anyone been on benzo's while pregnant

[Ginasouthcarolina]

Hi my name is Gina im new here just started trying a month ago i just wanted to know if anyone else here has been on anxiety meds like klonopin or xanax while pregnant i am currently on klonopin i was on 1 1/2 mg which is low a day but since ive been trying ive been tapering off..im scared because i wonder if its worth it to get off or will the stress of the withdrawls be harder on the baby..or should i contiue to taper..also if anyone that suffered fron panic attacks and anxiety could tell me weather there panic got worse or better with the pregnancies...thanks Gina

[Ginasouthcarolina]

Thanks again..yes i did the nuclier stress test which is the same as the est except thet inject you with die to check for blockage..and just like you my doc said i did really good my heart got up to 195 bpm and nothing so excersize helps alot..i hear you im at my computer everyday..i used to be on the anxiety and the heart rythum forums but since ive ben trying to get pregnant i came over hear in hopes that mabie some other girls were having the same problem as me...im trying everyday to not think about things to much cause the more i think the more my heart flipflops and my anxiety gets worse...i find (like migsufferer said) i take a nice jacuzzi bath and lite candles and put on some enya..it takes me away...lol..

Ps...Without epidurals...ouch!!! your a brave woman..

[tmv]

I was fine in labor. I guess the pain, excitement and focusing on breathing  took over and I didn't notice if I had the arrhytmia. I had 2 children, both without epidurals. :-(  

Three years ago, I had an exercise stress test on the treadmill and my cardiologist told me that exercise was good for me bc he didn't notice any while I was on the treadmill. Who knows, my body is just screwy like that sometimes :-).  Maybe you could suggest the est if you haven't had it done and see how you do. Also, I had us of the heart and thallium stress test. They were all ok, too.

Stay with the dr to find out what med will work well for you. It doesn't have to control your life even though right now it may feel like it does. Believe me, I have been there. Hang in there and keep in touch. Feel free to IM me if you like and I'll reply as soon as possible. I don't always get onto the computer everyday, although for the past week I kind of lived here at my desk,lol. (shhh-don't tell my hubby) I just love this site!

[Ginasouthcarolina]

Thank you so much im still on the klonopin 1.25 mg a day..but im not pregnant yet..im more concerned about the nsvt during the pregnancy but what im most concerned about is the labor can my heart take it? i hate this so much this is supposed to be a happy time in my life and im so depressed so thank you very much for your support...So you were fine giving birth with the arrythmia? if i find out im pregnant i will just ween really fast off the klonopin im working with a doctor for it so my main concern now is the arythmia..thanks again..Gina

[tmv]

Oops, just saw that I misspelled Pawley's Island. I shouldn't be allowed on here after my bedtime, teehee! My arrhythmia is a run of bigeminy-every other beat pvc's, then a 6-8 sometimes more beat run of svt. I don't know which comes first, the chicken or the egg. But, anxiety and dizziness occasionally happened. The lexapro has helped. Don't know if it helps with stress then I don't have as many episodes or that I just don't feel them as much. I do occasionally feel a pvc, but nothing like I had before. My arrhythmias went undiagnoses with pregnancy. Dr's related it to the increase in the amount of blood volume related to pregnancy. 6 years after my last child was born is when I had the "bad" episode that sent me to ER and 4 days in the hospital. After all of the tests came back neg, I was on a event monitor for a month and xanax as a bandaid for symptoms-tightness in chest and feeling that I couldn't get air in deep enough. Also, put on beta-blocker but could only take it 3 days as it made my symptoms worse. Found out that my baseline bp and hr were way too low to take it. The arrhythmias showed up on the event monitor. The dr said that if they were frequent enough, then they could send me for an ablation. I went to my medical dr bc I was afraid that taking the xanax, even though low dosage, 3-4 times a day would be addicting and require an increase in strength overtime. He put me on effexor which sent me into the worse panic attack that I have ever had in my life with 1 pill. Changed it to lexapro 10 mg, then upped it to 20 bc it helped some with the symptoms. It has been 3 years and I have gained a lot of weight r/t but maybe not all caused by the lexapro. But, I totally love this med. I have not had any feelings whatsoever of the arrhythmias. Maybe an occasional pvc, but I have my life back again. I have heard of woman that take ssri's while pg. Oh, the meditation did not work for me. By the time I felt the first "flip-flop" in my heart, it was all over with.Sorry this is so lengthy.

[migsufferer]

Taking benzos in pregnancy can be very harmful to a fetus.  I was on Klonopin before my pregnancy, not everyday but about 1-2 per month.  Find a solution before you get pregnant that doesn't include benzos.  Accupucture and meditation worked for me.  I did have one bad attack while I was about 25 weeks pregnant.  I'm now 10 weeks with my second and last child.  I've had alot of anxiety with this oone over different issues.  Lots of warm baths, deep breathing and taking it easy on myself.  Just prepare.

[Ginasouthcarolina]

MB is awsome just moved there about 2 months ago from new york we love it..Thats funny you mentioned the heart arrhythmias..i also have one..nsvt non sustaind v-tach which is like a long run of pvc's.i was on lexapro but my cardiologist took me off in fear that it was the cause of my arrh ythmias..how were your arrhythmias during pregnancy...does the lexapro seem to agravate your heart?   Gina

[tmv]

Hi Gina, how's MB? My sil lives in Pauley's Island. I would love to be there during the winters. All winter! I can tell you from experience that the anxiety/panic attacks get worse with pregnancy. I did this and my sister did as well. Although we weren't medicated with anything during pregnancy,I am currently on Lexapro. I had cardiac arrhythmias and then anxiety related to it. Was first put on xanax 0.25 mg four times a day, then switched to lexapro bc of the fear of dependency-which would be relatively low due to the low dose but it concerned me. Plus, the lexapro is a longer acting anti-depressant and you only have to take 1 pill a day.Check with your dr and see what his personal recommendation is. Best wishes with ttc.