Alright, let me break down what’s going on with me 🙂
I was taking Celexa, but once I found out I was pregnant about 12 days ago, I just stopped cold turkey.
My psychiatrist is suggesting St. John's Wort, maybe one Xanax a day.
The thing is, I feel like absolute crap. On top of the vomiting and dizziness, I'm starting to deal with this weird derealization feeling and even some panic attacks.
Look, I'm obviously not looking for a prescription from anyone here—I know this forum is just for swapping stories and getting some support (leave the medical stuff to the doctors), but does anyone have any actual experience or thoughts on using St. John's Wort while pregnant?
Brian Young5 said:Here’s the real kicker: the meds saved my life. They stabilized me, and honestly, I haven't been this calm or happy in years. But now, the weight gain is kicking in and dragging me straight back into depression. So, what’s the move? It feels like one of those damn vicious cycles.
I want to actually live my life, not just hide away at home. And I can't just sit here and swallow the intense shame of showing up looking like a completely different person.
Back when I was hitting rock bottom mentally, I was dropping a pound a day. My coworkers who struggle with their weight were actually jealous of me, while I was sitting there envying them for having a sane head on their shoulders. Once I started the antidepressants, my appetite eventually came roaring back, and yeah, the pounds came with it. I guess I'm a little bit "thicker" now—got some solid arms, a bit of a double chin, and a belly that I'm currently masking with oversized t-shirts 👏 But hey, I'd take an extra 20 pounds over being that walking skeleton who couldn't stop shaking in bed and was too terrified to even step outside. In my book, being beautiful means having a smile on your face and some peace of mind. That beats being skinny and looking completely twisted from anxiety any day of the week. 🎉
Aaron Garcia5 said:I started taking Eli Lilly yesterday. My doctor actually prescribed me Celexa, but somehow I ended up with this instead—honestly, I didn't quite catch why from my physician... Naturally, I’m looking for some insight. What should I be watching out for? Is weight gain really an issue, or what kind of side effects am I looking at? Does this actually help with anxiety? If anyone feels like sharing, I'd appreciate it...
I was on Lexapro for the last 3 months. At first, the side effects were brutal—massive panic attacks, basically felt just like when my issues first started up 14 years ago.
Eventually, the panic subsided and I’d say it was okay... Not like "I can fly" amazing where I'd praise it nonstop, but I could function normally. Like, I could drive, get to work, and handle a 9-hour shift that requires 100% focus and a brain that isn't totally fried.
Then I had to stop cold turkey because I'm pregnant (as of 11 days ago) and oh my god, I feel like absolute trash.
Michael Hill2 said:I can vouch for my own psychiatrist. A friend sent me to him, and he's been great. Here's the link with all his info:🙂 http://healthgrades.com/psychiatrist/dr-john-smith-example
The last time I saw him, he actually brought up the topic of pregnancy out of nowhere. He’s very much against prescribing psych meds to pregnant women unless it’s absolutely vital, so you definitely won't leave there feeling overmedicated.
He’s a total pro with tons of experience. I deal with OCD, so I’ve spent way too much time reading every corner of the internet about psych meds—I'm pretty picky—and I'm really happy with how much he knows.😁 He actually listens, and he’s always reachable by phone if an emergency pops up.
His biggest asset is just how much he's seen; he definitely has the expertise needed to handle cases involving pregnancy.😉
Anyway, that's my vote. Highly recommend.🙂
Thanks so much. Sent an email, just waiting to hear back.
It’s been 9 days since I abruptly stopped taking my Lexapro 10 mg..
Since yesterday evening, things have been getting weird in my head.. Like, my vision just zips left to right super fast, then snaps back, followed by this creepy chill and a tiny electric shock sensation running through my brain. It happens every few minutes and honestly, it feels awful.. It’s almost like I lose consciousness for a split second during the surge..
What do you guys think? Is this those "brain zaps" everyone talks about, or just standard pregnancy dizziness?
Day 8 without my Lexapro... My brain is a literal dumpster fire right now.
Does anyone have a lead on a decent psychiatrist? I need someone who actually listens and won't just shovel a mountain of pills at me the second I walk in. I want a doctor who actually cares about the patient. Honestly, I don't care about the price tag or how far I have to drive..
Sorry if this is a bit out of line, but I’m seriously struggling here and could really use some help.. Feel free to DM me or drop a link where I can move this conversation over.😵
Also, big thanks to mellowtinker7 for those sweet words...
Man, I had a panic attack tonight that hit harder than anything I've dealt with in a minute... Probably because I quit my unknown cold turkey a week ago instead of tapering off properly...
shadowbear9 said:When I decided to stop taking the unknown, I actually reached out to my local doctor to ask what I could take instead to help with the depression. They suggested lemon balm tea, and honestly, it actually helps a little bit, so maybe you should give that a try....
Yeah, my psychiatrist told me the exact same thing today... just have one cup of lemon balm or chamomile tea at night before you hit the hay...
fadedbear92 said:Well, you got David Jackson22's take on it. All I can say is that my doctor mentioned that if it's absolutely necessary during pregnancy, Prozac is usually prescribed because it’s supposedly the safest option for the baby—that's all I know, anyway. She did tell me about one patient who was in a really dark place and on a cocktail of different meds; despite being pregnant, her condition was so severe she ended up hospitalized in the psych ward under constant supervision. She gave birth, but unfortunately, the baby was already showing signs of being dependent on all those medications. But hey, that's a pretty extreme case, so don't go panicking just yet. Good luck!!!
Hey Ray, any idea what that patient was actually dealing with or what specific meds she was on?
Michael Hill2 said:I'm neither unknown nor Ray, but I'm jumping in because I'm on unknown myself. 🙂
Your doctor likely prescribed unknown because it's the only SSRI specifically targeted for anxiety, and it's the only one the FDA cleared for OCD. Those intrusive thoughts you're describing are a classic symptom of OCD, and I've been there myself—though mine were more about whether I'd ever be able to sleep again after going through a bout of insomnia.
For people whose main issue is anxiety, unknown usually takes a while to kick in—we're talking at least two months. So, I totally get why your doctor wanted to give it a shot first.
One thing that bugs me, though, is that she only gave you 50 mg (half a pill). Everywhere you look, it says the minimum therapeutic dose for anxiety and intrusive thoughts is 100 mg or higher.
I take 100 mg right before bed, and I can tell you it basically shut down most of my unwanted thought loops. It just took a long time to work, but as time goes on, I feel like it's doing better and better.
Mind you, I'm also doing CBT, so I'm putting in a lot of work on myself. Looking back at where I was six months ago versus now... it's night and day. I'm happy, I'm calm, and I can actually control my thoughts. If I don't want to dwell on something, I can choose to just switch it off.
A friend of mine had those exact same intrusive thoughts—that terrifying fear of hurting someone—and she didn't really stabilize until her doctor added a morning dose to her 100 mg evening dose of unknown. She's doing much better now.
Don't sweat the pregnancy stuff. The only real risk with SSRIs during pregnancy is a minor chance of lower birth weight; they haven't found any links to fetal malformations. If your doctor decides you need medication, don't let the fear of affecting the baby stop you. It's more important that you stay stable and sane so the baby stays healthy. In fact, based on everything I've read, medications like unknown or other benzos could potentially do more harm than an SSRI when they're actually necessary.
Anyway, trust your doctor. Don't be afraid of meds during pregnancy. Just take care of yourself, pamper the baby, and everything will be fine. 🙂
🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to explain the unknown situation and for the support...
Maybe my dose was too low, but man, I felt absolutely terrible on it... just constant racing thoughts, depression, and this hunger that I couldn't stop.
So, I’ve got three different psychiatrists giving me three totally different takes on taking meds while pregnant. Like, who am I even supposed to listen to here?
David Jackson22 says: Look, I’ve been through the wringer when it comes to antidepressants and pregnancy. I actually got pregnant while I was on Prozac, and my doctor told me to just stop cold turkey right then and there. No tapering, nothing. Of course, my depression went absolutely ballistic during that time—it was brutal. To make matters worse, I found out at the exact same time that my mom had cancer and had to go through all that nightmare treatment stuff. I honestly don't know how I pulled through, but I did. Just taking it one day at a time, watching my belly grow... that was the only thing giving me hope that things would eventually be okay and that I could hang in there. Taking antidepressants during pregnancy is not a good idea. Period. End of story. You can use Xanax once in a while if you really need to; doctors prescribe it to pregnant women for various issues like premature contractions, and it isn't harmful to the baby. But the safety of antidepressants? There's no proof. I made it through my pregnancy without them. And let me tell you, "made it" is an understatement because there were moments it felt totally unbearable, like I was losing my mind. What you're dealing with right now is pure anxiety and fear. That panic makes your brain spin in circles with all these crazy thoughts. Because of that, please, don't just sit there. Go for long walks until your body is wiped out—it helps quiet the noise in your head. Stay active, keep busy, just don't stay stuck in that mental loop. Get into therapy more often; you need extra support right now. Surround yourself with people who actually get you, people you can talk to. Don't try to fight these thoughts alone! Believe me, you can do this if you have a goal to focus on! I made it, so why can't you? Good luck!
I just got back from my psychiatrist, and honestly, her comments left me feeling pretty weird.
First off, she basically brushed off the fact that I stopped taking my medication cold turkey. When I told her how absolutely brutal my past experiences were when quitting meds abruptly, she just hit me with this: "Well, you weren't pregnant then. Now, your hormones will take over."
I tried explaining that I'll do my best, but let's be real—you can't just "willpower" your way out of depression and panic attacks. I actually asked her what should happen if the hormones *don't* fix things and I start spiraling. Her advice? Start drinking lemon balm, chamomile tea, and taking two doses of unknown immediately.
Lemon balm while pregnant? Unknown during pregnancy? Hmm. Something feels off.
Look, everything is fine as long as my head stays clear and I feel like myself. But when my brain hits that dark place... man, I don't even know how to describe it. It’s like someone ripped my actual brain out and replaced it with a stranger's, and now I’m stuck fighting it. It’s nasty. When I feel like I'm losing my mind or losing control over my own thoughts... I just don't know what I'm going to do.
So, while I was off my meds, things got pretty dark. It wasn't just the depression and anxiety; I was having panic attacks so bad I couldn't even get out of bed. I was losing like 2 pounds a day just from the stress. But the worst part? These intrusive thoughts kept popping up—like, what if I actually hurt someone? It was especially terrifying because it focused on kids. I come from a huge family and have a massive circle of friends and godchildren; I adore those kids and they absolutely love me. That thought alone was just soul-crushing. When I brought this up to my doctor, she brushed it off as "just anxiety" and put me on unknown, which honestly did nothing for me. Still, I can't shake the fear that these thoughts might be early signs of schizophrenia or some other kind of psychosis. What do you guys think?
Is Bluzar still around? Or fadedbear92? (I've been lurking and reading every single one of your posts since day one.)
I’ve spent the last four months basically binge-reading this entire board from top to bottom.
I’ve been dealing with anxiety and depression since I was 18. I’m 32 now. My first med was Advil 20 mg—it totally brought me back to life, but being impulsive, I just stopped taking it the second I felt even slightly better.
Naturally, the darkness came crawling back. It’s just been a decade-long cycle of Advil on and off. I managed to graduate college, land a job, and climb the career ladder, sure, but deep down, I haven't actually felt *okay* once.
After ten years of just popping Advil without ever doing actual psychotherapy, I ditched my psychiatrist for a private specialist who put me on Paxil 50 mg. Honestly? It didn't do much, but she kept insisting I give it a fair shot. Dealing with Paxil was pure agony until earlier this year, when she finally switched me over to Lexapro. I was taking it until last week and was finally starting to feel some semblance of improvement—just enough to actually function. But then, plot twist: I found out I’m pregnant. I honestly thought it was impossible because of my thyroid issues and the fact that my body is constantly jittery, plus I wasn't planning this at all. Then again, a tiny part of me secretly hoped for kids, thinking maybe a baby would finally change things for me. Anyway, last Tuesday, the day I found out, I just... didn't take my Lexapro. It's been six days now and I feel absolutely miserable. I called my doctor, and she basically told me if I don't want to take it, I shouldn't, and to just stick to Misar 0.5 pp instead.
Please, please tell me your stories. I am spiraling right now. What happens if the Lexapro just leaves my system? Should I have kept taking it regardless? What am I supposed to do?
Thanks in advance, and seriously, I really hope someone reaches out...