OB appointment at 32 weeks and 5 days
Blood pressure - OK
Urine - OK
Weight - OK (3 lbs - makes sense since I'm typically 6 lbs at my 4 week appointments)
Baby's Heart Rate - OK
Measuring - 33 centimeters, right on target
I love my doctor, I really do. It's so nice to feel like you are in the hands of someone who is actually competent. Yesterday was your typical appointment. It was cool though because I got to feel where the head was (right where I want it!) and his little bum and limbs. He started to show me all the different body parts but then I had a contraction and we had to wait it out. Kinda hard to feel around when your stomach is rock hard.
I asked my doctor if there was anything I could do for my sleeping issues. It's been wearing me out. He asked me a few questions about what happens when I wake up, heart racing? What's going through my mind, etc. And then he gets to the point. He wants to put me on an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) in addition to my current anti-depressant (a dopamine reuptake blocking compound). While sleeplessness is a common symptom of pregnancy he feels (and I tend to agree) that my anxiety can be playing a big role. But he said for the next 4 weeks it's optional but after that I need to get on something because I'm classic textbook candidate for post-partum depression. Oh lucky me.
Bryan and I already have discussed that possibility and figured it's pretty inevitable. I know me and always knew that was a great risk. That is the last thing I want, depression is hard enough but when a newborn is involved it is even harder. So my doctor wants me to be on these meds about 4 weeks before I deliver so they are already effective and just something to get me through the first 6 weeks. He said my saving grace is that I'm due in the summer when the weather is nice and there is a lot of sunlight. It would be much harder for me in the dead of winter since that is a tough period for me anyway! I'll have to remember that for next baby making session (IF there is one!).
Well I’m still contemplating it. I'm not opposed to it, I know he wouldn't prescribe anything unsafe while pregnant or nursing. But this is a big part of why I love my doctor so much. He was the ONLY doctor (aside from my prescribing psychiatrist) that knew of a previous medication of mine was. (Unfortunately that medicine was not safe to take while pregnant so we stopped that before we started trying). But I've had doctors asking me how to spell it; they looked through their books to find info on it so I was greatly impressed when my OB/GYN could tell me all about the medication. I know picking your OB on the fact he knew of a particular medicine isn't the best way but it told me he's up to date, he has more general knowledge outside of the GYN world. (Plus he trained under midwives too so he's the perfect balance of "natural" and "clinical" for me.) I wanted someone who knew my whole life and could take all aspects into account. But I just found out yesterday that he was trained in the psych field before, he did some work out of Sheppard Pratt and he currently does some primary care for people in need of head meds. He's the perfect combo for me!
So for now I'm still deciding on the meds. I know I'll do it; I just may wait a few more weeks. It's hard because all pregnant women experience mood issues but it's hard to tell what is normal pregnancy hormones acting up and what is being compounded by that along with my depression. He said every mood change a normal pregnant woman would experience would only be greatly increased for me. I rather not (and I'm sure Bryan would rather not) deal with unnecessary negative feelings and mood swings if we don't have to.
Ugh, more decisions for Bryan and I…
Urine - OK
Weight - OK (3 lbs - makes sense since I'm typically 6 lbs at my 4 week appointments)
Baby's Heart Rate - OK
Measuring - 33 centimeters, right on target
I love my doctor, I really do. It's so nice to feel like you are in the hands of someone who is actually competent. Yesterday was your typical appointment. It was cool though because I got to feel where the head was (right where I want it!) and his little bum and limbs. He started to show me all the different body parts but then I had a contraction and we had to wait it out. Kinda hard to feel around when your stomach is rock hard.
I asked my doctor if there was anything I could do for my sleeping issues. It's been wearing me out. He asked me a few questions about what happens when I wake up, heart racing? What's going through my mind, etc. And then he gets to the point. He wants to put me on an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) in addition to my current anti-depressant (a dopamine reuptake blocking compound). While sleeplessness is a common symptom of pregnancy he feels (and I tend to agree) that my anxiety can be playing a big role. But he said for the next 4 weeks it's optional but after that I need to get on something because I'm classic textbook candidate for post-partum depression. Oh lucky me.
Bryan and I already have discussed that possibility and figured it's pretty inevitable. I know me and always knew that was a great risk. That is the last thing I want, depression is hard enough but when a newborn is involved it is even harder. So my doctor wants me to be on these meds about 4 weeks before I deliver so they are already effective and just something to get me through the first 6 weeks. He said my saving grace is that I'm due in the summer when the weather is nice and there is a lot of sunlight. It would be much harder for me in the dead of winter since that is a tough period for me anyway! I'll have to remember that for next baby making session (IF there is one!).
Well I’m still contemplating it. I'm not opposed to it, I know he wouldn't prescribe anything unsafe while pregnant or nursing. But this is a big part of why I love my doctor so much. He was the ONLY doctor (aside from my prescribing psychiatrist) that knew of a previous medication of mine was. (Unfortunately that medicine was not safe to take while pregnant so we stopped that before we started trying). But I've had doctors asking me how to spell it; they looked through their books to find info on it so I was greatly impressed when my OB/GYN could tell me all about the medication. I know picking your OB on the fact he knew of a particular medicine isn't the best way but it told me he's up to date, he has more general knowledge outside of the GYN world. (Plus he trained under midwives too so he's the perfect balance of "natural" and "clinical" for me.) I wanted someone who knew my whole life and could take all aspects into account. But I just found out yesterday that he was trained in the psych field before, he did some work out of Sheppard Pratt and he currently does some primary care for people in need of head meds. He's the perfect combo for me!
So for now I'm still deciding on the meds. I know I'll do it; I just may wait a few more weeks. It's hard because all pregnant women experience mood issues but it's hard to tell what is normal pregnancy hormones acting up and what is being compounded by that along with my depression. He said every mood change a normal pregnant woman would experience would only be greatly increased for me. I rather not (and I'm sure Bryan would rather not) deal with unnecessary negative feelings and mood swings if we don't have to.
Ugh, more decisions for Bryan and I…
posted by Julian at 8:06 AM
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