is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

Currently Im not preggo butI am ttc, I take kopoin occasionally for severe panic at night that makes me not able to fall asleep- the klonopin has basically kept me sane. No other sleep med/anti anxiety has worked. I take it about 1 per week may 2 x and I always split the .5 mg in half. I know its a very low dosage but I truly feel without it things can escalate and turn bad for me. I can literally stay up fo days which is not good, miss work and not be able to take care of my son and responsibilities because of anxiety

I know that its not reccommended for preganancy as it is a class d drug but I dont know how I can manage without it. Of course I dont want to put the baby at risk but I dont know what else to do. If held off trying for another one for this reason for a long time now. I didnt have to be on anything with my first because this all developed when he was around 1 yrs old...

Can anyone offer any advice?

Message edited 9/9/2008 4:51:38 PM.

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

Have you spoken to your OB about it? Maybe they can recomend a different medication. It all depends on the effects it can have on the fetus. I suggest you have this discussion with your practitioner BEFORE TTC.

I am on Advair, for my asthma, which is a Class C drug. My practitioners were more concerned about keeping my asthma under control because lack of oxygen for me means even greater lack of oxygen for the baby which is not good.

They will have to monitor the babys size because the steriods in teh medication can cause the baby to grow larger than normal.

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

ugh. that's a problem....

I'll preface this post by mentioning that I'm a pharmacologist... It's difficult, especially when you depend on a particular neuro-med to switch... but IMO, I would NOT TTC while on a class D drug. Even a couple low doses a week of such a medication could be super bad, especially in the first trimester.

I'm presuming your medication is klonopin? that's a pretty potent benzodiazepine... generally, no one should be taking a benzodiazepine while pregnant... it's been linked to several birth defects and withdrawl symptoms at birth.....

If I were you, I'd have the Dr prescribing the medication working in conjunction with your OB to find some solution for you. There must be another medication, or some cognitive therapy that could ease you off of these pills prior to TTC....

good luck

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

I have been forced to take 3 Class C medications throughout my pregnancy for my asthma. In my case, I had to chose to either breath while taking the meds or suffocate and not take the meds. The dr. said that I had to chose the lesser of 2 evils and that it is better for me to breath and provide the proper amount of oxygen to the baby than to have frequent asthma attacks per day.

In your case, I'd talk to your OBGYN and your PCP to see what they say. Maybe they might be able to put you on a Class C or Class B medication for your pregnancy that can help you with your attacks but still keep the baby safe from exposure to medications.

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

I was on Klonopin before I was PG and stopped immediately after getting my BFP. Luckily I found out at 9 DPO.

Personally, I am willing to deal with my anxiety issues rather than take Klonopin, which I believe is shown to cause facial deformities (cleft lips/pallattes etc.)

Can your dr. prescribe you something else?

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

Posted by wannabemom

ugh. that's a problem....

I'll preface this post by mentioning that I'm a pharmacologist... It's difficult, especially when you depend on a particular neuro-med to switch... but IMO, I would NOT TTC while on a class D drug. Even a couple low doses a week of such a medication could be super bad, especially in the first trimester.

I'm presuming your medication is klonopin? that's a pretty potent benzodiazepine... generally, no one should be taking a benzodiazepine while pregnant... it's been linked to several birth defects and withdrawl symptoms at birth.....

If I were you, I'd have the Dr prescribing the medication working in conjunction with your OB to find some solution for you. There must be another medication, or some cognitive therapy that could ease you off of these pills prior to TTC....

good luck

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

Posted by wannabemom

ugh. that's a problem....

I'll preface this post by mentioning that I'm a pharmacologist... It's difficult, especially when you depend on a particular neuro-med to switch... but IMO, I would NOT TTC while on a class D drug. Even a couple low doses a week of such a medication could be super bad, especially in the first trimester.

I'm presuming your medication is klonopin? that's a pretty potent benzodiazepine... generally, no one should be taking a benzodiazepine while pregnant... it's been linked to several birth defects and withdrawl symptoms at birth.....

If I were you, I'd have the Dr prescribing the medication working in conjunction with your OB to find some solution for you. There must be another medication, or some cognitive therapy that could ease you off of these pills prior to TTC....

good luck

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

I appreciate everyones response, I havent actually started to try yet as my ovualation is not until thursday. If I stopped now would I be ok? I dont want to harm my child but at the same time isnt panic attacks everyday and not sleeping not good for a fetus. This is what was going on before I took the medication and any time I ve tried to come off it. My dr said that there are risks/benfits and we would cross the bridge when we became preggo

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

I've been on class C painkillers for the past 3 months. Class D is a different story, though. I would definitely discuss it with your OB.

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

I would talk to your dr. about a different med (I would actually see a psychiatrist since they specialize in those types of meds). I have an anxiety disorder and have taken paxil for years. I came off it 1 months before TTC and didnt take it my whole 1st trimester (which was HARD). My anxiety got so bad I had to take it for a short time during my 2nd trimester, maybe 1 month or so. I took a very low dose of 10 mg which took the edge off and allowed me to function. I had to go for an extra sono to make sure DS heart formed properly b/c Paxil has recently been linked to problems with the heart and fortunately he was fine. The high risk dr's actually told me the dose was so low it wouldnt effect DS and the risks of me not taking the medicine outweight the risks of me taking the medicine.

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

You need to speak to your doctor on this one. Everyone's needs are different...In some cases the benefit of taking Klonopin would out way the risks...in others, not so much.

I forget exactly but I think the risk in early pregnancy is with facial deformities like cleft palate. But I think the risks are a bit unclear there.....Alot of drugs have windows during gestation that make them unsafe. Exactly what they are with Klonopin Im unsure. The withdrawl symptoms would only be if used during the tail end of your pregnancy and the dosage and frequency would need to be addressed to know if there is an issue.

I only take Klonopin when I fly. I know that my doctor told me it was fine for me to take while I was pregnant for that purpose.....but I didnt get into it any further with him.

HTH

Re: is anyone here on a c class or d class med during preganacy

Do NOT just stop taking the meds so you'll be off by this month's ovulation. Gong cold turkey on anti-anxiety/depressants can be very dangerous to your health. You must either be weaned off the medcaton slowly,or switched to another more safe alternative.