Would like to start TTC soon but I have questions!

[violet02]

Date: 3/17/2009 7:46:39 PM
Author: neatfreak
Violet FWIW many people find that pregnancy hormones render antidepressants/anti anxiety meds unnecessary too. I have GAD and went off my meds when I found out I was pregnant. I was worried that my anxiety would be bad, but aside from the usual pre-12 weeks and pregnancy anxiety, I actually felt great! My babies are 3 months old now and I just went back on a med.


So ultimately do what is right for you, but just know that if you want to try going med free many women have the same reaction as I did as well. And you can always go back on them.

Okay that''s good to know as well.

Is it just safer to go without and then see how you feel and maybe go back on them if necessary? That sounds like one way to go about it I guess.

 

[Pandora II]

Fertility generally declines after 35 - but that is looking at an age group as a whole not an individual. I'm 36 and got KTFU within 6 weeks of starting to try. Lucky I know, but there are plenty on the preggo thread where the same thing happened.

DH and I went to Sri Lanka for our honeymoon when I was 10 weeks pg - I had terrible morning sickness, but had been put on meds for it, so it didn't really cause major problems.

One of my best friends who is an OB told me she's pg tonight - she and her husband are off to Peru to walk the Inca trail and she will be 18 weeks when they get there.

It honestly depends how pregnancy affects you - some people sail through, others - like moi - have a lousy time.

Folic acid is a definite must (you should check if your meds need an increased dose), prenatals aren't encouraged at all in the UK as they can make morning sickness so much worse and it's more important to eat a healthy balanced diet.

Re the antidepressants - my sister took Prozac throughout her last pregnancy with her doctor's full approval. Some antidepressants have a good safety record.

I've had very bad antenatal depression and to be honest the hospital and OB are far more worried about that than they would have been about my taking the meds. Antenatal depression can seriously increase your risk of PPP and PPD, plus high cortisol levels in the mother are not good for the baby. Research is being done on the effect of stress and depression on the unborn child and it appears that it may lead to an increased probability of psychiatric disorders in later life.

So, please only stop taking the meds if the doctors really think it's a good idea for you.

Best of luck!

ETA: If you need any vaccines for going abroad, get them done asap - especially things like Hep A (which I would definitely do if you plan to eat seafood in the Med) - and get advice if you have any live vaccines about how long you should wait before getting pg.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/17/2009 7:56:49 PM
Author: violet02

Date: 3/17/2009 7:46:39 PM

Author: neatfreak

Violet FWIW many people find that pregnancy hormones render antidepressants/anti anxiety meds unnecessary too. I have GAD and went off my meds when I found out I was pregnant. I was worried that my anxiety would be bad, but aside from the usual pre-12 weeks and pregnancy anxiety, I actually felt great! My babies are 3 months old now and I just went back on a med.



So ultimately do what is right for you, but just know that if you want to try going med free many women have the same reaction as I did as well. And you can always go back on them.

Okay that''s good to know as well.


Is it just safer to go without and then see how you feel and maybe go back on them if necessary? That sounds like one way to go about it I guess.

If you know you can cope for a few weeks if your hormones don''t help, then yes. But sometimes the benefit outweighs the risks for sure, so you just need to decide what category you fall into.

 

[littlelysser]

Yup, NF is correct. Part of the reason I went off the meds when we were TTC was because I was really hoping I wouldn''t need them. But I sort of found myself going from milestone to milestone (getting good test results, getting out of the first trimester, etc), hoping I''d feel better, and I might have a day or two where I felt good, but I was having significantly more bad days than good.

Some women have a great reaction to pregnancy and find that they don''t need the meds. And frankly, I''m glad that I was off of them for the first trimester and a bit of the second. I would have really preferred to have not taken them - but I had to trust my docs that going back on was in my best interest and the kid''s best interest.

 

[Maisie]

I wonder if its a good idea to try and get off them for the first trimester anyway. Isn''t that when the baby is forming. I wouldn''t want my medicine to cause any problems during that time.

 

[littlelysser]

Maisie - Yup - the first trimester is when everything is formed. After that, it is mostly growing and gaining weight! I know my docs weren''t super concerned about my getting out of the first trimester before I started back on any medication - it was something that was more important to me.

I know that there were a study done that showed that Paxil caused some heart defect if taken in the first trimester, but my understanding was that it was a single study. And there are tons of other meds that have been proven to be a lot safer.

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 3/17/2009 6:47:27 PM
Author: violet02

Date: 3/17/2009 6:41:11 PM
Author: phoenixgirl
Hey Violet,


I''m 28 and went off the pill in August and conceived at the end of January. I think with one ovary and being in your late 30s, the chances that you would conceive the first month or two are slim. The chances are only 20% each cycle for a couple actively trying to conceive with no fertility issues.


Since you''re already late starting your pill pack, I''d just forgo it. You can use condoms or another method if you really wouldn''t want to be pregnant on your honeymoon, but this way you can start charting and get a sense of how regular your cycles will be off the pill. Then when you do start TTC, you''ll have a cycle or two under your belt for reference.


I was more ambivalent about getting pregnant the first month or two, but as the (relatively few, I know!) months passed, I began to worry that we had fertility issues. If you had told me I would be pregnant within 6 months of going off the pill I wouldn''t have worried, but I didn''t know that . . . maybe not getting pregnant after actively trying meant we couldn''t, ya know? So when I got my got my positive pregnancy test 6 months after going off the pill, I was overjoyed and relieved.

Yes exactly why I want to go into this as prepared as possible. I have one friend at age 38 who had to do IVF to get pregnant. Another friend who never did get pregnant and then another friend who''s STILL trying in her mid-30s. So it''s a concern for sure.

I have a slightly off-topic question. My friend has had two abortions and she said before that she was very fertile, in earlier years. In her later years she was never able to get pregnant and said she felt that it was affected by this, her husband is a dr as well. I have a friend now TTC who has also had 2 abortions and it''s been over a year since she removed her IUD and they have yet to get pregnant. I was just curious if anyone had any knowledge if this is a big factor or not. I myself have never had an abortion so this isn''t a concern in my case.

One of my girlfriends who is now pregnant with her second child recently confided in me that she had two abortions in her early 20s. It was very easy for them to conceive both of their children, and she is now in her early 30s, so I don''t think it would be a problem.

 

[mia1181]

Hey Violet! I have zero experience in this area, but DH and I are probably going to TTC next yearish so I''ve been reading up.

First I want to tell you that my boss''s sister got knocked up at 38 and when the baby was only 4 months old, she found out she was pregnant again! Obviously she wasn''t trying for baby #2. Anyway, lots of women 35+ have no problems getting pregnant.

If I were you, I''d go off the BC and chart (and obviously talk about meds you are on with your Dr.). I am on my 4th cycle charting off of BC and I am very glad that I will have lots of time to figure my stuff out before actively trying. Okay, so I am waaaay earlier to be charting, but so far it''s really been nice off of BC. But it takes a little while after BC for your cycles to go back to normal (different for each person).

Also, you can chart to "avoid" pregnancy before TTC until May. In other words, you make sure not to DTD w/o some backup protection, during the fertile phase of your cycle. Of course you''ll have to read up on the failure rates etc. and see how much you and DH are comfortable with. It can be a little tricky because charting basicly only confirms ovulation after it takes place, but if you read your other fertility signs you can usually tell when it is coming. Morning sickness usually takes a while to set in too so if you had an "oops" you''ll likely be spared for your honeymoon. Unless you got pregnant today, which isn''t super likely anyway. Also I read that chances of you getting pregnant under perfect conditions are only 20% each month so keep that in mind.

I personally don''t think I would go to the doctor for testing until you think there is something wrong. Maybe give it a few months and then go in? I''ve read that most doctors don''t worry about infertility issues until you''ve been trying for almost a year. But if you start charting you might be able to see some red flags long before then. But if you have great insurance and your doctor is willing to order tests I guess why not?

Good Luck!

 

[elrohwen]

First you should go to your obgyn and he should go to his regular doctor to get checked out and get the all clear.

And I would definitely wait until after the honeymoon to start trying. I know many women who had hooorible morning sickness the first few months, and you don''t want to go through that during your honeymoon! Waiting another few months shouldn''t affect your chance to conceive.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/17/2009 7:39:51 PM
Author: violet02
Wow great posts! Thanks for the info littlelysser.

I take a medication called Lamictal. It's traditionally used for people that are bi-polar but my last dr. prescribed it for depression and it's been great. I was on Zoloft before and I didn't like the affect it had on me, ie, no highs or lows. I am prone to being anxious a lot and am prone to mood swings or was before I started taking meds about 10 years ago.

I'm going to ask my OBGYN about it. My current psychiatrist is the one prescribing them to me but I'm not that fond of him. He didn't even know why I was on such a high dose of Lamictal when I first started seeing him. He said it was probably making my birth control not effective. My OBGYN said that it was the reverse. The birth control was making it hard for the lamictal so I had to be on a higher dose.

Oh, I just realized. I should probably lower my dose of lamictal now that I'm going to stop taking birth control. My OBGYN appt is April 8th.


ETA: I meant to add that my first doctor said there were some studies that showed some very rare instances of clef pallete in pregannt lamictal users but he felt at a low dose it would be fine, even through breastfeeding. My current dr. is telling me the hormones from being pregnant can often make up for not having the meds. I really have a hard time believing that one.

Hi Violet,
Just saw this now - missed it last night.

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and currently on 125mg of Lamictal, so here's the low down:

If you are on Lamictal it is VITAL that you are taking 5mg folic acid a day (Yes, 5 MILLIGRAMS). Anti-epileptics are also anti-folates and so you should be taking 1mg of folic acid a day whatever, pregnant or not - low levels of folic acid can make your depression worse. The titchy 400 microgram dosage in pre-natals in nowhere near enough.

I opted to reduce down to 25mg for the first 14 weeks of pregnancy in order to be on the lowest dose possible during the palate formation period. I then titrated up very slowly (+25mg every week to 10 days) till I reached 100mg which is my normal dose. Your plasma volume increases a lot in the 3rd Tri so you may need a boost up at that point.

I had my 20 week scan with a Fetal Medicine Consultant rather than just the sonographer to do an in-depth check of the palate (also my sister's first child - when she took nothing at all - had a cleft palate, so they were doubly checking for me), and I also had a cardio scan the same day to check the baby's heart. Everything came back with flying colours.

I'm very lucky to be in a programme here for mothers with mental illness and I have had so much advice about depression, anxiety and pregnancy. They did advise not to breastfeed on Lamictal due to the risk of Steven Johnson's syndrome - they have to as there are no case-studies and it would be unethical to actually carry out double-blind trials etc. However, 100% of Lamictal crosses the placenta compared with only 30% in breast-milk. There is no know case of SJ in neonates at all. However, I have done a lot of research and talked to the Epilepsy Societies here in the UK - I take it for Bipolar, but most use is for epilepsy - and loads of people have breastfed on it with no problems on doses that are 3 or 4 times higher than mine.

I will be in hospital for a week after the birth because our daughter will have an opiate dependency - I take the equivalent of 50mg Morphine a day for chronic pain, all of which is crossing the placenta. I spent over an hour with the head of the NICU last week and he wasn't worried at all about the Lamictal only about the opiates. He fully recommended breast-feeding as it means the baby isn't doing a sudden shock-withdrawal from anything. If I was just on Lamictal I wouldn't have needed to see him or to have stayed in hospital for more than 24 hours.

The Lamotrigine Pregnancy Register results came out in January this year and basically the risk of serious abnormalities is no higher than that found in the general population. There's not even any proof that there is an increased risk of palate abnormalities.

If you need anymore info, just do a shout out as there is not much out there on Lamictal and pregnancy that I or one of my specialists hasn't got their paws on.

(I'm afraid that despite the Lamictal I ended up with severe antenatal depression - due to a combination of med reduction combined with extreme stress due to my employer trying to make me redundant. I believe some people do feel wonderful when they are pg, but antenatal depression is very under-diagnosed. It's worth going into it believing that things will be fantastic, but pregnancy hormones are a joy all of their own!)

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 3/17/2009 6:16:16 PM
Author: violet02
I was reading that you can have vitamin 'overdose' so I think I should hit up the vitamin store and just pick up some prenatal vitamins and keep taking my usual folic acid dose. I'm taking a lot of vitamins otherwise so I am probably in the vitamin overdose category.

Re: vitamins, why I was recommending taking prenatals because they have folic acid IN them. They have the proper amount and I was suggesting taking them to be sure you get enough. You should consult a dr. before taking any other supplements besides prentals. Vitamin A is the one you need keep an eye on because you can take too much of that, if you're taking that supplement along with prenatals!

ETA - how much Lamictal are you taking per day? (just curious. . .I"m on it too

)

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/18/2009 11:06:06 AM
Author: MC

Date: 3/17/2009 6:16:16 PM
Author: violet02
I was reading that you can have vitamin ''overdose'' so I think I should hit up the vitamin store and just pick up some prenatal vitamins and keep taking my usual folic acid dose. I''m taking a lot of vitamins otherwise so I am probably in the vitamin overdose category.

Re: vitamins, why I was recommending taking prenatals because they have folic acid IN them. They have the proper amount and I was suggesting taking them to be sure you get enough. You should consult a dr. before taking any other supplements besides prentals. Vitamin A is the one you need keep an eye on because you can take too much of that, if you''re taking that supplement along with prenatals!

ETA - how much Lamictal are you taking per day? (just curious. . .I''m on it too

)

Prenatals only have the proper amount of folic acid (400 micrograms) for someone who isn''t taking an anti-folate. Hence why you need the extra Rx for the 5mg folic acid tablets.

MC is totally correct about the Vit. A - can be very dangerous if you have too much.

I would really recommend getting a doctors advice before taking any prenatals, just because some meds can either inhibit or potentiate others and so you could be getting a bigger whack of something because your body is absorbing more of it than most peoples.

ETA: I''d be interested to know how much you take. MC, what dosage are you on?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Pandora - just wanted to note that I began taking Lamictal after having my kids. The prenatals I took had 800 mcg of Folic Acid in them and I began taking my prenatals 6 months before TTC and continued taking them until my younger son was one (until I stopped nursing him). Here's the ones I took:

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=32645&catid=26977&aid=280302&aparam=df5628

Right now I'm on 225 mg of Lamictal. For years I had depression and tried Wellbutrin and it made me really manic. My dr. told me to start out at 150 mg every morning and I didn't sleep AT ALL that first week. She said up the dose to 300 mg after two weeks and you can imagine what a ride that was! So, the Lamictal works sort of. . .it keeps me from getting too low and during the summer, I'm still slightly manic. I never was full-blown, just a little more engergized than a "regular" person and the Lamictal hasn't interferred with that (which is nice - it's always great to have a bit of a summer boost). After moving to my condo, I've discovered how much environment has played into my depression. In my light airy house, I never felt that deep funk, like I have been since Jan in my condo. It's been a semi-rough couple of months.

 

[swimmer]

Violet,
Can you find a better Psychiatrist? You need someone to control the process, please do not just go off of any prescription med cold turkey. Everyone has different body chemistry, and especially with only one ovary, you are going to be on a different plan. Pandora and the ladies have some great advice, seek out a competent Md and get some guidance.

To answer your first question, I would go off the pills and not get another refill. Note that some insurance companies will give you grief for seeing fertility help until you have been trying for 6 months. They know when you last had your prescription filled. It sounds like you might qualify for help to begin with, but just wanted to put it out there. Its not like companies have hearts or anything.

Please, just do not go off your meds until you have devised a plan with an Md. Hugs, its an interesting road you are about to travel.

 

[violet02]

Date: 3/18/2009 2:15:01 PM
Author: swimmer
Violet,
Can you find a better Psychiatrist? You need someone to control the process, please do not just go off of any prescription med cold turkey. Everyone has different body chemistry, and especially with only one ovary, you are going to be on a different plan. Pandora and the ladies have some great advice, seek out a competent Md and get some guidance.

To answer your first question, I would go off the pills and not get another refill. Note that some insurance companies will give you grief for seeing fertility help until you have been trying for 6 months. They know when you last had your prescription filled. It sounds like you might qualify for help to begin with, but just wanted to put it out there. Its not like companies have hearts or anything.

Please, just do not go off your meds until you have devised a plan with an Md. Hugs, its an interesting road you are about to travel.

Pandora and MC: I''m so relieved to read that other people are taking Lamictal in this situation. My first doctor was the one that supported it and he retired so now I have the one I''m stuck with now. I''m currently on 250mg because of the birth control but I am going off of it currently. I really would like to stay on the lamictal during pregnancy though so I''m encouraged by this information

Swimmer: I am going to see my obgyn in a couple of weeks but this just inspires me more than ever to get a better doctor. It was hard enough switching from my old one to this one, the old one who I trusted. I seem to be prescribing myself wth this new doctor since he doesn''t seem to be that aware and I''ve been too swamped to find a new one. I''m going to call around today to find one. Thank you!

 

[violet02]

Date: 3/18/2009 2:15:01 PM
Author: swimmer
Violet,
Can you find a better Psychiatrist? You need someone to control the process, please do not just go off of any prescription med cold turkey. Everyone has different body chemistry, and especially with only one ovary, you are going to be on a different plan. Pandora and the ladies have some great advice, seek out a competent Md and get some guidance.

To answer your first question, I would go off the pills and not get another refill. Note that some insurance companies will give you grief for seeing fertility help until you have been trying for 6 months. They know when you last had your prescription filled. It sounds like you might qualify for help to begin with, but just wanted to put it out there. Its not like companies have hearts or anything.

Please, just do not go off your meds until you have devised a plan with an Md. Hugs, its an interesting road you are about to travel.

Pandora and MC: I''m so relieved to read that other people are taking Lamictal in this situation. My first doctor was the one that supported it and he retired so now I have the one I''m stuck with now. I''m currently on 250mg because of the birth control but I am going off of it currently. I really would like to stay on the lamictal during pregnancy though so I''m encouraged by this information

Swimmer: I am going to see my obgyn in a couple of weeks but this just inspires me more than ever to get a better doctor. It was hard enough switching from my old one to this one, the old one who I trusted. I seem to be prescribing myself wth this new doctor since he doesn''t seem to be that aware and I''ve been too swamped to find a new one. I''m going to call around today to find one. Thank you!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/18/2009 1:56:06 PM
Author: MC
Pandora - just wanted to note that I began taking Lamictal after having my kids. The prenatals I took had 800 mcg of Folic Acid in them and I began taking my prenatals 6 months before TTC and continued taking them until my younger son was one (until I stopped nursing him). Here''s the ones I took:

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=32645&catid=26977&aid=280302&aparam=df5628

Right now I''m on 225 mg of Lamictal. For years I had depression and tried Wellbutrin and it made me really manic. My dr. told me to start out at 150 mg every morning and I didn''t sleep AT ALL that first week. She said up the dose to 300 mg after two weeks and you can imagine what a ride that was! So, the Lamictal works sort of. . .it keeps me from getting too low and during the summer, I''m still slightly manic. I never was full-blown, just a little more engergized than a ''regular'' person and the Lamictal hasn''t interferred with that (which is nice - it''s always great to have a bit of a summer boost). After moving to my condo, I''ve discovered how much environment has played into my depression. In my light airy house, I never felt that deep funk, like I have been since Jan in my condo. It''s been a semi-rough couple of months.

I am really horrified at your doctor for doing that - you were seriously lucky not to get SJ with a start dose and increase like that! Normally they are even more cautious than in the USA than they are here and start you at 12.5mg and increase by that weekly till you are stable.

My sister was put on it and they increased hers by 50mg every 3 days - she ended up with a rash and had to stop taking it.

I went up originally in 25mg increments every month - it worked too well on my nerve pain to risk screwing it up...

The wonderful thing about Lamictal (for me anyway and it seems like you get the same thing) is that when you are on the right dose, it keeps you just on the up side of a normal base-line. Mildly hypomanic almost, so you get the energy and productiveness but not the downsides of full-blown hypomania (I''ve never been ''manic'' only full-on hypomanic). Most moodstabilsers keep you on the low side of normal so you''re just mildly depressed and flat all the time which is very tedious after a while!

My BP is very seasonal, so I tended to get a summer high anyway - the Lamictal just lets me have a controlled version all year round...

I tend to be very sensitive to very small dose increases/decreases and so the extra 25mg they added in the week before last has had a very nice effect - one of my psych. lot came round to see me today and said she hadn''t seen me so good in months.

Violet, any help/advice/reassurance needed, just let me know. I opted to reduce for the first 14 weeks - because I thought my life was super-stable, my doctors were supportive either way. If I had known what would happen work-wise I would never have done it as I''ve probably caused more damage to bebe by being depressed than the meds would have done. But, hindsight is a wonderful thing....

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Pandora - it was Wellbutrin that my previous dr. started at 150 mg and made me super manic. Sorry, looking back at my post, I realize that it sounded like I meant Lamictal. After that Wellbutrin adventure, I switched to another dr. and he started me at 25 mg of Lamictal and worked up from there. Here in the US they give out little starter packs (they probably do that in the UK and other places, as well) so I could easily track when to move up to the next amount.

Violet - I just checked and I''m actually at 250 mg as you are. The tablets are cheaper if I buy them in 200 mg size, so I cut a second tablet to make 4 X 50 mg. They never break evenly, so some days I get 235 and others probably 265! lol

FWIW, I did try and go off the medication and only went down by 50 mg (two weeks 25 less than another at 25 additional less) and during that time dealt with "withdrawls" that I would expect similar to what a person going off of Xanax would encounter. Mostly light social anxiety, which normally I do not have. It was really slight, and basically where when I''d go to the grocery store, I''d be a bit panicky! Just letting you know. If you do go down, work around a weekend or when you can take a day or two off from work.

 

[violet02]

Date: 3/18/2009 5:48:31 PM
Author: MC
Pandora - it was Wellbutrin that my previous dr. started at 150 mg and made me super manic. Sorry, looking back at my post, I realize that it sounded like I meant Lamictal. After that Wellbutrin adventure, I switched to another dr. and he started me at 25 mg of Lamictal and worked up from there. Here in the US they give out little starter packs (they probably do that in the UK and other places, as well) so I could easily track when to move up to the next amount.


Violet - I just checked and I''m actually at 250 mg as you are. The tablets are cheaper if I buy them in 200 mg size, so I cut a second tablet to make 4 X 50 mg. They never break evenly, so some days I get 235 and others probably 265! lol


FWIW, I did try and go off the medication and only went down by 50 mg (two weeks 25 less than another at 25 additional less) and during that time dealt with ''withdrawls'' that I would expect similar to what a person going off of Xanax would encounter. Mostly light social anxiety, which normally I do not have. It was really slight, and basically where when I''d go to the grocery store, I''d be a bit panicky! Just letting you know. If you do go down, work around a weekend or when you can take a day or two off from work.

I took Wellbutrin to quit smoking once and once I was off the patch, it made me totally manic so I got off of it. I love the Lamictal though. I have a friend on a 25mg dose. As I said before I was told that the birth control affects it so I am on a high dose supposedly because of that.

I made an appointment with a new dr today! He''s going to see me next Thursday and we''ll see what he says about the dosages then. I hope he''s good.

The weekend is a good tip. Thanks.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 3/18/2009 7:10:00 PM
Author: violet02


I took Wellbutrin to quit smoking once and once I was off the patch, it made me totally manic so I got off of it. I love the Lamictal though. I have a friend on a 25mg dose. As I said before I was told that the birth control affects it so I am on a high dose supposedly because of that.

I made an appointment with a new dr today! He''s going to see me next Thursday and we''ll see what he says about the dosages then. I hope he''s good.

The weekend is a good tip. Thanks.

Best of luck to you! Hope everything goes well.

It''s funny because the first few days I was on Wellbutrin, it was a ball! I felt great. If only I could get an RX for two tablets a month!!! lol I know that sounds horrible, but really. . .my house would be SO clean!

 

[sunnyd]

No advice here, I just wanted to say, you''re 37?!?!

I thought you were 27!!

Seriously, you look good! Congrats on TTC! ...flutters away...

 

[violet02]

Date: 3/25/2009 5:43:53 PM
Author: sunnyd
No advice here, I just wanted to say, you''re 37?!?!

I thought you were 27!!

Seriously, you look good! Congrats on TTC! ...flutters away...

Haha, thank you! It''s always good to know that I''m aging well.

 

[partgypsy]

Congratulations on ttc, it is an exciting time! I would highly suggest before actively trying to conceive is to have conversations with a) your ob gyn and b) the doctor who prescribes your medications. I discussed with my ob gyn before trying to conceive to get an idea about going off of birth control, etc. However I didn''t talk to the doctor whom I get another presciption from. After I had gotten pregnant I found out from my doctor that the class of medication I was may reduce folic acid levels and I really should have actually been taking double or triple the folic acid to counteract that. Additionally you said that you were taking a number of vitamins, and possibly other supplements. Too much vitamins (vit E) can be just as harmful as too little. It''s a good idea to review any meds, supplements, vitamins, lifestyle, also weight, with your doctors before trying to conceive. They may also give you additional information such if you don''t get pregnant immediately, what they suggest as first, second, third steps. Good luck!

 

[partgypsy]

Oops just realized alot of info I just posted is redundant, but you get the idea. I guess it is Vit A that is the baddie.

 

[atroop711]

Hi!

First off I would start prenatal vitamins (over the counter) now.

I''m 40 and just had my 3rd baby 4mo ago. I used FERTILITYFRIEND.COM and used their charting system. I got pregnant during the first try. Their charting system is GREAT! I highly recommend it!

My sister is an OB..most Dr won''t send you for fertility test. They will advise you to try for 6mo and after that if you aren''t pregnant, they will start test.

If you get pregnant prehoneymoon...you can''t say if you will be sick or not during your honeymoon. Every pg is diff. I had no sickness for my first 2 pg but with my last, I was sick like a dog.

GL

 

[kama_s]

Date: 3/17/2009 6:16:16 PM
Author: violet02


One thing of note is my medications. I do take some depression meds and my doctor has said he wants me to get off all meds before I start TTC. I''m scared to do it though because I have no idea what my moods will be like during. I had one previous doctor that said it was okay to take a low dose of the meds I am on but I think it''s probably best to get off altogether.

WHAT?!?!?!?! NOOO. *breathe in breathe out* Can I ask you what anti-deps you''re on? I''m going to copy-paste the post I wrote on another thread 1 minute ago:
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Most anti-depressants are safe to use during pregnany. With any medication in pregnany, what needs to be done is a risk-benefit assessment. So in this case, it would be the risk of being on the anti-depressant vs the benefits (/risks of NOT being on the anti-depressant). For most, the benefits far outweigh the risks. Studies have shown that children of mum''s getting adequate treatment for depression do much better than those not being treated. Also, no birth defects have ever been associated with anti-depressant exposure in pregnany.

The only thing you need to keep in mind is something known as poor neonatal adaptability syndrome. This is just basic withdrawal symptoms in the babies just after delivery - ususally last 24-72 hours max, and the only thing that needs to be done is have your OB/GYN keep an eye on your baby.

Your best source for information would be a teratology information service in your area. You can also have your MD contact one for more info

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I really don''t know why your MD said that, and unfortunately a LOT of MD''s say things like that to avoid liability. I wish they would just call us or any other teratology info service

Anyways, if you''ve decided you''d prefer to get off them, you asked about how long it would be out of your system. I can calculate that for you (I just need the name of the med).

Please feel free to ask me any more Q''s.