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Saturday, June 10, 2006
Bipolar Medications and Pregnancy
Anonymous asks...
I was diagnosed w/ bi-polar disorder six years ago, since then I have been taking Lexapro and Clonzepam every day. I am 11 weeks pregnant and have started taking Wellbutrin instead of the Lexapro. I stopped taking the Clonzepam when I found out I was 6 wks. But there have been a couple of days that my anxiety has been through the roof and I felt like I couldn't handle anything, so I have taken .05 mg on those days which has been 6 times. I am worried something could be wrong with my baby. Please help me w/any information that you might have to ease my mind. Thanks Stacy.
Stacy Says...
Taking a medication, like antianxiety or narcotics, occasionally while pregnant is okay. The first trimester is THE most crucial time of development. Drugs can have the most affect on the baby at this time. That being said, with your condition of having bipolar disorder, taking medication is crucial to regulate mood cycles.
If you are able to get through the majority of your pregnancy with only taking .05mg on really hard days, I think that would be great for your baby and not do any harm. However, I would definitely talk with your OBGYN and the doctor prescribing the Wellbutrin and Clonazepam to figure out the minimum amount of medication you need during the pregnancy. Were you switched to Wellbutrin after you found out you were pregnant? I think you're doing the right thing by trying to limit the amount of medication you take, just be sure you don't jeopardize your health as well. And definitely consult with your doctors since the finer points of this question are better meant for practitioners with alot more information than I could give you. Good luck!
I was diagnosed w/ bi-polar disorder six years ago, since then I have been taking Lexapro and Clonzepam every day. I am 11 weeks pregnant and have started taking Wellbutrin instead of the Lexapro. I stopped taking the Clonzepam when I found out I was 6 wks. But there have been a couple of days that my anxiety has been through the roof and I felt like I couldn't handle anything, so I have taken .05 mg on those days which has been 6 times. I am worried something could be wrong with my baby. Please help me w/any information that you might have to ease my mind. Thanks Stacy.
Stacy Says...
Taking a medication, like antianxiety or narcotics, occasionally while pregnant is okay. The first trimester is THE most crucial time of development. Drugs can have the most affect on the baby at this time. That being said, with your condition of having bipolar disorder, taking medication is crucial to regulate mood cycles.
If you are able to get through the majority of your pregnancy with only taking .05mg on really hard days, I think that would be great for your baby and not do any harm. However, I would definitely talk with your OBGYN and the doctor prescribing the Wellbutrin and Clonazepam to figure out the minimum amount of medication you need during the pregnancy. Were you switched to Wellbutrin after you found out you were pregnant? I think you're doing the right thing by trying to limit the amount of medication you take, just be sure you don't jeopardize your health as well. And definitely consult with your doctors since the finer points of this question are better meant for practitioners with alot more information than I could give you. Good luck!
