Mental Health & Pregnancy

[lilylouise]

Hello. I am 8 weeks pregnant. Up until 2 weeks ago I’d been taking the anti depressant Sertraline (100mg) every day since I was 21 (I am 24 now). All doctors I’d spoken to had advised I stayed on it although I did have my own concerns about potential risks. Two weeks ago I spoke to a doctor who told me to stop taking the medication immediately as any medication should only be taken in a life or death scenario. I asked him if I would have already caused damage to my baby and he said he couldn’t say we’d have to wait and see which made me feel sick. Stupidly, I listened despite never having that advice before from any other doctor/medical professional. First week off them I was fine but the second week my mental health got extremely severe. I was having multiple panic attacks every day, reaching extreme levels of anger/upset/stress and began to have bad paranoid thoughts. It’s the weekend and I couldn’t wait any longer to find a solution and my partner wanted me to start the tablets again. My fear was that starting them again would now be a shock to my system and cause miscarriage. His point was that we can’t carry on with how I was and there was no other choice. Anyway I’ve halved the tablets so started on 50mg. I have an appointment with my Midwife on Monday so will be able to tell her all of this.

My main concerns now are whether all the above stress and panic could have caused any damage or miscarriage. I am so scared of miscarrying. I had an early scan a week ago and heard the heartbeat and everything was fine. Now I am scared all that panic could have caused damage.

Can anyone put my mind at rest before Monday please? Sorry for the long rambling rant I just needed to get it out.

[must92]

I’m 36 weeks+3 days pregnant and iv been on sertraline from the start , my baby’s fine and healthy I’m consultant let with being on them but iv been told by numerous doctors and midwife that they are the safes tablets to be on and not to stop taking them xx

[lilylouise in reply to must92]

Thank you so much. Good luck with everything. I will never come off them again now. Xx

[must92 in reply to lilylouise]

I’v been on them years I’m only on 50mg at the minute , but like the doctor said to me when I first found out I was pregnant they are the safest to take and I also have to look after myself and me coming off the tablets would have been the worst out come as I would have made myself bad with aniexty and depression again which in pregnancy is no good without all the other things we all worry about , but it depends on what you thinks best some people do come off them but I’m still on them and my baby is perfectly healthy , good luck with everything Aswell x x x

[lilylouise in reply to must92]

I think you definitely did the right thing staying on them. I shouldn’t have come off them. My mental health went back to how it was years ago but even worse. I’m just worried that the anxiety and panic attacks and all the stress I’ve caused myself by not being on them will have a caused damage/miscarriage xx

[must92 in reply to lilylouise]

You’ll get there hun , speak to your midwife all about it on Monday let me no what she says but with stopping them and starting them again in pregnancy I don’t no anything about that as iv never stopped taking mine , don’t worry yourself too much tho hun x x

[lilylouise in reply to must92]

Thank you so much. At least the appointment is tomorrow so I’ve not got too much longer to worry about it xx

[must92 in reply to lilylouise]

That’s it hun let me no how it goes xx

[lilylouise in reply to must92]

I will do xx

[Hidden]

How frustrating you’ve been given lousy advice like that!! They are safe and indeed it’s probably worse to be off them! At least it’s a short time you’ve been off them as you know your body needs to build up to them. Ppl in the depression forum I am a member of are pregnant are still taking them under consultant led care. For obvious reasons it’s much more dangerous to be mentally unstable than any preventative medicine would cause. I’m sorry you were advised that! Xx 😘

[lilylouise in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I shouldn’t have listened to it really but I just panicked so stopped. I could’ve questioned it more or asked for another opinion but I thought I could cope without them. I already feel better starting them again like the worry of how I’m going to get through each day is gone because I have a plan now. I’m just scared that the week of panic attacks and extreme stress would have caused damage but I know no one can tell me that it wouldn’t have but I am so worried. Thank you for being lovely xx

[Hidden in reply to lilylouise]

That’s great that your feeling back in control 💕 try not to worry too much hun, babies are resilient and I was going through all sorts in my pregnancy from day 1 and was extremely stressed and Harry was fine. As for the advice from the doc, sometimes they just cock up! Don’t chastise yourself for not asking for a second opinion -you had no reason to not trust his advice. It’s his job. When i was pregnant with my 3rd child the GP mis prescribed me folic acid and gave me a dose that was suitable for a child with 3rd world level malnutrition, and I had been taking it for 3 weeks before the midwife put a immediate stop to it. I understand they are stressed and they are up against it but they are playing with peoples lives here, and we had waited 6 years for our rainbow baby! I’m so pleased you are ok now. Thing is with sertraline I find when your optimally medicated you feel like you can manage fine without them, but you feel that way because they are working! So then it’s a viscous circle if stopping and starting. Which I show I shouldn’t do because it’s a build up drug that’s needs to stay constant, That’s only my experience of it.

All the best my lovely 💕

[lilylouise in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much I really needed to hear all of these things. That’s so true about Sertraline I was doing so well on them I thought I’d be fine without them but definitely not. At least I know that now so won’t make the same mistake again. Thank you xxx

[mrsdala]

I hate doctors 😂😂

I had a similar experience, this is my first pregnancy and I was on sertraline, so I went straight to doctors for advice. Doctor didn't know how safe sertraline was during pregnancy (first clue this woman was an idiot...) so said she'd call a midwife and let me know later that day. I don't know who she called, but she told me to stop taking them immediately.

Coming straight off those, with added raging pregnancy hormones, it was a very rough few weeks. It's very tough not being on them, but thankfully my husband and I are at a stage where he can talk me down from most episodes, and so I'm coping ok.

Fast forward to about 26 weeks, I've got the flu and I'm absolutely miserable (finally....!! Meet my actual midwife) and all I do is cry on her, and she's shocked when I tell her I'm off the sertraline, and offers to get me straight back on it.

My point is... I'm now 30+1 and I've got a bouncing baby pain in the butt that won't stop moving/wriggling 😂😂😂❤❤

No-ones pregnancy is perfect, everyone has their ups and downs, whether it be depression, anxiety or those bloody hormones 😂 a week or so won't do any harm, as long as you're in a better place now, you're doing all you can xxx

[lilylouise in reply to mrsdala]

Thank you for being so lovely. Well done for managing without the medication I only lasted two weeks without it you should be so proud of yourself. I suppose if getting emotional and stressed caused everyone to miscarry the human race would be really small. Thank you & good luck with the rest of your pregnancy xxxxx

[must92]

How did it go today xx

[lilylouise in reply to must92]

Really well thank you. Midwife was surprised at the GP and said they’re not always very good with medication and pregnancy. She thinks I did the right thing going back on it and said many woman go through pregnancy whilst on the medication and have no problems so it’s the right thing to do for me. She didn’t think it was a problem that I had stopped or started them. Thank you for asking xxxx

[must92 in reply to lilylouise]

Your welcome and That’s great at least your minds at rest now x x