatments that are safe, you don't need to beat yourself up. You'll get there!
Feel free to contact me. It's a bumpy road and you're really not on it all alone ~ though sometimes it feels that way.
-C.
Oh! My second boy never had any withdrawal issues. As he was weened from the breast, he naturally was weened from the minimal prozac he got through me.

Hi K.,

I totally concur with Deb M. I took Zoloft before, during, and after both of my pregnancies. My kids are fine and are now 4yr and 18mo. They were both full term and normal deliveries. I nursed both for about a year.

My doctors (Ob and therapist) agreed that it was better for me to be on the meds instead of off. That there would be more harm to MY mental health than any potential teeny impact on my kids. In addition, I was on a relatively mild dose to begin with, and the studies that started coming out with the slight fears for the kids were based on pregnant moms on triple the dose of my script.

Talk with your doctors and please don't just jump off the meds out of fear. Good luck!
Christy Y

K., my last pregnancy I took Prozac and Wellbutrin XL during the entire 9 months. I continued to take the meds after the pregnancy and I breast fed him until he was about 12 months. My son is perfectly fine! He delivered at full term with no health problems. He's now three and a half and he's still doing wonderfully. As my psychiatrist has said, if taking the drug is VERY beneficial to the mother and the mother would have a difficult time without it, it's better for the mother to take it. I wish you luck dealing with pregnancy AND your depression. Although depression is a constant struggle and I know that you'll do great no matter what you choose to do.:) Please feel free to let me know if you'd like more details (what I remember of it) or support. Hang in there!

I have not myself, but know many women who did, since I am a healthcare provider and we would prescribe for women during pregnancy. The research is excellent in supporting the use of prozac during pregnancy. The benefits to the fetus/child of a less depressed mom far outweigh the small potential risks. If you are depressed and your provider has suggested this, seriously considering doing it, so that you can enjoy your pregnancy/postpartum/newborn and try not to fixate on those small potential risks. Good Luck.

With my first I took myself off meds (zoloft) for the same reasons yyou had explained but had a major bout oof PPD soon after my baby was born. With my second, in consultation with the ob/gyn and psychiatrist, stayed on meds and have had a great pregnancy/postpartum experience. The baby is one today and doing great! My first is 5 now and the difference between my older and younger is that my first is still really clingy and unsure of herself, whereas the baby is so independent. This may be due to their different personalities, but I can't help but think that my eldest did suffer for all those months that I couldn't properly take care of her while I was suffering from PPD. Being a healthy, happy mother really outweighs the slight risk. By the time I had my second, the docs said there has been more research done and prozac and zoloft are pretty safe!

I read your "So what happened?" and wanted to let you know that i went through the same change from self-reliant to needing my husband. I was always independent and great with travelling alone, camping out alone, hiking alone, staying home alone for weeks, never cried at good-byes etc. But with our first child it started during pregnancy: i was so aware of being alone. My husband travels a lot. I was scared home alone, i often slept at friends' houses. I cried saying good-bye. I felt that i was so vulnerable and weak alone. We now have two kids, and i know that it is natural to experiece this. I think it is sensible and smart and makes sense -- even from an archaic evolutionary standpoint. It also prepared us for the family thing. Committment, dependency -- man, did i never know what that was before we started being a family. And what pleasure it holds! I know one day i will be very self-relient and independent again. Hope it's not too soon, cause i actually like most of this softer, more vulnerable mindset. Seems more real and less megalomaniac, in a strange way... Hard to describe.

Anyway. Good luck, and trust yourself and your baby.
D.

I am pretty sure that you can take prozac until your third trimester of pregnancy...i know the label says not to take in the 3rd trimester and talk to your doctor if you are pregnant.

My sister took Zoloft while she was pregnant instead of her normal Paxil. If you are currently taking Prozac and are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, you should talk to your doctor to make sure it's safe. If it isn't they will be able to recommend something that is.
Best of luck to you!

Hi K.,

I wasn't on prozac, but something similar for the first 10 weeks of my pregnancy... My doctor took weaned me off of it starting at 6.5weeks of pregnancy and put me on something that they felt would be good for me and safe for the pregnancy. As a result of my being on this during a pregnancy, my pregnancy was termed "high risk" and I got a lot of attention, a beautiful ultrasound photo every two weeks of my growing daughter... and a very healthy, and beautiful baby girl was born with no health concerns/problems. My best advise would be to check with your doctor on the best way to handle your pregnancy and health. Good luck!

I personally have not taken it, but I have a friend who took an antidepressant while pregnant and has a healthy two year old. I'm not sure if she took it for the whole pregnancy, but I know for some, and her dr. said it was fine for her to take it the whole time, according to her. She didn't want to have to do that, but it was VERY tough for her being off the antidepressant. Hope this helps - listen to your doctors' advice and good luck!

Hang in there! Once you see that sweet little face... I don't have this issues as severe but i do get seasonally depressed.
Didn't while pregnant. Had a bit of ppd but with loving support from my hubby pulled through. It is differrent for everyone. And If your husband loves you and it sounds like he does he will be right by your side where you need him :) Congratulations on the new arrival:)

Hi - I went off Paxil before deciding to get pregnant with my first child, just in case. I stopped it cold, I didn't widdle down my dosages like I should have (not a good idea). As a result, for weeks I had dizzy spells and 'tracers' (like I would turn my head and everyting in my vision would sort of lag behind to catch up - if that makes sense).

Shortly after I had my son I saw an artcile stating that they'd identified withdrawal symptoms in babies born to moms who'd taken Paxil. Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Lexipro and others are seritonin reuptake inhibitors, so I am not sure what the exact difference is between them. They essentially do the same thing. I would caution against taking these meds (or any you don't critically NEED) during pregnancy, or perhaps find a safer alternative. At the time, my doc advised me that there just wasn't enough (if any) long term research on the effects of these types of drugs during pregnancy.

Best of luck to you. And also, as one who has in the past struggled with depression & anxiety, you need to evaluate what is the bigger risk - the exposure of a potentially questionable drug to your baby, or you not having something vital & necessary to your well-being. Talk with your doc. And also keep in mind that your body/mind change so much during pregnancy... those prego hormones can have some major, positive effects!