paxil and buspar and pregnancy

[marie bush]

hello,

my question is to request any info you have on percentages or statistics of abnormal pregnancies, with the use of paxil and buspar during pregnancy.

my psychiatrist told me that there is no more risk taking an ssri for birth defects, than if i were taking none.

i am wondering if you can help me find information or people to talk to that have used an ssri during pregnancy, and get comments from normal and abnormal results of their born child, or children.

i am willing to speak to any other women that have used ssri's during pregnancy, and get good or bad answers, it doesn't matter.

i am currently trying to get pregnant, and it wuld be more stressful for my health to stop taking paxil and buspar for a pregnancy, so i'm told.

thank you,
marie bush
***@****

[sweettalkinkara]

i took paxil during my last pregnancy
there are several ssri's that arn't safe though and the dr.s usually know which ones are safe and not there put in as a,b,c,d, c and d being the safest a and b are still unknown on affects and my baby came out fine

[Still_AndiJ]

just a little correction, the order is A&B are safer, C is unknown and D is not recommended unless the risks outweigh the benefit. And of course X is forbidden during pregnancy. The best advice I can give is to talk to the pharmacist (they generally are much more current on this info as their entire job is to know medications)

Andrea

[Still_AndiJ]

Here is a link to a Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation guide online. This is the bible to to speak for meds given during these times. It helps to know the actual med name (acetaminophin instead of Tylenol, Buspirone instead of buspar, etc.) but it isn't required.

They do have Buspar as a category B and Paxil as a C, here is the specific info I cut and pasted for you:

Paroxetine (Paxil ®)
Antidepressant
CATEGORY:C
Limited human data suggests no increased rate of anomaly. However, there is insufficient data on possible behavioral teratogenic effects .
BREAST FEEDING: Excreted into breast milk. Compatible [1]. The American Academy of Pediatrics has classified paroxetine as a drug "for which the effect on nursing infants is unknown but may be of concern" [G3].
NEONATAL SIDE EFFECTS: Neonatal withdrawal syndrome has been reported after third trimester in utero exposure [2] .

ADDITIONAL READING:

Paxil (PDF file)
2000 Organization of Teratology Information Services



Buspirone (Buspar ®)
Anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic
CATEGORY:B
BREAST FEEDING:With caution. May be of concern.
NEONATAL SIDE EFFECTS:

During pregnancy, everything is to be considered a risk vs. benefit. When I was pg with my son, I was on megadoses of Effexor, Buspar and Ativan due to serious issues I was having related to a home invasion sexual assualt that had occured 5 months prior to conceiving. I made a consious decision to go off my meds cold turkey the day I found out. Now I wouldn't suggest that to anyone as it was incredibly painful and could have been lifethreatening, but i would suggest meeting with your doctors and deciding how much you really need and if it would be possible to wean you off the meds while you are pg. I opted to stay off the meds this pg (was dx bi-polar in addition to the PTSD as well)and so far the natural hormones of pregnancy have helped keep me very stable. It is possible to make it through without meds, but again, if you really need the meds, I would suggest staying on them and seeing if it would be possible to lower the dosages.

Good luck!

Andrea

[Still_AndiJ]

Here is that link to the Drugs in Pregnancy and Lacation:

http://www.perinatology.com/exposures/druglist.htm#

[Still_AndiJ]

See what happens when you try to type while on percocet for a bad back : )

[Tweety28]

ok I have a question what if you were taking Hyrdocodone 10/500 and sometimes they would give me 10/650 for my bad back and I was taking up to 5 a day because it was so bad but I then found out I was pregnant I thought I would never get pregnant and it just happened one day 25 weeks ago but my question is I stopped taking them until I started to feel pain really bad so I have taken one 7.5 mg a day for the last week what kind of risk it there?I have read up on them and it doesnt say STOP taking it says tell your doctor if taking them.I also take half at a time when I do take them and I dropped Mg's.Compared to 5 10/650 too one 7.5mgs and not all at once.I know I need to stop taking them all together but i had a bad relationship years ago and he hurt my back very badly and it comes and goes and now with me getting bigger its really starting to bother me.Please get back to me I have had all the est for down syndrom (syndrome) and spinal bifia everything came back great and I had 4 ultrasounds and everything is normal but I know you really cant tell until I have the baby but Im worried half the people tell me its ok thye say you can take tylonal which is what is in the Hydrocodone its 7mgs of hydrocodone and 500 mgs of tylonal.Please write me back if you can help or if anybody can help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!***@****

[nurse12hr]

Here is what I found on perinatology.com for HYDROCODONE:
(Hydrocodone is listed as both class C/D)


"Pregnancy category Risk C:  RISK CANNOT BE RULED OUT. Adequate,well-controlled human studies are lacking, and animal studies have shown a risk to the fetus or are lacking as well. There is a chance of fetal harm if the drug is administered during pregnancy; but the potential benefits may outweigh the potential risks.
Pregnancy category risk D:  POSITIVE EVIDENCE OF RISK. Studies in humans, or investigational or post-marketing data, have demonstrated fetal risk. Nevertheless, potential benefits from the use of the drug may outweigh the potential risk. For example, the drug may be acceptable if needed in a life-threatening situation or serious disease for which safer drugs cannot be used or are ineffective."

Talk to your doctor about taking it during pregnancy.  One tablet a day is a very low exposure, but only a discussion between you and your own MD will be adequate to decide if you still want to continue with it.  

If you really are only taking one a day, you probably don't need to risk taking it at all.  

Good luck to you.  

[Casey1]

Regarding ssri's and pregnancy:  I have been on Prozac 60 mgs since I found out I was pregnant and I am 31 weeks with a healthy baby (as far as any test can show that).  I have tried to cut back the dose to 40 mgs several times but became irritable and liable to have panics and anxiety which I KNOW can be detrimental to the baby (blood flow to the baby has been shown to be reduced in anxious mothers).  It has also been suggested that I cut back to 40 mgs when I start breast feeding, and I may try that.  But when I weigh the effect of a depressed anxious mother on my baby vs a low dose of Prozac which has NOT been shown to cause problems in growth or development, whereas having a depressed and anxious mother HAS been shown to have a cognitive and emotional effect on babies, I choose to be a happy, calm mother.

That is how I weighed the risks and benefits for myself. :)  Best of luck to you!