Newbie - where do I ask this question??

[Panthergirl]

Hi all!

I've just joined the forum, new today!

I have a question for the females on the forum that have been pregnant whilst on medication.

Does anyone know where the best place to post would be??

Thanks

Jo

[skillefer]

Here's fine. (Currently pregnant and on meds... that's me. )

[Panthergirl]

Thanks!

Firstly, congratulations! Is everything going ok?

I just wondered if I should see my neurologist before I try for a baby. (We want to start trying after out wedding in Dec this year).

I am on Lamotragine which is the medication that LEAST affects an unborn baby.

Did you see your neurologist before you got pregnant? That is if it was planned! (Not intending to come accross as judgemental)!

Also, do you have to have more scans/check-ups than the "normal" person??

[skillefer]

LOL...good questions..

I went to talk to my neurologist about wanting kids 5 years ago when my hubby and I first got married. My neurologist told me to start taking folic acid immediately. So I've been taking 800 mcg. of folic acid ever since. the folic acid reduces the chances of birth defects. we just got pregnant in October of 2008 and are expecting in July. The baby is fine...using my bladder for a soccer ball and moves quite a bit. so far, all my doc reports say I'm healthy. Gained a little too much weight...but I'm eating healthy, and the baby and I are fine.

Lamotragine (I think that's generic for Lamictal) is supposedly the safest meds to get pregnant on. When I got pregnant, I was on phenobarbital. The Ob and my neurologist both suggested I switch to Dilantin. My ob has plenty of experience working with women who are on anti-epileptic drug's. (make sure that you ask, because some OB's have NO experience working with women with epilepsy..and you want someone who will know what to do in case you seize during delivery.) My high-risk Ob tried to insist I switch to Lamictal and I told him no. My reason, was because my neurologist and I had talked about what med to switch to in the event that I got pregnant 5 years ago...also, as my neurologist says, there is NO 100% safe med to be on while pregnant, and that's including asprin. I read up on Lamictal, and at the time it was a class C drug...my neurologist explained that the only reason it was class C according to the FDA was because it hadn't really been around long enough for them to have enough data. Sure enough, a couple of months ago, the FDA changed it from a class C to a class D drug because of the higher chances for cleft palate. I read through all the possible problems that Dilantin, phenobarb, depakote, and lamictal could cause...and decided that I could deal with the 10% chance of problems that Dilantin has. I tend to be an optimist, so I view that as a 90% chance of having a perfectly normal baby.

[Panthergirl]

Brilliant, thanks for all this!

I am happy everything is going well for you!

I have been told that if you go and see you rneurologist that they try really hard to get you to come off tablets completely.

Maybe I should go and see a doctor at my local surgey and discuss my concerns etc. In fact, thinking about it, I think there is a 'pre-pregnancy clinic' that my doctors offers. Maybe this is worth going to??

[skillefer]

LOL...probably a good idea.

I had a longer reply but it kicked me out before i could finish. So, to give you quick and dirty...My pregnancy is going great. All reports say the baby is healthy. As to whether the docs take you off the meds completely, it all depends on your seizures. I have grandmals (tonic clonics). so instead of pulling me off my meds and risking me having multiple seizures (where i could fall on my belly or quit breathing and the baby not get enough oxygen..) they switched me to Dilantin. My high risk ob wanted me to switch to Lamictal, but I told him no. (personally, I think he's a weiney. I don't understand how a high -risk ob can examine 2 women in 15 minutes....that , and he has lousy bedside manner....I'm not the only one that complained....my ob says that's pretty much the consensus of everyone that goes to him. )

Yes, I have more doc appts then the average pregnant woman. That's due to the seizures as well as my age. (i'm 37) Make sure that you like your ob and that they have experience working with women with epilepsy. Mine does. And above all else, as my neurologist and ob told me...don't stress. The stress will hurt the baby more then you having a seizure will. so as my ob told me, go home and enjoy pregnancy.

[Panthergirl]

Your ob sounds very nice! Shame he/she isn't in the UK! LOL

It does sound like Lamictal is probably the best one to be on for pregnancy anyway which is good!

It sounds like it is important to have the right medical staff around you. My blood type is also a reasonably rare one (resus negative) so I will have to have injections too for that. (Just remembered abiout that). All in all it sounds like a good idea for me to see someone before we try, that way we know what to expect etc.

Thanks for your advice! Hope everything goes well for you and baby! :-)

Keep me updated!

Lodza love

Jo x x x

[skillefer]

No problem!