Pregnancy & Sleeping tablets

[XxLostxX]

Hello, wow it's been a while since i've used RYL and i'd imagine nobody even remembers me since it's been years but i am just popping back for some advice really.

Anybody on here have children ? If so when you were pregnant were you on sleeping meds?
The ones i'm on at the moment can risk the babys development apparently but i dont think i can not sleep for hte next 6-7 months.

Thanks for any advice.

[finding_reason]

have you chatted with your GP or OB about continuing to take this sleeping medication? have they advised you to continue taking it?

I know for me I was taken off all medications but my anti anxiety as it was deemed the most essential and the withdrawal would have more affects that may be dangerous.

from my knowledge there may be some sleeping tablets that you could take, but I also wonder if this is a time for you to develop sleeping resources within your to fall asleep? I don't know if you are planning on nursing but you won't be able to take them then earlier so its going to be longer than 6-7 months.

hormones and brain changes occur during pregnancy and perhaps it may prompt more restfullness and thus sleep might occur. there are lots of natural prodcuts that can assist help but again consult a professional before trying them. in addition it may be good to ensure that your sleep routine is good and prompting sleep I know for myself that prior to pregnancy I wasn't as aware of my sleep hygiene and since i have made considerable adjustments.

during my pregnancy i had severe insomnia but i wasn't tired so it was a good fortune, i would catch a few hours if lucky a night but everyone is different. I think it would be best to speak with the person that is overseeing your care as they would best know your situation.

best of luck.

[roiben]

Although I do not have children myself, I have always been told that should I become pregnant I would have to stop my sleep medication (zopiclone). I also know that my friend when she became pregnant had to stop hers as well, and so was without sleeping tablets, as it could cause harm to her baby. As finding reason says, if you are planning on breast-feeding you also need to remember that you can't take the medicines while breast-feeding as well.

It is a good idea to talk to your Dr and your Medwife to see what your options are and what they advise. They can also let you know about the alternatives that are suitable, and suggest ways of coping during and after pregnancy.

Roiben x

[StillCrazy]

Hi there,

Ive recently given birth but from 11 weeks till 36 weekz i was on low dose quetiapine to help with my illness. I pretty much leveled out during the pregnancy but took this just to help with certain things. Anyway i saw a perinatal psychiatrist who told me it was one of the safest newer drugs to take. (Obviously this is what ive been told and i suggest that you seek advice from ur dr) it worked as a sleeping med too. I came off it at 36 weeks to help reduce and withdrawals my baby might have experienced.

There are alot of medications that arent safe and can cause problems to the baby. One thing i do suggest tho is that if you have to take something increase your folic acid intake as it can help against the meds.

Just want to add my baby was born healthy despite taking the quetiapine.

Hope that helps some x

[XxLostxX]

thanks for your replies finding Reason without sleeping tablets i purely don't sleep which causes me to dissociate (SH/OD etc), end up with 1-2 hours a night and it's sent me off the rails more than once. sleep hygiene and stuff never really worked, due to the dissociation unfortunately. its quite complex, am seeing my Gp again tomorrow. Thanks again for the reply

Roiben, Zopiclone is one of the tablets i'm still on. The GP said it wont cause developmental problems but is the main one as far as withdrawals for the baby go. Have already reduced this by half and also yaking it every other night to try and get off it gradually. Dr said this was safe to do because it wont affect the baby until tri three (am only at the end of tri 1) Thank you for replying :)


StillCrazy- quetiapine was the one the Dr took me off straight away saying it was likely to cause harm in development. He looked that up in his book though so don't think he really knew, my CPN is contacting the perinatal pysch to see what they say hopefully she will have an idea! Did they say coming off it 4 weeks before you were due was best & did it mean baby didn't withdraw? Thanks :)

[StillCrazy]

The first trimester is the most important time for development. Each drug had a risk percentage and have pregnancy catergories. Meds deemed safe are B or above, c cat is where there is none or not enough data in pregnancy and the meds should be taken when risk to mother outweigh risks to baby, d cat meds data has shown there is risk to fetus and malformations have occured to fetuses. X cat meds are deemed very unsafe and should not be taken at all in pregnancy.

Quetiapine is a cat c drug. I came off it 4 weeks early as i knew it would give baby the best chance of not having withdrawals. As i had to wean off it too it helped baby to too. Baby had no withdrawals at all from it.

I hope you get to see a perinatal psych soon they know best regarding pregnant women and postpartum women too. My psych is fab, he listens and doesnt try to push meds onto you if you dont want to take them.

Hope that helps