YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

My husband and I are about to start a family. I'm very excited but also very nervous - partly because I have ADD and will have to go off my meds for the duration of the pregnancy (following the advice of my psychiatrist and gynecologist).

I know I might have to deal with things like morning sickness, back pain, changes in appetite, etc. But are there any particular pregnancy concerns for people with ADD? Are we more prone to hormonal mood swings or anxiety or something like that? I am interested in both personal stories and professional recommendations around pregnancy and ADD. Thanks!

The main thing if you're on Concerta or other stimulant drugs is physical withdrawal. My son had issues sleeping when he was carefully withdrawn off of one such med to start another. He couldn't get his mind to quiet down. I don't have ADD probably to the extent you do, so my expertise is only from a mom who has ADD tendencies. When I was pregnant, I had problems focusing on one task and organizing. I'd have three tasks and I'd do one and then forget two but do the third thing, or I'd remember the second and forget the others.

As for physiological issues, that's way out of my league. I'm more concerned about withdrawal and how long that will take for your body to get used to without it. I hope you understand that a slow taper still means your body is dependent on the drug and will react accordingly. It doesn't mean you're an addict. Also, I've come off of stimulants (Adderall) and it took longer that I'd hoped to resolve the withdrawal symptoms. Also if you plan to breastfeed, you may want to see if the meds you will resume can show up in your breast milk. I couldn't breastfeed while I was still on medication. I couldn't stop all of my meds during pregnancy due to other health issues. I also didn't use donor breast milk either.

I will promise you this: The sacrifice you're making is so worth it when you have a child of your own. It shows how much love you have for your firstborn. (I kept a journal of everything I was feeling and experiencing during my pregnancies, because both were high-risk.)