ADHD and Pregnancy/Nursing | ADHD Information
Hi! I havent been officially diagnosed with ADHD, but we are 99% sure that I will be. So....I am trying to concieve at the moment and although I have found some (not a lot, but a little) info on the safety of breastfeeding on Adderall or Ritalin (yes, it is generally concidered safe, though you are supposed to watch for wakefullness and weight gain in the infant-my dd is almost a year old so I am not horribly concerned about this), but I cant find much on pregnancy. Has anyone here been pregnant and taken Adderall or a similar med? Did everything turn out ok? So far all that I have found is that it can result in a small baby or preemie, but no stats on it. I do generally feel better while preggo, so I may be fine coping without it, but we were talking about starting meds soon and if I get preggo....I jsut dont know! Is there anything else that tends to help people with ADD that is safe in pregnancy? Preferably something that wont make me gain a ton of weight-I am already about 60 pounds overweight, I dont need to add more to that!! What to do?!?! I am kind of thinking that if I cant take it while preggo, that I shouldnt start it at all. Kind of like not missing what you never had? What do you all think?no i would not take it while pregnant or nursing.
you could try alternatives therapies or homeopathy(not sure if you can take them while pregnant)
but first i think you should get assessed and diagnosed by a specialist.ADD/ADHD symptoms do not get better during pregnancy.
Although there is no proof that it can cause more than minor effects - you have to weigh the benefits to the risks. Is your ADHD unbridled so bad that meds are necessary? If so then work closely with your doc and find the lowest working dose. You may want to try dexedrine as there is no relation to low birth weights and is used in higher doses than with ADHD on narcoleptics when pregnant with no discernable side effects or lasting effect on the faetus.
As always you should be on Folic Acid NOW before conceiving but I would imagine you know that right??
Watch your vitamins during taking ADHD meds and pregnancy. You can't take vitamin C with the time-release meds so you have to work the citrus or supplements around the dose.
I wouldn't take stratterra while pregnant as they've found rare but noticable changes in liver function with some and that could hurt you or baby if it did show up. Just in case.
Blood pressure with pregnancy - especially preclampsia - could be heavily changed for the worse with amphetamines in ADHD meds. Spend a heap of time with your doc.
There's always switching over to therapy and using caffeine. Caffeine has been tested thoroughly on both pregnancy and nursing and causes no permanent effects though usually causes frequent urination (and I'm sure you want more of that fun) so watch out.
Best wishes - just think it all out while you still have all the choices at hand.
Oh I am, beleive me! I think that as long as I dont start anything before hand, it hopefully wont bug me too much. Again, I have never taken meds, even though I have always displayed all the symptoms, but I am finding it harder and harder to cope.
I know that ADHD doesnt get better during pregnancy, that's not what I was saying. What I am saying is that I generally feel better physically during pregnancy, in fact a LOT better (I have other issues-PCOS and something called pseudo tumor cerebri and both get better during pregnancy). I think that without the added stress of my other problems, it just makes it easier to cope with life in general. My symptoms of ADD dont get better.
I am going in to see the psychiatrist on the 19th. She is going to do an evaluation at that time. I will definately let her know that I am TTC and ask her opinion as well, but I dont think I will be starting any meds yet. I may see if I can get something to help my depression though. I really dont need to get preeclampsia or have any other issues-I'm a homebirthin mama and that would mean I would have to switch to an OB and have a hospital birth, which is not something I want!
Also, just FYI, and not that this is worse than taking the amphetamines, but excess caffiene consumption during pregnancy can also lead to low birth weight. My sister was a prime example of that with my Diet Coke addicted mother-she was overdue but only weighed 7 pounds even-vs me who was almost 9 pounds and my own kids who have all been bigger, even my last one. She was early but still weighed 7lbs 9oz. Oh, and believe me, I know all about the vitamins! This will be my 5th baby :) (I only have 3, I am a surrogate so this baby wont be mine either)
Well you are officially the 1st surrogate (admitted anyway) that I've ever had the acquaintance with . Kudos - you help people a lot!
I cannot have kids just to clarify but perhaps that's why I have absorbed all things pre and post-natal as it fascinates me and is the one thing I've been denied from nature and circumstance.
Saying that many scientists studying caffeine (there's a lot of bucks in coffee, etc. so they study it to death!) have a theory it is not the caffeine per se that causes low birth weight but rather the subsequent dehydration from the constant diuretic effect and consequential replacement of essential fluid intake with the caffeinated beverage. In other words you dry out the amniotic fluid by lacking proper plain water intake and that causes the baby to be of reduced weight as a consequence. So in theory increasing the intake of plain water (or at least attempting to up to 8 or better glasses a day as recommended but rarely achieved) should increase the birth weight back to normal or at least stave off the possible reduction. In theory.
What other than the amphetamines works with ADHD? Many people rave over omega fatty acids (read fish or fish pills) but the jury on that one is way WAY out as there is so far no credible proof that it helps ADHD. Doesn't hurt though as it helps cardiac health and that's always good.
There is a very safe amphetamine on the market recently and it's been proven to not have the detrimental effects of the other amphetamines. It was developed for the US pilots of the air force to remain awake for days at a time. It doesn't seem to be anywhere near as potentially dangerous in the last few tests but it's only been on the market for a shorter while. It's called modafinil (brand name provigil). It doesn't affect sleep patterns and doesn't affect heart rate or blood pressure at all. Downside? It will probably be expensive and is still undergoing monitored testing to see how well it works with long term use on ADHD. Short term it seems to be very effective.
If I were an MD and the present info was in front of me I'd be likely to aim a potentially pregnant woman to the provigil. That is of course if the testing not readily available hasn't shown new side effects. Check on it.
And here's to a healthy and speedy pregnancy for you!
Just to add - like with depression and the antidepressants out there many MANY MDs are in concensus that the benefits outweigh the risks if the mother to be is extremely/chronically depressed. Therefore it would make sense that if ADHD causes the pregnant woman to be extremely dehibilitated in that her quality of life is affected where she cannot function at a normal level then a safe and proven ADHD med would be the way to go.
It comes down to - on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is perfectly normal and 10 is totally incapable of functioning in work, social, sex, etc. due to ADHD - if a person is 6 or higher then it would make sense to make plans to take the safest (i.e. lowest working) dose of ADHD meds right? That's what the latest data through the AMA and the UN health groups recommend anyway.
If it were me and knowing what the before and after are like - I'd be likely to continue the meds I am on.
But hey I'm a sterile man so what the hey do I know?
ok,i understand now,sorry got confused.
i also managed without meds until this year but was finding it harder and harder,it is not until i started to take meds that i realised how much my ADD affected me.
i really admire you for being a surrogate by the way,it takes a lot of courage .maybe you could try meds until you decide to fall pregnant again and stop then start again when you had the baby?
actually scotmama - if she starts the meds it takes at least a few weeks up to 3 months depending on the med and/or person to properly acclimate to the med so if she is going to be pregnant sooner than 3 months I'd recommend to her (of course through her MDs advice first) to not start yet until after the baby. Breast feeding with ADHD meds isn't contra-indicated but as she's a surrogate I'm not sure how the feeding works post-partum. Kind of ignorant on that aspect of birth.
Therapy can be started any time and probably the way to go if worried about the side effects even after gauging all the pros and cons. I recommend therapy no matter which way anyone goes with meds as it has longer-lasting benefits and has no bad side effects (except for any costs of course). I know it helps us build new life skills and that's never bad.
I'm sorry Glen! If it makes you feel better, the dad of my surro babies has an extremely low sperm count and his stuff cant survive freezing. He feels bad enough....we are having to use a donor this time because his stuff just isnt working! He blames it on the anthrax vaccine, cause it wasnt that bad with the last baby. Ok, getting off topic... That is interesting about the caffiene though, I know my mom didnt drink much water, so its entirely possible in my mind. On a side note, I take Diamox for my head problem and it makes things taste nasty, like pop and coffee. Do you think caffiene pills or something would work just as well?
Well, as far as trying them first, I may already be preggo by the time I get into the appt, lol. We are trying this cycle, I go in for IVF in a week. If it doesnt work this time around I suppose it would be a possibility, but on the other hand, I still dont know just how bad I really am having never been on meds! Again, I cant miss what I never had. So I guess if I am not going to risk it during the pregnancy, I wont take it before hand. I could definately start it after the pregnancy, though I will pumping milk for them for at least a little while. Last time I only managed six weeks of pumping, so....that wouldnt be too long to wait.
caffeine pills are simply lab-quality coffee/cola nut style caffeine. Safe as directed. Drink plenty of H20 with and since it leeches calcium and vitamins up your intake of vitamin C pills (get the ones that are dual - and have loads of calcium). The extent of the leeching I think is usually only dangerous if you have osteoporosis but I would think that pregnant would be a red flag the same way.
The ADHD meds have never ever been seen to cause a miscarriage or other complication leading to that in the history since Ritalin has been watched and that's over 50 years now. So the only true risk is preeclampsia and low birth weight. But as you say better safe. I would indeed still say try the caffeine then and definitely I emphasize get therapy. Find a therapist who deals with adult ADHD and he/she will know how to administer cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). It trains the ADHD mind to alter behavior and also deals with depression and anxiety so it's all good.
As for me don't weep. I am resigned to not passing on DNA and in many ways greatful that as I won't have a child there will be no inherited ADHD to watch torment yet another generation in my family. It stops now with me as I'm the only male in the family left other than my dear papa.
I will eventually anchor down a woman who loves me (anybody gots duct tape?!?) and then I'll just heap my extra love on her. Whether she wants it or not!
i thought it was in the distant future,not that soon.
so yes i agree with glenn,wait until after you finished this pregnancy and stopped the milking.as you said you have managed so far without it so you can wait a little bitlonger.
good luck
sorry i meant pumping your milk,not milking.i did not mean to make you sound like a cow
to my defence,i am ADD and english is not my first language
LMAO! *handing duct tape over* My dh has been diagnosed with ADD too, though his manifests rather differently from mine-his main issue is panic attacks, while my panic attacks are minor and I can still leave the house. He often cant leave the house (he just started meds like two months ago but his meds management person is an idiot and started him on 15mg of Adderall XR-our 6 year old takes twice that!!!). My oldest has a different biological father who was apparently on ritalin since childhood and my ds, wow, he is so obviously ADHD its not even funny! Our girls dont seem to have the hyperactivity part, but I dont know about the ADD part. They are too little...whereas with our son, we knew from the time he was in my belly!! lol.
I am so scared of anti-depressants during pregnancy. I took Zoloft with my first before I knew I was pregnant...when he was born, he had an immature nervous system and had to stay in the NICU because he couldnt stop shaking. Gradually his shaking stopped, but then it turned into epilepsy. They did tell me that it was most likely from my zoloft use while his nervous system was forming (I took it for about the first 10 weeks-I wasnt expecting to get preggo!). I am totally not trying to scare you or anything, I mean, my son is fine now, he just has to take epilepsy meds pretty much for the rest of his life, but he doesnt care. He has to take his ADHD meds anyway :) I will take them this time though if I need to-maybe something else but....argh.