I have to make a choice...

[Zee]

Im on Zoloft, its the only anti depressant thats in catagory 2 that I can take & the other anti depressants are a catagory 3 and they wont put you on anything catagory 3 while PG as its far to risky.

Sorry I should have the next dosage up is what I will be having but thats double what im on now.

These are my only 2 choices... and we are leaning more towards option 2.

[Olive]

i was on zoloft too, why not split the tablet so have a 50% increas rather than 100% increase, try that, but give it time to work

[Beatrix]

I am on zoloft too and took it throughout my pg.

What mg you on?? I was fine not to have bubs in special care when she was born although they did prefer me to stay in hosp for 3 days after the birth but there was no need for special care. So that might be a option.


is it possible to up your dosage for the next 10 weeks then lower it again before birth, i was given that option as well??

[kirsty_lee]

Lindsay, im on 150mg of zoloft, my doctor has not told me bubs will need to be in special care or anything.. most she will have is a bit of the shakes which wear off quite quickly. Zoloft has been proven in a high number of cases to be the most safe during preg and bf because alot of research has been done on it. hope all goes well

[Zee]

I will be on 150MG aswell once my dosage goes up, I have some more appointments to go to on Monday to discuss it further with DH there aswell.

I dont know but the hospital I will be having him at have made it clear to me today that he will be taken into special care for a few days to watch with withdrawls,shakes etc, maybe diff hospitals do do that I dont know.

Kirsty-lee -It helps me knowing someone else is taking the dosage that I will be taking if we go with that option.

Beatrix- No that wasnt mentioned to me all so I will bring that up on Monday.

AJP- Thanks, I will bring that up on monday aswell

[kirsty_lee]

No worries lindsay, it is stressful I know,i was concerned about taking it while pg.. doctor said to me if i wanted to i could cut my dosage down closer to the due date to help ease withdrawls but it's already a very anxious time as is and i dont want to make it worse. But also i was told that if your bfing it will help because the withrawls will be minimal as bubs will be still getting some from the milk.

[Zee]

yeah true it is a anxious time around birth so maybe thats why it wasnt out to me today to cut it down closer to birth.

I never thought about the BFing helping as some of it will be in the milk so withdrawls wont be as bad, thankyou im feeling more confident to go with the increase.

I guess im just feeling so overwhelmed and the though of having him taken into special care instead of being with me the whole time upset me...really it could be worse.

[Matryoshka]

Lindsay, my experience was very similar to yours. This time i made the choice to stay on Lexapro 10mg which i'd been on since DS was 8 months old. In the past couple of months i have not been coping and only when it reached the point where i have been constantly anxious, not able to sleep and i knew it was affecting both DS and possibly DS in the womb, did i decide to go up a dose. I'm now on 20mg and feeling better.

I truly believe that the stress responses your body creates due to low mood/stress fluctuations (anxiety/depression) do have an effect on the baby in the womb. Its almost impossible to measure what this would be though, but just by knowing my DS and the fact i did not take medication and suffered anxiety through my last pregancy, i really felt it was better to be on it this time and especially at a level where it was working. Recently the 10mg felt like it was not working- the DR said this can be due to increased fluid levels diluting the medicaion and/or weight gains.

As for Zoloft vs Lexapro..... i read a substantial amount of research material/studies on both zoloft and lexapro during pregnancy and breastfeeding and decided lexapro was the one with the least instance of issue for the baby. Apparently the withdrawals are minute and can be combatted by breast feeding as baby still receives some small amount, so of course i'll be breastfeeding. I've also spoken the psychology department of my hospital and they assure me the baby will be fine after the birth and no need for any special check up let alone special care! in fact i go home after just 24 hours, and could do sooner if i wanted.

SO, i don't know if switching medications is an option?? Apart from that i would go up a dose, its important that you feel better now and are able to manage as theres still a good 3 months + left. I can't speak from your hospital but their opinions sound a bit extreme... especially as others have been on it and not had this occur. Can you do some more research or get a second opinion??? Certainly separation from the baby would do more harm that good, and i wouldn't condone that at all, surely that can't be the only options????

Anyway based on myself, i would go up a dose or switch to lexapro if that is an option. If not, then just try to get another opinion or do some more research in to it....

Hope that helps Linds, thinking of you