Prozac, Zofran, and Phenergan

[m55]

This is my 2nd HG pregnancy and I'm 14 weeks. I was taken off my Prozac for the first trimester (10mg) and went back on at 12 weeks. I've been on Zofran and Phenergan since 6 weeks, which was working for vomiting, not for nausea. My anxiety suddenly started to get the better of me and I was completely incompacitated for a week or so. (My poor 2 year old daughter! I feel so bad for her.) I was taken off the Zofran and Phenergan in order to regulate the Prozac and get my anxiety in check. In turn, I threw up, got dehydrated, lost 10 lbs, and visited the ER 2x for rehydration. Now the anxiety is getting better and my OB wants me to be put on a Zofran pump. I'm really nervous that there will be an interaction with the meds and my anxiety will return full force. I have had side effects from larger doses of Zofran and Phenergan in the past. Has anyone else had a similar experience with these meds? My anxiety and hyperemesis seem to be feeding off each other, and I don't know which one is worse! I'm really suffering. I also don't know much about the Zofran pump - if I can have any control when it's on or off or if I can reduce the amount of medicine that I'm getting if I feel the side effects.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[BrandiJK]

I did not have this reaction, but I also do not take prozac. I know some women in here do mix those though, so someone must have an idea.

Good luck, I am sorry you have had such issue around getting the meds in order.

[IslandDreamer]

With Jack, I took Zofran (28 mg ODT) from 8 weeks and Prozac (20 mg) from week 15. I actually found the Prozac to help with the HG symptoms. I had no problems combining the two and was also on Unisom/B6, Zantac, and Tums. The Phenegran is something I've had in the past, but I've never taken it with Zofran or Prozac.

How are you doing?

[m55]

I've actually been doing a little better since I last wrote. Thanks so much for asking. My anxiety was worse than my nausea this pregnancy - opposite from last time. I get so angry when I lose control and that's how I feel with both my anxiety and hyperemesis. I appreciate the advice and support. If I can help anyone else out there, please call on me!

[Terri]

I just posted this in another forum, I DID have a major problem taking Zofran.

I'm not on Prozac, but Cymbalta, which is also an SSRI, but is much newer on the market (so of course, NOTHING is known about it).

I had terrible terrible HG during my first pregnancy, so I expected it this time, too. With DD, I couldn't take Reglan, Compazine, Meclizine or anything else they tried. So this time, my midwife started me out with the new-wonder-drug Zofran. I took it for two days (this was while I was still crazily trying to keep my job.) On the second day it occurred to me that I really really wanted to die. Which sort of scared me.

Zofran works by blocking Serotonin. But the SSRI's (of course) INCREASE Serotonin levels. So you're taking the Prozac to control the anxiety, right? But the Zofran is blocking the Prozac. hmmmm. interesting.

For me, it has finally come down to Phenergan all by itself, which doesn't seem to affect my mood. Its helpfulness varies from day to day. It irritates my veins and I can't swallow it, so I can only take it in VERY diluted amounts in my IV (which is 24hrs.) It hasn't helped so much that I can manage to walk to the other side of the house. The bathroom is my only real destination for now.

[m55]

Terri,
I'm torn between being happy that someone understands and feeling so sorry that you had to go through what you've gone through. At least I know I'm not crazy (I think!). I didn't know that Zofran actually blocks serotonine. Very interesting......... Not one dr has explained that to me. Even the rep. at Motherisk failed to mention that fact when I called them. You're about a month behind me, so I'm sure you're still feeling crummy. I hope things get better and just know that someone here on the other side of the country understands and is thinking of you.

[IslandDreamer]

I'm not sure I agree that Zofran works by blocking, but it definitely messes around in the nausea center of the brain. Some folks don't tolerate it and get headaches and some folks find it doesn't work. My second HG pg, Zofran didn't touch the nausea.

It's, unfortunately, pretty common to fight anxiety and fear in subsequent HG pregnancies. I'm sorry you're dealing with that. You might find help with a different med during pg than during non-pg times. My doc tried me on Zoloft before we went back to my usual Prozac for PPD. But my anxiety kicked in more at the end thinking about labor because of PTSD. Your anxiety could be worse because of your past experience with HG? Is that possible?

Hope you can figure out what's going on and get some relief.