Prozac

A bit of advice for everyone though, anti-depressants ARE safe to take in pregnancy if the good effects outway the bad. If you will be worse without them then you should take them. My mum didn't take them whilst she was pregnant, but she was suffering severe greif after losing her father to suicide. I as a consiquence now suffer with depression and have now for many many years.

Research has shown that some anti-depressants (namely the SSRI group, citalopram, amitrityline, prozac, etc) can cause feotal withdrawel syptoms after birth. This is generally when only taken in the final trimester as whatever goes into your blood stream, goes into theirs. They say they are not addictive, but a drug which you have to wean yourself off, in my opinion, is addictive.

I don't want to worry anyone by this, and beleive me, if you need them then take them, but this is the current research. SSRI's haven't been about that long for them to do many trials on them, but this is all the evidence of trials I could find on them.

If you want to know anymore I shall try to answer about them (been on a few types now for different reasons). xxx

 

[minikins]

Hi Ya,

I have been on and off them for years and I took them while TTC too. They really helped me feel normal again. I did not feel dippy or crap or high at all they just made me feel sane again. I also had counselling too as I think that helps in these situations a good combination of the right drugs and therapy really can help.

Two drugs I would avoid are Effexor (they really messed my brother up when he tried to come off them) and Seroxat, which I was on and had to be properly weaned off as they caused all sorts of problems for me.

Luckily since I got pg and had Dom I have not had a pill since but I think people who don't understand emotional turmoil or all too ready to say don't take drugs - there is still a taboo about it, but then those people still drink or smoke and they are drugs too etc.

Hope whatever you decide and it's your choice works for you. You are doing the right thing and going on the web to get lots of advice etc.

If you fancy a chat drop me a PM

 

[Dreamer]

I have PM'd you hun, I am an anti-depressant taker and have been for years... xx

I got your pm hunni, thank you, i have replied

xxx

 

[rusks]

my mum took prozac for 15 odd years and is now trying to come off them but finding it really difficult as all the old symptoms that you are describing like panic attacks are coming back, to be honest i don't feel she gets a lot of support from my dad which is one of the major worries. You need good support from your OHs definitely. Hope they work for you dreamer as if they do they are a great thing. All the best xx

 

[Dreamer]

Hi Ya,

I have been on and off them for years and I took them while TTC too. They really helped me feel normal again. I did not feel dippy or crap or high at all they just made me feel sane again. I also had counselling too as I think that helps in these situations a good combination of the right drugs and therapy really can help.

Two drugs I would avoid are Effexor (they really messed my brother up when he tried to come off them) and Seroxat, which I was on and had to be properly weaned off as they caused all sorts of problems for me.

Luckily since I got pg and had Dom I have not had a pill since but I think people who don't understand emotional turmoil or all too ready to say don't take drugs - there is still a taboo about it, but then those people still drink or smoke and they are drugs too etc.

Hope whatever you decide and it's your choice works for you. You are doing the right thing and going on the web to get lots of advice etc.

If you fancy a chat drop me a PM

Thank you.

My doctor put me on them about 2 months ago, i never even put the prescription into the chemist, was convinced I could cope.

Last week was a really bad, I didnt want noone to know, but just to show had bad it was, my counsellour asked me to write somethings down when i was low again. I was very low and was writing the stuff down, and i started to scribble, and i couldnt stop myself scribbling, and i got the overwhelming urge to stab myself iin the arm with the pen, this scared me as I had never felt like that before, I have taken the tablets and tried to cut myself, but never like that.

When I went to see my GP, I told her that and she put me back in the prozac, I know i need help, and i am willing to try anything.

 

[Dreamer]

That made my sound crazy

 

[bubble_dreamer]

ur not crazy - well not like that anyway give me a min n im gonna pm you

 

[minikins]

That made my sound crazy

Me too all the best people are really !!

It's funny the old drugs for depression/panics etc as people still worry alot about drugs - it's always good to be wise - but people don't give it a second thought to take drugs for a bad back, headache, sore tummy so why should have a sore emotional state be any different.

You are seeking help and that is the main thing, you are now stepping in the right direction and getting control of this and that's brilliant.

Am really think of you

 

[Dreamer]

Thank you xx

 

[LouisecH]

Hi

I was depressed about 10 years ago when I first started univeristy and went on anti-depressants (Prozac) for a year.

It was the best thing I ever did because it enabled me to feel normal enough to sort out my situation so that when I came off them again I was in a stateof mind that meant I could feel normal naturally.

I know they aren't for everyone but for me they worked wonders and I haven't looked back since.

 

[Tam]

Hi hun,

I just wanted to say, I am on anti-depresants I have been on them nearly 3 months.........I have an excellent Doctor, and when I thought I was Pregnant, I was advised to stop my pills just whilst she found out what the latest recommend AD is during pregnancy.... she got in touch with the research labs and within a couple of days got back to me telling me I could continue them as they were the recommended ones by the labs!

They are called Fluoxetine - I have been advised that if I fall pregnant, I should try to come off of them 3 weeks before the baby is due, as the baby could have withdrawels, and also not to go back on them if I intend to breastfeed!

I must say, these tablets I have no side effects at all, and they have really helped me - they have given me some sort of life back which I didn't think was possible!

I didn't want to take AD and I told my Doctor about a relatives bad experience (years back), so she spent half an hour talking to me about how they have changed and do not make you like a zombie, there is a whole range out there now which can help people. She didn't push me at all, she just asked if I would take away the prescription and seriously think about going on them, and I had the ability to get them if I felt that was the route for me. So 5 weeks later, I got the tablets and have not looked back since! I don't even know I am taking them, it could be a sugar lump for all I know, as there are no nasty side effects.........except, they do make you hotter than usual!

Sorry for the long post!

But I hope this helps and I hope you feel better soon babe - unless people have been there, they have no idea what it is like, I have always been anti AD but I got to the stage I would try anything, I was desperate!

(((((HUGS)))))

Tam x

 

[Tam]

I forgot to add, I heard that you shoud STEER CLEAR of ST JOHNS WART if PG!!! My best friend was PG and very down, and her GP told her NOT to take it, (as it is a very well known herbal remedy for helping with depression).............but DO NOT TAKE IT, as it is not safe for baby!!

At least check it out before hand, if you feel you want to give this a try (as I didn't get it first hand), but just in case, thought I best forward this info on.......

HTH

Tam x

 

[minikins]

FYI - Fluoxatine (SP) is another name for Prozac. Prozac is the brand name like Hienz etc and Fluoxatine is the drug itself

 

[sueh]

Sorry if its a bit late in responding to this but i would be cautious in taking prozac, i know everyone is different, but my sister in law had cancer a few years ago and my mother in law just couldn't cope with it and the docs prescribed her prozac, within weeks she was having severe panic attacks and couldn't go anywhere, she then admitted herself to a hospital for people with mental health problems and she stayed for quite a while, she even asked my husband to help her to kill herself (he was devestated, obviously), My sister in law went into remission with the cancer but still my mother in law couldn't get better, she did with time but shes never been the same since, sorry to ramble but i feel quite strongly about this, please be careful before you decide.

Sorry to rant

Sue xx

 

[rach]

how are you doing hun xxxxxxxxx

 

[Dreamer]

Thank you all for your support and your stories.

I have read it all and decided to go ahead taking them, I have nothing to lose by not taking them, things have gotten that bad.

Bubble dreamer has been fab, she found a lot for me to read, and im still getting through it all. thank you hun xxx

Thanks for all the pms. You lot are fab.

I have taken my 4th tablet today, just had some headaches, dont know if its to do with the tablets.

Thank you all again.

You lot are truely fab.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[minikins]

Just take is easy babe. This heat can cause headaches as well as stress. And if the tablets are causing you trouble then you can come off and chat to the doccie about other options.

I am glad everyone here is looking out for you

xxx

 

[Rubys mummy]

Only just seen this thread, I was poorly last year with a viral infection which affected my heart.
I suffered terrible palpatations, which in turn caused panic attacks. I spent four months in fear, convinced I would drop dead at any moment.

My doc pescribed me Floxoutine (Prozac) which I took for around twelve months. I can honestly say they helped me through what was a really low time for me. They turned my life around. Alot of people are embarrassed to say they have taken Anti Depressants, I dont, there is nothing to be ashamed of. If they help you, then they are a marvellous thing. I was taking them all the time I was TTC, and stopped the day I had an inkling I was PG (I had a feeling I was before my BFP). I was due to see my GP anyway about coming off them. I have been off them now for 7 weeks and really feel fine.
At my booking in app, they sent me to see my consultant, he wanted to chat and see how I was coping off them. I asured him I felt wonderful, he told me if I felt at any point I wasnt coping, to see my GP as the tablets dont do my unborn baby any harm, and can be taken in pregnancy.
I am going to see how I get on, but wouldnt hesitate to go back to my GP if I felt I wasnt coping.
Good luck Dreamer, I really hope the tablets help up and you soon feel happier xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[minikins]

Zoe sorry to hear about your probs too, Panic attacks are the worst and when you are not having them you live in fear you will have one. It's nice to hear some positive views on these things.

 

[LouisecH]

Just wanted to second this:

A lot of people are embarrassed to say they have taken Anti Depressants, I dont, there is nothing to be ashamed of

Depression is a physical illness caused by chemical changes in the brain. There should be no stigmatism attached. Can you imagine any other physical illness where people would be stigmatised for taking medicine to get better?

Anyway, I hope the tablets are helping. I remeber feeling like I was bouncing off the walls for the first couple of weeks. They made me feel a little bit hyper but I soon calmed down.