Connection between VSD and Wellbutrin?

[TBM]

My 16 week ultrasound showed a minor VSD and my genetic counselor said there have been a few studies that suggest a link to Wellbutrin which I was taking twice a day. Any opinions on taking wellbutrin during pregnancy. I have since stopped taking it. Much thanks for any info.

[nurse12hr]

I'm sorry; I can't add much.  I wish you the best.

[capermom]

What is VSD? I don't know what Wellbutrin is, sorry. I wouldn't take anything, you never know. Sometimes you don't find out until years later, when it's too late. Good luck.

[Still_AndiJ]

From what I have read and been told (I am a wellbutrin person too) it is considered a category B med (Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation, the RX bible, also can be found online, just enter the title into a search engine), meaning they have not found any link between its use and birth defects. But at the same time, there have not been very many studies done on this, but as you should know, when you are pg and taking it they ask that you join their registry so they can monitor things like that.

I opted to go off of wellbutrin for my first trimester and will be starting it back up in 2 weeks (as soon as I hit 14 weeks) I can tell you, it has been hard, but i am such a high risk pg I don't take any chances anymore : )

So far I haven't heard of any problems or links to defects, but doctors can be quick to blame any med you may be on. Ask your OB for the registry information (it is also on www.wellbutrin.com) and you should be able to get some definite answers from them.

Good luck!

Andrea

[TBM]

A VSD is a hole in the baby's heart. Since I will be 35 at the time of birth, we opted for genetic counseling at UCLA with the Level 2 ultrasound and amnio. Once they found the hole (very minor, they think it will close up on its own since my ultrasound was relatively early at 16 weeks), the counselor looked into Wellbutrin and found some studies that might suggest a link, but not enough studies have been done. Obviously I went off it but they said any possible damage would be done during the first trimester, so I definetly recommend going off it at least for the first tri. Since I first asked the question the additional amnio tests (they do more specific tests when a problem is found) FSH22 have come back and everything is normal, TG. I didn't know about registering at the website but I will do that right now so if there is a problem hopefully they can find it. Just giving a warning to those like myself who were told that wellbutrin is safe. I'm not a doctor, but if I knew that there was even 1 study suggesting a potential issue I of course would have went off it. However, my case of depression wasn't so bad, just the normal disappointment of trying and trying and not getting pregnant...

[Still_AndiJ]

With any med it is always best to stay off of it (unless absolutely necessary) in the first trimester. I am bi-polar and have had a rough 6 months, but opted to go off of the wellbutrin just in case. Not that it has been easy, but in the long run hopefully will be worth it.

As far as the hole on the heart, any number of things can cause that, literally. And in most cases, it will close on its own by the time the baby is 6 months old. We were lucky enough to have one of the best ped cardiologists in the world at our disposal and he reassuured us that it would more than likely resolve on its own by 6 months. Sure enough, that hole closed up by his 6 month checkup and the murmur hasn't caused any problems at all. And bear in mind, I wasn't on any antidepressants at all while pg and it still appeared.

I will keep you and your little peanut in my prayers.

Andrea

[Mom again]

I'm 42 years old. I didn't plan to get pregnant, I stop taking wellbutrin right away even do my doctor said it was safe. My OBGYN told me not to for at least the first 13 weeks. I'm on my 12 week now, and is been really hard not to take it, but I am doing everything I can to have a healthy baby, so far so good. I was thinking about the new Wellbutrin-LX. Have anyone try that yet?