re: Mental health support.

Quoting ✰ johnna ✰:" You are at higher risk because of your disorders. I am taking Lamictal (for bipolar.. it helps a lot), ... [snip!] ... comes back.. especially if I develop postpartum depression again (god forbid .. that was one of the worst years in my life..)"

I'm taking Lamictal and Wellbutrin right now, i'm 6 weeks pregnant. I'm scared to death of what will show up on the u/s, defects wise. I've research the meds some. I wasn't on the meds with my first two pregnancies, so I wasn't so concerned. I know that I can't function without the two. I feel like i'm selfish for doing so. My OB said it was fine to take those, and then the nurse I saw said only to take them if absolutely necessary and was basically trying to talk me out of it. It's like.. lady if you knew what i'm like without it, you'd be begging me to take them.  

Has everything been alright in your pregnancy so far with Lamictal?

Quoting Jamie ♥ [4.3.2013]:" I'm taking Lamictal and Wellbutrin right now, i'm 6 weeks pregnant. I'm scared to death of what will ... [snip!] ... i'm like without it, you'd be begging me to take them.   Has everything been alright in your pregnancy so far with Lamictal?"

Absolutely. I am 29 weeks now, and my baby is beating me up just as much as the other two did (didn't have meds for the other two). She's also doing just as well on the ultrasounds (I've had two so far), and my doctors haven't expressed any concern about it whatsoever. Everything is fine.

The most important thing is that while all of my symptoms have not disappeared, I am doing Soooo much better in this pregnancy than I would be without the meds.

I am really really grateful to be on something that helps because I still have the same misgivings about this pregnancy and baby that I had before the meds started to work, but now those misgivings aren't all consuming horrifying and depressing concepts. It will be hard, but we'll manage.

Also, I'm yelling a Lot less. I'm able to relax a lot more, and I don't feel so overwhelmed by the needs of my husband and the two kids I already have.

The benefits greatly outweigh the risks in my opinion. I am confident that I can have this baby and cope with the struggles that I know I'll face having to raise three children (one of whom will be almost two when she's born) and not being able to have so much help from my husband (he's trying to find a second job to handle the financial stress).. and all the stuff that would seem completely and thoroughly impossible if I wasn't on medication.

Quoting Jamie ♥ [4.3.2013]:" I'm taking Lamictal and Wellbutrin right now, i'm 6 weeks pregnant. I'm scared to death of what will ... [snip!] ... i'm like without it, you'd be begging me to take them.   Has everything been alright in your pregnancy so far with Lamictal?"

Also!!! Don't Stop Taking the Lamictal! Seriously! Don't. Not without doctor's guidance.. If you want to stop, you make SURE that you are doing it under supervision.

I ran out of my scrip and didn't get it refilled right away, and I had a couple kind of bad days, and one seriously smurffy horrible day before I got it refilled, and I researched it and found out that withdrawal form Lamictal causes you to have all of the same crazy symptoms you were having before you started taking it, only more suddenly and intensely.. Not good. You definitely don't want to just stop taking it when you're pregnant. You have to wean off slowly and be careful.

That's part of the reason that I have no problem whatsoever nursing this baby even while I take Lamictal. It passes into breast milk, but the baby will be getting Much less through the milk than she's getting right now in the womb.. it won't even be close to a therapeutic dose, and I figure that it will be better to slowly wean her off of it by nursing than to just have her suddenly not getting any of it once she's born.

Of course, from what I've read, babies don't have withdrawal anyway from Lamictal when they're born.. I guess they don't get a big enough dose in the womb either? .. I just figure that that's still a valid argument for nursing since she'll be getting even less than she is now.

Quoting ✰ johnna ✰:" Also!!! Don't Stop Taking the Lamictal! Seriously! Don't. Not without doctor's guidance.. If you want ... [snip!] ... womb either? .. I just figure that that's still a valid argument for nursing since she'll be getting even less than she is now."

Both of your posts put me more at ease, thank you.
I only get an u/s on Monday, then at 20 weeks. I wish i'd get more just to check out the baby  

I'm not going to BF this baby, especially because of the Wellbutrin.

Anyone else (bipolar) have difficulty differentiating between normal moods and messed up moods.. or how much is normal and how much is not..?

I mean I've been hearing and reading about a lot of sad stuff lately, so it makes sense that I'd feel sad.. but how much of that sad is normal and how much is just my brain over-doing it? And not to mention the whole pregnancy thing.. How much of it is pregnancy hormones sensitivity?

I am so afraid of getting depressed (anxiety disorder too, yay) that I'm always on the look out.. Anytime I start to feel sad in a way that feels like its more than what it should be, especially if it seems to be the theme of the day.. and especially if I notice some somewhat illogical but persuasive negative thoughts..I start to get nervous wondering if its about to get bad again.. so far it hasn't.. not since the Lamictal kicked in a few months ago..

Of course I also have a disorder which should be called Emotional Dysregulation Disorder (that's not what its called, but I hate what its called, and it might be called this in the new DSM) .. and there's no medication for that.. and maybe its just that.. difficulty regulating emotions and over-responding to emotional stimuli..

I guess there's no way to know if this is the beginning of a bad phase or just sad day until tomorrow or the next day or whenever it goes away (or doesn't).

I think too much.

I wish I had known all that before I had my daughter. My psych told me to stop taking all of my meds immediately when I found out I was pregnant. My ob was furious but he still didn't want me on lamictil so I had to start all over after I had dd.  
Ive noticed if I miss my meds for more than a couple days (I'm not the best at taking meds) I get super sick. I mean like, head spinning, nauseated...sick.

I haven't really been around for a few months, but I've been lurking for the past few days...
This thread really helped me when I had my breakdown last year.

I don't even know what to say, I'm in a really crappy space right now, and no matter how self pretending to be ok with him just like I do with everyone else.much better things get or I try make them, there's always this underlying misery.
I've been working 18 hours days to improve the financial situation for us, it's worked, I managed to make some money so we're ok for a while, even made a bit extra so I could buy a watch for training like I've wanted for years, I feel worse than ever today.
I just wish I could switch life off for a while.

I'm still convinced that I'm not getting the right treatment for my condition. I don't know what to do about that. My GP tries, he's really great, but I find myself pretending to be ok with him as much as I do with everyone else. I'd give anything to be normal.

I have one friend at this point in time, and he's being a dick right now, we've been fighting constantly for days if not longer. He's convinced that I just need to come right and there's nothing wrong with me, I don't need drugs etc. At least when I'm on the Nuzak I don't flip out totally, I'm just miserable, without it I tend to lose it, my temper, control of my emotions, everything. He just thinks I've had a hard life. He gets pissed when I tell him this is who I am.

I don't even know what the point of this is, I guess I haven't had anyone to talk to for a good few months (not really) so I just needed to get some stuff out.

If you read this, thank you.

Deleted Post.. I don't understand smurf... Never mind.

My dreams have been driving me CRAZY lately. It feels like I just found out Seth passed, or I just got abandoned by someone as soon as I wake up and it takes forever to shake it off.   I hate it. It wears me out before the day's even started.

Missing my xanax today  
My husband is restoring his 84' chevy truck and has it outside so he can work on it. Well the city sent us a letter saying we have to move in into the garage. I know our neighbor said something. She's a stuck up bitch who I can't stand. She thinks she's better than everyone else, and her daughter has the attitude as well. Can't wait to move, sad I know.

Overwhelmed with how much cleaning needs to be done. I had to just stop and say "it will get done" and a million times and take some deep breaths. Holy cow, can't wait to get in bed and read my kindle. Calms me down so much.

Quoting Rain (aka Mama):" My dreams have been driving me CRAZY lately. It feels like I just found out Seth passed, or I just got ... [snip!] ... as soon as I wake up and it takes forever to shake it off.   I hate it. It wears me out before the day's even started."

I'm sorry. I hope today was better. I hate having dreams, I wish there was an off switch.

So many people in this world have mental illness, so i'm sure a lot of people can relate to this... I have Borderline personality disorder, PTSD, Depression and anxiety. I hate myself for it. I pretend I dont have it, and take on tasks that I really shouldn't, and then crash and burn. I have been on celexa and it helps a bit, but I still have my really bad moments. I tried taking on a full time job, and I couldn't handle it. I tear myself apart for it. I did sign up for school, I know i can handle that a bit better (in a way..). Most of the time I feel okay, and in control. But the other night when I was talking with my dad (he was in and out of my life since i was 2) and he brought up a lot of bad things, I spent that night dry heaving over a trash barrel. I couldnt feel better until I took 2 melatonin and an ativan and passed out in my bed. I just wish this would STOP. I'm a lot better than I use to be, but I feel like I'm going to live in this hell forever.

It's been so quiet in here...

I'm trying to figure out what to do with my anxiety meds. Xanax worked awesome. But I went from being able to use 1 pill to needing 2 (or 3 if it was really bad) each time. And considering that my psychiatrist already hates Xanax, he took me off it and put me on Seroquel, but that's not working. I took two and felt nothing   Grr.

Quoting Rain (aka Mama):" It's been so quiet in here... I'm trying to figure out what to do with my anxiety meds. Xanax worked ... [snip!] ... already hates Xanax, he took me off it and put me on Seroquel, but that's not working. I took two and felt nothing   Grr."

Ask about Trazadone next time

I love my seroquel

Quoting Kelly&Coralie:" Ask about Trazadone next time I love my seroquel"

What size dose do you take? I wonder if it's just not strong enough.