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Mental illness, meds, and trying to conceive.

owlheadowlhead
in Trying to Get Pregnant

Hi... Sorry to say I am new to this board. I searched for other posts/threads regarding bipolar disorder and pregnancy but only found old ones. Please point me in the right direction if I am posting in the wrong place.

Any other bipolar women out there TTC? I have already talked to my psychiatrist and have gone off all medications class C and below. I was on Lithium, Abilify, Wellbutrin, and Lamictal. He put me on a new medication called Latuda, which is only a class B med for pregnancy currently being approved for use in bipolar patients.

Just wondering if there's other bipolar women out there who can share any experiences while being off medication.

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Re: Mental illness, meds, and trying to conceive.

  • DLpanda08DLpanda08 member
    I don't have any experience with bipolar disorder or having to go off meds for TTC purposes, but I wanted to say welcome and good luck. I imagine it must be really stressful to change around your medication on top of the usual TTC stress.
    married 7.11.09
    Me: 31 DH: 36
    DD (14) and DS (11) adopted from US Foster care December 2016
    BFP April 24, 2018 | EDD December 29, 2018
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  • dragossoul84dragossoul84 member
    I am bipolar and I'm not sure what I am going to do when I get pregnant. My doctor has advised for me to stop my medication as soon as I am pregnant even though it is only dangerous during the third trimester. I am on wellbutrin and geodon. During my first pregnancy I went off my medication as well. It was hard and I'm sure I was on DH last nerve some times but he was really patient with me and we got through it
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  • mcatmaymcatmay member
    Unfortunately, no advice either but welcome! I hope you find some answers quickly. Good luck!
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  • Ayana11doctorAyana11doctor member
    I do not have any experience with TTC and being bipolar. But I just wanted to wish you luck and say welcome!!
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  • beckynsean11beckynsean11 member
    I don't have any input on the meds. I just wanted to say welcome & GL to you!

       Me: IR-PCOS, elevated DHEAs, low progesterone, weak ovulation  DH: low volume, low T
    SHG 5/10/13: both tubes blocked; HSG 6/28 = Left tube cleared! Right blocked.
    BFP#1 7/20/13 EDD 3/30/14, m/c 8/19/13, D&E 8/21/13, Chromosomal results = normal, female
    Lap & hysteroscopy scheduled for 10/31, right tube cleared, no endo found! ...Happy Halloween!
    Cycle 14: Clomid (50)+ IUI = BFP! EDD 9/16/14~ Rowan Elizabeth born sleeping at 17w4d on 4/12/14 due to IC.
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    New RE June 2014. RPL b/w - negative. SIS looking for uterine/cervical abnormalities & Asherman's 6/10/14 - ALL CLEAR!  
    Cycle 16: Natural IUI = CP, Cycle 17: Femara (2.5) + IUI = BFN, Cycle 18 Femara (5) + IUI = BFFN, Cycle 19: Break
    Cycle 20: Clomid (50)+ IUI = BFP EDD 6/20, transvaginal cerclage 12/19, Carson Quinn born sleeping at 16w3d on 1/6/15 due to IC
    Phone consult with Dr. Haney (Univ of Chicago) for transabdominal cercalge scheduled for 2/9/15.
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  • tealowltealowl member

    Welcome and good luck! I do not have BP, but I do live w/anxiety, bouts of depression and ADD. I kept taking my meds until my BFP.

    Just keep talking w/your psych, maybe your psych can work w/your ob/gyn also and find a happy medium.

    "Your truth is different from my truth, and we're both right."

    TTC since March 2013. BFP 4/13/13, blighted ovum discovered 6/6/13, m/c 6/8/13.

    BFP 11/10/13, EDD 7/25/13 - stick little owlet!

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  • kramja01kramja01 member
    I don't have any advice with medications/bipolar, but I wanted to say welcome and good luck! :)
    Charlotte June, Born May 29, 2014
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  • Clarinet35Clarinet35
    imageteal owl:
    Welcome and good luck! I do not have BP, but I do live w/anxiety, bouts of depression and ADD. I kept taking my meds until my BFP.
    Just keep talking w/your psych, maybe your psych can work w/your ob/gyn also and find a happy medium.


    This sounds exactly like me, without the ADD. Welcome and GL OP!
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  • SleepingBeauty79SleepingBeauty79 member

    Hi,
     
     
    I have bipolar and panic disorder. I take celexa 40 mg, seroquel 300, and a very occasional klonopin and ambien. My shrink and ob are ok with this. I even saw a genetic counselor who advised that these meds are low risk 
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  • Mommy2Boys09Mommy2Boys09 member
    Just wanted to say welcome and GL!
    Daisypath - (fpox)Lilypie - (cr8G)  Lilypie - (jTpT)Lilypie - (LZoT)
    Started Dating DH 09/03/2009 Married 07/01/2011 
    Surprise BFP 10/18/2008 EDD 06/19/2009 DS #1 Born 06/16/2009
    TTC #2 12/2010 BFP 05/15/2011 EDD 01/09/2012 DS #2 Born 01/11/2012
    DH adopted DS #1 06/25/2012
    TTC #3 06/2013 BFP 02/19/2014 EDD 10/30/2014 DS #3 Born 10/10/2014



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  • RbandwnRbandwn member
    Unfortunately I don't have any advice either however I wanted to say welcome and goodluck !!
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  • baloneydiscbaloneydisc member
    We're not TTC #2 just yet, but I am bipolar and have been off my meds since we started TTC#1 (April 2009).  I'm rapid cycling and mostly suffer from depressive episodes, but it's been easier to be off my meds than I thought. I did have some rough times, especially when I first went off my meds, at the beginning of my pregnancy and PP, but DH was very patient and helped me as much as he could.
    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    Married 1/2/99.
    TTC since 4/09.
    Diagnosed PCOS. Diagnosed Hypothryoid 11/09.
    SHG & SA normal. PCOS Research study started 5/10.
    Clomid/Femara cycle #1 - 6/10 = BFN
    Clomid/Femara cycle #2 - 7/10 = BFP #1 - Missed miscarriage 9/2/10
    11/12 - BFP #2 - 11/22 - m/c
    5/1/11 - BFP #3 - Pre-eclampsia, IUGR & bed rest from 32w. DD born via induction 1/4/12.
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  • zg49zg49 member

    I'm not BP but I have PTSD and GAD and TTC is a bit hard. The added stress and waiting anxiety gets to be a bit much but I'm managing. I am not on meds for these disorders.

     However, I am on high cholesterol meds. I was told to stop taking them once we started TTC per my family dr. I know it's not the exact same but I would talk to both your psych and your family dr or ob/gyn to see what they think. I know there are some meds that are safe to take while pregnant (actually safer to take then to be off meds in some cases).

    Hope that helps, welcome and good luck! 






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  • catmagickcatmagick member
    Ugh, girl I am right there with you.  I don't have bipolar (H does though) but I do have severe clinical depression and anxiety.  I am dealing with this right now too.  I withdrew from my meds last summer in order to start TTC (I had been taking Lexapro for 11 years).  I was doing okay by taking supplements, exercising and doing acupuncture and chiropractic.  But once my chronic pain started (see my siggy) I got really bad.  By March I decided I couldn't stand it anymore and started the yo-yo of trying to figure out what meds would work for me.  I have been on and off three different meds since then and it really sucks.  I just want to feel normal again and be able to carry a child.  At this point I am willing to take the meds (obviously as long as they are considered safe) but I need to find something that doesn't spin me out and make me jittery.  I swear, I wish I had never gone off my Lexapro, because for some reason now my body is so cleaned out that it can't handle meds anymore :-(  I just can't stand crying and feeling like crap all the time.  If your doctor says you are okay on the meds you are taking then my advice is not to mess with it.  I regret it so much at this point.  
       image   image
    *Your friendly resident herbalist.  Ask me for facts about herbs--maybe I can help!*

    TTC #1 8/2012~Chronic Pelvic Pain Condition began 10/2012~Told I was crazy by many doctors until a good specialist DXed a labral tear and bone impingement in left hip 4/2013~Surgery on left hip: 5/31/13  SUCCESS!!!  Pain flares to continue indefinitely (but mostly gone).

    Resumed TTC 6/2013~Chronic stomach pain and distension: 8/2013~TTA 1/2014 Until Resolved ~7/2014: Trip to the Mayo Clinic--SUCCESS!!  Finally on the road to getting better.

    Resumed TTC 7/2014!  Third time's the charm....8/2014 Visited the RE~DX: MFI/low morph~Straight to IVF with ICSI! 9/2014~Transferred 1 perfect beautiful 6AA blast with 10 to freeze!!!~10/8/2014: BFP!!!!  EDD: 6/17/15 STICK LITTLE BEAN!!! IT'S A BOY!!!!! 

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  • owlheadowlhead
    Thank you everyone for your posts and wishes. I will definitely look into getting a second opinion and I need to talk to my gyno anyway. It's comforting to hear of you other ladies out there getting through bipolar pregnancy and makes me feel not so alone. My fiance is so supportive too. Thanks all.
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  • xlittlerosebudxxlittlerosebudx member

    I am also bipolar and TTC.  I was on Lamictal and Prozac for about 10 yrs.  I weaned off all of my meds over about a month's period and am currently 100% med free.  My doctor wanted me to stay on medications until I found out I was pregnant but because my cycles are so irregular I didn't want to take any chances and cause my child to have neural tube defects.  It's been over a month now and it's definitely been rough but I'm handling it better than I thought I would.  I was terrified of coming off of my medications and heard all sorts of horror stories, but right now I am doing well.  I'm just trying to take it one day at a time.  I wish you the best of luck!!

    Me: 30 yrs (PCOS), DH: 28 yrs (SA normal)
    June 19, 2008: Started dating
    August 12, 2012: Got married
    September 2012: Came off BC pills after 12 yrs
    September 2012-May 2013: Irregular periods (every 45-55 days), no positives on OPKs, used fertility friend
    May 2013: Started actively TTC, talked to OB about irregular periods and possible anovulation
    October 2013: HSG all clear, hormone levels normal, U/S showed polycystic ovaries, PCOS diagnosis
    February 2014: Clomid 50mg days 4-8, many follicles on CD14 but none bigger than 8mm
    March 2014: Switched to RE, saline u/s all clear
    April 2014: 3hr glucose showed IR, started on Metformin 1000mg/day, put on low-carb low-sugar diet
    June 2014: Femara 2.5mg x10 on CD3, 19mm follicle on CD17, Ovidrel, TI, Endometrin suppositories = BFP!!!

    Our little one due March 11, 2015

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  • alejitaramialejitarami member

    I have no experience with BPD, however I take meds for MDD. Both my psych and my general doc agreed I should stay on my meds while TTC and during pregnancy, but they might wean me off towards 3rd tri if/how they see fit. I would say make sure you ask all the questions and you feel at ease with the answers, discuss with your H what is best for you. GL!

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