Quote:
Originally Posted by bos314489
When I was 39 last year I talked to my psychiatrist and gyenocologist about the possiblity of becoming pregnant with my bipolar. I was told I would have to go off all my meds as soon as I started trying to become pregnant because I guess the minute you do get pregnant the baby is exposed to the meds and it is not good. So depending on how long it took to become pregnant I could have to be off my meds possibly 2 years or so and I cannot see that happening. Both doctors agreed it was a big risk and I am glad I decided not to have a child because there is no telling if I would be stable. It was just a risk I was not willing to take.
|
Yes, that would mean years and years off most meds. Because, as you said, 1) it could take a long time to become pregnant (my GP warned me of it as well), plus, as discussed, 2) there may be a need to abort a pregnancy and try again, and, if successful, 3) add 3-5 years of breastfeeding - I breastfeed for a long time.
So definitely a concern.
I said most meds because I would need to continue to take a little medication for sleep, but, based on what I found on the internet, it is not a concern for either pregnancy or breastfeeding. I have not discussed it with my psychiatrist yet - I dropped AP and decided that going off APs is enough to discuss in one appointment, but he agreed with some hesitation so that one was fine. Future concerns - one thing at a time.
On the other hand, when I had my children, I was pre-dx so, of course, not on meds, so I know that I am just not prone to PPD; it just is not something that happens to me even in extremely stressful,
war zone-like conditions (which I most definitely would not repeat ever). I cannot imagine that changing - I know PPD may worsen from birth to birth but you have to have at least
something in the beginning for it to worsen with subsequent births.