Does anyone have experience with pregnancy in conjunction with Bipolar Dissorder?

Question

My husband and I would like to explore the idea of having a baby. We have been married for 3 years now. I was diagnosed with Bipolar dissorder (Bipolar1) 2 years ago and am taking 100 mg. Lamotrigine for mood swings.

I was never very manic and didn't have very dramatic symptoms, infact I was misdiagnosed as a child when my symptoms were mistaken for A.D.D. I am only taking the Lamotrigine as no other medications were needed to balance my treatment.

I have heard horror storied about Bipolar pregnancies and Bipolar onset "Post Pardem Depression". But because I have been stable for such a long time and have needed as little treatment as I have recieved, I can't imagine that it would affect me as seriously as someone who displays more agressive symptoms. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

I understand that in general there are no real problems with bipolar disorder and pregnancy.

Some of the drugs can be problematic and need to be discontinued, although the hormone changes during pregnancy can lead to a natural stability. Lamictal (lamotrigine, and my favourite med, BTW) has been linked to birth defects when taken during the first trimester.

I suggest you should go to the pregnancy section here: http://www.crazyboards.org/forums/index.php?showforum=51

Answer 2

I was misdiagnosed as bipolar a while back but it turns out I just have major depression. I am not currently on any medication and am in my 3rd trimester. The 1st trimester was kind of bad the second there were hardly any mood swings at all and now I get them very infrequently. Plus now I recognize them for what they are. But everyone is different. My mom IS bipolar and she raised 3 of us kids.
I think if you want to get pregnant you have to be prepared for the worst. Ask your doctor if you can stay on your med during pregnancy. Plan to see a counselor even if it is just to check in every once in a while. And make sure your spouse/ boyfriend knows that you will need more support and understanding the whole time. You may be one of those people that recognizes a trench when you are in it. I would definitely talk to your doctor about you wanting to have a baby and if you have a counselor talk to them too. It is a tough decision. I am still scared to death of post pardom. But I will be keeping an extra eye out for it and sometimes just that can keep you in check. Good luck hun.

Answer 3

a friend of mine has always had a battle with depression (if i told you about her life you'd be depressed too!) ANYHOW, she has a son that is Autistic and there have been recent studies that "suggest" that a common factor with autistic children is mother's with emotional instabilities. my friend's child is 10 now and JUST recently his mother was diagnosed as bipolar. i don't understand a lot about the disorder itself... but i have witnessed first hand that she is SO depressed most of the time that she can't function enough to take care of herself, let alone her child that's in need... it's heartbreaking. she has an older child as well (14). i have gotten SEVERAL calls from the 14 year old over the years while she is crying that her mother is going "crazy" and that i need to come right away. she has threatened to kill her children because they have done something tiny... like messed up the kitchen... and when i say threatened i don't mean just said "i'm going to kill you" she will start tearing her OWN hair out of her head or choke HERSELF after telling them that is what she is going to do to THEM... it's messed up. those kids will be in counseling for all of their adult lives! i guess i have felt more like a constant in the children's lives... and give them someone to rely on because they need that with an unstable mother... don't get me wrong, i worry about my friend... but i worry about the kids more.... i know this makes me sound like a bad friend BUT, i'm helpless to do anything else!

OH, i just wanted to add that my friend tried to kill herself a few days after she came home from the hospital with her first child and was admitted to a psych ward... 14 years ago.

I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK...

Answer 4

Could you clarify, are we talking about a person diagnosed with bi-polarism before they became pregnant, or are we talking about post-partum (after the baby is born) bi-polar deveopment?

Could talk with some experience relating to the second occurence.

Answer 5

no experience, but it sounds like a set up for disaster

Answer 6

yeah i am a complete and total *****....