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xanax and pregnancy

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Posted 4/11/2009 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone.  I suffer from panic disorder and at times I also have agoraphobia(sp)?  I've been on Xanax for about 2 and half years and my husband and I are thinking about having another baby.  I've spoken with my docs and they told me I need to stop taking the xanax b4 I get pregnant.  They told me I would need to wean myself off due to the fact that I've been on it for a while and the dosage that I'm taking.  Has anyone here either been on xanax while pregnant or had to stop due to pregnancy.  If stopped what was the outcome?  Can you safely be on xanax while pregnant.  Thanks guys.
Posted 4/11/2009 1:25 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Bella,

I have not had this experience but I am sure someone will be along shortly that can identify with you.  It could be any of the benzo drugs that they may take and had to wean off or used during pregnancy........

Take care,

Kitt

Posted 4/12/2009 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Bella,

Your doctors are absolutely correct about being off the xanax. It is not safe to take xanax while pregnant as it can do harm to the fetus and sometimes cause birth defects. If you need additional information, try doing a little research about the effects of xanax on fetus' and absolutely if you have questions, speak more with your doctors. Additionally, there may be some alternative forms of anxiety relief that you can practice if you do become pregnant such as relaxation and deep breathing, meditation, and exercise. Hope this helped a little.

best wishes,
megan :)
Posted 4/12/2009 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

Yes it is very important to be off xanax for your pregnancy.

 My husband and I had a "surprise" yrs ago.

I went off everything ! That was very scarry for everyone because I had been so very sick with depression and anxiety yrs before....

Being pregnant I felt the best I had in yrs! I prayed everyday for help while I was pregnant.

Educate yourself on this subject before you get pregnant..

Good luck

L

 

Posted 4/12/2009 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
thanks everyone. does it take a long time to wean off the xanax? what if while i'm coming off of it i start to panic badly? any advice?
Posted 4/13/2009 1:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bella,

I have weaned off of medications three times for pregnancies. My doctor told me to wait until I found out that I was pregnant to bother with weaning off - he said that I could wean relatively quickly within the first few weeks of finding out that I was pregnant with no effect on the fetus (assuming that I found out that I was pregnant early, like at 4/5 weeks, which I did). We decided that the stress of weaning off and possibly side effects and anxiety weren't necessary until I was pregnant.

I think the most important thing is to make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will have more accurate information on medications, side effects and weaning from them...we are not doctors here (at least I know that I'm not!)

But I did have a VERY easy time weaning off of meds for pregnancies - as soon as I was pregnant, the "happy preggie hormones" took over, so weaning off was easy. I felt great! I weaned off for about 2-3 weeks. Pregnancy 1 & 2 - was just on an SSRI daily and benzo "as needed" - stopped benzo immediately and weaned off SSRI over course of 2 weeks. Pregnancy 3 - was on SSNI and Buspar daily - weaned off of both within 2-3 weeks.

I will tell you that the anxiety with my third did not disappear despite happy preggie hormones. So I ended up taking a low dose of prozac during the majority of my third pregnancy (weaned off during late 3rd trimester). My doctor chose prozac because it has been around the longest and has had the longest study period - so far, appears safe to use during pregnancy.

All my children are happy, healthy and beautiful!

So talk to your doc about weaning off and when it would be appropriate...and good luck!
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