Imipramine - safe during pregnancy ?

[husband]

Hi all - I last posted about 18 months ago when my wife was suffering badly from PNI - specifically with obsessive thoughts of knives and of her harming our daughter. At the time she was eventually prescribed Clomipramine which she took for a year and really helped her.

Well, my wife is now six months pregnant with our second child (a boy) and the same obsessive thoughts have returned - We thought that with our experience of the first illness we would be able to keep it at bay, but sadly the thoughts are too consuming and the doctor at the local mental health clinic (whom we saw last time) is concerned enough to prescribe imipramine, which apparently is a similar drug to clomipraime that tackles obsessive thoughts and depression, but is "safe" to take while pregnant.

She started two weeks ago on 20mg a day and after a consultation today this has been raised to 40mg per day - which I think is still quite low.

Unfortunately my wife is ridden with anxiety as to wether the drug may affect the baby in some way.

Does anyone have any experience of this drug, taken while pregnant?

many thanks...

[bam02]

hi,

I haven't taken this drug while pregnant - but I did take paroxetine a drug with lots of bad press. But as I was OK on it. i was told its best for my mental health and the new baby rather than taking me off and not being well. Maybe thats true for your wife.

I am sure you can ask questions of the medical people. But I know my cpn at the time over three years ago. Said new thoughts were not to avoid treatment of pregnant women if it seemed to help. you can come off slowley towards the end of pregnancy and I did reduce mine. But it may not be appropriate for your wife.

Take care

A-M