need help with being on benzos and pregnancy

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I didn't know where to put this question so I put it in this forum....

has anyone had a pregnancy while on a benzo and the baby came out healthy???  I have been doing all kinds of research on babies born to benzo's addicted mothers. It scares me. The reason is...i just found out that I am pregnant, not planned by no means. I am 40yrs old, have two boys 18 and 16, my husband and I are very happy the way things were. We are both afraid with me being on xanax's that the baby could have a defect or have learning/emotional disabilities. The first three months is the most vital time of the babies development.  Unfortunately, a year ago i put a halt on my tapering off of my xanax's, i didn't go up, i stayed at 1 to 2mgs a day.....please if anyone has any information about this question let me know. I thank you in advance...emotionally torn!!! :'(

[[wo...]]

Wow, that is quite a question. I don't have any personal experience with that. I'm assuming you have talked to your Dr. but got no real information?

Hang out here and see what pops up. Or maybe someone will know where you can research it more. Are you planning on tapering now?

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I just found out yesterday Saturday, then took another test this morning...so I haven't been able to talk with my doctor yet. I plan on talking with him tomorrow as soon as i get up, Monday.

 

Yes, I do plan on tapering off of them, today, so far I only took .5mg, I can't say if i will take anymore around bedtime, but so far I feel fine. I think maybe this is my chance for getting off of them for good, I am a person who believes things happen for a reason, and maybe this happened for me to be strong in my mind and soul to be able to taper off of these meds and be done for the rest of my life. It just isn't me anymore, I have someone else to think about. Still emotional torn :'(

[[Be...]]

I think you are right, ggms.  This is your opportunity to rid yourself of these drugs and you have a wonderful incentive.  BTW, I know we have a member Traycee who is due anytime now and was on benzos when she got pregnant.  Last we heard from her, she and the baby were doing fine and she was still tapering.

 

I know it is tempting to try taking as little as possible now, but it's really a better idea to taper off in a planned fashion.  The other way, you will probably find that you succumb to the need for more of the xanax, whereas when you are tapering slowly, you get committed to following your plan. 

 

When you see your doctor, try to get a script for the smallest available strength; I believe xanax comes in 0.25mg tablets. Then you will be able to reduce your daily dose by a small amount every week or two, which minimizes withdrawal symptoms.

 

 

[[wo...]]

I believe that too. .....It is always pretty quiet here on the weekends, but you will get good help here. My opinion is that I think things will work out. I mean when you think of the "old days" when we were born and the meds back then ......I think all is possible especially this!!! I really do. Hang tough! I know you are scared.  ....sending you some love...

[[Wi...]]

 

Hey GGMS

  just so you know my mother took different phsyc meds while pregnant with me .I can pretty much gaurentee that as she could not go without something the entire nine months as she would have ended up in the hospital..

she started taking tranquilizers when she was very young..

  here is some info that I found for you...just google benzos and pregnancy and a bunch of stuff will come up..from what this article says ...klonopin is one of the safer ones to take.... doing research might put your mind at ease a little until you get to visit your doctor...you may wanna call the office and voice your concerns...anyways better off than on if any way possible..just take it slow if you do a taper..ok? 

( just copy and paste) http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Benzodiazepines-during-pre.html

 

 

  big hugs and lots of luck to you and your pregnancy..    take care                         Nola

 

 

[[Wi...]]

 

 

here is another one...  just copy and paste it

 

 

 

http://www.fetal-exposure.org/BENZOUPDATE.html

 

 

 

this is talks about withdrawel in baby after birth... just scroll down to benzos and pregnancy

http://www.daap.ca/factsonbenzodiazepines.html

 

 

here is another one

http://www.thewomens.org.au/Benzodiazepines

 

 

 

and yet another

http://www.otispregnancy.org/pdf/benzodiazepines.pdf

 

hope some of these help you out...

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Thank you so much for replying back to me, all of you had great advice. Nola,thank you for taking the time in looking for sites for me to read, they were informative!! Out of the articles I read from you and the ones I found on my own, the main concerns were malformations on the face, such as cleft lip, unable to breath on it's own and floppy baby. I am hoping if I am drug free the last months of pregnancy the baby wouldn't go thru w/drawls. If I have problems handling this, I know it would be much worse for a baby.

 

I would think that since xanax is shorter acting, it leaves the body faster, that it wouldn't harm the baby as much as a longer acting benzo??  I made a doctor's appt for Wednesday, unfortunately I can't talk w/him today, so I have to wait.

 

My oldest son, who is 18, is concerned about the baby if I go to term, he thinks that i should stop taking my meds right now, and i have tried explaining to him about the effects it would have on me. He isn't happy about the whole thing as it is, he has voiced his concerns and is happy with having a brother only 2yrs apart then 18yrs apart. My other son, who is 16, he has told me that either way he is okay. The past months he has been acting out towards me, being a teenager, then over this weekend he has gone out of his way in making sure I have food, he comes in and offers me an apple, gives me a glass of milk w/out me asking for anything...He started treating me like I am his mother instead of "the enemy".

 

Once again, I thank you all for taking the time to reply back to me, it means alot to me, I didn't know where else to turn and right now I haven't told any of my friends, because i don't know what I plan on doing, and they wouldn't understand. I just don't want to harm my baby and then the baby suffers the rest of her/his life because of me.  Life can be cruel as it is, then to have a disability on top of it. If only I could have a glimpse of the future.......

[[Lo...]]

Hey ggms,

I know it's hard, but try not to "what if" or worry about the future. You are doing the BEST you can, right now. You are reading and gaining knowledge and are beginning to taper off the benzo. I know that the less stress, the better for you and the baby. I believe that all things happen for a reason and that this child is a gift. You can only read statistics and other people's stories, but don't know what will happen in your life. I was on the birth control pill for the first 6 weeks of our first pregnancy (didn't know I was pregnant). I was told that the baby could be born without arms/legs. They did a sonogram early and everything was fine! Also, my sister was 29 when she got pregnant with their youngest. She did EVERYTHING right. Her son was still born Down Syndrome.

 

Glad you got an appt. for Wednesday with the dr. I would tell him everything and hopefully, he will give you enough pills/refills to do a safe taper. Going down .125mg every 7-14 days is a good foundation. Please let us know how it goes with the dr. Wishing you all the best.

 

Lori

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Wow, I can understand your fear and it is refreshing to hear that you are concerned about this baby even this early in your pregnancy.

 

You are doing all that you can right now!  As already mentioned a planned taper on a schedule is advisable for you to stay on course. 

 

Keep us up to date!

[[Wi...]]

Hey there...

 

  yes please do keep us updated... hope all goes well for ya..

 

 

wishing you the best..            Nola