BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Ugggh! I was on Cymbalta initially for my back pain. It worked wonders on that and I noticed a huge change in my mood and ability to cope with things.
Well I weaned off of it for many reasons. TTC being one of them.
Well I am not fairing well. My back is doing good but I am snapping like a crazy woman. I have no tolerance from the second I wake up. I feel like I'm yelling at my kids all the time and I hate it. I feel myself becoming introverted and just overall not nice. I don't like it.
I am so torn on trying to find something deemed safe to be on while TTC. I know a lot of people take Zoloft but it still freaks me out because of the chance of something still going wrong with a baby.
I really don't know what to do. I guess I'm looking for some positive stories on mom's who were pregnant and stayed on meds.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Can I just give you tons and tons and tons of because I weaned off of cymbalta when I started TTC for Chase and it was a living hell!
There is actually a website dedicated to cymbalta withdrawal and apparently it is one of the hardest antidepressants to come off of.
I honestly thought I was out of my mind for weeks when I came off of it.
Finally, it went away. I've read that Prozac is usually prescribed to help wean off of cymbalta. I wish I had known that at the time!
I ended up being prescribed Zoloft while TTC and during my entire pregnancy with Chase. It was absolutely fine and Chase is perfectly healthy and fine.
My psychiatrist said that all of the recent research really points to antidepressants, most of them, being safe during pregnancy, including cymbalta. She said that Zoloft has been studied the longest and there is a ridiculously small chance of anything going wrong with the baby while being on it. She also said that the stress and chemicals produced by a mother NOT on antidepressants and anxiety meds are far more harmful to a fetus than the drugs themselves (for a woman who needs them, obviously). I was sold after that. I was so much better off being on Zoloft during my pregnancy because the hormones made me a ridiculous psycho during my first pregnancy and the second time around was so fantastic to feel even and happy.
My sister also was on Zoloft during her pregnancy and is now again with her second. She had no problems the first time and has had none so far this time.
Check out cymbaltawithdrawal.com (I think that's the site). It's truly scary what that drug does to people!

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

I was on Effexor while TTC .

I had gone on it after baby #1 for PPD.

Got pregnant by surprise with baby #2 at 7 months PP. Immediately stopped it when I found at at 5 weeks pregnant. Baby #2 is perfectly fine and healthy.

so, tried to go off of it again to TTC #3 and had a VERY hard time- so I didn't. But, when I tested at 14dpo and got a BFP I stopped immediately. My ob/gyn said it was fine too.

I knew also from experience that the pregnancy hormones are a buffer for me from the anxiety so I don't need the meds while I am pregnant.

I have also heard that Zoloft is very safe for pregnancy and bfing. Hope you feel okay soon.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Thanks Rachel.
I did wean off the Cymbalta with Prozac. I did massive research b/c I know it is one of the worst drugs to come off of. The Prozac made it a breeze. I thought I was fine but now if I am being honest with myself I know I am not fine. I am hating myself for how I am treating my family.
I think I'm going to ask for Zoloft on Monday. If and when I do get pregnant I can make a decision but right now I need something.

Unfortunately the pregnancy hormones don't help me. If anything my anxiety gets worse b/c I add the unborn baby and all that can go wrong to my list of what if's that run through my head daily. Unfortunately I think the only way I can get through any of this with sanity is with medication.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

I am on zoloft now and am just pregnant - i plan on staying on it and seeing how things go

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Bumping for anyone with any more insight. I know what the right answer is for me I just need to bring myself to do it.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

I was put on Zoloft for PPD a year after DD #1 was born. Clearly, I waited too long to really acknowledge that I wasn't myself, but that's another story ;). I know I feel so much better when I am on it and I hate how I am when I am not on it; it really makes a world of difference for me.

I am also pregnant with DC #2 and I am almost 15 weeks and I am still on it. Had no issues TTC this baby... in fact, got pregnant first time trying while last time it took well over a year. OB said it is perfectly safe to take through the second trimester; not sure what the plan will be for the 3rd trimester. I am on .50 mg once a day.

Good luck to you. I hope you find something that is right for you soon! be well!

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

I'm currently on celexa (slightly different generic for lexapro). I was not on meds during my last pregnancy and never felt better.

After i had DS I suffered from PPD and took a very long time to get help and then find meds that worked. Finally settled on 20 mg of lexapro that did the trick. I them switched to celexa at 60mg because the insurance coverage was better.

Before I got pregnant (by surprise) I had weaned down to 40 mg. When I found out I was pregnant I stopped cold turkey. I had really bad issues. Crying, mood swings, I hated everything and everybody. It was awful. I couldn't see living like that for 9 months.

Doc (OBGYN) told me that she could not see it beneficial at all for me to live like that for the duration of the pregnancy so she recommended i go back and stay back. So that's where I'm at.

I hate being on the meds while pregnant but I can't deal with the alternative. I was horrific.

I am concerned with how the baby will react once he is born. Although they say it's safe they also say that the baby likely will have some level of withdrawal upon birth and that makes me so sad.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

i was on lexapro while pregnant with DD. psychiatrist and OBGYN said it *should* be fine....as you know, since anti-depressants haven't been around very long there really isn't any research as to the long term side effects. however, based on the research that is available they told me that coming off of it would be worse than staying on it. DD was born perfectly healthy. HOWEVER....i breast fed her and at 10 days old she was completely lethargic. she barely woke up even once during a 24 hour period and no matter what we did we could not get her to eat. her ped sent us to the ER where they ran a slew of tests on her (spinal tap, bloods, catheter for urine...it was horrible). they couldn't find anything wrong with her and the only thing they could assume was that the lexapro was making her lethargic. they told me to stop breast feeding and as soon as she went onto formula she was fine. of course it could have been completely unrelated to the lexapro but that's the only thing they could attribute her lethargy to and sure enough she was fine as soon as she stopped breast milk.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Thank you guys for sharing your experiences. It really helps me.

Re: BTDT: Antidepressants and TTC

Before Dc#1 I was on Paxil for anxiety. I stopped when TTC and had a pregnancy so full of anxiety attacks it was terrible.

After the pregnancy I went back on Paxil. When TTC DC#2 I switched to Zoloft under the advice of my Ob/Gyn and Psychiatrist. I was on it for my entire pregnancy and felt really relaxed throughout the whole pregnancy.

DC#2 is wonderfully healthy and bright. I'll admit I was nervous during the pregnancy about the effects of taking zoloft (not to mention I was on meds to prevent contractions) by my OB was never once concerned.