has there been any success with bipolar patients going totally without medication during pregnancy?

Answer 1

I personally know 2 women who had been off medication due to wanting/getting pregnant. One was off her medication for 2 months before conception(under her doctors care) and one who had to get off because she became pregnant. This was over 10 years ago. Those 2 kids are happy and healthy with NO problems. Both mothers did very well without medication. These women had strong support networks and had stayed in constant contact with their therapists and doctors.
As one person had stated, the hormones did the replacing of the medication as well as the vitamins that they were given to take.
If you stay on medication during pregnancy, the risks of birth defects are extremely high. Heart, Brain, Kidney, and Liver development is where the majority of problems occur.
The one woman was able to stay off most of the medication she was on before she got pregnant and the other is back on all, but at lower dosing. Neither of them had any hospital visits or suicide attempts or uncontrollable mania during pregnancy. Both were able to breast feed as well.
So from my experience, YES, there is success in being without medication. Both are very happy about the choice they made.

Answer 2

This is something to talk about with both your OB and your psychiatrist. If you are currently getting your meds through your medical provider, I would suggest asking for a referral to a psychiatrist to discuss the idea of stopping meds and continue to work with a therapist closely throughout the course of your pregnancy. This is something you may want to do regardless of what you decide to do about the meds as the flucuation in hormone levels can affect how well your current meds may work.

Generally speaking, bipolar patients must remain on thier meds to keep the symptomology under control. It may be possible to decrease your meds rather than go off of them, or to change them to a med with less fetal impact. Another possibility is to talk about going off of them for just the first trimester. This is the point of the pregnancy when the development of the major organ and nural systems occurs and many mental health practitioners will support less or no medication during this time as long as the patient sees a therapist regularly (at least weekly) and goes back on thier meds as soon as they enter their second trimester.

Again, none of this should be a decision you make on your own. Your OB should be the first person you talk to, followed by a therapist and/or psychiatrist. Do not go off your meds without thier knowledge and before you have a strong support system in place. While my personal advice is to stay on your meds..it will be far safer for you, which in the long run is far better for your baby, if you feel strongly about trying it, get all the info you can first.

Answer 3

The few bipolar women I spoke to said they took their meds during pregnancy but all gave birth to ADHD children.
It's genetic not pharmacologically induced.

Answer 4

regardless of if you aren't to any extent further bi-polar, postnatal melancholy is amazingly hardship-free. i develop into VERY depressed after being pregnant, and its so perplexing-- distinctly if you're a unmarried determine. make people responsive to it, and attempt to have someone through your aspect to assist care on your newborn when you're feeling down. I wish you the finest of success!

Answer 5

To some extent it depends on the meds you are on, but you really need to talk with your doctor about it. I'd suggest you ask the question here:

http://www.crazyboards.org

Answer 6

Imposible

Answer 7

some bi polars actually are "normal" during pregnancy because of hormone changes. been known to happen.

Answer 8

It does not mater if your prego. or not, you should take your med.