[Shy_Gemini]

Just out of curiosity.. I have bipolar and anxiety and I would like to know from mom's (or family members) who are bipolar that know what the moods and pregnancy symptoms feel like in early pregnancy or even before you knew?

Thanks

[disguise123]

oh well the early pregnancy didnt do much to my bipolar either time. I think. Just the usuall up and down,

Pregnancy symptoms, dizzyness, mild nausea.

[disguise123]

but the affect on sleep throughout the pregnancy and when the baby comes home can definately push you more towards the mania side of things and then you need to watch out for postpartum depression.

[yagalada]

I was more weepy and emotional, which was hormonal I was more stable though throughout my pregnancy and experienced no mania. I slept a lot and I was tired all the time, also hormonal. My mood wings were there but all were situational and not severe like they are now. Based on non-bipolar pregnant women I know, I was pretty average for moodiness.

My mood also was a little down because I was sick all the time. The nausea was pretty bad and all day, and I was constantly getting colds.

ITs really only been the past two months (once my son turned 4 months old) That I started having bipolar problems again. My pdoc thinks the pregnancy hormones and adjustment post partum is finally over and i'm cyclicing like my normal bipolar self again.

[Amazonmom]

I knew before i missed my period. I felt fine until my second trimester when the depression started. But it was mild for quite some time.

[Moose72]

I wasn't diagnosed until 5 years after my last pregnancy. However, I did have depressed during each and after. After my last, I had psychosis but my then-pdoc who specialized in women and depression would not diagnose it as such or as bipolar. Maybe a year before I was diagnosed bipolar, that same dr talked to ne on the phone as I described my psychotic symptoms and told me not to go anywhere or do anything and prescribed me Celexa. At any rate, yes I had symptoms but wasn't diagnosed and was on zoloft. I am not sure what I would fo now as I keep having to have meds added or adjusted.

[Shy_Gemini]

This helps a lot, thank you! I admire you all because it gives me hope that I would be able to do the same.

[GreenIvy]

I was a little more emotional during my pregnancy. I joined a pregnancy class to help that out which focused on healthy behavior and exercise. I think that helped me manage my moods better.

[onlymedid]

This helps me too because I plan on getting pregnant and hearing others' stories helps me. I worry about being on meds while being pregnant. I know there are some "safe" meds and some meds that are definitely a no-no because they can cause birth defects.
Does anyone have experience with medications and being pregnant? What were you on and how/did they effect your baby?

[ariatboot]

I know that I am actively trying to conceive and the only meds my pdoc has me on are seroquel and zyprexa. She called them "clean" meds and the safest to be on during the first trimester. Once I hit the second trimester there are a lot more options for meds. She also wants me to be in T at least once a week once I get pregnant and will be working closely with my T to monitor my moods.

[Shy_Gemini]

Thank you all.. This is great stuff to know.

[Capriciousness]

I didn't know I was Bipolar when I was pregnant but I was pretty down in the first trimester (even though I was ecstatic to be pregnant). I had crying spells and was very tired. Second trimester was bliss. Third trimester got kinda rocky at the end. I think the stress of waiting for the baby got to me. All in all it was really okay.

[interested2011]

I wasn't diagnosed until after I had my daughter but being pregnant was actually a stable time for me. My moods were actually stable the whole time. I had severe post-partum depression, though.

[disguise123]

WARNING MAY BE TRIGGERING/ UPSETTING TO SOME.

i fell pregnant (not intentionally) on epilim, sodium valporate, and had a early miscarrige, it has a high rate of causing birth defects.

[onlymedid]

I worry about post-partum a lot because I hear that us with BP have a higher risk of it.

[yagalada]

Rapidcycla You bring up a very good point. What might be safe later on in pregnancy may not be safe during conception and the first trimester.

[mgran]

I'm not bipolar per se, I'm schizoaffective. When I fell pregnant I wasn't aware of my diagnoses (though I knew something was different with me compared to others.) I had quite dramatic mood swings through pregnancy, then post natal euphoria, which peaked as psychosis. (Fortunately my delusions were incredibly positive, my son was never in any danger, since I considered him my "angel baby".) About six months post partum I got very depressed, and then started cycling again, but I must say that in some way my psychosis actually helped me bond in a very positive way with my baby. So it's not all doom and gloom.