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Antidepressants / withdrawal during pregnancy


BecLara

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I ceased my AD medication (50mg of Zoloft daily for 7 and a half years with a period of 100mg daily prescribed for anxiety) in January this year. My husband and I are planning to start trying for a baby very soon and this is the main reason why I wanted to cease the medication.

 

I initially experienced a short period of the expected immediate withdrawal problems. After these passed, I felt fine without the medication and thought I would be fine.

 

However a few months later, in early April, I became very itchy. Since that time the itching sensations are non stop. Some days I also feel down and overwhelmed. And while I'm usually confident, currently my self esteem is shot. My doctor feels as though I am experiencing anxiety again and has recommended that I reinstate to 50mg of Zoloft daily. He has stated that if I fall pregnant now, I may become very anxious and not cope. He also said that when the newborn arrives, I may not cope. For these reasons the doctor has stated that it would be better for me to be on the medication while pregnant than to persist not taking it and risk problems during pregnancy and problems bonding with the baby as a newborn.

 

I am worried about risks associated with taking AD and the development of the baby that I have not followed the doctor's directions. I have read that there is a greater incidence of premature birth, newborn breathing difficulties, newborn withdrawal problems including seizures and a greater occurrence of Autism in children whose mother's were on AD during pregnancy. I am not sure how accurate this information is.

 

Can anyone offer advice or research about pregnancy and AD? Has anyone else gone through pregnancy after ceasing AD or while taking AD?

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itching is a common reaction to high histamine...and SSRIs among other things can act as an antihistamine...some people do end up with itching and other allergic like hypersensitivities when they discontinue SSRIs and some other psych drugs too.

 

I've had to lower my histamine intake in my food and diet...it helps.

 

I've written quite a lot about it and there are many links to other resources in my posts...

 

see if any of it resonates:

 

A mini histamine intolerance round-up http://beyondmeds.com/2013/02/25/a-mini-histamine-intolerance/

 

Most MDs sadly know nothing about this sort of thing. I hope you're able to find a solution.

 

best to you.

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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I realize that is not the direct answer you were looking for...

 

I would avoid taking drugs if at all possible while pregnant...so my mind went towards possible solutions.

 

here is something from David Healy MD about pregnancy and birthing on SSRIs

 

http://davidhealy.org/theres-something-about-mary/

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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I am an adoptive mom, so I don't have any direct experience with pregnancy. I so recommend motherhood....besides the joy of watching little people develop, it pushes you in amazing ways to be your best. But it is a very demanding role that brings new meaning to the term 24/7...that calls for great patience and perseverance. I am guessing that if you could put all the emotional energy you have right now for wanting a baby into resolving your feelings of anxiety, developing additional coping skills....and then having babies, you will never regret it. But we're here for you, whatever you decide.

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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  • Administrator

If you reinstate, you might try 2mg to see if it helps. Many people find this tiny amount relieves withdrawal symptoms, if that's what you have.

 

For measuring small amounts of Zoloft, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 year later...

Just thought I might try to get response to this one in this forum as ive drawn a blank in the main forum.

I know someone (early 30s) who has just got pregnant and is taking Venlafaxine.

Whats the best solution. ? She did a too fast taper last year and returned to the drug.

I suggested she do a slow taper, but this will still mean shes on the drug when full term comes.(but at a lower dose)

Think she might succumb to advice to do it too fast again, or simply take the risk of baby having symptoms at birth.

Tricky ,isn't it?

Anyone any experience?

 

Simon

. Been on some kind of meds since 1982,mainly on and off things like imipramine.,2000 on75mg venlafaxine til it bottomed out, then 150, also no good. about 7 years. Almost ct from it and put on cocktail of  Cit, Mirt and Lithium. Remained there for 7 years.

Tapered Citalopram in June2014 and was off in 6 weeks. Mood slumped about 6 weeks later. Found this site sept 5th and got some idea why this happens.18th Sept stopped lorezepam and due to misunderstanding with GP was without it for 36 hours which caused a crisis.

from 19thsept 18mg diazepam to replace lorezepam(possible addiction) 24th sept 12 mg diaz per day. 29th sept 10mg diaz per day and tapering at 1-2mg per week. At 5mg will slow down taper. At same time increase of mirtazapine to 45mg per day.

Taking fish oil and magnesium as suggested on this site.

Also have menieres syndrome, a cause of vertigo, vomiting and partial loss of hearing, also very occasional drop attacks.

As of 8th October on; Mirtazapine 45mg, Citalopram 20mg Lithium 500mg Diazepam 6mg (tapering by 2mg per week) Fish oil and magnesium

As of 25th October Mirt 45mg, Citalopram20mg Lithium 700mg Diazepam12mg

As of 12th November Mirt 37.5 Cit.20mg Lithium 700mg Diazepam 8mg (to taper after 14 days by 10%)

As of 17th November Mirt 35mg Cit 18mg Lithium 600mg Diazepam 8mg (to taper after 14 days by 10%)

As of 25th November MIrt 35mg Cit 18mg Lithium 600mg Diazepam 7mg

As of 1st December MIrt 35 Cit 18mg Lithium 600mg         Diazepam 6mg  (been stable for the last 2 weeks)

GP intervention 19 December now on 150 Ven, 37.5 Mirt, 600 Lithium  Diazepam 7mg

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  • 1 month later...

Has anyone had to go through pregnancy during withdrawal? I am late for my period and am very worried about maybe being pregnant. If I was pregnant during withdrawal would my baby be ok or might it have complications? Does anyone have insight about this? I hope my cycle is just off. :/

I started out on zoloft 50 mg or 20mg (can't remember at that point) and was on it for a few months then decided I didn't want to take it because of the side effects so I cold turkey'd it and then was miserable and reinstated and all my symptoms went away and I felt normal. Stayed on it for a while tried lexapro 5mg for a month or two instead to see if I had less side effects. Then switched back to zoloft 20mg I think and weaned down to 6mg and jumped off too soon because it supposedly wasn't a "therapeutic dose" and was told it would be ok. Then I was going through withdrawal again so I reinstated again after about a month I switched to prozac because it's easier to wean off of supposedly. Weaned off over 9 month from 8mg Prozac. Then two months after stopping it on September 2, 2014. I went into withdrawal.

 

18 months off as of March 2, 2016

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  • Mentor

Hello Moonlitelotus.  If you are off all the stuff, you should be fine.  My theory is that the drugs have done damage to our brains, brains need to heal.  However the drugs are not being put into our bodies on a daily basis anymore.

 

I hope you are pregnant, if you wish to be.

 

I found I didnt need antidepressants at all when pregnant, just wait for the happy hormones, the relaxing hormones of pregnancy to start.  Lets hope it helps your withdrawals, I never had any withdrawals when I was pregnant.  They may rebound after bub is born, but to a lesser extent.

 

Best wishes

1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression.  Serotonin syndrome, oh yes!  seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol.

Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly)  pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby).  98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.
2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout....  Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol,   and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.
Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg  seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg  tegretol 400mg.  Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.
Mid 15 ....   75mg  seroquel,  3 x 1800mg SJW  2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave
5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x  SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW
15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::   28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::;  18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump.

23/9  3mg.....,  27/9 0mg.  Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg.............  LIGHTBULB MOMENT,  I have  MTHFR 2x mutations.  CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it.

Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues.

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Aww thank you! Yeah we weren't trying but we aren't preventing it either. Basically been doing the pull out method lol. We have been together 4 1/2 years and we are getting to that age where we are ready to start a family. But I haven't taken a pregnancy test yet. My cycle has been kinda off lately so I was thinking it could just be that. I don't really feel pregnant. I was pregnant before withdrawals started but I had a miscarriage. It was my first time being pregnant and that usually happens I hear. We weren't trying then either. I was wondering though if it was dangerous to be pregnant during withdrawal or not. I was kinda worried if I was but maybe my body would take care of itself because it would have someone else to try and keep safe and healthy. I hope it wouldn't make things worse. :/

I started out on zoloft 50 mg or 20mg (can't remember at that point) and was on it for a few months then decided I didn't want to take it because of the side effects so I cold turkey'd it and then was miserable and reinstated and all my symptoms went away and I felt normal. Stayed on it for a while tried lexapro 5mg for a month or two instead to see if I had less side effects. Then switched back to zoloft 20mg I think and weaned down to 6mg and jumped off too soon because it supposedly wasn't a "therapeutic dose" and was told it would be ok. Then I was going through withdrawal again so I reinstated again after about a month I switched to prozac because it's easier to wean off of supposedly. Weaned off over 9 month from 8mg Prozac. Then two months after stopping it on September 2, 2014. I went into withdrawal.

 

18 months off as of March 2, 2016

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  • 11 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

One study found that some antidepressants may increase the risk of birth defects if taken early in pregnancy. The medications looked at were citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft). 

 

Results found an association between birth defects and the antidepressants fluoxetine (Prozac) or paroxetine (Paxil). That included heart defects, abdominal wall defects, and missing brain and skull defects with paroxetine, and heart wall defects and irregular skull shape with fluoxetine. The relative risk increased 2 to 3.5 times, depending on the defect and the medication.

http://press.psprings.co.uk/bmj/july/birthdefects.pdf

 

In other research, there appears to be a link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and an increased risk of the child later being diagnosed with autism.

Major Study Links Autism To Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy

 

Here is what Dr Healy has to say about it:

 

The single most important group who need to be aware of all these issues are women of child-bearing years. A very large number of pregnancies happen in an unplanned fashion and are several weeks advanced before the woman is aware of the situation. SSRIs, and paroxetine in particular, are now clearly linked to a number of problems in pregnancy, among which are an increased frequency of birth defects, an increased rate of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, a neonatal withdrawal syndrome and pulmonary hypertension in the newborn infant.

One of the biggest problems of SSRI dependence involves women who are on treatment and unable to stop who wish to become pregnant. Getting off an SSRI at present seems more difficult for women than men, even with the incentive of wishing to become pregnant.

 

http://survivinganti...elines/?p=13261

 

And more from Dr. Healy here on antidepressants and birth defects:  http://davidhealy.or...ing-about-mary/

 

Ideally, a woman would safely taper off antidepressant medications, or lower the dose to reduce risks long before attempting to become pregnant, but in the case of an unplanned pregnancy, suddenly stopping antidepressants, especially after long term use, is not recommended.

Edited by Petunia
Added quotes from Dr. Healy

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi,

 

I was wondering if there are any mommies/pregnant out there who feel pregnant during withdrawal?

 

I would love to have another baby but still going through minor-moderate withdrawal symptoms. Also worried about another episode of post natal depression.

 

During my last pregnancy I felt great, not sure if this was from all the hormones so was wondering if being pregnant could even help??

Depression/insomnia during 2007 and 2009 during PhD: lexapro 10mg.

Post natal anxiety after first bub, Mar 2014- Dec 2014: lexapro 30mg then reduced Jan 2015- Jun 2015- lexapro 10mg. Tapered off over 2 months. Had bad withdrawals in 12 months since including insomnia, fatigure, anxiety, pins n needles in mouth and no sex drive/loss of feeling.

 

May 2015- Elavil 12mg to help with insomnia.

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I have read about people who had to quit their ssri when they got pregnant and they went thru wd during pregancy must be extremly rough if they had bad wd :( 
If i had wd from quitting any drug and was not pregnant i think i would have waited to get preg until the wd is gone or i feel better, the wd (atleast what i had) put extremly much stress on my body and ii ws sick alot, my immunesystem crashed etc.. 

2007 - 2013: was on citalopram (tried to quit a few times, never worked, always went back on. max dose 40mg)

2012-2013: was tapering my citalopram all down to 2,5 mg then quit.
2013/aug: Took  my last pill 

W/D hit me bad after a few weeks off my medicine.

2014/August: 12 months off (much improved)

2015/April: 20months off. ( much improved, still some symtoms comes in waves, but not so intense.)

2015/june: 22months off. FELT different than before, all shakings suddenly stopped, feel much better. a fantastic feeling!

2016/Feb : 2 years and 6 months off, END of my suffering. I feel perfectly fine and back to normal. 
2018/Oct: Iam still feeling great. It is hard to believe my own story when I read back, what I went through!

 

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

i was not on any drugs around my child bearing/rearing time - even though i DID have post natal depression 3 times i was too scared to take any drugs..

 

i will say for me that pregnancy made me feel great - i had no morning sickness and minimal discomfort - especially when I would listen to my pregnant friends - i think i was mellow and very industrious... but then BAM - as soon as the baby was born.. I got through my PND by exercising - i would run, run, run - also helped with the baby weight.

Started in 2000 - On 150mg most of the time, (but up to 225mg at highest dose for 6 months in the beginning)
Reduced off easily first time - but got depressed (not too much anxiety) 6 months later
Back on effexor for another 9 months.
Reduced off again with no immediate w/d - suddenly got depressed and anxious ++ again 3 or 4 months later.
Back on effexor - this time for 3 years
Reduced off over a month - 6 weeks later terrible anxiety - back on.
Rinse and repeat 4 more times - each time the period before the anxiety comes back got shorter and shorter
Jan - July 2012 75mg down to 37.5mg;, 8/3/12 - 35mg. 8/25/12 - 32mg. 9/11- 28mg, 10/2 - 25mg, 10/29 - 22mg, 11/19 - 19.8mg; 12/11 - 17m,
1/1- 15.5mg; 1/22 -14mg, 2/7 14.9mg, 2/18 - 17.8mg - crashed big time: back to 75mg where i sat for 2 years....

4th  March 2015 - 67.5mg;   31st March - 60mg;  24th April - 53mg; 13th May - 48mg; 26th May - 45mg;  9th June - 41mg; 1 July- 37.5mg; 20 July - 34mg; 11 August - 31mg; 1st Sept - 28mg;  1st Dec - 25.8mg;  28th Dec - 23.2mg; 23rd Jan-21.9mg; Feb 7th- 21mg; March 1st - 20.1mg, March 30th - 18mg

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I had my baby while still tapering. Like you I felt great during my pregnancy; I did not feel the usual withdrawal I get while tapering, so it's entirely possible that something in our pregnancy hormones masks or buffers withdrawal somehow. I did get very bad PPD which could be because I tapered too fast during my pregnancy (but didn't realize it because I wasn't feeling withdrawal). But probably I was just going to get it anyway. Best wishes to you if you decide to go for it!!

Trying to get off Paxil since 2007. Was tapering by 0.1 mg every 4-5 weeks. Had awful crash in November 2015 at .5 mg; updosed gradually to 2 mg. 

 

Doing better and tapering again, much slower this time.  2016: Dropped from 2 mg to 1.62 mg.  2017:  1.62 mg to 1.2 mg. 2018: 1.2 mg to .76 mg. 2019: .76 mg to .56 mg. 2020: .56 mg to .33 mg. 2021: .33 mg to .13 mg. 2022: .13 mg to .03 mg. 6/12/23 .002 mg. OFF PAXIL 9/4/23

 

Started Klonopin in November 2015 to deal with crash. 1/10/16 started milk titration taper from .5 mg. Finished taper 12/6/17. Still take Klonopin for agoraphobia 2 - 3 times a week. 

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks guys, sorry I didn't see your replies til now. We have decided to wait another year so by the time the baby would come it would be 2.5 years off lexapro. It's been 9 months now since I came off lexapro but still feeling bad waves and getting bad insomnia. It's frustrating and incredibly hard at times but helps to look at the overall patterns and how far I've come.

 

I've been taking St Johns wort which has definately helped but I want to eventually come off this as well so that will be the next battle.

Depression/insomnia during 2007 and 2009 during PhD: lexapro 10mg.

Post natal anxiety after first bub, Mar 2014- Dec 2014: lexapro 30mg then reduced Jan 2015- Jun 2015- lexapro 10mg. Tapered off over 2 months. Had bad withdrawals in 12 months since including insomnia, fatigure, anxiety, pins n needles in mouth and no sex drive/loss of feeling.

 

May 2015- Elavil 12mg to help with insomnia.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Merged similar topics.   M84 , please see the thread on St Johns Wort here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/652-st-johns-wort-hypericum-perforatum/

and pop into the Australia room to say hi.

1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg

2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg

Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta

Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months.

July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months.

Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg.

October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive.

March 2016 , 21mg

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  • 2 months later...

http://criticalthinkrx.org/askpeers.asp

 

Dr. Grace E Jackson impeccable credentials speaks to ssri drugs and pregnancy... look her up

 

A young woman who is pregnant has been prescribed an SSRI antidepressant and told it will not harm the fetus. I believe the risks have not been fully explained, and besides, the medication seems to be causing her to be more agitated and anxious. Can I legally recommend to this client that she consider (using an appropriate discontinuation protocol) discontinuing use of this medication while she is pregnant and/or breastfeeding? What recommendations can I give to the client for managing her depression while she is off medications?


 

Grace E. Jackson, M.D.

If a young woman has been informed that an SSRI will not harm the fetus, then she has been misinformed. Research in non-human animal species and epidemiological human studies suggest that SSRIs pose direct and indirect risks to the embryo and fetus—especially to the formation of the brain, heart, and craniofacial skeleton. Because SSRIs pass through the placenta, they may exert toxic effects directly by inhibiting or accelerating the process of apoptosis (programmed cell death). Alternatively, SSRIs may exert toxic effects indirectly by disrupting maternal levels of serotonin and other hormones (including prolactin, thyroid hormone, and glucose), all of which participate in the development of the unborn child.

For humans, the long-term risks of prenatal or neonatal exposure to SSRIs remain uncharacterized. However, it should concern medical professionals that research in rodents has repeatedly and consistently revealed a link between early exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors and the emergence of potentially long-lasting decrements in learning, memory, and emotion (e.g., abnormal responses to fear-producing stimuli, diminished capacity for nurturance and attachment, and depression). According to the “precautionary principle,” it is entirely appropriate to advise clients that SSRIs should be avoided before, during, and after pregnancy in order to avoid known and presumptive risks of structural and functional deficits.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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  • 7 months later...

Hi there!

 

Wondering if anyone has had a successful pregnancy during WD? 

Celexa 10 mg ( approx 5 years), reduced to 5mg (approx 10 years). Prescribed for anxiety and panic. Started tapering July 2015-2.5 mg for a month, then 2.5 every other day. Kept tapering until October when I took my last crumb.  Almost 4 years drug free and WD symptoms are evolving constantly. Some improved, some new. 

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  • 11 months later...

The question is in the subject line - have you been pregnant while taking drugs? Why was it? What dosages? How did the baby turn out?

 

Or have you been pregnant while in withdrawal? How was it? How did the baby turn out?

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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Yes, I have a healthy 6 year old.  I worry for her future, but for now she's doing as well or better than her peers.  If she has a heart condition, we have seen no sign at all.  She does well in school, and she has no behavioral problems.  She reads above grade level.  I worry all the time that she will have problems someday, and I would not have wanted to take the citalopram while pregnant knowing what I know now.  However, my little girl has been considered by her teachers from all 3 years of preschool all through Kinder and until now in First Grade to be perfectly normal.  

 

I did not know about ADWD when she was born, and I didn't know I was going to experience this horrific nightmare that is WD.  She was my first child, and didn't know what was normal or not.  After what I have endured, I "know" she had WD.  I can't imagine any human not having WD after going cold turkey.  What I don't know is whether she had symptoms of WD as a baby or even today.  

 

As I think back a few symptoms she had stand out.  I can't definitively say they were WD symptoms.  The baby is building a brain, too, and there are many strange things babies do and bizarre symptoms they have that don't seem worrisome only because they are babies.

 

She had some allergic reactions to mosquito bites between the ages of 6 months and 2 years that were not life threatening.  Now that I know SSRIs are antihistamines, I wonder about that.  Now, her reaction to mosquitos is less intense than it used to be before she was 2.  She did not have an intense reaction to a bee sting when she was 2, but the mosquito bites still cause a small, red, raised welt.  The welt isn't as large as it used to be, and it doesn't break open into a sore as it did before.   

 

She has no known allergies otherwise.  I did not vaccinate her, and I shudder to think what that might have done to her at the age of 2 months while she was in withdrawal.  I did not vaccinate her at birth either -- Hep B -- the nurse pestered me 4 times to give her that vaccine on her first day of life.  In fact, I have never vaccinated her, but if I do, I'll be glad it will be long after withdrawal is likely to affect her.

 

I was on 60 mg of Citalopram when I was pregnant.  As a baby she seemed fine.  She had an APGAR of 9.9 out of 10 when she was born, and she was never in any distress at birth.  She nursed within an hour.  She only lost about 7 ounces before she started to gain again.  She weighed 4 lbs 8 oz at birth, and was born 10 days early.  She probably had some WD symptoms that I didn't recognize as such when she was a baby, but she's a very healthy now.  

 

As a baby, she slept fine as far as I could tell.  She slept with me, and I nursed her on demand.  She would nurse in the night and go right back to sleep.   I was lying down to nurse her at night, and she didn't have "colic" at night.  

 

I thought she had colic in the daytime because of how much and hard she cried.  Now that I have experienced full blown withdrawal, I wonder if there was more to it, but she did stop crying as much when I changed my nursing position.  I began nursing her while lying down in the daytime.  That seemed to help her avoid getting as much air in her tummy.  She still had colic like symptoms, but they were not as intense.  So, I can't say the "colic" was a sign of WD or not.  I'll never know, but she cried a lot more, a lot harder and for longer than many babies I have seen.  Now that I understand about serotonin and the gut I wonder . . .

 

When she was awake as a newborn, she was very alert.  People commented on how alert she was at the age of 2 months to 4 months when I was at the hospital everyday with my grandfather.  They thought she was much older than she was.  That makes me wonder if her autonomic nervous (fight or flight) system was normal.  Now that I've been in a constant state of fear for days on end I wonder about her being very alert when she was awake.  Was that WD?

 

Up until she was about 6 months old her arms moved seemingly on their own, and it upset her a lot.  She would cry and cry unless she was swaddled.  So, I swaddled her, and she was happy.  Now, after what I have experienced, that arm movement sounds to me like Akathisia, but a lot of babies are happier if they are swaddled.  They all seem to move in a way that would be considered abnormal if they weren't babies.  Their brains are developing after all.  So, I can't say this was definitely a sign of withdrawal.  

 

It's true she couldn't sleep unless she was swaddled.  So, I kept her swaddled for sleep until she started turning over even though she was swaddled.  At that point, babies can suffocate if they can't turn back over.  (I put her in bed on her back.  Babies can turn from back to front earlier than they have the ability to turn front to back.  Of course, with her arms pinned in the swaddled there was no way she could have turned back over.) I kept an eagle eye on her to catch the moment she turned onto her front side.  Then, I stopped swaddling her unless I could be with her every second.  I don't remember when she started sleeping without the swaddle.  

 

As to being pregnant while being in WD, I can't attest to that.  I was probably experiencing tolerance to Citalopram before I was pregnant.  Maybe that's a form of WD? I don't know, but I was not well.  I had a lot of brain fog, anxiety, and I was manic.  My husband says that my health was much better during the last 3 months of my pregnancy and the first 6 months after my baby was born than before I got pregnant.  However, while I was pregnant I was not in full blown withdrawal of the kind I have experienced these past 10 months.

 

The night my baby was born I was switched to 10 mg of Zoloft as the OB thought it was safer for nursing.  I did not sleep for about 3 nights after giving birth.  Then, I started sleeping better and eventually I seemed to sleep normally, but I became very sick within a year.  I was ok, more or less, for at least 6 months after the birth.  Then, I became more and more ill, and the doctor kept raising the dose.  After I fast tapered Zoloft, in Feb of 2017, I had a 5 month time period after the initial insomnia before I started having the worst WD symptoms.

 

Supposedly, the nursing baby doesn't get much Zoloft.  She gets more Celexa such that it can be detected in her serum.  If that's true, that means my baby didn't even get the Zoloft that I did.  She was cut off at birth.  It seemed to me that the Zoloft covered up my WD symptoms that I should have had from the CT of Celexa, but there's no way for me to know If that's how these meds work or not.

 

I hope this helpful and doesn't scare you.  I continue to hope the meds did no harm to my child.  All the evidence so far points to that conclusion.  Any study like the one from Finland tells us nothing.  It's a correlation, nothing more.  I like to think that women on SSRIs are more likely to take their kids to the psychiatrist and that to a psych doc every person is seen as abnormal and needing meds.  That would explain why the kids whose mothers took the poison have ended up diagnosed as mentally ill.  I wish there could be more and better studies that had real answers, but it's not likely we will get those anytime soon

 

Rosetta

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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Oops, my baby was 6 lbs 4 oz at birth.  It was me who was 4 lbs 8 oz.

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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Thank you, Rosetta, I'm so grateful for your thorough reply, it means a lot to me! I do believe your child is unharmed. The brains are still developing and can grow over the harm, I think! 

It's very saddening and maddening that you were not told of any risks (on the baby and about withdrawal) before, isn't it. 

I think it was smart choice not to put any more substances into her body right after birth. Maybe you saved her brain. 

I find it odd that they switched you from 60mg celexa to 10mg zoloft at birth, they do not seem equal doses for me at all, no wonder you had to raise dosage. 

 

Again, big thanks!

 

And looking for more answers from others! 

 

 

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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Rapunzel,

 

You are right that 60 mg Celexa and 10 mg Zoloft were not equivalent.  I suppose that if doctors believe these meds stay in the system for up to 6 weeks and if the second med is started at the same strength as the first med they could have a fear of inducing serotonin syndrome.  People on SA and who switch drugs get information from this site about that issue.  I don't know anything about it, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that there is a legitimate fear of serotonin syndrome when switching meds.

 

Maybe I should be grateful if it's true that my daughter stopped getting ADs after birth.  If Zoloft did not go through the breast milk she might be luckier than if I had stayed on Celexa and she received that for a year or two.  I don't know.  CT could not have been a good thing for her, but I didn't know about tapering anyway.  I doubt the dose she would have received would have been the same in gestation as in breastfeeding.  I try to think back to how she reacted when she stopped getting Zoloft in the breast milk, but nothing stands out.  She's been a normal kid for an only child.  Of course, I feel these drugs shouldn't be given to women who might have children, period.  It's absurd.  They shouldn't be given to anyone at all quite frankly.

 

If you are interested here are more of my thoughts:

 

My medical plan/insurance has me seeing different doctors all the time.  My OB for my pregnancy was constant, but he was not assigned to the delivery room or recovery room for me.  My medical plan doesn't allow an OB to follow a patient from pregnancy through to delivery and recovery.  I had an OB I had never seen before deliver my baby and yet another I had never seen before in the recovery wing.  It's an assembly line care system.  I never saw that recovery OB again and getting a psychiatric appointment takes 4 weeks or more.  She scared me, of course, by bringing up the subject, and I trusted her to know what she was doing.  Back then I trusted the dirties to be working in concert, taking good notes, and be knowledgable.  Ha!

 

In fact, my primary care doctor (GP) changes all the time.  They move them from office to office constantly.  They never get to know their patients and the patients are technically allowed to follow their doctors, but that is often impossible due to the distance the doctor is moved away from the patient.  It might be a half hour or hour drive to stay with a particular Doctor. I suspect it's that way for psychiatrists and psychologists, too, but I have no use for them now.

 

I suppose that even if doctors understood ADWD the OB who suddenly meets a pregnant woman and finds out she's on ADs would have a tough time helping her through WD?   I've considered all the possibilities, of course.  Am I glad the gestation OB didn't tell me to quit cold turkey or on a fast taper?  Do I wish he had?  I don't know.  There is no way to know what might have happened if I had done that.  

 

I did have a very good first 6 months with my child.  Perhaps that would not have been possible if I had stopped the drug quickly upon becoming pregnant.  Who knows?  We had another 1.5 years before I became unstable and another 2 years before extreme confusion and irrationality set in.  Those are very important years for a child.  We bonded well.  She knows she is loved by me.  Maybe these past 2 or 2.5 years have been easier for her because of that early time we had together.  I hope so.

 

I do worry that I became somewhat distant because of confusion and OCD when she was 2 or 3 (as the dose of Zoloft went up.) She's been intermittantly clingy with me when I try to drop her off at school this past year and a half.  She never did that at the preschool.  She started preschool at 2 1/2, and she loved it all the way through to 4 years old.  She went to the same preschool for 3 years and had the same teacher for the second and third years.  That may have given her stability despite my erratic emotions and behavior.  If not for that maybe there would have been more signs of an issue.  For the first half of kindergarten and this initial first half of First Grade, she has found it challenging to let me go at times.  Yet, she's never had much separation anxiety once I leave her at school.  The teachers have always denied that she continues to be upset. I have to hope that she's going to be ok.  

 

At least I wasn't absent or in bed all the time, and I wasn't abusive thank God.  The awful ways these drugs affect some people!!   I do continue to wonder what mechanism caused me to go downhill 4 years after the birth.  Did the high dose of Zoloft cause side effects that resulted in increased confusion and OCD?  Did I hit tolerance?  Is that why I had so many WD symptoms while I was still taking Zoloft?  Was it all caused by WD from Celexa catching up with me?  It could be a combination of all three.  I'll probably never know.  

 

I also wonder if I hit tolerance while on Celexa or if I missed some doses and destabilized my systems.  I had a fair number of WD symptoms during my last few years on Celexa that I used to believe were side effects.  I could learn and pass tests, but I had erratic moods and became confused sometimes.  I believe the meds affect blood sugar even if they are taken on time and consistently.  If so, that could explain a lot.

 

Rosetta

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/16629-rosetta-ct-may-2011-too-fast-taper-feb-2017/?page=25

2001-2011 Celexa 10 mg raised to 40 mg then 60 mg over this time period

May 2011 OB Doctor's Cold switch Celexa 60 mg to 10 mg Zoloft sertraline (baby born)

2012-2016 - Doctors raised dose of Zoloft up to 150 mg

2016 - Xanax prescribed - as needed - 0.5 mg about every 3 days (bad reaction)

2016 - Stopped Xanax

Late 2016- Began (too fast) taper of Zoloft

Early 2017 - Trazodone prescribed for bedtime (doseage unknown)

Feb 2017 - Completed taper/stopped Trazodone

Drug free since Feb 2017

2017 - Unisom otc very rarely for sleep

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On 08/01/2018 at 11:31 AM, rapunzel2 said:

The question is in the subject line - have you been pregnant while taking drugs? Why was it? What dosages? How did the baby turn out?

 

Or have you been pregnant while in withdrawal? How was it? How did the baby turn out?

 

Hello, I got pregnant unexpectedly while trying to come off of Effexor. Because my relationship and living situation were unstable at the time, I made the decision to remain on a tiny dose of Effexor (1 quarter of a 37.5mg tablet) throughout pregnancy rather than come off it altogether and risk a terrible withdrawal. I went back up to a maintenance dose a few days after giving birth. My baby was born completely healthy. I was, however, strongly advised by a paediatrician who I saw two days after her birth to stop breastfeeding her, which broke my heart. I could not ignore this advice as I obviously know how toxic this drug is and would never forgive myself if something ended up being wrong with her. However I believe it all worked out the way it was meant to. She slept through the night from 6 weeks old, which I know a breastfed Baby wouldn’t do. The sleep helped me regain my stability enough to cope - the first year of her life was highly stressful due to my relationship with her father, which has now ended.

 

My little girl is two and a half years old now and has hit all her developmental milestones, most of them earlier than her peers. She is an incredibly bright, caring and funny little girl. I will say though, as the previous poster also said, that as a newborn (up to 3 months old) she certainly cried a LOT, longer and harder than other babies, and was often seemed unsettled and uncomfortable. I believe this was a combination of mild withdrawal and being formula fed from two days old - formula obviously being harder to digest than breastmilk. Interestingly, as Rosetta said about her own baby, mine was also very alert when awake. I was always being told from the start that she seemed very knowing, like an ‘old soul’. Strangers would stop me in the street in amazement. I don’t know if there’s necessarily a link with ADs here as my mother tells me I was exactly the same as a newborn and she never took meds. But it is interesting that Rosetta’s baby was also this way. 

 

I would like more children in the future and that is my incentive for tapering off Effexor totally now. I never want to be pregnant on meds again, the risks are just too great and I don’t want to again be robbed of the chance to feed my baby naturally. A friend of a friend recently gave birth to a baby girl born with a heart condition; she was on Seroquel and an AD (not sure which) throughout her pregnancy. The doctors had told her it was no problem to be on all these meds while pregnant. Maddening!

2008 put on 75mg Effexor XR (Venlafaxine) after breakup with long term boyfriend

2009 Dose increased to 150mg

2010 Dose increased to 300mg plus 25mg Quetiapine added to aid sleep and control hypomania

2011 first attempt to withdraw. Taper much too fast on psychiatrist's advice (300-0mg in 1 month) suffer first and only psychotic episode. Put back on 75mg generic Venlafaxine (no more Quetiapine)

2014 reduce dose to 1/4 of a 37.5mg Venlafaxine tablet during pregnancy. Suffer extreme social anxiety/agoraphobia

2015 Daughter is born. Advised not to breastfeed due to Ven being present in breastmilk. Suffer PND and go back to taking 37.5mg tablet daily. Start to experience heavy fatigue each day after taking Venlafaxine tablet.

14th June 2017 - start 10% monthly taper reduction method. June 2018: 10mg June 2019: 4.5ml June 2020: 2mg June 2021: 0.9mg June 2022: 0.35mg Jan 23: 0.14mg Feb 23: 0.12mg March 23: 0.1mg April 23: 0.08mg May 23: 0.06mg June 23: 0.04mg July 23: 0.02mg

Officially free of all psychiatric medication as of 1st August 2023 :):)

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  • 3 months later...

Hello,

 

I have a question if I may, all these topics on the matter of pregnancy and SSRI's are about the mother taking the drugs. What about the men? I recently got married and we are trying for a baby, I'm on a VERY low dose of Fluoxetine since I'm tapering off them. Also, I rarely take Diazepam for really bad stressful situations. I took 5mg of Diazepam on the 18th of April and starting on the 20th of April, we have been trying for a baby. 

Does anyone know of any risks or side effects or something about the man taking these medicines while trying for a baby?

Thank you. 

Been on SSRIs, Fluoxetine, for approx 20 years. Decided in 2017 to come off the medicine. The doctor told me a real quick, simple plan to withdraw. Only took a couple of months. After being informed of the risk involved in a too fast stopping of fluoxetine I have decided to reinstate the medicine at 2mg and cut down much slower at the safer, recommended 10% rule. Been roughly 2 months since stopping the fluoxetine, a little worried about hypersensitivity, will have to see what happens. 

Was also on amitriptyline for several years. Stopped that too. Hoping just reinstating the fluoxetine would be enough.

Fingers crossed!

 

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I'm wondering about this too.  My pdoc said that the latest research said that lexapro would not be a problem, but this is not what the bottle says when I get it from the pharmacy, so I want to be careful.  I am on a super low dose, a reinstatement dose, but also concerned that I may become pregnant during this time.

29y.o.  Started Lexapro, 15mg in 2013 for anxiety and depression.

9/28/15- Started taper, went down to 10mg, then 5mg by 10/31/15. 

1/2016-  anxiety, nausea, fatigue, crying spells, sadness, by January. Reinstated back to 10mg.  Leveled out.   1/1/2018- Began further taper, down to 0mg by 1/31/2018.  Last dose was 2.5mg. Feelings of dizziness during taper recommended by pdoc.  Slowed down taper, but still had symptoms of stomach upset.

2/12/18 - Dealing with symptoms of dizziness, anxiety, sadness, stomach upset.  2/20/18 - Reinstating medication with .6mg.  2/21/18 - Emotionally feeling better.  Dizziness much improved.  2/24/18 - Went to sleep with extreme feeling of chills.  No fever.  Fatigue.  3/19/18 - Increased anxiety.  5/1/18- Began therapy.  Have trouble with anxiety and GI symptoms.  9/22/18 - Decrease to .5mg.  Anxiety, GI, chills.  9/26/18 - back up to .6mg.  10/31/18 - app Curable, feeling distinct change in outlook and anxiety levels decreased.

2/1/19 - not seeing improvement in anxiety.  started 10mg Prozac  2/7/19 - up to 20mg Prozac, experiencing chills, tiredness  2/21/19 - tapering down to 10mg

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  • 8 months later...

Hi

has anyone tapered whist trying to get pregnant or gotten pregnant and tapered off quickly?

 

i am down to 25mg of Clomipramine and want a baby soon as I am not a young un anymore. I have tapered from 250mg over the past year with few problems though my ibs has returned with a vengeance.

 

any advice or experiences appreciated 

 

thanks

Clomipramine started 2008 250mg, tapered over past year to 25mg

 

no other meds

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Antidepressants / withdrawal during pregnancy

TazzyK, I'm trying to get pregnant while tapering. Actually I was pregnant, but had a missed miscarriage at 10 weeks, just in December :( 

I'm 39, so also not young anymore.

 

How do you feel about tapering and pregnancy?

 

in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. 

current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013

Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. 

April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg
April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg

April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg

April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg

April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!!

April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started.

Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. 

 

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  • 3 years later...

Has anyone used fertility drugs? I’m not tapering, I’ve taper down to nearly half and am holding indefinitely. But curious on fertility medication post withdrawal? I’m not 100% better, maybe 90% and would really like to start trying, but due to PCOS I need help 😵💫


*effexor since 2013- 75 mg (256 beads average)

*march -December 2020 decrease 5% by counting beads and  holding 4 weeks in between. *December 2020 decreased to 145 beads  from 140 beads. & experienced severe symptoms increased 10 beads.

*Held here for 5 months. (150 beads) April - July 2022 decreased 1 bead every 1-3 months.

144beads

**Holding indefinitely **
Drank wine august 2023 - destabilized 

taking magnesium gyltrate 200mg, 
*Stopped birth control pill august 2020. Stopped rupall 10mg September 2021

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  • 1 year later...

mod note: merged similar topics

 

Hello all,

 

I wondered how people have got in with tapering during pregnancy? I read somewhere that increase release of hormones during pregnancy seems to support antidepressant withdrawal. So, I’m curious how others found it. 
 

Would it be advisable to continue tapering while pregnant?
 

I can’t seem to find specific section on this and wondered if it could have its own thread so this area is not neglected.

 

Edited by getofflex

2018 April: Reinstated Paroxetine 20mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) after abrupt withdrawal of 6 months (lots of on off AD and other drugs use for years prior to this this).

2018 August: Began slow taper of Paroxetine. At 10mg severe headaches began, switched to 10mg Fluoxetine. Cont. on Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Occasional but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet.

2018 - 2023: ‘Stable’ on Fluoxetine 10mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Cont. but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet, switched sleeping tablet to manage addiction and achieve sleep. Began very occasional use of benzodiazepines by 2020 (eg. 2 dose of 10mg in a 9 month period, varies according to need and some months can be more). Cont. headaches, developed anxiety and other body pains. 
2023 (February) - Rapid 4 week taper in February from Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) to nil (mistakenly!).

2023 (March to present) - very infrequent use of sleeping tablets and benzodiazepines, diagnosed with hypothyroidism (April ish) and currently treated with Levothyroxine (final dose yet to be determined), began taper of Fluoxetine 10mg (June) currently on 8mg of fluoxetine. 
Also, still invariably take CBD oil, multiple vitamins and minerals including Omega 3, iron etc. Adjusted as needed. 

Note - Throughout the above years I have been an inpatient and outpatient with decisions made for me regarding drugs inc. abrupt withdrawals. Some were planned by me when unaware of withdrawal affects. Others while I was ‘unwell’ and began by unwittingly missing doses. Like many of us I have experienced many ‘symptoms’ on and off the drugs. Above, I have tried to share my main complaints and history as best as I can and remember.

My full drug history can be found in my opening post 

WeLiveInHope

——————————————————

My words are based on my personal experiences and do not constitute medical advice or recommendations, except this: whatever any one else says, from medics to other patients, however informed, listen to your body as the human condition is always evolving, and in turn so is our knowledge on its limitations and capabilities. 

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Thanks for approving new thread mods!

2018 April: Reinstated Paroxetine 20mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) after abrupt withdrawal of 6 months (lots of on off AD and other drugs use for years prior to this this).

2018 August: Began slow taper of Paroxetine. At 10mg severe headaches began, switched to 10mg Fluoxetine. Cont. on Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Occasional but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet.

2018 - 2023: ‘Stable’ on Fluoxetine 10mg and Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night). Cont. but over recommended dose use of sleeping tablet, switched sleeping tablet to manage addiction and achieve sleep. Began very occasional use of benzodiazepines by 2020 (eg. 2 dose of 10mg in a 9 month period, varies according to need and some months can be more). Cont. headaches, developed anxiety and other body pains. 
2023 (February) - Rapid 4 week taper in February from Carbamazepine Prolonged Release 400mg (200mg morning and night) to nil (mistakenly!).

2023 (March to present) - very infrequent use of sleeping tablets and benzodiazepines, diagnosed with hypothyroidism (April ish) and currently treated with Levothyroxine (final dose yet to be determined), began taper of Fluoxetine 10mg (June) currently on 8mg of fluoxetine. 
Also, still invariably take CBD oil, multiple vitamins and minerals including Omega 3, iron etc. Adjusted as needed. 

Note - Throughout the above years I have been an inpatient and outpatient with decisions made for me regarding drugs inc. abrupt withdrawals. Some were planned by me when unaware of withdrawal affects. Others while I was ‘unwell’ and began by unwittingly missing doses. Like many of us I have experienced many ‘symptoms’ on and off the drugs. Above, I have tried to share my main complaints and history as best as I can and remember.

My full drug history can be found in my opening post 

WeLiveInHope

——————————————————

My words are based on my personal experiences and do not constitute medical advice or recommendations, except this: whatever any one else says, from medics to other patients, however informed, listen to your body as the human condition is always evolving, and in turn so is our knowledge on its limitations and capabilities. 

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  • 3 months later...

Re being on IVF drugs...I am completely off since 2017 and did x2 rounds of IVF in 2022. Other than usual symtoms of moodiness, bloating, weight gain, anxiety etc...I didn't experience any symtoms of kindling which was what I was scared of. I am now 20 weeks pregnant with an IVF baby but its been a much harder pregnancy then the 1st (which was IUI, no fertility drugs). They had me on the standard stuff to make me produce more eggs, an antagonist to stop the eggs falling out, then a trigger, followed by progesterone for implementation which was probably the worst for fatigue, bloating and crazy weight gain. I have gain 10kg and I am only half way through but I am pregnant so its ok and I am grateful. So in conclusion, no issues with fertility meds and kindling which was what I was concerned with. I did have  a large space in between so maybe my brain has finally fixed itself. 

 

One of the reasons I came off was because I did not want to even think about the kid having a clef lip coming out. That, and the AD stopped working and went backwards and I thought I had chronic fatigue. 

 

I did find that being back in the medical system post meds really triggering such as being in touch with doctors, mid wives, and social workers. All seem to be on the lookout for PND and dying to hand out pills and painkillers. Its absolutely maddening after putting in SO much work to come off.

Prescribed Lexapro in 2003 and switched to Cipramil (5-10mg per day) 2004 with Lamictal.

Stopped Lamictal cold turkey with no withdrawals in 2014 with support of a Paleo diet. 

2003-2015 Cipramil only: 5mg 21 Dec 15: 2.5mg 28 Dec 15: 2.25mg 4 Jan 16: 1.575mg 10 Jan 16: 1.1025 11 Jan 16: 0.7875 25 Jan 16: 0.9, 1 Feb: 0.8, 8 Feb 0.75, 15 Feb 0.5, 29 Feb 0.25, 21 March 0.17, 4 April: 0.10, 25 April 0.05, 8 May 2016 0.05, 15 May 2016 NIL 21 June 2016 0.1, 5 Sep 16: 0.2 7 Sep 16: 0.15 16 Sep 16: 0.075 3 Oct 16: 0.015 17 October: 0.015, 14 Nov 2016: Reinstate 0.005, 26 Dec 16 0.0045, 2 Jan 17 0.004, 20 Feb 17 0.003, 3 Apr 17 0.002, 22 May 17 NIL. 

Supplements/Lifestyle: Low oxalate diet. Christian music all the time! B12 drops, Broccoli sprouts, Integra Nutritionals Gemmune IB, Zinc drops, Tresos Natal, Spatone Healing rooms: https://www.facebook.com/FODaustralia/videos and http://sydneyheal.com/service/time-and-location/

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

You guys! A word of warning about ASPIRIN in pregnancy! Its SUPER prevalent now apparently to ask a woman to take a "baby aspirin" and I got asked to take 100mg per day just before bed. They had me on it from 10 weeks and I was suppose to take it up to 34 weeks because 1. My first baby was born at 2.6kg which is marginally low birth rate 2. I am 45 years old which makes me high risk 3. I conceive via IVF. These are all "risk factors" and the aspirin was suppose to increase my blood flow and increase food to baby. I had a MISERABLE time the entire time and didn't attribute it to the aspirin until week 28 when I was experiencing actual depression (I was physically exhausted, diarraha, muscle cramps, insomnia, I was angry all the time, I was anxious, my head was in a fog, I wanted it to be over and I had pictures of myself cutting myself open to take the kid out). Still didn't twigged it was the aspirin until I went for the gestational diabetes test and both my arms bruised for DAYS and the nurse was like...do you bruise easily? I was like, no what are you talking about? 

 

After that incident I was like...wait, this didn't happen at ALL in the 1st pregnancy and I was happy and healthy (well, right up until they cut me open with a c section and put me on endone and panadine forte) so, the only variable is the aspirin. Called my OB said I was off it (he was like, yeah well, you do have risk factors but its only risk profiling so come off your mental health is more important ...i was like, I cannot feel like this for another 3 months). By the 1st night I didn't take it I felt like a new woman and my head cleared which was last Thurs. I napped like 2 hours during the day every day since as I felt like my body needed desperately to recover and I diarraha every day until yesterday (maybe my body was purging). The exhaustion, muscle cramps, insomnia, anxiety, anger, and the pictures in my head was GONE! 

 

Bit of research shows zero incidences of my experience (duh) only that in older men (or people) aspirin can interact with AD when one is 60-75 years old to make depression worse. My humble theory is only that my system is sensitized by the AD and sometimes it thinks the AD is still there hence the interaction. That or I have a body of a 75 year old lol. Another theory was that post AD i had a massive reaction to salicylates (with eczema) which is what aspirin is made of and this is my body saying - no we don't like that at all. 

 

Now I am looking to pursue an unmedicated childbirth (crazy right) as that SHOULD give me the best chance to avoid the Endone/Panadine Forte depression (for what feels like 3 months after) but I am abit freaked out. The thing is, maybe my system is still really sensitised and any discomfort will freak it out so thats not an option. I don't know the answer to that and am getting counselling around this entire turnaround in mindset. I mean, avoiding discomfort is what got me into the ADs in the first place and I PAID for it. But running towards it and actively asking for it (for the greater good??) is a completely different matter and I am not sure if I am up to sign up to effectively climb Mt Everest. 

 

What feels right is to ask for an epidural at the right time but that is also fraught with difficulties such as having it slow down the birth, potential C section then back to Endone Panadine dep (booo). If any one has experiences to share that will be amazing. Its just that with what MIGHT be a sensitised system do we pursue physical challenges? Or you don't know until you do it? But are you going to do it if you think it'll traumatise you? 

 

 

 

Prescribed Lexapro in 2003 and switched to Cipramil (5-10mg per day) 2004 with Lamictal.

Stopped Lamictal cold turkey with no withdrawals in 2014 with support of a Paleo diet. 

2003-2015 Cipramil only: 5mg 21 Dec 15: 2.5mg 28 Dec 15: 2.25mg 4 Jan 16: 1.575mg 10 Jan 16: 1.1025 11 Jan 16: 0.7875 25 Jan 16: 0.9, 1 Feb: 0.8, 8 Feb 0.75, 15 Feb 0.5, 29 Feb 0.25, 21 March 0.17, 4 April: 0.10, 25 April 0.05, 8 May 2016 0.05, 15 May 2016 NIL 21 June 2016 0.1, 5 Sep 16: 0.2 7 Sep 16: 0.15 16 Sep 16: 0.075 3 Oct 16: 0.015 17 October: 0.015, 14 Nov 2016: Reinstate 0.005, 26 Dec 16 0.0045, 2 Jan 17 0.004, 20 Feb 17 0.003, 3 Apr 17 0.002, 22 May 17 NIL. 

Supplements/Lifestyle: Low oxalate diet. Christian music all the time! B12 drops, Broccoli sprouts, Integra Nutritionals Gemmune IB, Zinc drops, Tresos Natal, Spatone Healing rooms: https://www.facebook.com/FODaustralia/videos and http://sydneyheal.com/service/time-and-location/

 

 

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