Expert: Jennifer - 2/16/2011

Question
hi my names cyd im 21(nearly 22)im 20 weeks pregnant ,i have suffered with ADHD since i was 7 but found none of the drugs to work so by 13 removed myself off them and turned to other ways 2 deal with my very vilant side of my ADHD that was all fine till just over a year ago i started getting down and nasty 2wards ppl again.the 20 weeks of my pregnancy have been very diffacult and complicated pulling me down the road of feeling that more like i wasn't really worth anything and got refered by my hospital 2 a mental health team that have now told me i am also suffering with bi-polor and they want me to start taking meds during my pregnancy .i guess my first question is ,is it possable to have both adhd and bi-polor and how do they work to make each other worse as i feel the more i understand about it the better i can try and beat the "bull" by the horns so to speck and 2ndly i know the drs are professtionals but is it safe to be on any meds that play with my head or moods while im preg as i already have a high risk of a late misscarrie or premuture labour. i know im probs being silly but its took me this meny years to get a hold on my adhd and learnig diffaculties now i have another mental health problem to try and fit in with being a single mum(to be) and trying to not find my self so scared as me having nightmares of beating my child becuz of the meds or becuz i refuse them and also not very sure how 2 handle my work or what to say to them.right now i am one very scared and lost young lady that for once dosn't have her feet firmly on the ground or the answers in her head ..  any help would be great ,
thank you

Answer
If you haven't already, you should look for an ob/gyn who handles/specializes in the care of patients with psychiatric/mental health needs. Until you consult with a doctor who is qualified in such a way, I wouldn't take the risks associated with the majority of any type of prescribed medication while pregnant. Yes, it is true that there are some medications that are considered to be "low risk", but one has to remember that there are possible problems for a pregnant woman with everything from foods and medications to stress caused by factors in their life - there's no such thing as "zero risk" medication.

It is possible to have co-occurring disorders, adhd along with bipolar disorder is fairly common; the tendency to become over-stimulated easily could amplify the bipolar symptom of agitation, for example, which means that learning ways of coping with stress would be important for you.

After you deliver, your doctor will probably put you on meds right away. Even though it means you won't be able to breast feed, starting medications at that point will help reduce symptoms of postpartum depression that you might experience - even if you still have problems with it, your symptoms would be much worse if you chose to delay starting on medication. It also may help for you to talk to a mental health counselor about your feelings, now and after the baby is born. All parents experience anxiety over whether they'll be "good" at raising a child, whether they're financially/emotionally/mentally ready for all of the challenges that come with bringing a new life into the world - it's a huge change and a major responsibility. And no one has all of the answers or does everything right all of the time - the people who end up being the most successful with living a more-or-less happy life and raise happier children are the ones who know they can ask for help and are willing to do so when they need to.