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Lamictal and Pregnancy

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Bipolar Disorder
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Posted 11/30/2005 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi!  I am on Lamictal (100mg) and Lexapro  20mg--my pdoc says that Lexapro will not be a problem when I decide to have children,,,,,what info. do you guys have on Lamictal???   Just curious--not planning on starting a family right now, but do want to know what my options are when I start to...

The meds. are finally working and I feel somewhat normal for the first time in a LONG time--I hate to come off of it, but at the same time I WILL NOT do anything to endanger a baby.......So, any experience or info. on this would be helpful.

Sassie

Posted 11/30/2005 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sassie

I am in the same boat as you, always reading journal articles (scholarly articles are your best bet as they are evidence based, with some restrictions of course).

I just want to add that while I was very concerned about the effects of the drugs on an embryo, I had completely discounted the effects of Bipolar disorder on an embryo/fetus. There is some fascinating research on this. (Mother Risk is a recommended website from my pdoc.)

It is a matter of risk-benefit. What is the specific percentage risk of the drug, if research has really been done on it? What are the hormonal elements  (ie cortisol) of BP that could affect your baby during pregnancy such as depression, mania, and the secondary results of those 2? If you go downhill without meds, how will you cope? ie: Will you still eat well, sleep well, all things that affect a child in utero.

I do understand your dilemma here. I think a few of us can. I am sitting in limbo myself, either way I feel doomed really. Just make sure you arm yourself with reliable, thorough info-and congrats on thinking about this so thoughtfully BEFORE the time comes...

Shannon2

Posted 11/30/2005 11:22 PM (GMT 0)

me again!

 i found some links for ya, I didn' think we could post them but we can sooo

This one talked about lamictal

http://www.womensmentalhealth.org/

this one my doc and pdoc recommended

http://www.motherisk.org/

I have a gazillion articles on BP and pregnancy...do you have access to a library database? If so, you can pull up a whopping bunch of studies.

PS-there are also great websites out there, I didn't mean to imply the web is all bad, just questionable at times.

Oh, there is also a book out by Cohen et al. titled "Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy'-it is new so about $45 Canadian, can find it at Chapters...sounds interesting, I'm just broke at the moment!

Posted Yesterday 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for the info.  I went to my pdoc yesterday and talked with him about this.  I am a school teacher so I am wanting to start trying around June--I want to time it where I don't have to miss a lot of work and can have the summer to spend with my baby--of course, things don't always go the way you plan as we all know....

My pdoc said basically the same thing--you have to weigh the risks and benefits---he said that sometimes the risks of mania and depression can be far worse than the meds.  (of course, that depends on the meds, but that is in my case) 

Also, I am dx with BP II,, he said that another option would be to try to come off of it completely and just be aware and monitor my moods closely.  If I needed I could always go back on it, but I could at least try....that is what I want to do.  While, I am really enjoying the absence of the nervous energy, irritability,racing thoughts, etc.  I don't want to do anything to jeporadize my future child's health...htat is something I could NOT live with.........

So, I have some time to research--I totally hear you about being careful about the info. you receive on the

web......My pdoc doesn't want to make any changes to my meds until after the holidays since things are going well for now.....so in Feb. we will begin looking at all this seriously......

Thanks again!

Sassie

Posted Today 6:09 PM (GMT 0)

Hello Girls,

I've been eyeing your posts and am so glad to hear that there are other people who worry about the same thing. I'm still a ways from having to make "the decision", but its something that isn't far from my mind.

I was just curious if you guys had ever heard anything about 'orthomolecular medicine'? I think that its based in the idea that if you suffer from a disease (ie. BP) there is something lacking in your system that can be tweaked to help restore the natural balance of chemicals. I think that much of the treatment uses naturally occuring chemicals and not the synthetic kind, and they use ultra concentrated doses that you wouldn't be able to achieve through a regular vitamin program. I had read an article (unsolicited) of one woman with BP who had the treatment and it dramatically reduced her need for prescription medication. She still used mood stabilizers but not to the same degree.

That was only one anecdotal article and I only did a small amount of digging (relatively speaking). I think that it was in the midst of one of my 'bad days' where I was resenting medication. I was just wondering if anyone had ever heard anything good or bad.

Hope you guys are having a good day,

Putter

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