Hi Ladies--

I'm new here and from the US. There are lots of pregnancy/ttc forums out there, but I really like this journaling aspect of this one. A little background:

DH and I just celebrated our 5 year anniversary, and next week I will celebrate my 30th birthday. We live in Atlanta, GA and I work full time while DH is a graduate student. A few months ago, we decided that while not actively TTC, we would no longer try actively not too. Not surprisingly, nothing happened. A few weeks ago, we decided it was time to actively start trying. So, here I am, trying to learn as much as possible to maximize our chances.

A few other things...I have just recently (and very slowly) weaned myself off paxil, which I had been taking since 2000. So far so good. I haven't noticed any depression symptoms returning, but i'm feeling some of the withdrawal symptoms. I started by going from 30 mg to 20 mg to 15mg to 10 mg to 5mg. This week is when I went from 5mg to nothing. I have also been working to drastically decrease my caffeine intake. I was a 2 cups of coffee in the morning + a diet coke in the afternoon person. Now i'm drinking 1 cup of 1/2 decaf coffee in the morning, but still haven't given up my afternoon diet coke. I plan to give that up starting next week. I bought prenatal vitamins last night, and bought a multi-vitamin supplement for DH (I think it's generally good for him, but it also has almost 100% RDA of folic acid, which I read in a few places is helpful for both partners to take).

My last visit from AF began on 10/19, and I started charting around 10/31 (because unfortunately, i got a NASTY cold starting around 10/20, and was afraid that my temps would be off because of that and therefore not useful anyway). But I did my best to try to see what was up, and we did BD every other day during what I thought was my fertile window based on the limited info I had. So now I'm just having to play the waiting game to see if we got lucky enough to conceive the first time. My hunch is not, but who knows? I'm still hoping!

Reading the information here has been very informative. I was unaware of the B6 connection, so if we aren't successful in a few months, I might go get a B-complex vitamin to supplement the pre-natals.

I'm concerned about fertility issues because AF has always been an extremely irregular visitor in my life. In the past, doctors have helped "regularize" me a bit using a progesterone supplement...which makes me concerned that perhaps I have low levels naturally and will have a hard time getting a fertilized egg to implant. Is there any good way to test your progesterone levels?

Anyway...that's where things stand with me. It feels good just to write this out with others going through the same thing. We're keeping our TTC efforts secret, as we don't want to be constantly answering questions from friends/family etc., so I don't really have many other outlets right now...Thanks for listening!

Sara

Welcome to BabyandBump!

Like you I came off Paxil (isn't the withdrawal a b-?) Unfortunately for me, I have felt some of the depression coming back. Taking St. John's Wort to try and help - it can cause BCP to be ineffective (who cares now!) and can also cause it to be harder to conceive (figure that one out!).

Glad to see someone else...ok, that's coming out all wrong......I'm not glad you have depression, but glad that there's someone else here that knows what I am going through, or has an idea. Ok, better.

you'll find lots of great people here with lots of great advice. Welcome and enjoy!

GL on getting your BFP - I want to hear about it soon!

Hi Dakini--

In talking to my doctor, she suggested there are several SSRIs that are safe to take when pregnant...unfortunately, paxil is NOT one of them. However, prozac and zoloft are considered safe. I also have a friend (who is an OB/GYN resident now) who worked with a psychiatrist before med school who did a study on the effects of depression on pregnancy. They found that it is better for the baby for the mother to be on anti-depressants and not depressed than to forgo the meds and deal with depression. So definitely talk to your doc and find a safe drug! It's out there, and it will be better for you, DH, and future baby.

WIthdrawal sucks, but better to get it over with, right?

Sara

I know, I am talking with my doc at my next appt (unfortunately, not until my annual early Jan...unless I get a BFP before that!) about getting onto something safer. It's not too bad, I find St. John's Wort is helping, just sometimes when I have been taking it straight for a month or so I start getting nauseous...not fun. I have heard that Zoloft is fine as well as Welltrubin (may have spelled that wrong) when you're pg. I know i have to get back on something...just dragging my a$$ because I usually feel fine and it's hard to take time off to see my doc after just starting a new job...hence, if I get a BFP and go see him I'll talk to him then about it.

Thanks!

And yes, withdrawal sucks, but at least it's over now...another reason I am dragging my butt - don't want a newborn to have to go through that. Not sure how it'll be on another drug than Paxil though...and i found St. John's Wort helped with that too.

From what my shrinks have told me, Paxil tends to have the worse withdrawal syndrome than any of the other SSRIs, due to the length of its half-life in your system. In fact, trouble coming off Paxil is the main reason that my dr. won't prescribe it (unless absolutely nothing else works). So, though I have nothing else to compare to, I would assume that withdrawal from a different drug would be less difficult.

That said...I've read a lot about how your mind can trick you into thinking you're pregnant if you want it bad enough...I'm wondering if that's what is happening to me...mainly b/c i'm trying not to get my hopes up...here's what I've been experiencing:

I'm unusually tired...could be pregnancy, could be the fact that I have drastically reduced my caffeine intake recently

I'm feeling kind of light headed/nauseous...could be pregnancy, could be paxil withdrawal (i stopped taking it a week ago)

Headachy...could be pregnancy, could be caffeine withdrawal, could be paxil withdrawal

gassy/bloaty/minor abdominal pains...could be pregnancy, could be something i ate, could be nothing

why do pregnancy symptoms have to be so generic? it would be nice if they were specific and you knew if you felt the way you did was because you are preg, and not have to wonder if it is that, or if it is other stuff that could be equally likely!!

I know what you mean. I am on 14dpo with 2 BFNs under my belt and I was nauseous most of yesterday, I've had a headache for awhile, since 7dpo I've been having "almost cramps" and my nipples have been sensitive...So much fun. But AF is due tomorrow (or Wednesday) and my temps have stayed up...we'll see what happens...I just wish I knew what was going on! And you have no idea what it all means...I've already been wondering for a week now...but I guess I'll have to wait another week or so...so yeah, I wish you could just know what was going on...

But you'll get your BFP soon. And so will I. And maybe we'll both finally know what all these things mean...it doesn't help that I am only in my 2nd cycle.

So, I've been MIA for the last few days. Another few days and I can reasonably expect to test. Damn, waiting is hard! I start counting the days right after BDing.

I'm not feeling that this month is the month for me. One, it's my first month, so I'm just starting the charting to get a sense of my cycle and what I see. I kinda feel like if it happens this month, it will be pure chance more than any real act of trying.

The past few days, I haven't even really been worrying about the charting, as the Paxil withdrawal is TOTALLY kicking my @ss, and the insomnia, night sweats, chills, and hot flashes would make any reading completely worthless anyway. But, I've found a way to start managing my symptoms in a way that makes them tolerable, and I can start thinking about babies again :-)

But, given all that's happened this month, I'm still *really* wanting to test as soon as possible, because even though it's not likely, it's possible, and I'll cling to that possibility. but the idea of having to wait yet another week or so...it seems SO LONG!!!

Today's my 30th birthday. I always wanted to have my first kid by 30, so if we manage to conceive in the next 3 months, I can still meet that goal...otherwise, it looks like 31 will be my magic number...

Those are my thoughts today. Just thought I'd update my journal in case anyone (besides me) is interested...

Well that's frustrating!! I just wrote a nice long update for my journal and the post didn't go through!!

Anyway, I've been MIA for a while, just trying to get through one day at a time with these Paxil withdrawal symptoms! They've been awful. But I've *finally* found a few things that have made managing the symptoms better, and I can start thinking about again.

I'm not feeling that this month is the month for me...not only was it the first month, so I don't really have a sense of my cycle ( has NEVER been regular), but I've been so beat down by withdrawing, I can't possibly see how my body could have supported implantation, even if we did manage to conceive (by chance more than anything).

But that said, since it is still possible I am clinging to that possibilty, and the idea of waiting another 5-7 days before I can test is driving me NUTS!!! It seems like it's already been an eternity!

I've actually taken a quick break from charting...i figure all the side effects I've been having (specifically the insomnia, night sweats, chills, and hot flashes) would make any reading irrelevant anyway. Soo...for now, I'm just waiting for the witch and hoping next month will be better.

Also, today is my 30th birthday. I was really hoping to have my first kid by 30. That gives me 3 months to conceive and still make it. Otherwise, it looks like it will be 31...

Just my thoughts today....

A sprinkle of for your TTC journey.