HI,

I will be switching my medication in 2 weeks to valium from Lorazepam as I am trying ti withdraw from meds. I have held off TTC for quite a few months because of my issue with medication and pregnancy, but at this rate I feel It may take me some time to be medication free.

Just wondering if anyone has any personal experience of being on valium during pregnancy and if your baby is healthy and happy??

Bailey

Anyone out there??

I have never heard of it... I would consult your mw or OB about that one.

" Valium is dangerous to an unborn baby. It raises the risks of serious birth defects, both physical and mental. Valium has shown to slow brain waves and alter normal brain function in unborn babies as well as those who are breast fed. Just as it changes brain wave patterns in adults, it alters the fetus' brain waves in a more serious way. "

i think you need to talk to doc and see if he/she can prescribe something safer for use in pg :-)

^^ that is kinda what I was thinking.

I was on Topamax for some time between my pregnancies and I made sure I was off of it for 6 months prior to TTC. Very serious birth defects can be casued by some meds.

I have done quite a lot of research and there is no indication that prescription usage is harmful to an unborn baby....My dr's have also advised that small dosage is just like any other anti depressants.... just wnat ot know if anyone had any real experiences with it and pregnancy

I have done quite a lot of research and there is no indication that prescription usage is harmful to an unborn baby.

A cursory glance at the web suggests otherwise. I was prescribed Valium after a very traumatic event and one of the first things the GP asked before he would prescribe was are you pregnant. I was only prescribed 2mg tabs too, so the lowest dose available I believe.

I do think there is a very different attitude to Valium here in the UK (i'm kind of assuming you're in the States). I don't think Valium is really considered that safe full stop and GPs are reluctant to prescribe it for longer than a week or so at a time. God forbid you ever ask for it, you will be marked down as a drug seeker!

You can only go by what your doctors tell you I suppose and obviously you need to keep a check on your mental health. Personally, I wouldn't TTC while on Valium.

Pregnancy

Diazepam when taken during late in pregnancy, the third trimester, causes a definite risk of a severe benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome in the neonate with symptoms including hypotonia, and reluctance to suck, to apnoeic spells, cyanosis, and impaired metabolic responses to cold stress. Floppy infant syndrome and sedation in the newborn may also occur. Symptoms of floppy infant syndrome and the neonatal benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome have been reported to persist from hours to months after birth.

(this is from wikipedia)

Im actually in Australia... and I too was suprised by my DR"S reaction. I ask for this medication often due to my anxiety and theya re happy to giev it without hesitation. Which I am very unhappy about because If I had known the addictive properties in the first place I never would of taken it. So in that respect I am actually quite angry at my GP for pescribing it. I suffer from severe anxiety which formulates it self in severe nausea and dry tretching it is just painful. Unfortunatly Benzos are my life saver and have helped me greatly. I am currently going through withdrawal and am desperate to TTC I fear that If i wait to come off this medication I will be waiting forever and may never TTC.... Cursory glace over goggle always suggests it is harmful but I have done some very indepth research and read a lot of scientific papers on it!!!!! Really would just love other people stories... if any!

My story is I stopped taking:
diazepam/valium, tramadol, amitriptyline (and few other medications I can only remember by brand name)
...before TTC.

None of the doctors I see recommended staying on any of them, and I'm now looking at having to stop working due to problems whilst being off them and pregnant.

It's tough, but worth it for your little one.

Maybe try something less addictive like quetiapine or buspirone. I'm not too sure how they go in pregnancy but it may be a good option to help while you count down off the diazepam.