TTC & Xanax

[Nicole R.]

Hello Ladies,

My name is Nicole. I am 28 years old with two beautiful boys. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 15 and with a huge hormonal imbalance, I started experiencing anxiety at a very young age. I had terrible social anxiety, and didn't learn how to deal with it until I was in my 20's. My mom is a RN, with a variety of diseases. She has diabetes, Lupus, and a few other illnesses. Within the last few years, her health has taken a major downfall. She has been on disability and is technically stage 4 kidney failure. I found myself compulsively worrying about her health and worrying about her dying before my kids had a chance to really meet her.. and a handful of other terrible thoughts. My psychiatrist put me on xanax where I have finally been able to deal with her illnesses and her soon to be dialysis plans. I have been working on meditation, deep breathing techniques and yoga. I am currently taking 1.5mg/ day. (.5mg 3x day) I have only been on Xanax for six months. Now, we're TTC #3 and it suddenly dawned on me, that I am on the xanax. I have read some very confusing things online, just wanted to talk to someone who has experience or knows someone that has been in this situation.
I am currently WTT, and looking into a taper plan to get off the xanax so we can TTC #3. I'm not looking forward to the anxiety again, but will definitely sacrafice this for another child.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I will be speaking with my doctor on my next appointment in two weeks. Thanks.

 

[AshleyButters]

I am prescribed PRN ativan and xanax. I see that you are prescribed it daily, maybe you can talk to your psych about tapering down to PRN. I try to never take my meds because we are TTC, but if I get my period, and up until I ovulate (for the first like 2 weeks of the menstrual cycle) I feel okay about taking one PRN (PRN= as needed) if I have anxiety about something.

If I feel anxious about something after I have ovulated and I don't know for sure if I am pregnant, I just suck it up. Or I may try to take a nap, or have a glass of wine to take off the "edge" of my anxiety.

 

[Nicole R.]

I wish my doctor would have prescribed it PRN. Instead, he said to take it 3x day "Like a vitamin" I do have panic attacks that I believe he was trying to prevent. I wish I would've taken it PRN vs. 3x day. I found a taper schedule.. I have some hope got myself because I haven't been on it long. Manufacturer of Xanax says you can taper .5mg every 3 days. So I'm going to start with that and if it's too much I'll do .25mg! Once I am tapered off I will switch to prn. That's how my mother is prescribed it as well, I wasn't sure why I was told to take it 3x daily (now I know it's for panic attacks)
I just want to come off of it asap so I can take my clomid & provera. Provera causes anxiety too.. it did the first time I used it in 2010 and I actually went to the ER for a panic attack. Hopefully I'll be completely off in 3-4 weeks.

My mom lost my brother at 34 weeks when I was six years old. When she was okayed to have another (I was 14) she was given Ativan prn in her 2nd and third tri. She rarely took it.