I think you need to call your local church community ministry. you don't have to believe in God for them to come and help - and you need help! People who think anxiety and depression is all in your head can't help you, they just get snotty and call you lazy. I've had it from my own family and the only thing you can do is go to people who understand it. Even your GP will have community support groups on a list somewhere that he can give you to talk to. He should at least be able to refer you to the local mental health outreach... or whatever these things are called in your country. Go see him and tell him what you are up against. Don't give up on yourself!

Hi paularenee,

Depending on what you are taking the Zoloft (Sertraline) for, there is a different starting dose. I started out on 25 mg. That worked okay for me. I have Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, and at the time, I had pretty bad OCD.
After 2 weeks, they wanted to bump me up to the next prescribing dose, which was 50mg. Well, when I went to the 50mg, I got a rash, and I started having vivid dreams, of my nephews being abducted. Now, keep in mind, this is my personal story, this does not mean that these symptoms will happen to you. I was allergic to the medicine.

I went back down to the 25 mg. and I was okay again. I was not dwelling as much, I was not having bad anxiety, I was feeling better as a whole. My psychiatrist, said to just stay on the 25mg. Another doctor told me that even if I seemed okay with the 25mg. I am allergic to the pill, and shouldn't put it in my body. So, I stopped it.

When I started with it, I was a little light headed. It did help me sleep. And it did lesson my symptoms.
I wish you all the best if you decide to try it. Good luck!

I have been taking Zoloft for years now. It is actually one of the only drugs that work for me. There are some side effects to it. Best place to look for drug info is a site called Drugs.com I take it for depression and ocd. Buspar is a drug that I take for anxiety. It is non adictive but I don't know about taking it with being pregnant. Check it out and feel free to message me if you need to. I would gladly accept your friend request if you would like to send me one. Best wishes.

I'm sorry that you are suffering. Please move forward with taking the meds. I've been taking them for over 25 years and they have really helped me. It is natural to be scared of something new, but there are people that can help you move forward (churches, NAMI, Families First, Goodwill, Hospitals). You can always stop if you don't like the side effects. Would you mind telling us your city?

Hi there! So I personally choose not to take SSRIs during pregnancy due to the many risks associated with them (and I have read all of the journal articles... I have had doctors give me misinformation too many times when pregnant and breastfeeding!). HOWEVER, for some people, the benefits outweigh the risks and if you feel you won't get through the rest of the pregnancy without it, you should go ahead and take it. If you take it, make sure your whole delivery team knows you are on it (if you don't wean before the third trimester) due to withdrawal syndrome in the baby. Again, I am absolutely NOT discouraging it, but I want to make sure you are totally informed and doctors often prescribe it saying something like "It's fairly safe" which makes some of us with anxiety feel even MORE anxious because we're not fully informed. I'm happy to send you current research on it during pregnancy if you are wanting.

If you decide NOT to take it, you should also know you are at increased risk for postpartum issues due to your perinatal depression and anxiety, so also look into those meds safest for bf-ing -- zoloft and lexapro have minimal transfer into breastmilk. You might also try counseling right now.

Finally, make sure the doctor has ruled out any physiological causes for your decreased mental well-being. Common issues during pregnancy can include anemia and hypothyroid, both of which cause fatigue and depression and anxiety issues (and anemia increases risk of PPD). Feel free to message if you need any support or other info!

I read your post too quickly and overlooked your pregnancy. In my last post, I recommended taking the meds. The meds work well for me, but I'm a boy. I would definitely consult a professional that knows the affects of the drugs on pregnancy. I'm sorry if I provided you with inappropriate information. Kaylee37 seems to have good knowledge on the subject.

Because you are pregnant AND dealing with depression, I would suggest asking for the MTHFR gene mutation test. If you have it, the treatment is a simple methyl folate (a B vitamin). IF you have this gene mutation, it'd also be important for your baby to get the folate he/she needs too.

Typically, they will have you on a prenatal and if you have the gene mutation, the folic acid can't be properly absorbed.

I don't want to go too far into all the implications, but you might ask your doctor to check your folate levels and to check you for the MTHFR gene mutation.

If you have the mutation and are treated for it, it can help you with anxiety, depression, stomach problems. And it can help you have a healthier pregnancy. It can also help with heart health and a host of other issues.

Your doctor may say it's unnecessary, but if you're getting blood work anyway, it wouldn't hurt to check it. Just ask about the price. If it's too pricey, 23andme (online) can do it for $200.

They found I had this mutation two years ago and since I started on the folate, I have had no depression, no anxiety, no stomach troubles and my risk of heart disease has been dropped significantly.

Do a bit of research and see if it's a fit for you.

Hey there, Reed's comment made me think, you should probably just take a prenatal with the correct form of folate just in case. All naturopaths will strongly recommend this regardless of MTHFR -- like, I've never been tested but I only take the folate, never the folic acid, especially when pregnant just in case. Just letting you know this could be a helpful switch with your prenatals even if you don't get tested right away -- let me know if you need suggestions on prenatals with the kind of folate Reed is talking about!

sorry I haven't been on here guys. I haven't took the zoloft. it really freaks me out just thinking I'd have to be on something to feel normal. I've got over my panic attacks for periods.. usually a year before they come back and then I fight it all over again. I did have PPD with my second child.. so I am worried about that too. I'm glad Kaylee, you mentioned side effects. I have never took anything before, let alone while I was pregnant. the Dr apparently misinformed me because she told me there was 0 side effects for the baby after 13 weeks and it was safe to take through and after delivery. that's what I'm scared of. I'm not risking anything happening to an innocent child because of my anxiety. I'm already 1/3 of the way through this pregnancy.. I'm feeling a lot better now.. the way the lab lady spoke to me and acted towards me was just obscene looking back. she was making my anxiety look like it was a big joke to her..

this is what I just wrote after thinking it over for a few days.. I wrote this (sorry it's long) on a birth board to get thier opinion on how I was treated.. which is always nerve wrecking itself because someone who doesn't HAVE anxiety usually blows it off as I'm overreacting so we'll see I guess. I have anxiety and panic attacks.. bad. And also major white coat syndrome lol
Like bad to the point that I'll wait until I absolutely feel like I'm dying before I'll go to the drs. Pregnancy isn't so bad because you do go to the drs so much you kind of get used to it.. but the bloodwork is what's really bad for me. My last 2 pregnancies I had pre-e and I'm rh -. When I needed my glucose testing, ultrasounds, rh shot, non stress tests, 24 hour urine.. etc I had to go from my drs to the hospital because they didn't do anything at the drs. So this time around I looked for another Dr that did everything in office. I found one.. and my appointment was last Thursday. I told her about my anxiety and she was really understanding about it. When it came to the bloodwork I asked her if I could have them take it from the top of my hand and if I could lay down. She said she didn't know.. she'd ask the lab lady. Well she was HORRIBLE. She said she didn't feel comfortable letting me lie down.. So I had to go in the other room and sit in the chair. Then she told me she wasn't going to take from my hand.. but my arm because the hand takes too long and she didn't feel like waiting. I told her I had anxiety and panic attacks and I don't like seeing the blood. So I went to lay down on the arm of the chair and she told me I couldn't lay my head down because she needed to put all 7 vials of blood in front of me because she didn't have anywhere else to put it. I felt like she was making fun of me the entire time and trying to make me panic more. I got up crying and said I'm not doing it. The Dr was standing there the entire time and said ok well we will write you a script and I need the bloodwork by Tuesday (today). Well I didn't go.. I am waiting for my aunt to get back in town next week to go with me and I have to find somewhere to do it. Does anyone know why she'd have to have it by a certain time? Does anyone else have fears having thier blood drawn? I just don't know
what to do at this point.. should I look for a different doctor or just not get my blood drawn there ever?

When it comes to taking blood, have it done from the arm. You do have to be able to identify the vials. Important for your baby to have your blood levels checked. Sit up. It's safer that way, for both you and baby. "Anxiety. Is. Natural." Once you get into "overwhelming" level of anxiety, it becomes so important to get hydrated both liquid and solid. Walking around helps get you back "in the moment". You've taken the important first step, and written it out. Separate all the issues, and look for the pattern of thought. You can do this!

I was always against pills. I've read millions of self help books tried yoga going to church u name it. I even saw a therapist until I realized nothing else could help me. I finally got prescribe some and it changed everything

I had a huge depressive episode while pregnant with my son and was so stressed by anxiety thgthgat I started to have preterm labor. My Dr tolktolkd me the risks of Zoloft were minimal compared to a preterm infant so I consented and took meds. I had a healthy 40 week infant and I didn't have the post pardum depression like I did with my first child. I also breastfed on it and did just fine. I know some are against meds, but I know without them I wouldn't be here.

Hi there! Do you know specifically what the bloodwork was for? Yes, some bloodwork is time-sensitive (for example they can only do the quad screen between weeks 16 - 20) but most bloodwork should be flexible and they should have specified WHY they needed it by a certain time if that's the case!! Honestly, both medical professionals sound like they lack true understanding of anxiety in patients. That phlebotomist sounds especially incompetent in patient relations.

So do you have any as-needed meds for anxiety (like klonopin, xanax)? I don't know about xanax, but klonopin, while category D, has never been shown to have any negative effects during second trimester (in first trimester a study correlated it with slightly increased risk of cleft palate and in third trimester it can cause baby to be born with some withdrawal issues, but I promise I read every posted study and no damage to baby has ever been found with second trimester use); and I wonder if you could take something like that for each time you have your blood drawn during this second trimester. Not sure if you've ever taken something like that but it would make these blood draws a piece of cake because it simply relaxes you. The thing that sucks is if you don't have it on hand, the OB probably won't prescribe it because they freak out about benzos (if people take them DAILY they can get addicted so OBs always worry you will take too many during pregnancy), but if you have them on hand, please try this, it really will cause you to feel a sense of calm during the blood draw. Maybe you could even ask for a prescription for JUST ONE each time you have the blood drawn.