Is It Ok to Take Zolof?

Updated on October 19, 2007
L.B. asks from North Highlands, CA
6 answers

I really need help...I am 32 weeks pregnant with my 6th child...I have been diagnosed with severe anxiety and OCD just yesterday at my dr. appt....My dr. prescribed my Zolof for the last 2 months of preg. and a few months after...when i picked up my prescription I read the label and it stated that women who are in their third trimester should not take this because it may cause birth defects or withdrawls...I have looked it up online and I am confused....The info that I recieved from the internet states the risks are real low and the decision is up to the dr and mother....Has or is anyone in my position or do you know someone who is...I have severe anxiety when I am away from my husband and kids....I really think something is happening to them...PLEASE HELP A.S.A.P..Thanks

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T.B.

answers from Fresno on

My cousin took it and her little girl is fine. I do know that the pharmacies are required to list every risk & side effect no matter how minor it might be. Too bad they don't list the percentage of possibilities along with these risks and side effects.

I suggest you contact another doctor or even a pediatrition. After all, a pediatrition would be the fixer of any problems you have during pregnancy that effect the baby. :)

Anytime my doctor suggested anything, I called my pediatrition for a second opinion.

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D.K.

answers from San Francisco on

Please go get the book "Post Partum Depression for Dummies". Dr. Shoshanna Bennett is an expert in all the mood disorders related to pregnancy and post partum. There is info in how to get in touch with her as well. You can contact me and I will put you in contact with her directly if you like. She is a colleague of mine. email me direct at ____@____.com and I will help you. feel free to include your number and I will call you if you like. You deserve to feel better. That is no way to live.

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M.W.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi L.,
With my first pregnancy I was diagnosed with depression. The doc put me on medication that had the same warning. Basically they have to put the warning on the bottle even if there is only a 1% chance of anything happening to the baby. The doctor knows what they are doing and wouldn't have prescribed you anything that they didn't think you absolutely need. They weigh the risks and benefits and obviously the benefits are more pronounced. So I would listen to your doctor and take the medication. It isn't good for your baby to have you having high anxiety and stress. Hope this helps and good luck with the last few weeks of your pregnancy.

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N.S.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi L.,
I understand about anxiety and depression. I am sorry you are going through this right now. As for Zoloft I am not sure about the effects with pregnant women, but I wanted to tell you when I was pregnant with my son 4 years ago I was taking a medication that was extremely harmful for pregnant women. My doctor even had me sign a wavier about the medication I was taking while pregnant. I also had to write to a company that does studies on the medication with pregnant women taking the medication. The results were not encouraging, but I looked at the pros and cons. I was very concerned, but also concerned about getting depressed while pregnant. So what I did was I took the medication, but I cut it in half. I figured if a little bit is in my system I wouldn't get depressed and not so much would harm my baby. The medication was 5 mg. The good news my son was very healthy. I DO NOT SUGGEST CUTTING YOUR MEDICATION IN HALF!! PLEASE Talk to your doctor with your concerns. You could also talk with a Pharmacist they know so much about medication they could help very much. I wish you well and I hope you feel better soon. Hopefully after the baby is born you will not have anxiety any more. I wish I can remember the address for the medication study. Your doctor may have it?! That is where I got my information. Hope in some way this helps you. I just thought of something else that may help you. I have been going to accupuncture since May and I have been feeling really good. It helps with depression and so much more. Also maybe hypotherapy? Again I wish you well!!

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T.E.

answers from San Francisco on

why dont you have your dr check your thyroid level i went through the same feelings and it was my thyroid count i had bad anxiety and i hated everything in my path everything ticked me off included my kids and husband now i have my thyroid under control and now my life seems so easy

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L.V.

answers from Sacramento on

Not to be glib but I smiled when you said you have 6 children and severe anxiety ...of course you do. :) I feel feel anxiety and I only have 2.

I am not an expert but just a mom like you who shys away from drugs during pregnancy and who has dealt with anxiety off and on. My question to you is are you seeing a therapist? Is the anxiety putting you or someone else in danger? If so (and remember ... anxiety does affect your baby inside), seek a therapist right away if for nothing else than a second opinion.

I suggest seeking a therapist and/or maybe a metaphysical therapist. The more severe the issue, the sooner I'd seek one. The therapist will probably have you consider "What if ..." like "what would happen if" your worst fear happens? And then keep asking you "what if that happened?" to whatever your response is "And what if that happened." And eventually probably ask "and what if you keep living with the anxiety as it is now as you have been, what would happen?" You can do this for yourself in a journal but it's safer and easier with a therapist. They can guide you.

I sometimes foresee the future and worry that my fears are my intuition but I've looked into the Law of Attraction and wonder if I'm bringing it to me. Anyways, it's a "Which comes first, the chicken or the egg" type question we may never know the answer to but I just know logically that if I continue to worry about something that hasn't happened yet, that's not the kind of life I want to live. If anything ever happens, that's when I should respond to it, not before it's happened but emotions are not logical. Emotionally it's not so easy to turn it on and off, which is why I seek out therapy from time to time.

A therapist might be cheaper than drugs too especially if your insurance covers that.

Have you ever considered methods like Anthony Robbins Firewalk experience? I know it sounds hokey but I went to that once because I had to as part of a job and in that experience I found my biggest fear was affecting my entire life and that fear was that something would happen to my husband while we were apart (I didn't have kids at the time). Before I walked across the fire, that fear was consuming me and I wasn't really living life to the fullest because of it. I went around worried all the time and angry whenever he came home late because he'd made me worry. Anyway, after walking the fire, I let go of this fear, released it and my life improved. Granted, my life was not in danger before it but it wasn't the kind of life I wanted continue as I was so I was ready for a change. Anyways, I found my own fears were making me miserable and trusting myself to respond appropriately at the appropriate time (like God forbid if/when something ever happened) would be a better alternative. Walking the fire helped my subconscious get into sync with that.

For me, pregnancy and all the chemical changes inside me during pregnancy also heightened my anxieties from time to time. So keep that in mind as well. A good therapist will consider that too.

And food can have an impact. My doctors recommended staying away from all caffeine and alchohol and sugars and white wheat not just because of the pregnancy but also because of the mood altering affects of these things.

I hope this helps. Good luck and take care of yourself.

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