ativan and early pregnancy

[vwbug1969]

I have a 17 year old daughter who suffers from Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome and severe anxiety and panic attacks.  She takes 1 mg of Ativan twice a day if needed when she feels an episode coming on or if an episode has started.  In the past 9 weeks she has taken approximately 20 ativan when she was having an episode of vomiting or panic.  She found out yesterday that she is about 5 weeks pregnant and the OB that she will be seeing told her not to take any more Ativan but didn't give any alternative to control the cyclical vomiting or panic which accompanies it.  This morning, just one day after confirming the pregnancy with a test, she was awake at 1:00 a.m. vomiting and hasn't stopped.  She is in constant panic, can't eat, can't drink, can't sleep, is sweating profusely.  Her boyfriend took her the the ER at 6:30 a.m. when he got home from work and they hydrated her, gave her anti nausea meds (which don't work and never have with cyclical vomiting syndrome), did an ultrasound and then sent her home and told her to eat.  No suggestions on what to do to stop the panic attack that she was still in the throws of when they left the ER.  She ended up breaking down and taking the Ativan, which unfortunately is not working because she is so far into the cycle of vomiting that there isn't much that can calm the panic, anxiety or vomiting.  I'm worried that she's going to have to be sedated until she can wake up and not be nauseated or anxious.  I'm told that this is sometimes necessary with cyclical vomiting syndrome.  This is all new as she just presented with this illness in January of this year.  None of her doctors want to give her anything to control the panic and I'm very worried she may end up having a complete nervous break down before anyone does anything.  This can't be good for the baby.  In fact it almost seems like constant vomiting and retching and panic and anxiety would be worse for a developing baby.  Anyone have any suggestions on how I can get someone to listen to us and help her?  Has anyone had to occasionally take a low dose of Ativan for panic disorder while pregnant who has had a perfectly healthy baby?  I'm at my wits end and I'm gonna end up in the hospital from stress and worry before this is all done.  HELP!

[Dee1956]

Hi Spider, thanks so much for sharing.  I hope this Mom comes back.  This has to be a nightmare for her
Hope you are doing well
Dee

[spider6]

Hi there....I happened upon your post and also thought I'd lend support.

I'm a recovering addict of many vices but a major one for me was benzos.(Ativan)....my doc was Xanax though.  I was addicted for years because of "high free floating anxiety and panic disorder"..... A freakin mess....I didn't have the vomiting issues (yet) but I couldn't function in life regardless......

.....back to the point.........I got pregnant......because my situation was so severe, my doctor felt that a low dose as needed was better scenario rather than full stop. ...I got away with .25mg Xanax, I wanna say daily, but maybe less often....(jury, still out on whether that kid turned out okay....she's 28 and still making me pull my hair out) ..lil humour there.  No ...she was and is fine.

My heart breaks for you both, not only are you in distress about your child, now as the "mature" souls we are, there's yet another life for you to be distressed over.  Much prayers for your daughter, this lot she's been dealt surely will be filled with a life of challenges that I pray she will champion throughout her journey's path.  

Hugs ((((8)))) spider.

[Dee1956]

So sorry about all the messages and the note telling you you have a message because...sheesh :)
So, I did a search on MH for vomiting syndrome and I actually found this, I had never heard of it before, how awful! There are no doctors here anymore but this might be helpful.  I would imagine you are tearing your hair out to help your baby, help her baby.  For this woman her daughter (16) got this right before her peiods, I thought maybe the answer might help you.
As I think about this, my son used to get these headaches, then would throw up.  We thought migraines, then his doctor said let's do a CT scane just in case.  He had an infection in hi sphenoid sinus, between eyes; which was causing this.  They operated and took it out.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Digestive-Disorders---Gastroenterology/Cyclical-vomiting-syndrome/show/230110

[Dee1956]

me again.  I did not realize that this post came from the addiction forum.  The new forum places related questions, not related in our path.  
If I were you, I would copy and paste this question in the pregnancy forum.  Your daughter is not addicted, she needs this medication to live.  I have to say, as a person who suffered from severe panic attacks for year, Xanax is the better choice for an attack.  Ativan may be fine for anxiety but Xanax will stop an attack in 20 minutes.  

[Dee1956]

Hi I'm not a doctor.  Just someone who saw your SOS and could not walk away. Letting my fingers do the walking :)

I just looked this up as I was lucky, my panic attacks didn't start until after I had my children.  From what I can see your daughter needs a doctor who deals with high risk pregnancies.  It is really easy for these other types to say don't take it if you are pregnant.  They aren't living through this nightmare
I see where some doctors say if the benefits outweigh the risks then take, but only take as needed, not on a regular basis.
Years ago I had a relative who was experiencing severe migraines and back pain and vomiting while pregnant to the point that she was on the floor screaming.  She went to ER, they had no choice but to put her on an morphine as the benefits outweighed the benefits.  
She may need a suppository drug to help calm her down until she can take something orally.
I wish you nothing but the best.
I hope you are still around, I see you posted 14 hours ago.  Please know that other members will be a long very soon to help you much better than I can.  I just wanted you to know you are not alone
Dee