Celexa and a good psychotherapist. I was there OP. Used to be on Paxil, was determined to be not safe for pregnancy, switched to Celexa while TTC, and had two children through pregnancy and breast-feeding. Back on Paxil now but kids are much older - six and four. Totally healthy kids. Much better than having a highly anxious mom. Hang in there. You’re not alone.

Definitely tell your midwife—and, if you can, pay out of pocket for a counselor and/or psychiatrist. Think of it like a leaky roof or a car repair—you wouldn’t put those off, right? What you described is an emergency that needs immediate help.

Definitely, absolutely tell your midwife. Definitely. Even if you seek treatment for the anxiety with a different provider, tell your midwife. Sine you see them soon you can call them this week to let them know and ask if they can refer to someone (they should have professional relationships with individuals who have experience treating pregnant women and postpartum moms with anxiety/depression).

They need to know. Call Tuesday and ask for help.

Terrible name but good resource from the nih: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/newtoxnet/lactmed.htm

Try taking 400mg of magnesium per day and see where it gets you.

Since we are sharing anecdotes, I was on Lexapro during my pregnancy and my child ended up in the Georgetown NICU very likely due to complications from the medication. My very experienced ped said she saw SSRI complications before.

I didn’t really have an option not to take the medication, as I was pretty much suicidaly depressed and was seeing a psychiatrist 4x per week (not a typo) for treatment. I think if I had a less attentive psychiatrist or no access to nearly daily outpatient care, I’d have ended up in a psych ward. So, I made the best choice at the time, but even making the best decision at the time will not protect against a negative outcome.

PP — I have happy, healthy 1 yr old and was on max dose of Zoloft. Manage it now, as risk for significant PPD or PPA is much higher if you continue to be symptomatic during pregnancy.

Highly highly recommend Dr Barbara Byers in Chevy Chase. She was my saving grace during preconception med changes, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Worth it to consult with someone who specializes vs. pcp, in my experience.

I’m pregnant and taking Zoloft for anxiety and depression, and also my psychiatrist believes taking it now can help prevent PPA/PPD, which I had with my first child.

I’m pregnant and take Prozac for depression and anxiety. My OB and psychiatrist say it’s safe.

Please work with a psychiatrist. Depending on where you live I can recommend mine. She is self pay but she has managed my panic disorder through both of my pregnancies. The good news is that SSRIs are safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I just had my second and I take Lexapro and Ativan as needed and did so throughout my pregnancy.

With a mood disorder it’s very likely you will suffer some degree of PPD or PPA but involving your psych early will help manage it. Mine was well managed this time (with my first the guidance was still to drop SSRIs during the 3rd trimester and it was horrible) and my PPA was minimal.

Good luck! You can do this and it will be ok. But you need a psych who specializes in or is knowledgeable about pregnancy and hormonal changes.

Sorry you are going through this. I am a fellow anxiety and depression sufferer here. Tell both your midwife and primary care physician now. You need to see a psychiatrist who specializes in perinatal mood disorders immediately. Try Nicole Perras, I think she is within WHc now. Also, please start seeing a counselor. Make the time, and make it a priority. I liked Amy Danielson and Sheryl Aaron. Have also heard Emmanuel Basch is terrific. I believe there are some antidepressants that are safe in pregnancy but most of the traditional anxiety medications like Xanax, I don't think are.

Please do yourself a favor and treat this very seriously. You may also wish to switch to an OB. I was with midwives too and I felt their approach to labor and delivery was a little too relaxed and that my concerns were often minimized. I then had to be switched to an OB in the middle of my delivery for complications and I found that very very stressful and then I wished I had just gone to one the whole time because they ended up being the most helpful with my anxiety and postpartum mood issues. I will now only use an OB for future deliveries. Postpartum hormones and a newborn are no joke and they can push you to the brink, please get help now. It's much harder to figure all this out after a baby is here.

I took Celexa throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding for anxiety and depression. I also took a Xanax for panic attacks as needed. My OB, psychiatrist, and the pediatrician all agreed it was fine given the alternative.

I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist rather than a PCP if you can—they are well versed in the literature and will be beat able to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks.

I found therapy very helpful. It might be worth seeing if you can find a place that doesn’t take insurance but offers free or sliding scale coverage. For example, as a sexual assault survivor, I was able to get free therapy for six months from the DC Rape Crisis Center, and they them referred me to a therapist whom I saw for several years.

Good luck OP. It is awesome that you are recognizing that you need help.

I was first diagnosed with anxiety at 14. I'm 29 now. Throughout all these years, I only had two brief periods where I took anything for it. Since I had my first child, it has been far worse. Now I'm pregnant with #2 (still breastfeeding #1) and it seems to get worse every day. I feel like I am on the verge of a panic attack almost 24/7 and have several full blown panic attacks most days. Generally, I am very natural minded and really don't want to take anything, but I just can't handle this by myself anymore. I have tried exercise, yoga, meditation, all the self care I can think of. I would rather see a counselor but haven't had much luck finding one in my area that takes my insurance and has openings soon, not several months down the line. I just can't do this anymore! As much as I don't want to take anything, I feel like this is my only option left.

What has actually worked for you? What has your experience been?

I see my midwife next Monday. Do I ask her about this, or do I see my PCP?

Thank you so much for any help.