Marijuana use and pregnancy

[Aelanu]

Hi! If any of you have trolled the BFP announcements, pregnancy tests, or pregnancy 1st trimester boards then you probably know I got my last week. I've been plastering it everywhere because I'm TOO happy! I am 5 weeks, 1 day today.

I also have bipolar disorder....severe enough to absolutely need medication otherwise I begin to go into a horrible depression and will cut myself or try to kill myself. I can't control my emotions- and living day to day is a mental roller-coaster for me.

This is where marijuana comes in. I have been smoking since being diagnosed bipolar at 17 as I learned it is the ONLY thing that helps. I have taken the proper pills for bipolar disorder before...and lost my first pregnancy because of it. In fact, I learned that the medications they had me on (and the other ones I took right before we decided to TTC) were considered some of the most dangerous meds for baby- severe mental ******ation and physical deformities are just the tip of the iceberg.

I've done research on marijuana, and I know quite a few who smoked during their pregnancy. The worst thing that has ever happened to a marijuana baby- that I've come across- is asthma. In most of those cases (and all the cases of asthma babies that I know) were of mothers who smoked ciggs and marijuana.

I have stopped ciggs completely...marijuana? Not so much. I have cut back to half of my normal intake, but I am afraid to stop. I feel bad for exposing to it, but at the same time the risk is even greater if I stop because of all my mood swings and all the stress I would be under.

I told the nurse who will be doing my ultrasound and she didn't seem to concerned...she actually agreed that it would probably be better than just letting my emotions run rampant.

Am I wrong? I mean...if I smoke, I'm POTENTIALLY harming baby...but without any medication (pills are completely off limits....ALL bipolar medication has some serious effects on fetuses) I could stress out and miscarry. I just feel so judged when people that are close to me know that I continue to smoke. I don't do it because I want to anymore (that stopped about 4 years ago), I do it because I have to...because if I don't I will try to harm myself or someone else.

What do you ladies think?

 

[holden_babez]

i didnt want to read and run but im hoping you find the answer to your question soon

maybe go and talk to you doctor or midwife about this situation

best of luck xx

 

[EmyDra]

You're a brave lady for sharing that

Doctor's opinion is all that matters here, people will most likely judge it for being illegal rather than the effects on the baby.

All I will say (I don't smoke anything and never have) is that make sure the stuff you're smoking isn't skunk (I'm sure you know but still) and that your source is reliable and knows about your condition.

Good luck!

 

[Aelanu]

I found the thoughts I need in the First Trimester board but thanks ladies.

I have always had the support of my health providers when it comes to this- given my history and condition..well...I suppose you guys could check it out here:

https://www.babyandbump.com/pregnancy-first-trimester/938863-marijuana-use-pregnancy.html

I'm getting attacked a bit but I am completely defending myself on this one.

 

[haj624]

Ladies, I have a question/confession. Please don't judge me and also be honest with me. Last Friday I was pretty down and out about all of the insurance stuff and I was so sure IVF wasn't happening right now. So I was out with my friend having a drink and she was like you need to calm yourself down, youre going to drive yourself nuts blah blah blah. So we had gone back to her apt and she was like here and she handed me a vaporizer with weed in it she said take a few hits you'll feel so much better. Now, I'm not going to lie when I was in college I smoked but not really since then. She said to me a vaporizer is so much better then smoking it because a vaporizer takes out the toxins (which i ended up researching last night and its true.) So I had taken maybe like 3 hits from this thing. Now I feel completely awful. I've been so good with doing the right thing and keeping myself healthy and now I did this. I know weed can effect your egg quality. Now I am totally panicing that I screw up my eggs for IVF in May. That one part of me is having a heart attack and the other part of me is like you did it once, it wasnt a lot and you'll never do it again. Am I totally freaking out over nothing or do you think I couldve done some damage. Again please dont judge me, I made a very stupid decision

 

[EmyDra]

I don't think it will make a massive difference if it was only a one-off. We all make mistakes. I drank through the first 3 weeks of pregnancy as I didn't know I was pregnant, spent the time thereafter worrying about it and thinking something would be wrong. You just have to try and relax, stress will likely affect you more than the drugs.

And good luck for your IVF cycle

 

[haj624]

I don't think it will make a massive difference if it was only a one-off. We all make mistakes. I drank through the first 3 weeks of pregnancy as I didn't know I was pregnant, spent the time thereafter worrying about it and thinking something would be wrong. You just have to try and relax, stress will likely affect you more than the drugs.

And good luck for your IVF cycle

Thank you so much!!! I hope youre right!!

 

[mrstrouble]

bipolar is hard, and weed can be a lot better than the other medications that they'd prescribe you to control it, but would just turn you into a zombie and have more serious chemical effects on baby. I think you need to talk to a reliable doctor about this...if there's no expert in your area, maybe try looking up one of the marijuana-prescribing clinics in California and getting a phone consult. Good luck!

Hi! If any of you have trolled the BFP announcements, pregnancy tests, or pregnancy 1st trimester boards then you probably know I got my last week. I've been plastering it everywhere because I'm TOO happy! I am 5 weeks, 1 day today.

I also have bipolar disorder....severe enough to absolutely need medication otherwise I begin to go into a horrible depression and will cut myself or try to kill myself. I can't control my emotions- and living day to day is a mental roller-coaster for me.

This is where marijuana comes in. I have been smoking since being diagnosed bipolar at 17 as I learned it is the ONLY thing that helps. I have taken the proper pills for bipolar disorder before...and lost my first pregnancy because of it. In fact, I learned that the medications they had me on (and the other ones I took right before we decided to TTC) were considered some of the most dangerous meds for baby- severe mental ******ation and physical deformities are just the tip of the iceberg.

I've done research on marijuana, and I know quite a few who smoked during their pregnancy. The worst thing that has ever happened to a marijuana baby- that I've come across- is asthma. In most of those cases (and all the cases of asthma babies that I know) were of mothers who smoked ciggs and marijuana.

I have stopped ciggs completely...marijuana? Not so much. I have cut back to half of my normal intake, but I am afraid to stop. I feel bad for exposing to it, but at the same time the risk is even greater if I stop because of all my mood swings and all the stress I would be under.

I told the nurse who will be doing my ultrasound and she didn't seem to concerned...she actually agreed that it would probably be better than just letting my emotions run rampant.

Am I wrong? I mean...if I smoke, I'm POTENTIALLY harming baby...but without any medication (pills are completely off limits....ALL bipolar medication has some serious effects on fetuses) I could stress out and miscarry. I just feel so judged when people that are close to me know that I continue to smoke. I don't do it because I want to anymore (that stopped about 4 years ago), I do it because I have to...because if I don't I will try to harm myself or someone else.

What do you ladies think?

 

[LadyBug183]

Have you heard of Dr.Melanie Dreher? She conducted a study of pregnant women in Jamaica who smoke pot during pregnancy. Check out this link: https://patients4medicalmarijuana.w...-cannabis-use-in-pregnancy-dr-melanie-dreher/

I too am a daily pot smoker, have been for years. I am now 4wks preg and cont to smoke weed, just cut back a lot. Confession: The only thing that gets to me is that aching feeling of guilt, and the possibility of "what if something happens? would it be my fault?"..

Hi! If any of you have trolled the BFP announcements, pregnancy tests, or pregnancy 1st trimester boards then you probably know I got my last week. I've been plastering it everywhere because I'm TOO happy! I am 5 weeks, 1 day today.

I also have bipolar disorder....severe enough to absolutely need medication otherwise I begin to go into a horrible depression and will cut myself or try to kill myself. I can't control my emotions- and living day to day is a mental roller-coaster for me.

This is where marijuana comes in. I have been smoking since being diagnosed bipolar at 17 as I learned it is the ONLY thing that helps. I have taken the proper pills for bipolar disorder before...and lost my first pregnancy because of it. In fact, I learned that the medications they had me on (and the other ones I took right before we decided to TTC) were considered some of the most dangerous meds for baby- severe mental ******ation and physical deformities are just the tip of the iceberg.

I've done research on marijuana, and I know quite a few who smoked during their pregnancy. The worst thing that has ever happened to a marijuana baby- that I've come across- is asthma. In most of those cases (and all the cases of asthma babies that I know) were of mothers who smoked ciggs and marijuana.

I have stopped ciggs completely...marijuana? Not so much. I have cut back to half of my normal intake, but I am afraid to stop. I feel bad for exposing to it, but at the same time the risk is even greater if I stop because of all my mood swings and all the stress I would be under.

I told the nurse who will be doing my ultrasound and she didn't seem to concerned...she actually agreed that it would probably be better than just letting my emotions run rampant.

Am I wrong? I mean...if I smoke, I'm POTENTIALLY harming baby...but without any medication (pills are completely off limits....ALL bipolar medication has some serious effects on fetuses) I could stress out and miscarry. I just feel so judged when people that are close to me know that I continue to smoke. I don't do it because I want to anymore (that stopped about 4 years ago), I do it because I have to...because if I don't I will try to harm myself or someone else.

What do you ladies think?

 

[jellybeanxx]

I have bipolar disorder and use to smoke weed to help control the symptoms. I was convinced it really helped me. However I stopped smoking last September to TTC and to be honest, I feel a lot clearer without the weed. I continue to take certain medications (after taking a lot of medical advice).
Personally, I'd rather ensure my bipolar is medically controlled and not take recreational drugs.

 

[jellybeanxx]

Also (and this isn't a judgement, just wanting you to have all the information you can) weed is very dangerous for a developing brain (such as in children and teenagers) and has been proven to increase the risk of suffering mental ill health, especially in people who are predisposed to it (i.e. someone who has a parent with bipolar or any family history of mental illness).
If it can do that to a teenager's brain, what does it do to a baby's?

 

[LarLar]

I know a few people who have smoked it during pregnancy and their babies have been fine but they did cut back alot! (i personally wouldn't smoke it at all).
A family friend smoked it throughout her pregnancy heavily and end up having an extremely ill baby who was born at 24weeks but she went into labour at 23weeks. I'm not saying it was the weed that caused her to have a premature baby but she was healthy otherwise.

I say ask your doctors opinion on it, most i assume will say to avoid it but longs you don't smoke excessively i see no harm.

Best of luck to you xx