anti depression medication during pregnancy

[princess_beckie83]

My husband and I are planning to have a second child very soon. I have been on a common medication that is often used and is safe in pregnancy and the doctor says its safe to take however I have read some horrible stories about babies being born will all sorts of issues that could be linked to this medication. I am not in the state to come off this medication as my last pregnancy was horrible without medication and now my poor 2 year old suffers anxiety because of me. If I forget my medication for even 2 days I just go into melt down so I suppose my question is if anyone has had experience with anti depressive medication during pregnancy with any issues. Thanks

[Kap]

Hi, I know how your feeling !!  I have 5 children and thank goodness for the two pregnancies I was on anti dep medication. I don't know what I would of been like if I wasn't on it. I didn't find any problems with the babies. The only thing I did was a couple of weeks before I took less of a dose to try and weane baby of it I actually got down to a low dose then after born just went back on ot  ! I love my kids and I think it's better to be on it rather then be the person I can get like if I'm not on it! Any questions just ask I'm happy to help :)) 

[jollydolly]

I have been on SSRIs and SNRIs for over 15 years and am now trying to get pregnant.  I've cut my dose of antidepressant to a third of what it originally was, under doctor supervision.  But I feel horrible...my anxiety is off the charts and I feel scared all the time.  I'm afraid of two things: that if I say I want to go back on the medication, my partner will be disappointed in me, and that if I don't go back on it, I'll lose him (due to paranoia, tears, lack of ambition and drive etc. etc.)  It's really important to me to read about other women who have taken antidepressants throughout their pregnancy with no damage to baby. I know I need to make a decision soon. 

[geoff]

dear Beckie, I'm sorry to interfere in this post, but it's an important post because so many females ask about this problem.

I am replying because my wife (ex) refused to take any AD's after the birth of our second son as she had PND, plus she went to only one session with a psychiatrist who was a friend of my Dad a GP, but she suffered for several years, and thought that she could overcome it by herself, and can I say she was wrong, she couldn't, and since this our son is now someone who is so hard to talk to about his problems, he will open up when we talk about other things like footy, his work and will then slowly open up.

Can I bring in Kap and Jollypolly with this issue and it seems as though Jollypolly is in a catch 22 situation with her husband and we would love to hear back from her, and I hope that you and Kap can join in. L Geoff. x

[Onion33]

I'm also planning for my second child soon. I only started SSRIs after the birth of my first child. 

I received a schedule from a psychiatrist who specializes in PnD. She advised I see how I go on a low dose. I'm on that and doing fine. She said this low dose will not create any side effects or withdrawals for the baby once I get pregnant hopefully later this year.

She said to go back to her once I'm pregnant and she will monitor me throughout. Sounds good to me!