bipolar and pg

[tyaca]

any experiences?

i have been off meds and fine (if slightly nuts and low sometimes) for 8 yrs now.

am 19wks pg with first and have been a bit more bonkers than usual, but last night i scared myself and had the horrible drug like acidy feeling, and this morning super focus vision, not sleeping but not tired, walked out of work this afternoon

made gp appointment, but not til next thurs

sure all is fine, but interested to hear anyone elses experiences

Hi tyaca. Didnt want you to go unanswered. I dont have first hand experience but have an awareness of mental health etc.

Sounds like pregnancy hormones may be triggering symptoms of your bipolar. I think you need to get earlier GP appointment and ask for some support. Would you consider being monitored/supported by mental health team?

Alternatively you could try your local MIND.

Do you have a supportive family?

hi there-
not personal but professional experience.
basically, the fact that your hormones go wild in pregnancy throws everything in your body out of kilter. this can include your bpd. since you are past the 1st trimester you could discuss taking medication with a doctor if this is something you are comfortable with, though ideally you should see a specialist while pg. you should be able to see someone via A&E if you are struggling to get an appointment, and IMO its bettter to be on the safe side.

one other thing to note is that you are more at risk of having a relapse after your baby is born, so it is well worth getting in touch with services now, in order to have support available for when the baby arrivess.

good luck

hi guys, ty for responses

mmelody, two docs at my surgery, one ace one rubbish. holding out for the ace one. just having the apptmnt is helping to be honest. sometimes just touching base will helps

barryscott - after my awful 12 hours, i scared myself by going online and finding out pg can be a big relapse trigger. was always told should be prepared for, but not pg, and to be honest such a long time since proper ill, all seems so long ago

hard to tell whats normal nuts and not normal nuts. but had good sleep last night and while i feel liked i'm on extra sensory mode today and in gen i feel mostly ok. BUT V GLAD got dr's next week

your responses really appreciated. many thanks

xc

hi tyaca
sorry if I sounded a bit like the voice of doom and gloom before - I certainly didn't mean to! Just wanted to add that I know several fab mums with BPAD (including someone in my family), so even if you do have a little wobble, I'm sure things will work out just dandy in the long term.

I'm sure the drugs for bi-polar are much better these days, but my mum in the early seventies was pregnant with my brother and when he was born she went into a very bad attack of PNCD and for the first 9 months of his life my brother was looked after by my dad's parents and i was farmed off to be looked after by my mum's mum.
It was a horrendous time, i was 3yrs old at the time and all i can remember was a terrible loss.
Even now i'm very protective of my brother and my Mum and as i said before, i hope there is better medication thesedays, so no children have to go through what we did
AB

Oops i meant PND.