Re: Antidepressants while pregnant >>> to Robin

[Guest guest]

> Hi everyone. I haven't posted in awhile, but I try to read the

posts

> that interest me on a daily basis.. A little bit of background for

> reminder... I am now 1 year post-op from VBG. I am also 12 weeks

> pregnant with baby #1. When I first found out I was pregnant I

asked

> all my doctors what I should do about the Prozac I have been taking

for

> quite awhile now. I've been on antidepressants (have tried just

about

> every one of them until the last year or so when I found Prozac

works

> the best) for about 10 years. In the past I have found that

whenever I

> tried to taper off of them, I would become severely depressed and

> basically several different doctor's said that it is because I

truely

> have a chemical imbalance and am probably someone who would be on

> antidepressants for the rest of my life to regulate. So I came to

terms

> with that, however when I became pregnant, I asked several of my

> doctor's (my primary physician, my psychiatrist and my OB) what I

should

> do and I got 3 different answers... primary physician said " it

> shouldn't hurt " , OB said I could continue taking them, psychiatrist

said

> to stop and give a trial without...... so I went with what the

> psychiatrist said because I thought maybe she knew something that I

> didn't... like how I'll be sooo happy during the pregnancy that I

> wouldn't get the depression that usually comes with not taking any

meds.

> Ok, that was about 8 weeks ago. I've been off for about 8 weeks.

Now,

> I'm not *REAL* depressed, however I feel down more than usual. I'm

very

> irritable all the time with my husband and family. And I even had

one

> friend say that I seem sort of bi-polar lately (one day super happy,

> next day crying over nothing). So I just made an appointment to

see

> the psychiatrist this afternoon and I guess I'm going to try to go

back

> on. I do remember the psychiatrist saying that if I needed to be on

> anything, that Prozac is the best one because of the very low

incidents

> of side effects, especially to the baby...

Hi Robin,

I know about this subject all too well. I, like you, have been on

antidepressants for 10+ years. Actually, I started taking them back

in 1990....before I had my first child......I continued taking Prozac

throughout my pregnancy with my son. No harm done. I nursed him for 5

months. No problems. I also have a genetic predisposition with

depression. RUns in my family big time. My paternal grandfather, my

father, mother, and sister are all on antidepressants and have been

for many years. It's definitely a chemical imbalance for me too. I

have tried going off antidepressants on my own throughout the

years......but it's never pretty. I always get very teary, irritable,

grouchy and deeply SAD about life in general. So, I end up getting

back on them. I have tried just about all of them over the last 14

years. Right now I am on Celexa. Works best for me. I've been on it

for about 3 years now. I only take 1 a day (20 mg)....a low dose for

me....but that's because I am pregnant. I know what you mean about

the different docs giving you different answers. My family doc (who

doesn't know that much about antidepressants) says they some are

safe...others are not.....my OB said the one I am on is fine.....my

Psychiatrist said this one is safe....but some are not

safe.....depends on the category they are.......So......I am staying

on Celexa. As for the moodiness, irritability, that also comes with

the hormonal fluctuations in pregnancy, so it's MAGNIFIED....just

remember that! Ask your friends and family to be patient with

you......and that you have no control over your hormones or your

depression and you are trying to take care of it and do what is best

for you and your baby. You are on the right track with asking for

help and that's GREAT!!!! Hang in there......there are MANY of us

mommies right there beside you on this journey!!!!!

Big hugs

Terri in Texas

15 wks, 4 days pregnant

Due date: 3-1-05

>

> Does anyone have any experience with all this? Any words of

wisdom? I

> would especially like to hear from someone who may have already had

a

> child while on an antidepressant.......

>

> Thanks for listening.

>

> Robin Irwin

> VBG 9/17/03

> Starting wt: 293

> Current wt: 232 (keeps going between 229 and 233, w/ 229 being my

lowest

> prior to pregnancy)

> Goal wt: 165

> EDD: 3/25/05 w/ #1

>

>

>