Pregnant at 30 and I Can't Take My Paxil

I had the same thing happen to me. My 2nd pregnancy they put me on Zoloft for the 1st trimester than let me go back on my paxil. With my third I didn't take anything the 1st trimester and then went on a low dose of 10mg till the end and weened off again for the birth. I justed wanted to take enough to take the edge off and it worked. Hope that helped. I have 3 perfect little boys.

Would you be willing to take Zoloft? This med is considered very safe, even while breastfeeding.

I agree with the other posters here, call your OB/GYN immediately and get a gradual schedule to stop taking the Paxil. I would ask the doctor what a good replacement medication would be. I took both Buspar and Prozac while I was pregnant and my son is/was fine. The OB said that it was more dangerous to me as a Mother to stop taking this medication than it would be for the unborn baby.

Hang in there!

It sounds like it's gonna be a tough 7 or 8 months, and you sound worried. Which doesn't help, does it ?

I suspect that the best way around the medication-less days is to make them routine. Pregnancy can make the best of us moody, and it does put a strain on our entire system -- the brain and body are busy -- they are making a baby. Add anything else to that, and they don't seem to have the usual number of resources to cope with "stuff".

For starters, I would look at what I eat, and build a bunch of protein into the day. It takes proteins to build cells and keep our blood sugar at a healthy level (versus low) and to metabolize iron, which you will need in more abundance as you build news cells down there in your womb. from there try to be sure you eat well balanced meals. If you need assistance, you might be able to see a nutritionist, and your doc could recommend someone should you ask him/her.

Take a walk every day. Get some "me time" and exercise at the same time. It will help your circulation and help your brain, because when you exercise enough to get your heart rate up, your body releases adrenalin and some whatever-they-are-called, but they make you feel good about yourself and exercise helps to release tension, too. ahhhhh

If you have trouble sleeping, make a bedtime habit of doing stretching and relaxation exercises just before you turn in. Then relax. If you wake up during the night, try making a mental list of every good thing that happened the day before. No matter how small, the more positive things you can come up with (even if you have to force yourself), the more thankful you will become, and that may also put a smile on your face.

If you're able, bite your tongue as much as you can. It's hard to feel horrible on the inside, but if you can limit its effects on other people, you at least won't have lashed out at somoene and have something else to feel badly about.

Take each day as it comes, knowing that you are being very brave here. It's hard to go off medication that you depend upon daily, and it's a sacrifice you are making. You are wise and you are brave to "tough it out" through the pregnancy in order to have a healthy child. I wish you the very best as you tackle each day, and then even more of the best when you hold that new bundle in your arms, and see just how "worth it" it was to have struggled through the days of pregnancy.

Kudos to you, Mom !!

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I took Paxil throughout my whole pregnancy. My son is now 4. My psychiatrist in Dallas and my OB said most moms have no problems with it. You really need to weigh the risk vs. the benefit to you and your sanity. I'm on the fence about it personally. I would love to have another baby but am still afraid because I take Paxil. If you can get off of it and be sane go for it, but again, if not you are going to be no good if you are messed up without your meds. Good luck girl!!

take your paxil for now. Any of the effects would have already taken place in the first few weeks of pregnancy. At the end of pregnancy, you can consider weaning off so that the baby has less weaning to do. talk to your doctor or get a consult with an MFM specialist that your doctor refers to.

There are similar meds that are safe with pregnancy. Call your doc and ask about those or about herbal or non-prescription pills that can help. Taking deep breaths, recognizing when you're getting upset, taking a walk or shower. Let your family and friends know ahead of time that you may have moments of anger, especially your son, so they hopefully can be more patient. Hormones are not fun!

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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Hi R.,

I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist and have worked with quite a few women who needed to go off of their antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication for various reasons. Support from friends and family goes a long way, as well as adopting some solid self-care / self-soothing techniques. If you still feel stressed and worried, talking to a professional can help. Talk therapy can be just as effective as medication at dealing with depression and anxiety. You can find a qualified therapist near you at www.therapistlocator.net. Good luck!
S. R., LMFT

R., I would suggest talking to your doctor about a prescription that would be safe for you to take while you're pregnant. Paxil isn't something that should be quit cold turkey. You can actually go through some serious withdrawl. From my experience, I had to cut my dose down week by week and wean off of it, but I wasn't pregnant at the time. Your doctor may be able to help lesson the affects. Good Luck and CONGRATULATIONS!

Call your doctor. It is not safe to stop a medication like Paxil abruptly without physician approval and supervision. Your doctor knows what medications are safe during pregnancy and can prescribe you something that will help. There are many medicatations that are safe during pregnancy, so call your doctor and talk to him/her to determine if Paxil or a different med would be good for you during this pregnancy.

There are meds that you can safely take throughout pregnanchy AND lactation.
Zoloft, for example, is listed as a Category B for pregnancy & an L2 for breastfeeding (in other words, safe to use). Prozac is another option & has the same ratings (though it's not quite as safe for nursing newborns as Zoloft is).

Of course, some moodiness and crankiness is expected with pregnancy--especially in the 1st trimester when hormones are all over the place and you're tired & sore & nauseated, etc....

But you should know that there ARE medications on the market that are safe to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding and that if you need to take them, that that's what you need to do.

Hope that helps some! Good luck!

OMG. Call your dr. immediately. DO NOT go off your meds without medical help/advice. Pregnancy is tough enough without an untreated mental illness on top of it. There may be drugs you can take safely that won't harm you or your fetus.

Put down the computer and call your doctor now!

Oh, and congratulations. You WILL get through this! :-)

Going cold turkey off of Paxil is not the best thing to do. The stress your body goes through with the withdrawl isn't good for the baby or you. I did exactly that almost 8 years ago. I stopped taking the Paxil the day I found out I was pg and I went through horrible withdrawl that lasted 6 weeks. I spoke with a dr. recently about that and she said the best way to get off of the Paxil is to slowly cut your dose until you can stop taking it without withdrawl. Call the dr. who prescribed the med and your ob as well and follow the instructions they give you.

Congratulations!! I hope you feel better soon!

I have depression too, and at the advice of my dr. I took my effexor xr (my normal med) my whole pregnancy , until the last month when I weaned off of it so that my baby wouldn't have withdrawal symptoms. My baby is healthy and happy and I felt good my whole pregnancy. The only thing that you have to watch for is post pardum (since you'd be off meds after delivery)... It's no joke. I just wanted to let you know that there is the option to take something during your pregnancy. It's best for everyone if you feel good and are happy.- especially YOU and the little one in your belly who feels everything you do - Best of luck, I know it's so hard.

Call your ob/gyn ASAP!