Pregnant Woman With Bipolar Disorder Writes Powerful Message About The Importance of Being Medicated
May 8, 2019
When you're pregnant, you do everything you can to take care of the baby. But as one mom-to-be with bipolar disorder wants other women to know, you can't take care of your baby without taking care of yourself first.
This expectant mother, who was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder earlier this year, posted a PSA of sorts to Reddit about taking prescription medication as needed. She explained that she recently lost her father, she's going through a divorce, and she lost her job last week. She spoke with her doctors about everything that's going on, and two weeks ago (when she was 22 weeks pregnant), they prescribed her the antidepressant Lexapro.
This mom-to-be said taking the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is saving her "sanity," but she's had to deal with some unfounded criticism. "The few people who know have lectured me on the dangers of the medication," she wrote, "as if doctors didn't carefully weigh this against the possibility of my chronic depression and bipolar being triggered by such severe losses during this pregnancy."
The Reddit mom-to-be and her doctors took the right approach. As Siobhan Dolan, M.D., previously told Parents.com, when pregnant women need medication for health issues, "it's all about weighing the risks and benefits for moms and babies and getting to the safest medication."
Expert say there are several antidepressants that carry a small risk of harm to a developing fetus. But for women who suffer from depression, not treating the symptoms may carry a higher risk than the medication's potential side effects on the baby.
That's why the Reddit mom-to-be wants women to open up to their doctors about their issues. "It's okay to need help when you're pregnant! It's okay to admit you're NOT okay to your doctor!" she wrote.
And your doctor should be open to discussing what course of medication is right for you before, during, and after pregnancy. This can vary widely from one patient to another, and what works best for you might be entirely different from the recommended treatment for another mom-to-be.
No matter what your symptoms may be, though, you shouldn't ignore them because you're only focused on the baby. As the Reddit mom-to-be said: "It's okay to prioritize yourself while you're growing a life! YOU are important and your needs while getting through your pregnancy are just as important as anything else."
"Love your [babies] growing in you," she added. "Love each other. Most importantly, love yourself."
