antidepressants and TTC

[shainamsu]

has anyone had any experience with TTC while on an antidepressant? i'm currently on Paxil for post-partum anxiety disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder. i don't plan on going off of it for a very VERY long time, but my husband and i will be starting to TTC in the next month or so.

we practice Fertility Awareness/NFP and, although i should be, i'm not seeing any of the eggwhite-quality cervical fluid that occurs around ovulation. i am breastfeeding, but i've already had several periods and observed the fertile cervical fluid since she's been born, just not in the last few months since i've been on Paxil. i've read that antidepressants have a tendency to dry up the fertile cervical fluid that enable the sperm to survive after intercourse, and i'm wondering if this is happening to me.

has anyone else had experience with this?

 

[Linnis]

I was on paxil, low amounts to help me sleep. I took myself off of it because I could live without it when we began TTC.

According to my drug book, it's catagory B and while it has little to no effect on a breastfeeding baby a newborn has "withdrawl symptoms" after being exposed to this drug in the womb.

 

[Leanna]

I wouldn't ttc while on that drug without consulting your doctor first.

 

[shainamsu]

when she (my ob/gyn) first prescribed an antidepressant (it was a different one -- paxil is the fourth one i've tried that has worked, but that's another story, another post), i told her that we would be ttc in the near future and she said that it shouldn't be a problem, but i'm wondering....

 

[Linnis]

The book does not get into great detail about exactly what type of withdrawl sytmptoms as it's mainly for breastfeeding.

You should try and see what you find about it online, you could probably find a wealth of info, but it would probably take a detailed search.

First off I am not trying to judge you in anyway just throwing ideas out your way *but* if you have this post-partum anxity disorder, is it wise to begin TTC while it's unresolved? I have read(I have not read a lot on this issue) that if you get it with one pregnancy, it can become compounded with another and lead to depression etc.

Also have you looked into dietary changes, suppliments you could try etc to regulate your symptoms which would make breastfeeding and pregnancy safer? I think frm your other posts you eat very healthy so this is probably a silly question but yeah.

Link to related site.

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May 7, 2002 (HealthScoutNews) -- Newborns whose mothers take the antidepressant drug Paxil during the late stages of pregnancy may suffer a form of withdrawal, causing health problems that require weeks of hospitalization.
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[SIZE=-1]Respiratory distress, low blood sugar and jaundice are among the complications found in babies when their mothers continue taking paroxetine -- Paxil's generic name -- in the third trimester of pregnancy, says a new Canadian study. [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Paxil is often prescribed to treat depression, panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]"What we found was that [among] pregnant women who use Paxil through pregnancy until birth, their offspring are more likely to have several stormy weeks at infancy," says Dr. Gideon Koren, study author and director of the Motherisk program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.....
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[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Typical withdrawal includes a lot of things you don't see here, such as sweating, gastrointestinal changes and convulsions," Koren says.[/SIZE]

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Link
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This article suggests speaking to your doctor, if you must being refered to a doctor who deals with this type of thing. That doctor may switch your medication to something safer during pregnancy.
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[LisaLisa]

Hi, there!

I also take Paxil but I went off of it during both of my pregnancies. It's really not recommended, as stated above. I did take it while bf'ing.

One interesting note... I was one all kinds of supplements to assist in conceiving and I found this virtually eliminated any withdrawal symptoms.

Blessings to you!