Did anyone deal with depression during pregnancy?

[SomedayMom]

After I had DS I had mild PPD, but I ignored it and it got worse and by 9 months I did finally start taking zoloft which helped SO much. I had been on a low dose since then (50 mg). When I got pregnant with DS2 I discussed it with my OB and she reccommended that I get off of it by 20 weeks due to the risks as long as I felt I could handle it. I did feel I could, so I weaned off of it by 17 weeks. I did OK for a few weeks but am no longer doing OK. Although I know she'll tell me that it's OK to go back on if I am doing so poorly without it, I am not sure I am comfortable with the risks after reading through the journal articles about SSRIs.

I am considering seeing a therapist as I did after my miscarriage, but that took a while and I'm feeling that my mood is really effecting my son negatively. :gloomy: So as much as I'd prefer that method, I am not sure I can wait. I feel like the world's crappiest mom that I can't just pull it together for him.

I don't know what to do. What has anyone done to safely treat depression during pregnancy? I appreciate any advice you have to give.

[DoomaYula]

I have dealt with depression during pregnancies.

With my first pregnancy, I was on Prozac, but for some reason I absolutely could not keep it down, so I basically went off it (not by choice) and stayed off for the duration of the pregnancy. That was NOT fun. I became very depressed after a while, and a few weeks pp I went back on it.

With my second pregnancy, I stayed on Prozac the entire time and it was fine.

With this pregnancy, I am on Prozac and after the initial feeling of, Oh crap, I need to get off this NOW, I've decided to stay on it. According to my aunt who is a Doc of Pharmacology, it's a Class C drug which means I should only stay on it if the benefits outweigh the risks. For me, the benefits do outweigh the risks. I am trying to wean down to the lowest dose I can take and still feel okay -- trying to get down to 10mg -- but I will stay at 20 if thats what my body needs for me to be a good healthy mom.

hth.

[* guest *]

I got Pneumonia right after Christmas and I was in the hospital for 4 days. I think it took me until February to get fully better. I was at my halfway point in this pregnancy and I was so depressed. I don't know if it was the meds they put me on [I let it go to far because I thought it was just a cold at first] or the combination of those and the hormones but I really felt horrible. I'm a lot better now but that was really tough to go through.

[blueridgewoman]

I'm on Prozac..... A very low dose (I'm lucky and respond really well to very low doses of the stuff- 10mg, which is the usual first "loading" dose) and I'll wean off at 30 weeks if possible.

For me, it was really a risk-benefit sort of thing. I have anxiety, PTSD, and depression, so my psychiatrist and I both felt that not medicating would be more detrimental due to the stress hormones, etc. A body under constant mental stress is not a good place to grow a baby.

I also tried everything NON medication oriented first- meditation, yoga, diet changes, therapy, etc. Unfortunately none of that really made enough of a difference for me. I will say that therapy combined with the drugs has been a great thing though.

Good luck. :)

[Jenlaana]

Isn't Zoloft the one that they say is ok during pregnancy or is that another one? I took something during my last pg but I am not 100% sure of the name of it, I thought it was Zoloft. I had huge depression issues w/ my last pregnancy, mostly because it was a life changing event (first child after 12 yrs, not even thinking I could have any more children, first child with DH and ex started cheating on me when I was pg, having to put college on hold AGAIN, huge fights w/ the OB about how my birth would go, etc) It really helped me to get a grasp on things when I simply could not think logically about things, because I was just so... not sure what the right word is, but my mind was so overwhelmed with negative emotions that I couldn't think straight. I was fighting w/ my DH, yelling at my son a lot, and crying a lot. It didnt make things perfect, but it did take the edge off enough for me to make conscious decisions about my behavior, and how I treated everyone around me. I probably was taking the lowest dose possible, but it still really helped.

Look into it, because I know that there are some meds that are not going to harm baby or breastmilk, and if you can switch to those, or if zoloft is one of them, then I think you should stay/go back on it, if it makes life easier for you. You have enough hard decisions and life changing events to deal with during pg/childbirth, without having to try to wade through it in a haze of depression.

*hugs*

[SomedayMom]

Thanks to all.

Zoloft unfortunately is one of the meds that they have recently found to increase the chance of pulmonary hypertension in newborns if taken past 20 weeks. I do, however, know women who have taken it during pregnancy with no issues. It's a tough call. DH doesn't want me to do it, but I don't think he really understands how bad I feel, or how much I worry about the long term effects on DS from me crying, or yelling, or doing other out of character things. And then you can find some other article about how untreated depression can harm your baby too. It's making my head spin, as if it needs more :dizzy:

For postpartum, I will definitely be back on it, as it seems to still be considered quite safe for breastfeeding. I took it while breastfeeding DS.

[blueridgewoman]

SomedayMom, please ask your psychiatrist about that study. Because when I was on Zoloft before pregnancy (it was a nightmare for me, unfortunately), I was told about that study but I was then informed that it was on women who were SMOKING during their pregnancy, which honestly.... I wouldn't rely on any study which used pregnant women who smoked since that can have a myriad of health effects.

I think Zoloft, Lexapro, and Prozac are generally considered reasonably okay for pregnancy. Paxil definitely is not, and I'm not sure about the others. All I know is that I've tried all three while trying to get pregnant and Prozac was the only one that helped me.

[Leetahalfelven]

This is my 2nd pregnancy on 40mg of prozac and everything is fine. They told me since I had been stablized on it for over 5+ yrs that it would be better for me to stay on it. I had no problems w/ ds having any side affects from BF either, tho we didn't make it longer than 4-6 weeks...but that was another story ;).

I tried to go off it before I got pregnant and weaned off, but found that I needed to be on it still. So I am and have had no preblems. This is my 3rd child and I wish I had been on it for my 1st. I was horribly depressed-before the pregnancy as well as during- but didn't get diagnosed and treated and therapy until after she was born.

I was a happier and better balanced mother for my ds and feel that way now. For me the benefits greatly outweighed any risks and as long as I keep an eye out for possible side-effects while BF this one, we should all be fine!
:):wink

PS... Paxil was one of the first they tired me on and it was the devil!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wugmama]

I started feeling depressed back in Nov and got meds in mid-Dec but did not take them because I restarted my placenta med from my son (born 1/1/06). Then I got pg New Year's Eve, knew it right away, so took nothing.

Fast forward to Feb, very depressed, barely hanging on, got a therapist, saw a psychiatrist, and both of the plus my mw are asking me to take an antidepressant. I got Celexa prescribed - and this from a psychiatrist at a women's mental health clinic - aware of all pertinent studies and side effects. She also took into consideration that I am still nursing my son.

Well, I didn't start the meds, even though everyone including my dh thought the risks of not taking them were worse than the risk of taking them. :duck:

I saw a classical homeopathy person (in addition to therapy, eating better, getting some time for myself for fun things). I have been on my constitutional remedy for 8 days now and am starting to feel better. lf this doesn't work though I will take the meds.

It is so hard, I know. I wish you all the best.

~Tracy