Since my last BFN/IVF cycle I've been thinking alot about the aftermath. I've been living with Depression for 13 years now and both failed IVF cycles felt scarily like a bad depressive episode. That scares the H#ll out of me. A relapse scares the h#ll out of me. So I've been thinking that maybe the next time we "try" I'll stay on my meds...the ones that have kept me even for 13 years.
All of my doctors (my shrink included) and girlfriends say that I should be off any anti depressant if I am going to get pregnant. But each doctor has told me that if at any time the depression becomes unbearable that it poses more of a threat then the medication to any fetus.
So I'm wondering...how do you all feel? And has anyone here heard of Dr. Shosh? (http://drshosh.com/about/) She's written a book titled "Prozac and Pregnangy".
I'm tyring to use these "off cycles" to gather information so I can make a really informed decision. Any help you ladies can provide is always appreciated.
IVF # 1 - 4/16/09 - Started BCP 5/1/09 - Started Lupron and 3rd week of BCP - 5/11 Started Follistim 6/5 it's a BFP!!! Beta # 2 and 3 Didn't rise enough...M/C 7/4/09 I never knew you but I love and miss you already.
IVF # 2 - Started BCP 9/8/09 - Started Lupron 9/22 - Follistim Injections started 10/1 - ER 10/13 - ET 10/18
I think you need another professional opinion, because I have been told different info than you are getting.
What I have been told by the therapist that works with and at my infertility clinic ( a couple of years ago) is while no reliable studies have shown an effect with anxiety, that clinical, chemical depression (not just being sad over a failed cycle for a couple weeks) has been clearly shown to interfere with your chances of getting pregnant and can reduce chances of success with IVF- and should be treated prior to attempting IVF- and that some antidepressants are safe to use while TTC. I did not end up becoming clinically depressed (I had some anxiety but was concerned about possible depression in the future) so I didn't get so far as to ask which ones. My point being that different professionals may give you different answers.
All the studies I have read online indicate that depression is very dangerous for the pregnancy and may have emotional effects on the baby throughout life due to effects on the developing brain. Some effects on pregnancy I have read about are premature birth, low birth weight, growth restriction, and irritability in the baby. I have also read that certain antidepressants can be safe during pregnancy- and should absolutely be used if there is clinical depression. I don't know about Prozac specifically but I'm sure your physician can offer you guidance on what is safe during TTC and pregnancy.
While no unnecessary meds should be taken while TTC or pregnant, with clinical depression you need to weigh the risks of the depression itself on fertility and pregnancy against possible risks of treatment. With two failed cycles while depressed, I think it is very reasonable to seriously consider whether treating the depression may improve your results. It might...
Lisa - I am on the generic of prozac (fluoxetine) and I have been for about 4 1/2 years. I was on it when I got pg back in 2005. Yes we did lose that pg but it was an abnormal pg and was growing outside the uterus. Had nothing to do with any meds. I have spoken to my doc many times about it, as well as my ob/gyn. My doc wants me to stay on it to reduce the risk of PPD. My doc said that his own wife has been on prozac for many years and has gone throuLgh 3 successful healthy pregnancies. My ob/gyn has no issues with me being on it.
That's just my opinion and where we stand with our docs. Let me know if you have any other questions about being on it and TTC. We are not going to do IVF or anything, but I will continue on it until I no longer feel I need it. I have tried going off but ultimately I recognized that I truly needed to be on it.
Lisa, I am a graduate of this board and lurk to keep tabs on the other girls. I was on Prozac during all whole infertility experience. I stayed on Prozac at the beginning of my pregnancy, but was switched to Zoloft because it is more compatable with BF. My OB and RE knew I was taking Prozac, and never suggested I should stop talking it. I have not read the book you mentioned, but I wanted to give you my experience. Good luck and lots of baby dust coming your way. Jennifer
I won't give you my tale of woe, but I will tell you that I work with an RE and a perinatal psychiatrist, and decided to go back on Prozac because we believe it to be safer than depression in pregnancy.
I can also recommend a book call A Deeper Shade of Blue about depressiona and treatment in pregnancy, infertility, and post-partum.
Also, Massachusetts General Hospital Perinatal Psychiatry Program has a very informative website.
Best wishes! Allison
Me: 40 10/12! Him: 40 1/4. Together 12 years, married 9, TTC#1. Day 3 FSH 8.9, 10.9, 9.4. Day 3 Estradiol 85, 52, 72. (Mar, June, & Dec 2008, respectively.) CCT sent FSH to 14. :-p SA < 1% morphology. Acupuncture: Not sure if it is helping my fertility, but it helped my 15-year-old shoulder injury the first day!!! Also, AF is redder and heavier, and my FSH didn't go up with my age. IVF/ICSI #1 Sept. 08 Ten follicles!, 12 eggs retrieved, 10 fertilized. Transferred 3 eight-cell embryos on 9/19. One made it to freeze. Beta #1 152 on 17 dpo. Beta #2 161 on 19 dpo. Karmen biopsy negative. It's officically ectopic. . . . . . Beta #15 <6. My first IVF cycle and first pregnancy, over at 10 weeks. IVF #2: Lupron flare protocol. Retrieved 9 eggs, 5 fertilized with ICSI. ET on 3/15: two 7-cells, and one 4-cell. None to freeze. BFN. Switched clinics. IVF #3 started June 12. Estrogen priming-antagonist protocol. Vivelle dots since 6/12, Ganirelix 6/13-15, Menopur (600U!) started 6/17, Ganirelix again. Nine eggs retrieved on 6/29. Five "suitable for ICSI". Four fertilized. On 7/1 transferred a six-cell with minimal fragmentation and a six-cell and two four-cells with moderate fragmentation. 7/14/09 BFN. August '09 Break for surgery for cervical stenosis: found a bunch of scar tissue. Where was that when I had a hysteroscopy in January. Hmm. Glad a switched clinics. IVF #4: Similar protocol to above except 450 Menopur and 150 Gonal F. From 12 follicles, retrieved only 8 eggs, but 7 of them fertilized and 4 were still kicking on day3. On Oct. 18, transferred 4 embryos: an 8-cell, grade 3, a 7-cell, grade 3, ,a 5-cell grade 3, and a 6-cell grade two. Those first two are considered "High implantation potential". (Grade 3 is top in this clinic.) AND transfer was a breeze thanks to surgery mentioned above. Soooo glad I switched clinics. Beta #1: 62.1 on 11dp3dt. Beta#2 135, 3 days later, for a doubling time of 68.59 hours. Beta #3, 371 3 days later, for a doubling time of exactly 48 hours. Finally something normal! First US Nov 12.
