Should I take docs advice?? - Depression Message Board

aimee21 · 03-26-2009, 06:13 AM

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with Clinical Depression when I was 15 and put on Citalopram which worked fine for years. Then a couple of years ago I couldn't feel the effect from them anymore and began finding other ways to help my depression, among others were drinking heavily and badly cutting myself. I finally went back to my doctor who put me on a strong dose of Fluxotine, and agin they helped a lot and I began feeling my old self again. The doc told me that I have a sorta brain disorder which means my brain won't produce enough levels of seratonin to keep my moods level. He said I'll prob have to be on meds my whole life.

But then about a month ago I went to my doc again to ask his advice as my fiance and I had decided to try for a baby. And he siad if I wanna do that then I'll have to come off the drugs altogether. Now personally I don't mind coz I'd rather not have to take pills just to feel normal but I'm scared I may start hurting myself again or drinking. It'd be so much worse this time if I had a baby as well... I couldn't do that to him/her. Does this mean I have to chose between my mental health and a child???

Help
Aimee xxx

RickRude · 03-26-2009, 09:24 PM

You should look to other authorities for information. I have not seen any data that SSRIs increase birth defects. That being said, even if the risk is small, it is probably better than the problems that you and your child would experience otherwise.

zhope · 03-29-2009, 09:32 PM

Plenty of women on anti-depressants have to deal with what to do when getting pregnant. You might want to get a second opinion--a doctor who is used to this specific issue. My psychiatrist told me that there isn't a danger to a baby inside you if you are taking an ssri--the only problem is that when the child is born, it will go through withdrawal symptoms as it is cut off suddenly from the SSRI. It may be possible to slowly go off the drugs mid-way through the pregnancy and then go on them again immediately as soon as the child is born. There are faster-acting drugs (SUCH AS Lithium) that you can take that work faster as mood stabilizers (within a few days) unlike ssris that take weeks to take effect.

You do NOT have to choose between your mental health an meds and having a child. Just make sure you get a psychiatrist who is knowledgable in this area.

best of luck

fossilapostle · 03-30-2009, 03:26 PM

When it comes to pregnancy, I'd said yes, you need to take your doctors advice. Psychiatry is one thing. It's still a discipline that's just out of it's infancy and there is room for debate about a lot of treatments.

But an OB/GYN telling you you can't take certain drugs when you're pregnant b/c they will affect your baby is totally different. Physical medical science is much further progressed than mental health "science" so you pretty much need to believe what they tell you. That doesn't mean you can't get a second or even third opinion if you want, but in the end, you need to either comply with the doctors judgement, or wait until you are able to, to have a baby, IMO.

Seymour93 · 03-30-2009, 09:39 PM

The FDA warned about the risk of birth defects with Paxil....I do not know about other ssris.