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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ultra on August 28, 2007, at 15:43:31
I might be pregnant and have been on Klonopin for a while now. I was taking 3 mg a day. I cut back when I was having unprotected sex. Now I am scared to take it at all. I am going to go to the natural foods store to get some teas and stuff to help me relax naturally. I'm wondering if a sudden drop in dosage would be more harmful or if I need to stop completely. I was having signs of pms (sore breasts, pre-cramps) and it has stopped. My guess is that I am pregnant. My bf is thrilled, but I don't want to harm my unborn child if I am indeed pregnant. I have had a miscarriage before (not on meds then) and it could likely happen again. Any thoughts on what I should do besides call my doctor?
-ultra
Posted by King of Nothing on August 28, 2007, at 16:23:45
In reply to pregnancy + benzos, posted by ultra on August 28, 2007, at 15:43:31
> I might be pregnant and have been on Klonopin for a while now. I was taking 3 mg a day. I cut back when I was having unprotected sex. Now I am scared to take it at all. I am going to go to the natural foods store to get some teas and stuff to help me relax naturally. I'm wondering if a sudden drop in dosage would be more harmful or if I need to stop completely. I was having signs of pms (sore breasts, pre-cramps) and it has stopped. My guess is that I am pregnant. My bf is thrilled, but I don't want to harm my unborn child if I am indeed pregnant. I have had a miscarriage before (not on meds then) and it could likely happen again. Any thoughts on what I should do besides call my doctor?
> -ultraI could be wrong, but i don't think low dose benzos will harm an unborn child. You could try tapering down to 2 mgs. Best thing to do is talk to your Doctor.
Posted by Racer on August 28, 2007, at 17:51:55
In reply to Re: pregnancy + benzos, posted by King of Nothing on August 28, 2007, at 16:23:45
I used RxList.com when we were doing the fertility treatments, because it has pregnancy category information. Here's a link to the page for klonopin: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/clonaz_wcp.htm
I didn't read the specifics, but here's the first part of the information they have there:
"Data from several sources raise concerns about the use of Klonopin during pregnancy."
Of course, confirming the pregnancy, and talking to your doctor are probably more important than whether you're taking klonopin at this point...
Good luck.
Posted by Phillipa on August 28, 2007, at 19:18:18
In reply to RxList.com will show you the category, posted by Racer on August 28, 2007, at 17:51:55
So first line of order is a pregnancy test. Phillipa
Posted by Bonnie_CA on August 31, 2007, at 3:52:52
In reply to pregnancy + benzos, posted by ultra on August 28, 2007, at 15:43:31
My gynecologist and pdoc both said that some amount of benzos are not THAT harmful to the baby. (Probably no more so than the amounts of heavy metals in our water and food.) Now, exact doses, who knows. That's between you and your doctors. But I do know that you can't just stop something when you get pregnant, because your body might freak out and you'll lose the baby. Then there's the side effects of stopping benzos suddenly. :) I could see having you reduce but probably not stop. It's not like your mental condition goes away when you're making a person!
-Bonnie
Posted by Phillipa on August 31, 2007, at 20:06:28
In reply to Re: pregnancy + benzos » ultra, posted by Bonnie_CA on August 31, 2007, at 3:52:52
I can also show you a daughter conceived and carried while on benzos wasn't considered harmful then as well as sleeping meds. As a matter of fact the OB-GYN gave me two seconals in false labor in the hospital. Today she's 33, Bachelors in Latin and psychology. Just quite working for a lawyer and now a manager of a bath and body works store. Very talented and perfect. Well not perfect only when she wants something. Phillipa
Posted by Bonnie_CA on September 1, 2007, at 13:55:24
In reply to Re: pregnancy + benzos, posted by Phillipa on August 31, 2007, at 20:06:28
Honestly, looking back through the centuries, many healthy children were born under less than stellar health conditions. Turn of the 20th, women (and men, but that's irrelevant here) were consuming opium and coke, without really knowing it (these wonder elixers were going to cure all their ills!). Earlier, people were drinking water with lead and mercury and sewage... still healthy children. Obviously, there is better infant mortality now, but I have a hard time believing all these drugs are REALLY that bad. I mean, there's the obvious ones, like Accutane (although even THAT has had healthy births), but I think a lot of these drugs with high letter categories are just there so the companies can't get sued. It's likely I will have to take low doses of benzos while pregnant (whenever that happens). My doctors aren't terribly worried.
-Bonnie
Posted by Phillipa on September 1, 2007, at 21:28:21
In reply to Re: pregnancy + benzos, posted by Bonnie_CA on September 1, 2007, at 13:55:24
Nor should you be. I ask you what is healthier for a baby an anxious mom or one who enjoys her pregnancy????Phillipa
Posted by Chicklet on September 2, 2007, at 11:45:18
In reply to pregnancy + benzos, posted by ultra on August 28, 2007, at 15:43:31
Hi Ultra. I'm in the process of trying to get pregnant and am going through all of the planning for what to stay on and what to get off. but I'm not on Klon. I agree with Bonnie (i think it was Bonnie...), that stopping cold turkey might affect the fetus more detrimentally than staying on the benzo. A small amount is ok, but not optimal, according to my doc. But, your *really* need to talk to your doc. You can't do this on your own. I would also use some caution when trying herbs- some of them aren't particularly good to take while you're pregnant. It might be possible for you to switch to another anxiety drug that is known to be safer during pregnancy.
While I think that society today tends to be a little over-the-top about what you need to avoid during pregnancy, you of course want to be aware of what the risks are. If you're told that Klon is ok, make sure that a second doc agrees with that. The 1st trimester is much more important that the 2nd and 3rd in terms of development, so you should get on it quickly.
Good luck!
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