Discovery Health has a new series starting on December 1st. It's called I'm Pregnant And...
The first two episodes they're documenting women that are pregnant and addicted (doesn't say what they're addicted to) and pregnant and homeless.
But, the reason I'm posting this is because later on in the series they will be document women (or woman, not sure how many) who are Pregnant And Bipolar. I am very much looking forward to this episode and I wish we had DV-R so I can watch it over and over! But, I will let you all know when it airs and if it goes on Hulu.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
2nd Cycle
So I'm in my second cycle of trying to conceive (TTC). I am on cycle day (CD) 13. I haven't started using the Ovulation Predictor Kit (OPK) yet because last cycle I didn't O (Ovulate) until CD 21. So I will start taking them on CD 15.
Currently, I am reading a book called Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting: Emotions, Mental Health, and Happiness-Before, During and After Pregnancy by Lucy, J. Puryear, M.D. It is by a woman who is a psychiatrist that specializes in pregnancy and mental illness, postpartum mood disorders, depression during perimenpause and severe premenstrual syndrome. Quite frankly, I wish there were a woman psychiatrist that specialized in pregnancy and mental health somewhere close to me that I could see during pregnancy and even right now instead of just a plain ol' psychiatrist. :/ (Plus, it's a male psychiatrist who didn't listen to me when I was in the hospital after being Diagnosed).
And, I have some good news! There was a woman advertising that the first 2 couples to sign up for Doula care from her would get the services free! So even though we're not pregnant yet, we're going to get FREE Birth Doula Services and Free Postpartum Doula services! Yay! The only thing I was worried about was how many people my hospital would allow for us to have in the room during delivery. I called to find out and at any given time during the year, I will be allowed to have a max of 4 people. But, I only want 3--my husband, my sister and my Doula. I don't want to give her website because that can show where I live. But, if you are interested in a great Doula, email me and I will tell you where she's located and give you her website link.
Currently, I am reading a book called Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting: Emotions, Mental Health, and Happiness-Before, During and After Pregnancy by Lucy, J. Puryear, M.D. It is by a woman who is a psychiatrist that specializes in pregnancy and mental illness, postpartum mood disorders, depression during perimenpause and severe premenstrual syndrome. Quite frankly, I wish there were a woman psychiatrist that specialized in pregnancy and mental health somewhere close to me that I could see during pregnancy and even right now instead of just a plain ol' psychiatrist. :/ (Plus, it's a male psychiatrist who didn't listen to me when I was in the hospital after being Diagnosed).
And, I have some good news! There was a woman advertising that the first 2 couples to sign up for Doula care from her would get the services free! So even though we're not pregnant yet, we're going to get FREE Birth Doula Services and Free Postpartum Doula services! Yay! The only thing I was worried about was how many people my hospital would allow for us to have in the room during delivery. I called to find out and at any given time during the year, I will be allowed to have a max of 4 people. But, I only want 3--my husband, my sister and my Doula. I don't want to give her website because that can show where I live. But, if you are interested in a great Doula, email me and I will tell you where she's located and give you her website link.
Monday, October 5, 2009
AF Came
AF came tonight (around 10:40pm EST). So that means tomorrow is CD #1 for me. I will start temping and charting tomorrow. It is bittersweet because I kind of figured we missed ovulation for the last cycle when we started trying, but I thought maybe there was still a chance...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Good News!!
So my NP and I intially discussed me tapering off my meds before TTC. Turns out I don't have to! I am so excited that she gave me this choice! We can start TTC as soon as we want!
Here are the answers to the questions I asked.
*How often during my pregnancy will I have to see a psychiatrist?
Should only have to be about once a month, but if I become manic or depressed, I can go more often.
*Will I be allowed to take Tegretol after the first trimester? Or a different mood stabilizer if needed?
Yes. If needed, there are certain meds that can be taken after the first 3 months. And if I really need it for the first three months, there are meds we can try.
*Once I give birth, will I start seeing my NP again?
Yes.
*Do we have to go through genetics testing before TTC? (I have some information on this I will post at a later time).
I can discuss this with my PCP, but she didn't really have advice on this. She said I could do research on-line. But, my mother had Bipolar and I have bipolar. My sister has clinical depression and I have several cousins who have bipolar/depression. My husband and I have discussed this endlessly--we want to try to have our own biological child first, even if there's a 100% chance he or she would have bipolar. People don't realize it, but Bipolar is a very manageable mental illness and both my husband, my sister, me and our family know what signs to look for when our child is at the right age where he or she could be diagnosed. So I will ask my PCP about this, but I don't think we will do genetics testing.
Here are the answers to the questions I asked.
*How often during my pregnancy will I have to see a psychiatrist?
Should only have to be about once a month, but if I become manic or depressed, I can go more often.
*Will I be allowed to take Tegretol after the first trimester? Or a different mood stabilizer if needed?
Yes. If needed, there are certain meds that can be taken after the first 3 months. And if I really need it for the first three months, there are meds we can try.
*Once I give birth, will I start seeing my NP again?
Yes.
*Do we have to go through genetics testing before TTC? (I have some information on this I will post at a later time).
I can discuss this with my PCP, but she didn't really have advice on this. She said I could do research on-line. But, my mother had Bipolar and I have bipolar. My sister has clinical depression and I have several cousins who have bipolar/depression. My husband and I have discussed this endlessly--we want to try to have our own biological child first, even if there's a 100% chance he or she would have bipolar. People don't realize it, but Bipolar is a very manageable mental illness and both my husband, my sister, me and our family know what signs to look for when our child is at the right age where he or she could be diagnosed. So I will ask my PCP about this, but I don't think we will do genetics testing.
Today!
I get to see my NP today....I'm nervous but excited too. I wish my husband could come, but it was too last minute for him to get time off from work. He will come to my next appointment though.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tomorrow!
My doctors office called today. First they were going to postpone my appointment, but then they called back and said they could reschedule it for tomorrow.
So tomorrow is the big day. I get to ask all my questions and see if I will be able to taper off my meds in 4-6 weeks. First my husband and I need to have physicals to make sure we're healthy enough to get pregnant. Then we will go for there. I will ask to see my NP again in 4-6 weeks.
Here are some of the questions I am going to ask my NP.
*How often during my pregnancy will I have to see a psychiatrist? (I will stop seeing my NP once pregnant and start seeing a different doctor--it's my doctor's office policy).
*Will I be allowed to take Tegretol after the first trimester? Or a different mood stabilizer if needed?
*Once I give birth, will I start seeing my NP again?
*Do we have to go through genetics testing before TTC? (I have some information on this I will post at a later time).
So tomorrow is the big day. I get to ask all my questions and see if I will be able to taper off my meds in 4-6 weeks. First my husband and I need to have physicals to make sure we're healthy enough to get pregnant. Then we will go for there. I will ask to see my NP again in 4-6 weeks.
Here are some of the questions I am going to ask my NP.
*How often during my pregnancy will I have to see a psychiatrist? (I will stop seeing my NP once pregnant and start seeing a different doctor--it's my doctor's office policy).
*Will I be allowed to take Tegretol after the first trimester? Or a different mood stabilizer if needed?
*Once I give birth, will I start seeing my NP again?
*Do we have to go through genetics testing before TTC? (I have some information on this I will post at a later time).
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Don't Ask, Don't Tell?
Telling someone you have Bipolar can be a daunting thing to do. A lot of people who are BP decide not to tell a lot of people. My mom was DX with BP before I was born and I never knew she was Bipolar until after she passed away (She was stable for 21 years on Tegretol, I was 22 when she passed). Like my mother, I decided not to tell many people about my diagnosis. I didn't want my aunts and extended family to find out, but they did. So the only people who know I am Bipolar are family and close friends. Some people know I was sick last summer (Summer of 2008 when I was DX) and some people know I spent some time in the hospital, but they don't know why I was sick or what part of the hospital I was in. I will not tell any of my employers I am bipolar and my husband's employer does not know either.
I wish that more people were informed about what Bipolar is and how mental illness affects people. But there is too much stigma around mental illness, I feel people would misunderstand me as a person. One woman on a support network I am on (on-line) told me I shouldn't have children or be working with children because I am Bipolar. She told me if I needed meds to "control" me that I wouldn't be a good parent or a good role model. I informed her that I need meds to help stabilize my moods, they in no way "control" who I am or what I do.
I am open to hearing your take on the stigma surrounding mental illness and whether you've chosen to tell people or not.
I wish that more people were informed about what Bipolar is and how mental illness affects people. But there is too much stigma around mental illness, I feel people would misunderstand me as a person. One woman on a support network I am on (on-line) told me I shouldn't have children or be working with children because I am Bipolar. She told me if I needed meds to "control" me that I wouldn't be a good parent or a good role model. I informed her that I need meds to help stabilize my moods, they in no way "control" who I am or what I do.
I am open to hearing your take on the stigma surrounding mental illness and whether you've chosen to tell people or not.
Friday, September 25, 2009
My Medications
I take Tegretol (carbamazepine or Epitol) as my main mood stabilizer and Geodon picks up some of the slack that Tegretol misses. Here is some info on both.
Tegretol is in Category D for pregnancy (There is a risk to the baby, but the benefits may outweigh the risk for some women). Certain types of defects are increased (especially if Tegretol is taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy) but they are still relatively uncommon. Defects are more common in the babies of women who take Tegretol during the first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. (Source) With each pregnancy, all women have a 3% to 5% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. This medication does cross the placenta. In pregnancies exposed to carbamazepine during the first trimester, a number of human studies have shown a 1% risk for neural tube defects. The general population risk for having a baby with a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida, is 0.1% (1/1000 births). Tegretol is excreted into breast milk. However, the amount of carbamazepine found in infant blood is low and does not seem to build up over time. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization considers the drug to be compatible with breastfeeding. (Source) The risk appears to be highest when carbamazepine is taken in the first trimester. The use of carbamazepine should therefore be avoided in pregnancy whenever possible, especially in the first trimester. However, when carbamazepine is stopped and reoccurrence of mania occurs, the physician may discuss the need to restart carbamazepine after the first trimester or seek an alternative medication or treatment. (Source)
Geodon is a category C drug for pregnancy. Geodon (ziprasidone hydrochloride) may not be safe for women who are pregnant. In previous animal studies that looked at the effects of Geodon during pregnancy, Geodon increased the chances of miscarriage and birth defects. . Pregnancy Category C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. It is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child. (Source) It is not know if Geodon is passed through breast milk. Because of the potentially serious side effects that could occur in the nursing infant, the manufacturer of Geodon does not recommend that the drug be used in breastfeeding women.
I see my NP on October 5th and we will talk more about my options. Just from the research I have done, I think I will taper off both meds before starting TTC and then after the first trimester is finished, if I need to, I will go back on a low dose of Tegretol. Once the baby is born, I will go back on just tegretol and breastfeed. If my moods start slipping, I will stop breastfeeding and go back on both meds.
Tegretol is in Category D for pregnancy (There is a risk to the baby, but the benefits may outweigh the risk for some women). Certain types of defects are increased (especially if Tegretol is taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy) but they are still relatively uncommon. Defects are more common in the babies of women who take Tegretol during the first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. (Source) With each pregnancy, all women have a 3% to 5% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. This medication does cross the placenta. In pregnancies exposed to carbamazepine during the first trimester, a number of human studies have shown a 1% risk for neural tube defects. The general population risk for having a baby with a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida, is 0.1% (1/1000 births). Tegretol is excreted into breast milk. However, the amount of carbamazepine found in infant blood is low and does not seem to build up over time. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization considers the drug to be compatible with breastfeeding. (Source) The risk appears to be highest when carbamazepine is taken in the first trimester. The use of carbamazepine should therefore be avoided in pregnancy whenever possible, especially in the first trimester. However, when carbamazepine is stopped and reoccurrence of mania occurs, the physician may discuss the need to restart carbamazepine after the first trimester or seek an alternative medication or treatment. (Source)
Geodon is a category C drug for pregnancy. Geodon (ziprasidone hydrochloride) may not be safe for women who are pregnant. In previous animal studies that looked at the effects of Geodon during pregnancy, Geodon increased the chances of miscarriage and birth defects. . Pregnancy Category C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. It is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child. (Source) It is not know if Geodon is passed through breast milk. Because of the potentially serious side effects that could occur in the nursing infant, the manufacturer of Geodon does not recommend that the drug be used in breastfeeding women.
I see my NP on October 5th and we will talk more about my options. Just from the research I have done, I think I will taper off both meds before starting TTC and then after the first trimester is finished, if I need to, I will go back on a low dose of Tegretol. Once the baby is born, I will go back on just tegretol and breastfeed. If my moods start slipping, I will stop breastfeeding and go back on both meds.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Starting the Process
I was diagnosed with bipolar in late May of 2008. The summer of 2008 is pretty hazy for me. I was in the hospital for a total of 3 weeks and in an outpatient treatment program for a total of 3 weeks.
My husband and I were still able to have our wedding in early August, thanks to Tegretol. It is my main mood stabilizer and has helped me immensely.
We wanted to start a family right away, but because of my diagnosis, we put it on the back burner. Well, now we're back to the place where we'd like to start trying to conceive. I decided to write this blog after reading one and not finding much literature of Bipolar Disorder AND Pregnancy.
I see a Nurse Practitioner who manages my meds and there are several psychiatrists at my disposal if need be. I also have a Family Doctor. From now on, I will abbreviate Nurse Practitioner as NP. I have an appointment with my NP on Oct. 5th and an appointment with my regular doctor on November 2nd. During both appointments I will ask about the possibilities of my husband and I starting to try to conceive (which from now on I will abbreviate as TTC).
I hope to update often to keep my readers (or future readers) in the loop. I want to include everyone in the process of what goes on. If you don't hear from me for a while, send me an email (email address is located to the right).
Thanks for reading!
My husband and I were still able to have our wedding in early August, thanks to Tegretol. It is my main mood stabilizer and has helped me immensely.
We wanted to start a family right away, but because of my diagnosis, we put it on the back burner. Well, now we're back to the place where we'd like to start trying to conceive. I decided to write this blog after reading one and not finding much literature of Bipolar Disorder AND Pregnancy.
I see a Nurse Practitioner who manages my meds and there are several psychiatrists at my disposal if need be. I also have a Family Doctor. From now on, I will abbreviate Nurse Practitioner as NP. I have an appointment with my NP on Oct. 5th and an appointment with my regular doctor on November 2nd. During both appointments I will ask about the possibilities of my husband and I starting to try to conceive (which from now on I will abbreviate as TTC).
I hope to update often to keep my readers (or future readers) in the loop. I want to include everyone in the process of what goes on. If you don't hear from me for a while, send me an email (email address is located to the right).
Thanks for reading!
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