Posted by Noa on January 5, 2003, at 9:24:58
In reply to Re: Could be pregnant should I stop meds?, posted by Calaway on January 5, 2003, at 0:16:30
I recently talked to my doctor about my medication and pregnancy. He had told me I would need to get off the effexor before the pregnancy--that first trimester is highest concern. However, I also read in a book about women and depression ("When Words Are Not Enough: The Women's Prescription for Depression and Anxiety"
by Valerie Davis Raskin), that it takes a few weeks for the blood vessels to develop through which medication in your system would transmit to the fetus. But talk to your doctor NOW.BTW, my doc also said that if I got very depressed mid-pregnancy, after 1st trimester, I could go back on the meds--still risks to fetus but not as high as 1st trimester, when the major stuff can go wrong. Still, if I were on effexor when baby is born, baby would go through withdrawal. Now, I have had a taste of withdrawal symptoms when I forgot to take my meds one day and skipped the day, so I would hate to put a baby through that. Also, I worry about not just the major malformations, but also what if the medication causes subtle damage to the brain during later pregnancy, when the cortex of the brain is developing--could my kid turn out with learning disabilties, ADHD, etc.?
BTW, My doctor had actually recommended to me that if I do decide to get pregnant, I should do so in vitro so that we can control the timing of conception, so that I won't have to be off my medication for an extended period of time while trying to get pregnant. But that is because my fertility potential is an unknown factor and because I am in my 40's. It doesn't sound like this is an issue for you.
poster:Noa
thread:134239
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021230/msgs/134591.html