Bipolar & pregnacy, pros and cons?!
Question: Bipolar & pregnacy, pros and cons!?
I'm newly married & have been with my husband for 7 years!. I've had Bipolar disorder my whole life!.
Eventually, I'd like to have a family but I'm terrified of what my BP symptoms & medication can do to my baby!. The fact that it seems I CANNOT hurts so much!. I think I'd be a good mom, & my husband is a great dad!.
I take Lamictal which can cause birth defects like cleft-pallet!. Estrogen & progesterone hormones are dangerous while on Lamictal, my symptoms get worse when unmedicated & I have a high chance of developing post-pardom depression!. Not to mention mental illnesses are hereditary!.
So, are there any mothers out there who have had the same issue but successfully raised/are raising children!?
What are some opinions on adopting children- will my anger & depressive episodes make them feel isolated (for lack of a better word)!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Eventually, I'd like to have a family but I'm terrified of what my BP symptoms & medication can do to my baby!. The fact that it seems I CANNOT hurts so much!. I think I'd be a good mom, & my husband is a great dad!.
I take Lamictal which can cause birth defects like cleft-pallet!. Estrogen & progesterone hormones are dangerous while on Lamictal, my symptoms get worse when unmedicated & I have a high chance of developing post-pardom depression!. Not to mention mental illnesses are hereditary!.
So, are there any mothers out there who have had the same issue but successfully raised/are raising children!?
What are some opinions on adopting children- will my anger & depressive episodes make them feel isolated (for lack of a better word)!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
You are right!.!.!. it's a hard decision to make!.
You should seriously consider talking to your doctor about your wanting to have a baby!.
It's not impossible!.!.!. it's tough!.!.!. but, not impossible!.
I am also bipolar!. So is my husband!. I did get pregnant but was not medicated during the pregnancy!.
He is now also bipolar!.!.!. he inherited it from my husband and I!.!.!. the odds were pretty good that he would have it!.
Talk about a crazy household!. We are all medicated!. And you know what!? We are all doing okay!. We have had many ups and downs!. It is a very rough road!. But, I wouldn't change having a child!.!.!. ever!.
I think adopting would be a good idea too!.!.!. as long as you continue to take your medication and see your doctor!. We are not bad people at all!.!.!. we just have to keep on top of things!.
Just discuss it with your doctor!.!.!. that's the main thing!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You should seriously consider talking to your doctor about your wanting to have a baby!.
It's not impossible!.!.!. it's tough!.!.!. but, not impossible!.
I am also bipolar!. So is my husband!. I did get pregnant but was not medicated during the pregnancy!.
He is now also bipolar!.!.!. he inherited it from my husband and I!.!.!. the odds were pretty good that he would have it!.
Talk about a crazy household!. We are all medicated!. And you know what!? We are all doing okay!. We have had many ups and downs!. It is a very rough road!. But, I wouldn't change having a child!.!.!. ever!.
I think adopting would be a good idea too!.!.!. as long as you continue to take your medication and see your doctor!. We are not bad people at all!.!.!. we just have to keep on top of things!.
Just discuss it with your doctor!.!.!. that's the main thing!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I think you and your husband need to discuss it with your doctor!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I think that adoption would be a better option for you!. My husband's youngest sister was born with some defects and mental retardation because his mother was taking medications at the time of conception and beyond that!.
Everyone in my husband's family (all his siblings) are relatively normal!. One of them is showing signs of bipolar or cyclothymic disorder, but she won't get help!.!.!. Anyway no one is normal in all reality, I'm a little quirky and I grew up in a "normal" household!. But I mean they grew up with a mother who inconsistently took her medication and did a lot of crazy things, but they know she has a mental disorder!. I think if you consistently take your meds and keep in touch with your doc or therapist and your symptoms are under control you should be fine!. Your husband will be there to support you and help with the kids when you are having a down day!. You will also need to explain to your child when they are old enough to understand in an age appropriate way about bipolar disorder!. You can even take them to family therapy so they can get their issues out in the open!. But I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to start a family if your partner is agreeable in the decision!. Best of luck!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Everyone in my husband's family (all his siblings) are relatively normal!. One of them is showing signs of bipolar or cyclothymic disorder, but she won't get help!.!.!. Anyway no one is normal in all reality, I'm a little quirky and I grew up in a "normal" household!. But I mean they grew up with a mother who inconsistently took her medication and did a lot of crazy things, but they know she has a mental disorder!. I think if you consistently take your meds and keep in touch with your doc or therapist and your symptoms are under control you should be fine!. Your husband will be there to support you and help with the kids when you are having a down day!. You will also need to explain to your child when they are old enough to understand in an age appropriate way about bipolar disorder!. You can even take them to family therapy so they can get their issues out in the open!. But I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to start a family if your partner is agreeable in the decision!. Best of luck!Www@Answer-Health@Com
What does your doctor think about you getting off meds and carrying a baby!? It looks like you'd have to get off of the medication to have the baby, but then it's terrifying to think what could happen to you off of medication!. I mean, pregnancy is trying enough without having to cope through your mental illness!. On the plus side, the chance of your child having bipolar is only 25-30%(since your husband does NOT have bipolar disorder)--I know 25-30% is a lot but the kid's chances of NOT having bipolar are still greater!. Plus, it's not like you're handing the child a death sentence!. As you know, bipolar is a manageable disease and a lot of beautiful things were created by those with bipolar disorder!.
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't adopt!. I don't think your illness is going to isolate the child!. I don't think you'd treat your adopted child any differently than if it was your own!. I think the fact that you are so concerned about this is proof that you're going to be a good mother!. I don't believe you'll even let your child feel the residual affects of your illness because you seem to be that conscientious!.
I don't have children nor do I have bipolar disorder, but I have worked with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia for many years!. Many of them have the same concerns as you do!. Today, many of them are happy parents with amazing families!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't adopt!. I don't think your illness is going to isolate the child!. I don't think you'd treat your adopted child any differently than if it was your own!. I think the fact that you are so concerned about this is proof that you're going to be a good mother!. I don't believe you'll even let your child feel the residual affects of your illness because you seem to be that conscientious!.
I don't have children nor do I have bipolar disorder, but I have worked with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia for many years!. Many of them have the same concerns as you do!. Today, many of them are happy parents with amazing families!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
So, you know that if you stay on the meds and get pregnant, your baby will likely have birth defects!. You know that if you go off them and get pregnant you will become extremely unbalanced to the point where you may not be able to be healthy during your pregnancy!. And you know that mental illness is strongly genetic!. Basically, there is no good outcome no matter what you do!.
Why on earth would you put yourself or your child at that kind of risk!?
If you simply can't go on without children, why don't you adopt!? There are enough kids in the world already who don't have loving homes!. And instead of creating another life that will likely be riddled with problems, why not try to make some other child's life better!?
I just don't see the point in putting yourself or your child in so much danger just so you can say s/he came from your womb!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Why on earth would you put yourself or your child at that kind of risk!?
If you simply can't go on without children, why don't you adopt!? There are enough kids in the world already who don't have loving homes!. And instead of creating another life that will likely be riddled with problems, why not try to make some other child's life better!?
I just don't see the point in putting yourself or your child in so much danger just so you can say s/he came from your womb!.Www@Answer-Health@Com