I know SSRI use and pregnancy has been discussed before, and I've often been a participant who has championed the use of certain meds. Now I'm kind of having a conundrum and looking for anecdotes!

Short background, I've been on and off SSRIs for severe anxiety for about 15 years. Without them I am pretty low-functioning. Can't sleep, can't eat, borderline agoraphobic, panic attacks, etc. A couple years ago I switched from Paxil to something safer for pregnancy. I tried Zoloft first, and didn't do well on it. So my doctor went with Lexapro as a second-best option. I've been happily taking it since.

Fast forward to earlier this week, I'm almost 14 weeks pregnant and went into the doctor for a refill. At the appointment he told me that maybe Lexapro isn't the best option, based on some studies apparently showing that mothers who take Lexapro during the third trimester have a higher incidence of babies needing NICU due to what they believe are withdrawal symptoms. Vomiting, respiratory issues, inability to regulate temp and blood sugar, etc. Obviously that sounds awful and having been through SSRI withdrawal myself, I would never want to put a baby through it.

So the doctor recommended Buspar, a non-SSRI specifically for anxiety. But, I still need to wean slowly from the Lexapro and adjust slowly to the Buspar. Having done that dance before I know it is a nightmare. I'm only 48 hours into decreasing the Lexapro dose by a mere 5 mgs and I'm feeling the effects. Jittery, stomach upset, etc. I have SO much going on in my life right now that I just can't imagine getting through this in one piece.

I called the OBs office for their opinion, and they had a nurse call me back and tell me the safety ratings for the medications and that yes, Buspar is rated safer for pregnancy. So unhelpful. I know that. I wanted to have a discussion about my personal situation and the risks vs. benefits scale but she said my other doctor would know better. I've been unhappy with my OBs office and am actually in the process of switching, but don't have an appointment with the midwife group until Aug. 3 and they can't offer an opinion when they haven't even seen me yet.

I'm so torn.

Can anyone who has taken Lexapro in pregnancy tell me about their decision, their dosage, and whether everything turned out OK. Did anyone taking Lexapro have a baby with health issues initially?

Thanks!