Posted by yxibow on September 7, 2006, at 3:22:31
In reply to Re: Terrified to stop taking my antidepressants, posted by Djenane on September 3, 2006, at 18:47:01
> So being on medication for good isn’t really something I can do because it’s not in line with one of my main life goals (which is to have several children).
>
> I’m hesitant to fully trust any of the psychiatrists I’ve seen because they don’t ever even try to explore the possibility of going off meds. I don’t know whether it’s that they want me to continue being their patient, or if they really think that I need to be medicated on a life-long basis. I really don’t think I need to be on them forever. Although I have found psychiatrists who are willing to prescribe smaller doses, I haven’t found one who would really address my concerns, discuss ways to come off successfully, etc.. I do have a doctor now who is very kind, but he doesn’t think coming off will be difficult at all. His plan is just to prescribe say 10 milligrams less ever week or two. I wish it were that easy, but I know from experience that it isn’t.
>
> Sigh.
Withdrawing from any compound is not easy, especially if you've been on it for so long. One has to outweigh the risks of depression and postpartum depression and any harm to the baby.
The only antidepressant that has been anectodally listed in category B due to limited studies and the amount of time they have been out (regardless of the manufacturers statements to protect themselves and place in Category C) is Wellbutrin due to small monitoring studies as it has also been a smoking cessation medicaiton.Prozac is probably category C although there have been some monitoring studies that hedge the other direction.
But I assume you have talked with your doctor and weighed the risks of any birth defects (which can occur of course regardless and amniocentesis is done far more regularly today to predict outcomes.) There are alternatives as well, as noted at http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/amniocentesis/AMO_alt.html
for example.
At any rate, going without medication, I would say just as a layman commment that if depression returns during pregnancy, that non-drug methods such as psychotherapy be considered, just as a suggestion.
- tidings and best wishes
poster:yxibow
thread:682428
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060901/msgs/683888.html