[nadirah84]

I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 back in 2013, shortly after having my first child. I've been on 5 different mess that haven't worked and Latuda costs too much even with insurance and the discount. I'm 18 weeks pregnant and am trying to find a new psychiatrist. When I'm manic I tend to snap and yell at my husband and he yells back to get me to stop, but it just makes me angrier. I can't be on mess now but am hoping to find ways to cope. Now I'm just depressed and then have mixed episodes. Has anyone else been pregnant with bipolar episodes? Please share your experiences. I'm just looking for support.

[Capriciousness]

First of all CONGRATULATIONS

And you made it through the first trimester which is a huge deal.

I'm so sorry you are struggling

I have had three pregnancies but never really had a full episode during them. I took my Lamictal all through my last one. It was a great pregnancy! Baby is perfect. I'm still nursing.

Are you saying you're manic right now? What does your pdoc say about some meds?

[cashart10]

I second the congratulations! Babies are wonderful! If you haven't already, very soon you will be feeling your munchkin moving around. It is an incredible feeling!

I have been pregnant 5 times. I have 3 babies and have had 2 miscarriages (one very early miscarriage).

My first pregnancy to term was smooth sailing (for the most part) until my grandmother passed away when I was about 7 months along. It made my mood mixed (which I'm sure is typical of Bipolar when a loved one passes). I was VERY depressed but my mind was racing and I was a bigger ***** than I think I have ever in my life been. I was SO often screaming at my husband and throwing things in fits of rage; it was terrible. I had fairly severe post postpartum depression. At this time, I was in complete denial of my diagnosis. Even though I was diagnosed at a young age, because I didn't believe the diagnosis, It didn't even occur to me that this could have been an episode.

My second pregnancy was smooth sailing all throughout the pregnancy and I just had some mild postpartum hypo mania which I only recognize in hindsight.

My third pregnancy I carried to 12 weeks (they say you are almost always safe after 12 weeks btw, so no need to worry). When I got pregnant, I was already in the midst of a psychotic mania and the pregnancy hormones perpetuated and worsened this. Because I was so euphoric at the time, I don't think I ever really grieved the loss. Maybe that was a good thing.

My last pregnancy, I was back to a psychiatrist and taking meds. In my early months, I took Abilify and Lamictal but we had to add Lithium towards the end of my second trimester (it apparently is only a major risk in the first trimester). This was by far my worst pregnancy. I wasn't psychotic during my pregnancy but I remember never sleeping more than 4 hours a night. Despite my medication, I was all over the place and miserable.

Possible trigger:

I remember being so depressed I wanted to hurt my stomach. I was suicidal much of the time.

I was hospitalized at about 7 weeks postpartum. After she was born, I was manic for a short time (a couple of weeks). I remember planning to climb the walls with knives to try to reach the ceiling and being so angry I was in the basement banging my head on the wall. Then I became psychotically depressed and my life was truly in danger so I spent a week inpatient. My postpartum depression lasted a long time and my moods have been everywhere since (my daughter is 19 months old). At my pdoc's suggestion, after much consideration, I had my tubes tied when my third baby was born. I have two beautiful daughters and one handsome son.

I think my episodes are a worse case scenario. Despite everything I went through in my pregnancies the biggest blessing in my life is being a mommy. You will find the same thing. Watching these babies grow into little humans is nothing short of a miracle. They are my greatest joy!

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Have you tried patient assistance for Latuda? If you can get it they cover it completely. They have pretty relaxed financial requirements and I've been able to get approval from other companies when I was a bit over income or if they excluded insurance/Med D. I'm hoping to convince my dr to try it again and will be on patient assistance if I do so I have the webpages pulled up.

Sunovion Support(TM): Prescription Assistance Program | Information for Caregivers

http://sunovionsupport.com/documents...pplication.pdf

I know you probably can't be on it for a while but that might help after the baby is born. Like I said, don't be afraid to ask for an exemption. I get all of my expensive meds through patient assistance and have some degree of exemption for 50% of them. I just include a letter stating that despite having insurance and being slightly above the financial level I am unable to do afford the medication because I have a limited income and must pay rent, utilities, other med co-pays, counseling and monthly pyschiatric visit co-pays along with other medical bills, etc. and nobody has ever denied me.

Congratulations on the baby and I hope the pregnancy is manageable from here on out.