[Brownie]

Hi all- just have an extremely confusing situation to share & ask feedback about. I have a daughter who has been BP since childhood (is now 23). There has been an ongoing parade of meds and therapies and some extra diagnoses thrown into the mix but what is strange is that while she is pregnant she becomes as near stable as I have ever seen her-none of the meds do anything near this to help her! With her first child this occurred, even tho she wasn't stable enough to care for her after she was born, and now with her second child it is happening again. Most women become more moody, she becomes less--continuing on same meds-with no obvious changes otherwise occurring. The thing is, again, I doubt that she will be able to care for this child either & while, temporarily we are very close, I know that in a few months she will be back to her "normal" irritable, psychotic self--hating me again. That's it, in a nutshell--comments?

[kaliope]

Thats really fascinating brownie. i have no logical explanation. just enjoy it while you can.

[popeye]

Yep....her hormones are raging and I have seen this many times in my nursing practice. I have also seen alcoholic women stop drinking when they are pregnant and then drink again after the baby is born.

I was more stable during pregnancy also, I have no idea why, I was not on any meds during either. I had bad post-pardom depression afterwards tho.

[bipolarmama]

I too was stable during my first pregnancy no meds or anything but suffered bas post partum following delivery. I am now pregnant a second time however and am most definitely not stable at all in fact I find I am much worse while pregnant this time and have shown early warning signs for post partum again this time around. I am working hard with the appropriate docs to develop a plan for after delivery starting from the first hour. Has she this time or last time worked while stable to develop a plan? how have they addressed her inability to care for her child(ren) after birth...was this identified as post partum by a doctor? Perhaps her medication is not the right combination for her post pregnancy? I have been on meds since younger as well, after the birth of my son the same meds prior to pregnancy were completely useless on me and I had to start a new medication and play with amounts etc to help since my chemical make up had altered and changed due to hormones etc etc. All the best to you and your daughter,hope things work out well for you both.

[Eloise42]

I noticed the weirdest thing when i was first diagnosed and living with a baby. When I'm around small children I am better than fine, I'm the best me there is. My roommate was the first to notice it, I would be ranting about work and she would just hand me her baby and i would calm down immediately.

I think sometimes there is this automatic biological impulse to automatically take care of the baby that replaces our neurological wonkiness.