beta blockers that are safe during pregnancy???

hi all. i am on atenolol for hypertension and SVT / AVNRT, and my husband and i were thinking about trying for another baby. does anyone know of a beta blocker that's safe during pregnancy? my heart probs get a lot worse when i'm pregnant and i wanted to find something i could go on that wouldn't harm a fetus.
thanks for the input!!!!
= D

[anacyde]

Women can safely take a beta blocker during pregnancy, usually Atenolol, though Coreg is avoided.  Check with the doctor prescribing your beta blocker and with your obstetrician.

[sb786]

Hi there, i also am taking a beta blocker for svt/avnrt and i would also like to try for a baby. Does the atenolol actually work for you? how severe are your svts? I've been told by my cardiologist that in general it is ok to take them during your pregnancy but in a few RARE cases the baby can be a little small or even premature.

[pinkpowderpoof]

well i had gone off my atenolo for two weeks to be on an event monitor and my heart didn't like it at all. before i went on meds i hardly had an episode...maybe once a year if that, but when i went off the meds i had an episode once a week.
i've have two little girls and have had episodes with both pregnancies around 15 weeks, so i was hoping that since i'm on meds now, i can have a better pregnancy next time around. i went to ask a pharmacist today and he suggested acebutolol which is a lot safer to take during pregnancy. the only thing is you must start taking it before your second or third trimester so it has less of a chance to cause any probs with the baby. i have heard of atenolol causing low birth weight and also breathing probs in infants.
: )

[sb786]

Just thought you might want to know, i went to see my cardiologist and asked him once again about taking beta blockers during pregnancy and he assured me that the only risk is that your baby may have a low birth weight but that was rare and only happened if you were taking a high dose throughout all your pregnancy. Do you take a high dose?
When you had svt during your other pregnancies did it stop on its own or did you require medication such as adenosine to stop it? Do you also suffer from pacs/pvcs?

[pinkpowderpoof]

well that's good to know - i would like to stay on the atenolol but i will prolly have to switch to acebutolol when i become pregnant again. with my SVT, i have never (knock on wood) had to go to the ER from the episodes not stopping...but i did let them go for an hour or more which isn't recommended really. oh ya, and i take 25mg a day of atenolol...i could prolly be on 50 though cuz it doesn't seem to slow the tachy too much but it keeps my pvc's more quiet and my episodes at bay.
: )

[Shayruben]

I just gave birth to my son a little less than a year ago.  I have been on Atenolol 25 mg for over 5 years now due to inappropriate sinus tachycardia and the ocassional pvcs.(I too have had all the workups and was told I have a structually normal heart) When I became pregnant my heart felt like it was going in over drive and I was concerned about the effects my meds may have on the pregnancy. I didn't find out I was pregnant until 9 weeks and I was taking atenolol all of the first nine weeks.  My ob suggested that it was better to stop the atenolol due to concerns about fetal growth retardation.  She put me on a non specific beta blocker called Labetalol to see if I would help with the faster heart rate.  Labetalol did not work at all for me as it is not a cardio specific medication.  I decided to stop atenolol for the first 24 weeks.  After that time, I used it very sparingly if I felt I really needed it.  My doctor okayed the occasional use.  My son was born very healthy and alert at 9 pounds, 11 ounces.  I think that if you can get by the first few months with no meds it is better for the baby.  Just remember that although it may seem horrible to you, the meds are just for symtoms (symptoms) relief...you will be fine.  When I become pregnant again I plan to do the same thing.

[pinkpowderpoof]

thanks for the input!
i guess i might have to give it a go with no meds...i'm hoping i will talk with my cardiologist soon so i can finally be at peace about everything.
: )

[pinkpowderpoof]

well my cardiologist wants to put me on verapamil but i still don't think it too safe for pregnancies, plus it's a calcium channel blocker so i dunno how well it will work compared to a beta blocker...

[mdkonvalinka]

Just FYI,  I have a sinus technacardia and my cardiologist just took me off of Atenenol (even though it was working for me) because studies have linked it to stroke.  This seemed to have occured mostly in elderly patients, but still, better safe than sorry.  I too am considering having a baby within the next year.  Pindolol isn't working for me right now, so we're giving it a few more days and then I'll have to switch to something else.  I know that Pindolol is considered safe during pregnancy, but I don't know of other beta blockers that are considered to be safe.  My OB/GYN told me that atenenol was not okay.

[ACP0516]

Hi all.  I take Inderal which is a beta blocker for anxiety episodes.  I only take 10mg maybe once or twice a month.  My OBGYN said it is not recommended and to only take if the risks outweigh the benefits.  It is really hindering my perfomance at work and wondering if it is ok to take a small dose once or twice a month.  Thanks all!

[ACP0516]

Has anyone taken inderal occasionally for anxiety while pregnant?  If so, did you have any complications?

[CarmenX]

What about bystolic? I've been on 2.5mg for a couple of years now and truly want to have a second child. Would it be safe to get pregnant while taking such a seemingly low dosage? I'm scared to stop taking them cold turkey b/c I heard that can cause even further complications to the heart.

[Jcoope28]

Hi! I have been on Acebutolol for 10 yrs and have been through a healthy pregnancy. I was on 600mg a day while preg cause my IST acted up. It is category C BUT I went to a genetic counselor and she said it was perfectly fine. We are now planning baby #2 and I hope to still be taking it. :)

[JessWilson]

Usually one consults a doctor or cardiologist for real, professional advice.....NOT an online message board full of people that think they know what they're talking about. Just because one person you talk to says these medicines are ok does not mean they are appropriate for every one. My advice would be to talk to a health care professional about whether it's safe to try for a baby while on heart meds.....not stay at home moms that are stuck on the computer. I have a history of PSVT which ended with two heart surgeries. I also have iron deficiency that will eventually lead to anemia, as well as constant kidney problems which are a result of my bad blood. I eat extremely healthy, and exercise everyday. I was told I would not be able to have babies.....but surprise surprise! I'm five months pregnant, due September 26th with a perfectyly healthy baby. My heart problems came back as soon as I became pregnant, so my CARDIOLOGIST put me on a low dosage of beta blockers to slow my heartbeat down a little, therefore putting less strain on my heart. There are cardiologists that specialize in pregnant women. I found an entire office at St. Paul's hospital in Vancouver, B.C, that helped me greatly! I have recently been given a clean bill of health. They told me that being pregnant has made me the healthiest I've ever been! Hope this helps, but I do urge you to get a referral from your family doctor to see an actual cardiologist. My best friend has the same heart problem as me, and was put on a different medicine for it. She didn't consult a doctor, tried a got pregnant, and just lost her baby in her sixth month of pregnancy. Save yourself the heartache!

[miranda343]

im on lopressor an pregnant, they say its safe...