Meds?

[Ash]

As you know, I went off Lamictal when I found out that I was pregnant. That was over a month ago and I'm not doing well. I can't tell if my moods are "normal" pregnant moods or what. I'm crying a lot, I'm irritable a lot (which is causing havoc at home). This morning I felt again that I could't take all of the pressure anymore. I'm tired. I'm sick. I'm throwing up. I have to kids, who take a lot of attention and work. I'm just burnt out. If I weren't feeling so sick, I'd want to cut.

So, I don't know if I should start back up on meds. I'm so confused.

 

[Daniel E.]

LAMICTAL has an FDA Pregnancy Category C designation. There are no adequate, well-controlled studies of pregnant women receiving LAMICTAL. LAMICTAL should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. For more information on the use of LAMICTAL during pregnancy, please see the Pregnancy section of the complete Prescribing Information for LAMICTAL.
GSK - Service not currently available or no longer active

If a woman takes Lamictal during pregnancy, will it hurt the baby?

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assigns each medication to a Pregnancy Category according to whether it has been proven to be harmful in pregnancy. Lamictal is listed in Pregnancy Category C. This indicates that caution is advised, but the benefits of the medicine may outweigh the potential risks. Studies in animals have shown some harm to the baby, but there haven't been any good studies of results in women. There is no indication yet that Lamictal causes serious birth defects.

The risk of birth defects is higher for women who take more than one seizure medicine and for women with a family history of birth defects.

All women who are capable of becoming pregnant should take at least 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of the vitamin called folic acid every day because it helps to prevent one type of birth defect. (The most well-known of these is spina bifida, in which the spinal cord is not completely enclosed.) Women at high risk, such as those with a history of this kind of defect in a previous pregnancy, should take 4000 mcg (4 mg) daily, beginning before they become pregnant.

About 20% to 35% of women have seizures more often during pregnancy because of changes in hormones or changes in how their seizure medicine is handled by the body. This appears to be particularly true for Lamictal. It is helpful for the doctor to check the levels of medicine in the blood regularly during pregnancy so that the dosage can be adjusted if necessary.

Talk to the doctor if about your options if you're interested in breast-feeding the baby. The baby will get some Lamictal through the milk, and its possible effects are unknown. For this reason, breast-feeding while taking Lamictal is not recommended.
http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_lamictal_pregnancy.html

The manufacturer of Lamictal (GlaxoSmithKline) maintains a pregnancy registry for lamotrigine (Lamictal) and has presented preliminary data regarding outcomes of children exposed to lamotrigine in utero. Out of 200 children exposed to lamotrigine alone during the first trimester, four had major birth defects, representing a 2.0% risk of major malformation, which is within the range of 2 to 4% observed in the general population absent exposure to any known teratogen. Lamotrigine polytherapy, however, seems to carry a more significant risk, with a 6.5% risk of major malformation observed in a total of 184 cases. While this preliminary information is encouraging, further study is needed to better define the risks associated with lamotrigine use during pregnancy. (Physicians may obtain information regarding this GlaxoSmithKline registry by calling (800) 336-2176.)
Weekly Roundup for DECEMBER 10, 2021: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health

Related Link: Q: Lamictal & Pregnancy - BipolarWorld

 

[David Baxter PhD]

What about looking at "the Omega-3 solution", Ash?

Making some changes to your diet to load up on omgea-3 essential fatty acids and/or taking supplements (like salmon oil) may help not only your mood swings / anxiety / depression but also general health, including circulatory system health and digestive system health.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

See also Pregnancy and depression: Acupuncture may help.

 

[Daniel E.]

I have to kids, who take a lot of attention and work. I'm just burnt out.

Of course, having more "me time" could help, such as getting a sitter and going out to a spa for a massage.

 

[Ash]

Me time. What a joke. I feel like I don't have ANY downtime right now. I work eight hours. I come home and take care of the kids. Sometimes my bf cooks dinner, which is a help. I still end up cleaning, doing laundry, feeding the animals and changing their litter. Etc, etc, etc. I go to bed exhausted and I wake up exhausted. I know that doesn't help the mood at all.

Omega-3 is a great idea! I actually have some pre-natals that have Omega-3 in them. I'll start tonight.

 

[Daniel E.]

Yes, a housekeeping service that comes once a week could be of more help. Easier said than paid for, I know. So, instead, does your boyfriend seem he could be recruited to help more? Do you give your son an allowance to help you with some minor chores? I try to make the most of it when I do chores by listening to music, taking a tea break, etc. The cat's liter box cleans itself because I got one of those fancy self-cleaning litter boxes as a gift. Regarding cooking, my parents loved the magic of frozen family dinners. Boston Market, in the last few years, has really cashed in on having frozen dinners in grocery stores.

 

[Ash]

Yes, a housekeeping service that comes once a week could be of more help. Easier said than paid for, I know.

Quite! I'm already making quite a lot less than I used to so this is out of the question for now.

So, instead, does your boyfriend seem he could be recruited to help more? Do you give your son an allowance to help you with some minor chores?

I swear I can ask my bf a million times to do something and it won't get done. Normally this doesn't bother me very much but lately it's getting on my nerves.

I try to make the most of it when I do chores by listening to music, taking a tea break, etc.

Maybe I should just let things be until the weekend when I have more time and more energy. Trying to work and then run home and clean is just too much. I don't think my bf quite understands how hard being pregnant is on the body. I mean, it takes A LOT out of you. So I get tired and stressed out easily, which upsets him. I can't win.

The cat's liter box cleans itself because I got one of those fancy self-cleaning litter boxes as a gift.

That's actually a good idea. This was an item of contention between myself and my bf because I would spend days nagging him to do it and then end up having to do it myself anyway. Which would really irritate me! Then he wonders why I get so upset over it. <sigh>

Regarding cooking, my parents loved the magic of frozen family dinners. Boston Market, in the last few years, has really cashed in on having frozen dinners in grocery stores.

We definitely do this more often than naught. We try to get things that are prepared easily and quickly. Who has time anymore?

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Daniel E.]

It does seem almost impossible to get most men to do chores without rewarding them or doing other psychological tricks like leaving the house a mess:

Ways to Involve Dads in Household Chores

 

[Daniel E.]

Excerpt from "Pregnant? Omega-3 Essential for Baby's Brain (7/16/04)":

Researchers found that infants born to mothers with higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at delivery had advanced levels of attention spans well into their second year of life. During the first six months of life, these infants were two months ahead of those babies whose mothers had lower DHA levels.
...
Levine says studies suggest that women need about 250 mg of DHA daily during pregnancy, but very few are getting it.

WebMD - Better information. Better health.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

The more I learn about Omega 3 efa's, the more it seems like the miracle nutrient.