Pregnancy And anti depressants..PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

cufroige

Hello,

My previous thread relating to this query / discussion has been closed and I have no access to it therefore I am starting another. I don't know why I am being restricted in this way as I feel my topic is a very important and valid one for discussion.

I must stress that I am not posting in search of medical advice on this topic, I would like to hear from Women who may have gotten pregnant while on prescription meds & being treated for depression. Or who are currently being treated for depression and wanting to start planning for a family..
Also those who have gotten pregnant and continued their treatment or those who decided to stop taking the meds while pregnant & or breastfeeding..

What were your experiences? How did you come to the decision?

Please don't move this thread moderator, I know this is not a medical forum but this is not a medical response I am in search of.

Depression affects 1 in 3 Irish women of childbearing age.. I would like to hear from those women

Ickle Magoo

Why do you want to know?

cufroige

I'm curious,
I am currently on Rx for the treatment of depression, and as I am at a stage in my own life where starting a family is possibly around the corner I would like to hear from other women who may have already been down this road..

I know that every situation is different, it's a decision to be made with the doctor but I also know that some women stay on the meds for some if not half of the pregnancy and that some studies show it would actually be more harmful to just come off the meds.

So with all the info & have for and against the argument whether or not to continue Rx while pregnant, I would like some feedback from experience a personal point of view.

I don't want to start a debate as to whether it's right or wrong, just what others found was the best way for them..and how things turned out..

stinkybum

cufroige
Hey there !!
I was in your exact same position. I suffer from clinical depression and have done for many many years. I'm very stable on my current medication and have been for about 6 years. When i got pregnant unexpectedly about 7 years ago, my GP made me cold turkey on my AD's stating that my child would be deformed etc. I ended up attempting suicide at 9 weeks and lost the baby. I vowed i'd never go through that again but my GP insisted that there was no AD on the market that could be used during pregnancy and that if i got pregnant again, i would be taken off the AD's and put on suicide watch in St John of Gods. That apparently was my only option. I sort of put the situation out of my mind because i had other health issues (i was diagnosed with type1 diabetes adding insult to injury).

When i met my darling (now getting married in 4 weeks), i asked my GP again what would happen if i got pregnant, she told me that she would take me off the AD's as before and if i got suicidal i could prepare myself for a long stay in a psychiatric ward. I was gutted and realised that there was therefore a good chance i'd never be able to get pregnant again.

Online then, i met a few people who had stayed on AD's during their pregnancies so i did a lot of research and found that there were doctors who believed that with the balance of risks its much better to have a woman on AD's during pregnancy than risk the backlash of taking them off.

I then went to another recommended GP who told me my baby would be deformed if i stayed on the AD's - god i was frustrated - argh !!!!!

Finally i was recommended a GP by a girl on another forum group - this GP was incredible - told me that Lexapro among other SSRI's, while not licensed for use in pregnancy, are frequently used and have little or no history of side-effects for the baby. Its also safe to breastfeed on it. its considered "a balance of risks". Women who are on AD's prior to and during pregnancy have a much lesser risk of suffering unexpected psychiatric illnesses than those who have a slight history of illness with no support. She told me i would be a wonderful mother and she would stand by me for the duration. God i love the woman !!

Since getting pregnant this time (i'm currently 12+5 - unplanned but dearly wanted), my depression has worsened but that is primarily reactional. I've lost my job and had an awful time with my diabetes due to an unsupportive consultant and team. I've started counselling again which has helped hugely with only 2 sessions (hypnotherapy) and my dose of AD's was increased temporarily. Interestingly, the psychiatrist in the Rotunda thought i was extremely well balanced and clearly in control of my depression and medication. I wanted it in writing to send to my old GP

i used to be terrified of managing my depression during pregnancy but i realise there is NO point in being miserable, NO point in putting myself into a potentially lethal situation and that i AM going to be a wonderful HAPPY mother. I wouldnt deprive my child of having a happy mother for the risk of social stigma attached to taking a tablet every day that does no-one any harm. You are more at risk sitting behind the wheel of a car IMHO.

Sorry for the rant/epic saga, just want to let you knwo taht you are NOT on your own and if you need to chat, i'm going to PM you my email address !!

Victor

I know a woman who was on anti-depressants, when she became pregnant at about age 40. She had a miscarraige.

I don't know the exact details.

stinkybum

Victor wrote:

I know a woman who was on anti-depressants, when she became pregnant at about age 40. She had a miscarraige.

I don't know the exact details.

And the relevance of this is ??? :rolleyes:

I know a woman who was 40 who had a miscarraige. She was living with a man called Victor.

I dont know the exact details.

I spent an hour with the psychiatrist in the Rotunda today and he is superb !!!

In 100 pregnant women taking an SSRI, there is an abnormality rate of 2-4%.
In 100 pregnant women NOT taking an SSRI, there is an abnormality rate of 2-4%.

In 100 pregnant women who go cold turkey in early pregnancy off an SSRI, there is an abnormality rate of 5-6% with low birth weight and breathing difficulties at birth being a primary condition.

There are some facts for you Cufroige

nesf

Having a chat with your psychiatrist about it is a very good idea. Some drugs pose a minimal risk, some pose a substantial risk.

Though the ones which pose a substantial risk generally have loads of labels on the leaflets warning you to not even consider getting pregnant on them.