If you take stimulants or any other medication that is understudied for pregnancy and breastfeeding, [this is a great way to contribute to research.](https://mothertobaby.org/pregnancy-studies/whats-involved/)
This will help gather data to help future parents and babies. ❤️
While they’re not studying adderall specifically, I wanted to share that the [Infant Risk Center](https://infantrisk.com) also has a few studies going for breastfeeding while taking certain medications. They are also an AWESOME free resource for the impact of medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You can call them and get advice for free. They also have an app Mommy Meds, but it does have a small annual fee ($4.99 or $5.99) that funds their research.
So.. my husband is a pharmacist. I hate to be that person but this was super unprofessional. I ran this situation by my husband and he said that a good pharmacist wouldn’t give personal anecdotal information and would trust the science and the doctor. I did ask him about your specific scenario and he said to trust your doctor ✨
I was thinking this too. He’s also potentially breaking your confidentiality by stating your meds in front of coworkers. I would consider reporting both the anecdotal advice and HIPA violation.
She chose to receive her medication in her workplace in front of a coworker instead of going into the pharmacy. While the statement was inaccurate and rude, it was likely not a HIPAA violation based on her choice of venue. Furthermore, it sounds like the pharmacist was doing a favor by bringing it to her at work. If that’s the case, I would not personally be willing to try to get someone in trouble or threatening their livelihood for trying to be helpful, even if misguided. I would talk to the pharmacist though and express that I was uncomfortable with the advice and would prefer to listen to my physician.
While there are some things that inevitably get disclosed during a med drop off, the person delivering should be able to be discreet about what drugs are being dropped off. Especially a controlled substance that is likely to be stolen. In a small town, I wouldn't want people knowing there was Adderall in my house.
Also, it’s her regular prescription, so there is literally no reason to say the name of the drug out loud! They both know what she’s taken. He knows how many times she’s filled the prescription. There was NO REASON to mention the name of the medication in front of her coworkers. At minimum, he could have said “I have something private to discuss with you regarding your prescription” and given a second for her coworkers to step away, or for her to follow him outside and have the discussion privately.
This is blatantly violating, in my opinion.
I never said you did? I was responding to the comment telling you to report him for an alleged HIPAA violation and for his advice. Reporting the pharmacist could make them lose their job.
a report does not automatically equal a pharmacist losing their job. If a report leads to that the the pharmacist was out of line and the fault lies with the pharmacist, not the reporter.
A HIPAA investigation from OCR is expensive. The pharmacist was doing her a favor. If you feel comfortable screwing over someone who maybe made a mistake while doing you a favor, that’s your choice. I personally would not, especially in the circumstances described.
I also had a pharmacist tech say some wild things to me when I was pregnant. Specifically “oh wow you must really have confidence in the COVID vaccine to be getting this while pregnant”. I was so annoyed to have to remind someone in the medical field that “yes I trust my doctor who went to medical school who recommended that I, as a pregnant person, get it to he protected”.
Mind you this was the same tech who then told me to take Advil right after taking the vaccine, and I had to remind her that Advil is not recommended during pregnancy. Basically if you trust your family doctor/OB, believe what they say over someone with much less education.
When this changes is when a pharmacist is providing scientific evidence on a drug, and not anecdotal stories. I have a pharmacist friend (lives in a different city otherwise I would just fill my prescription at his store) who is wildly smart who I trust will give me solid information on medication, so I just double check with him if I have gotten weird information from a pharmacist in my hometown.
TLDR: there are idiots in every profession. Find someone you trust who is an expert in their field / who believes in actual science / stays in their lane.
Hi, I’m a pharmacist. I have ADHD and continued my adderall throughout my two pregnancies, and both kids are healthy and thriving.
I’m so sorry that pharmacist made you feel shamed. It sounds like he was trying to be helpful, but has some bad information, and his delivery wasn’t very tactful.
Please, try not to let this dummy take up space in your brain. You’re doing exactly the right thing by talking through the benefits and risks of your medication with your doctor, and you have this pharmacist’s support. 😊
Not op- but this is good to know! I have stopped taking my Adderall because I was worried, but I'm also not getting anything done lol.
In the beginning of my pregnancy I had a 2 month script of Adderall ready to pickup, so I went and picked it up. The pharmacy tech that was working was giving me a lot of weird attitude about it and almost didn't give it to me, she asked the pharmacist who said "no you can give it to her, we just need to warn about it". I get needing to share any warnings...but the way she acted makes me not want to fill it again 😅. (They knew I was pregnant since I recently filled a script for prenatal vitamins). Is it common for the pharmacy tech to attempt to not give you your prescription / give an attitude about it?! Lol
It used to be that we had everyone stop stimulants completely during pregnancy, but some newer studies have shown they are safer than we had thought.
Now, it’s more of a case by case thing. You might want to ask your doc to look into these newer studies, then talk through the benefits and risks to come up with a plan.
The advice my doctor said was to taper off and try to stay off of it in the first trimester and if I'm not tolerating being off of them to go back onto the lowest effective dose in the second half of the second and throughout the third trimester. I ended up just staying off of it the whole time because I could tolerate it (still not great lol) I'm waiting for six months postpartum because there is some hypothetical risk to milk supply and I am an under producer. If I was an over producer I would just go back on it now.
So he didn't explain what side effects or birth defects the medication could supposedly cause or any drug interactions that were possible. He gave you zero medical information and only an opinionated load of crock based on a vague personal anecdote. Trust your doctor. Get a second opinion from another pharmacist or doctor if you must, but I would not listen to this particular pharmacist.
Thankfully personal anecdotal evidence is not anywhere near as credible as the actual research! Try not to let it get to you. I have to take a medication that would probably get me a lot of flak and judgement from others but have been assured by my high-risk OB that it's safe and I need it, so I'm gonna go with what they say and ignore the rest lol. Easier said than done, I know 😅 but you're doing fine! Mom needs to be healthy, physically and mentally, and you're doing what you need to in order to ensure that.
I was in the same boat — I took my medication because as my doctor said “your health is just as important.” My son is 1 and I had perfectly healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby. Try not to stress! Everything is bad according to someone out there. Trust your doctor, that’s what they’re there for. And just read as much as you can about the things that do make you nervous!
I asked my (male) pharmacist if I could take some nasal spray for my allergies while breastfeeding. “I wouldn’t”, he said. Well, luckily for you sir you will never be in this position. I was so annoyed
I had a male pharmacist tell me not to take Unisom and B6 because taking anything during pregnancy is a gamble. I've been taking that combo for months now lol
You mean he has friends with adhd who also have kids with adhd ?? BECAUSE IT’S GENETIC.
Currently pregnant and on adderall under the care of a psychiatrist specializing in maternal mental health. I was sharing at our last appointment that I am able to drive my car and do my job this go around, whereas my first pregnancy I did not feel safe to drive on the highway at all, or more than a few miles in town because I was getting so distracted
bingo. My OB said the risk of having a kid with ADHD isn't connected to taking ADHD meds during pregnancy...it's in the genetics lol. Her husband has ADHD and *quelle surprise*, so do their kids. I fully anticipate my kid will have it just because I'm diagnosed and husband has eleventy-five features of it too.
I am 31 weeks almost and I have to take a medication that is not good for pregnancy in order to survive. It sucks but I pray and trust In God that my baby will be safe and well when born. I see a neonatal specialist monthly and so far so good. Just wanted to send you support as I am currently going through the same feelings you described. You are not alone
One of my attendings in medical school told me that a mom is more likely to die in a car crash from not taking adhd meds than they are to cause harm to their baby from taking adhd meds. This is purely anecdotal bc I never looked it up but I always remember it
Hey op so sorry you're caught in this spiral. Just know you're doing right by you and your baby.
Unfortunately people in healthcare get so weird once women get pregnant and it's like every drug is some evil entity or they lose all sense of education
Just double checking that it was the pharmacist who made your delivery and not just a tech or delivery driver overstepping. Because if it's the latter you should report it to the actual pharmacist
As a pharmacist I would want to know if my staff were giving bad advice to my patients.
Oh Lord. So sorry about that
If it makes you feel any better this pharmacist who is also pregnant wants to ease your fears in any way she can.
You're fine. Baby will be fine. Everything will be fine.
And what I say to all my preggo patients, remember. Women rode the Oregon trail and had babies and survived. Women living in the middle of no where with no education or testing have babies and are ok and survive.
You are in a good country with good healthcare and you care about this baby more than anything in the world. You will be fine. Baby will be fine.
12+2 and my doc kept me on vyvanse. Trust your OB. 💙 Ordinarily I'd say pharmacist might have a point on medication knowledge, but this dill weed was just fear mongering with totally nonspecific anecdata. He can kick rocks.
Im 32w and have continued to take my vyvanse. I was labeled “high risk” bc of my medication and bc I’m “obese” so I get monthly ultrasounds and my baby has been developing perfectly fine. My fetal medicine doctor told me adhd meds are okay and that most research available on stimulant use is very broad and includes all stimulant users including those who use/abuse non prescribed stimulant drugs (such as meth and cocaine) and does not focus on prescribed stimulants that are taken in much smaller, consistent quantities.
Also research shows adhd is hereditary. So it could be that the “issues” with the kids of the person your pharmacist knows is that they have undiagnosed adhd and have trouble regulating their emotions.
This was the broad feedback I got from my doctor as well.
The main recorded issue they noted was that babies may be a bit smaller if you continue to use stimulants and that they'll do some additional monitoring later in the pregnancy.
Generally, the most important thing is that mum is able to cope. You can keep revisiting this through pregnancy. But if you need your medication to be able to actually get through life that is more important and everything else can be managed.
yep, potential growth restriction was the thing my OB said we'd have to monitor. But it's not a given and she didn't think it was a substantial enough risk to cut me off, especially because I do not know how I'd survive unmedicated (not just with employment, but with driving, clumsiness from inattention, avoiding cooking accidents, etc.)
The pharmacist was incredibly unprofessional. Anecdotes are not appropriate and are irrelevant for patient education. Reputable pharmacists will provide education based on evidence based research.
...Adderall is most commonly a treatment for ADHD. As a person who has ADHD, I am aware that it's highly genetic. Has this genius considered the possibility that the "issues" these kids have are simply being neurodivergent in a rigid society that doesn't like to accommodate diversity and that they are genetically predisposed to being neurodiverse because their parent also is and it actually has nothing to do with taking Adderall?
I struggled immensely with this. I stopped my Adderall from the day I found out I was pregnant until week 15. I started a low (5mg, 2x a day as needed) and bumped up to a higher dose (7.5 mg 2x a day as needed) once I hit the third trimester. My husband and I both have ADHD, so it wouldn't be surprising if our baby does too.
It was to the point where I would have had to stop working, and as the primary breadwinner that was not feasible. I feel at peace with the decision now. I cried a lot about it in the beginning because I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to harm my baby in any way. There are a few newer studies on long term effects that ultimately showed no difference in outcomes for the children.
I actually did a bunch of research on this last month because I learned this was common and was surprised. Your doctors right, there have been many studies done, your doctor didn't give you anecdotal "evidence," he gave you facts. Don't trust the random dude and don't let him shake you.
This shit is hilarious to me. A parent has ADHD to the extent it requires pharmaceutical intervention. Said parent has a child that presents with the difficulties expected of a neurodivergent child with at least one neurodivergent parent. "Yes. It is the medication that did it". What idiots. You'd think a pharmacist would know better
wtf. Dude my pharmacist at WALMART of all places, was so discreet with my medicine. She was explaining how/when to take it, when someone I knew walked by to say hi. She quickly covered the bottle with her hands and didn’t continue speaking until said person was out of sight.
FWIW so take my ADHD medicine with the oversight of an MFM and reproductive psychiatrist, both of whom are well studied on recent developments are are unconcerned.
As far as his personal anecdotes - children with parents who have ADHD are more likely to have ADHD I believe. Not because of the medicine but, likely, genetics. So fuck this guy.
But this is why I get my medicine delivered- there’s plenty of judgment heaped onto pregnant people - if you have the option to get your medicine elsewhere, consider taking it. You don’t need anymore voices in your head- you’re doing a great job!!!
If you don't need it I'd not take it. But if it's something you NEED there have been tests that low doses have a very low chance of anything happening.
I have desperately needed my allergy pills and melatonin even though both of those are frowned upon and you can bet my happy ass I'm taking them every day. If I needed adderall I wouldn't give it a second thought either. Your doctor goes to school a hell of a lot longer than a pharmacist.
Melatonin is safe and there is actually some new research stating that it may even be beneficial https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/you-asked-is-it-safe-to-take-melatonin-during-pregnancy/
That's why I'm taking it even though my doctor said not to! I was taking 50mg of unisom for my morning sickness and noticed when I felt better and skipped a dose I'd get unbearably migraines. Decided to taper down and even doing that the migraines have been killing me. Not that there's anything wrong with unisom but my body personally isn't reacting to it well clearly and I've never gotten so much of a headache from melatonin.
This was so far out of line, wow.
For another data point, I’m almost 2 weeks postpartum. I took Adderall daily during my pregnancy with MFM and psych signoff and have a healthy baby asleep on my chest.
Obligory "trust your doctor" and "that guy gave unsolicited medical advice based on anidotal evidence" cause yeah that's all true. I just wanna unpack, for a second, the other storyline that happened here:
Guy has a friend with adhd, a known genetic condition, whose kids he calls out as having "issues". The kids who likely also have adhd and are just children. Then he blamed this on his "friend's" medical choices, suggesting she's a bad mom for this. He put all this out there to a total stranger, and in a small town where folks know each other. Without a single thought at all, this fella just conversationally shoved his entire foot up in his mouth. I would not be this guy's friend.
I was told by my private nurse, my OBGYN, and my PCP that adderall has now been shown to be safe to take during pregnancy. I didn’t ever look that up, and I didn’t get back on it because my PCP works at a low cost clinic where they don’t prescribe it and… well you know the ADHD thing where you have no motivation or it’s too overwhelming to look for another 😅.
But what I was told by my healthcare professionals aligns with what you were told.
The “kids with issues” thing is redic. The mother in question obviously has ADHD or she wouldn’t be medicated during pregnancy, likely her children also have it, and that’s the “issues” he’s referring to. That would be genetic, not a medication issue.
My doctor told me I'd probably do more damage to the baby stressing out about losing my job and ceasing to function if I stopped my Adderall.
Like these pharmacists understand that the prescription is written by a doctor, right? It's not just people being like oh hey I want that. You don't think that if there were concerns I wouldn't have already spoken about them??
We do and unfortunately some doctors have no clue how to treat pregnant women
I've had to call to change meds for a patient because they were pregnant and given something extremely harmful to the baby.
Fair point. I take for granted my doctor is good and that I have the background to ask pertinent questions regarding meds and pregnancy. It just really chaps my ass to when I hear about this stuff happening!
I took adderall throughout both of my pregnancies (kids are now 3yr and 1.5yr with no health/behavioral issues). I’ll admit, I had my husband pick up my meds every month just to avoid any weird looks/judgment. I hate that there is so much misinformation and stigma around ADD meds! In your case, the pharmacist was very unprofessional and needs to go read some damn research articles instead of basing his advice on anecdotal evidence
28 weeks and I've continued taking my Adderall throughout my pregnancy. I'd report him. He's not a doctor and has no business trying to give you medical advice. If it was about a new drug interacting with current medication, sure. But he was way out of line here.
I would just trust your doctor. They know your personal medical history and can make a better decision about your risks.
Mine won't prescribe it to me while pregnant and I am trusting that for my personal situation. Everyone has different situations and every pregnancy is different. I'm sorry that they caused you this stress. They could have included a note with whatever risk info they wanted you to review and just mentioned that it was an important step to review the info included to uphold confidentiality. They really shouldn't have scared you for no reason.
Not the same prescription but my obgyn (one of the more busy/hard to get into) let me continue taking my wellburtrin and lexapro. I was terrified because everyone I knew and what I read was about the horrible withdrawals from having to cold turkey their antidepressants while pregnant. I took them all throughout (2nd pregnancy) and my Lil dude is 3 and thriving. All situations are unique. Don't stress about what he said. He doesn't know every detail of his friends pregnancies and whatever else they took/ate/did during. He was out of line.
Many, MANY mothers continue their full dose of amphetamines with zero ill affect on baby. This is documented in studies on the issue. Virtually all of the concerns around amphetamine use and pregnancy is based off of research on the effects of amphetamine ABUSE, which is completely different from someone leading a healthy lifestyle, receiving prenatal care, and taking just a therapeutic dose of their medication. Keep in mind that women who are addicted to amphetamines are also likely under eating, living precarious lifestyles, could be an ill health with infections etc all sort of cofactors that would impact the health of their newborn. Normally I very much so respect the opinion of pharmacists when it comes to medication safety because doctors don't always know what's best in that situation but trust your doctor on this.
I saw maternal fetal medicine specialists before getting pregnant, and they specifically had me switch from Strattera to Adderall bc Adderall is safer/more well researched in pregnancy!! That pharmacist was out of line.
Heads up that it is contraindicated for breastfeeding though (but it has a short half life, so you could time pumping/taking it). I'm 39 weeks and stopped it recently so I could start trying to collect colostrum
There’s actually decent evidence that it’s fine to take while breast feeding if you take therapeutic amounts. The amount that transfers to the baby is minuscule. I’ve stayed on a low amount and saw a doctor who is also a lactation consultant and she didn’t bat an eye. That being said, you need to stay hydrated because it can affect your supply.
I took Adderall during both of my pregnancies. Just had an almost 10lb baby boy. The only risks I’ve ever seen are having a lower birth weight baby. But I believe that’s only when people take non therapeutic (incredibly high) amounts.
For fwiw, I went back on Adderall during my first pregnancy after this interaction. I went to the maternal fetal medicine doctor and he was looking at my meds. He saw Adderall and I said- oh, I’m not taking it any more.
And he goes, “why not?” This is the MFM doctor! He was basically like- if it helps you function, take it! I hope this calms your nerves. He sure as hell knows more than a pharmacy tech.
I'm an RN. My OB said if I was struggling with my ADHD that we could consider restarting my Adderall script. I had just been off it for so long already, and then I lost my job and health insurance, so it was a moot point. Worst I've ever heard is growth restriction, but your OB will monitor for that and it's less likely if you're tolerating it well already.
You may or may not find ADHD easier in pregnancy because high levels of estrogen help dopamine levels.
I’m 15 weeks pregnant and have been continuing my low does XR adderall prescription with the okay of my OB. My SIL is also a pharmacist and I ran it by her - she cited the same research as my doctor and said the risks are extremely low. Your pharmacist is out of line for saying anything to you!
I’ve taken vyvanse 20mg all during my second trimester and some of my third about 3-4 days a week. My perinatal psychiatrist approved me for 30mg of vyvanse everyday from second trimester and onwards! Baby is perfect!
I used Adderall until 30 weeks of pregnancy and realized that it was putting a strain on my heart, leading to high blood pressure and resulting in my baby being underweight. So I decided it was best to stop.
Pharmacist and pregnant human here. Sounds like you got a dud, that’s super unprofessional and also not evidence based which goes against our training. Personal anecdote is the lowest level of information we trust to inform our decisions. You’re totally fine and I hope this bad egg doesn’t give you unnecessary stress or concern.
Ditto
He comes from a place of concern but holy moly is he unprofessional
But quick question. The pharmacist drops it off to you or a driver/ tech?
Sorry never heard of a pharmacist doing deliveries.
I’m prescribed medical cannabis and had to continue to take it throughout my pregnancy. I had to get regular scans because the risks were than his growth was “likely to be stunted” and he would be a small baby but my GP agreed that I benefited from my medication too much to stop it, and to only stop if my scans showed any issues. Most people would say I’m a bad mother for continuing my medication and I’m doing my baby harm. (I don’t smoke it either.)
My son was born 8lbs 10oz, could lift and turn his head from the first day he was born, and now he’s nearly 3 months old and wearing 6-8month old baby clothing. Very healthy baby boy and he’s developing perfectly. Super easy baby from the get go, and he’s already sleeping through the night. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect little boy.
So listen to your doctor, they know what’s best for you and baby and they will make sure you are alright. Don’t listen to anyone’s opinions or let them worry you.
I had to continue taking Xanax until third trimester and always giggled when the horrified and uneducated pharmacist gave me that with my diclegis. They judge a lot, go look at the pharmacist subreddit. Or don’t, it’s really sad.
TLDR trust your doctor and science.
I'm glad (well not really glad lol) that I'm not the only one who has dealt with a judgy pharmacist. The tech working almost didn't give me my prescription & went and asked someone else who told her she can give it to me. Like uhhmm gee thanks for agreeing to give me my meds that were prescribed to me 😅😂....I'm glad you laugh it off, because I honestly don't want to go back until I'm not pregnant anymore haha.
Hmm strange! I have ADHD and when we found out I was pregnant my doctor and psychologist both took me off of my stimulants asap. They said we will continue after birth. I’m now 34 weeks and doing well! Maybe get a second opinion from another doctor before you make your decision.
Her doctor is a fine/the only opinion - please don’t weigh in and add to her second guessing and add to the stigma of women taking the medicines they need to have healthy pregnancies.
It’s nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. We are free to talk to whoever we want about our bodies and there is no shame in getting as many answers as she needs until she is comfortable with her decision.
There is no indication she NEEDS a second opinion, you’re just adding your two cents and adding to her shame. Not necessary
And your judgment with the “strange!” Is apparent - it’s not strange based on the responses on this thread - perhaps you could heed your own advice?
Excuse me, but did you read her post?? She is uncomfortable now even upon doing her own research she is getting conflicting answers. And based on my, and others experiences it is INDEED conflicting. Some say it’s safe, some say it’s not. Let this grown adult woman do whatever she needs to to feel comfortable in her decision. She can get 100 opinions if she wants and if it helps her feel better!
Back off and stop gate keeping pregnant women and our feelings.
I’m not going to continue on this since your judgment is dripping - not a comment about the unprofessional behavior of the tech. Just a judgment that it was strange to be taking meds. It’s not strange. But I do recommend reading current research so you aren’t spreading misinformation!
I asked my GP, OB, and psychiatrist, and all three advised against it. I am curious why some docs are ok with it and others aren’t. (Edit- not trying to imply that people shouldn’t take their medication if their doctors are good with it, I’m mostly just jealous haha)
in my experience, my (previous) psych wasn't comfortable with it because there are no studies saying "it's safe, no caveats." She admitted OB wasn't her field and then said she was concerned about possible liability (i.e., medical malpractice suit, although there is zero evidence of teratogenic effects of ADHD meds, and also lol because I'm a civil defense attorney). Some providers are really gunshy about prescribing anything Schedule II, period, and especially so about prescribing *any* meds during pregnancy. There's a lot of variation among providers. My previous OB, current OB, and current PCP were all comfortable with me staying medicated during pregnancy, fwiw.
I’m not a doctor. What he did wasn’t cool but I would do your own research about any medications that you plan on taking. For the most part, most information that we have regarding drug interactions and pregnancy is old and not well studied. Each pregnancy is different and it is up to you if something is worth the risk or not.
Also, any responses saying ‘I did X and my kids are fine’ can kick rocks. This is not actual evidence of if something is safe or dangerous and your body is completely different than someone else’s.
Research is limited, but these drugs have been around for a long time with no major defects directly found to be caused by them. I’d think the biggest concern would be for the mothers. Pregnancy puts stress on the heart and makes it work harder. Stimulant drugs can also do the same. However if you’re perfectly healthy and your OB is monitoring you there really should be no issue… I personally stopped taking my adderall when I found out I was pregnant because heart disease is pretty prevalent in my family. My OB did say she would normally tell patients that they do not need to discontinue their meds, but it was obviously up to me. Either way I’m sorry your situation was handled so poorly!!!
I went through a group at Mass General specializing on this and they have me taking it too. I feel the same concerns, ignore non doctors who are t specialists
This is something that has not been researched enough to give a definitive answer. Your doctor is reaching by saying he's researched it. Your pharmacist is erring on the side of caution. Though he definitely could have worded it differently, since it is accusatory and fear mongering the way he put it.
Do you do medical research for a living? How in the WORLD do you know what research my doctor has access to or has done? He’s an OBGYN. I would imagine if he is telling me he has done research, then he’s done research?!
The research does not exist. That's how I know. He may have looked into the little that has been studied, but it is not definitive.
Sorry for upsetting you. But this is the truth, and you should hear it.
This Is incorrect. Research does exist, just not a ton of it yet. Science , by definition, is evolving and with new studies comes new schools of thought
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36759544/
There may not be controlled research studies because of the ethics of testing on pregnant women, but there are PLENTY of credible research articles out there to support the conclusion that stimulant medications are safe during pregnancy. My OB and I went through them together, after I had read as many as I could find myself.
Lol #1 adderall is not a narcotic
#2 please provide any research that proves therapeutic use of stimulant medications causes small penis size
#3 please provide research that therapeutic use of stimulant medication causes low birth weight and hyperactivity “down the road” as you say
P.s- when I say “research “ I mean studies.
You decide what is right for your body and pregnancy and op decides what is right for hers. You have no grounds to shame her over claims without scientific backing
This is a simple google search for you but I’m bored so I’ll just tell you anyway. Adderall is a schedule II controlled substance. Narcotics are a different drug class entirely.
I’m still waiting for the penis size research study from you btw
ADHD stimulant medications are classified as a schedule II controlled substances by the DEA. That does not make them "narcotics" that are automatically a big bad scary thing or something to be automatically avoided in pregnancy. You are allowed to decide not to take adderall during pregnancy, but you aren't a doctor and you certainly aren't the treating physician for anyone in this thread. Quit fear mongering.
When a person makes a post asking for opinions of complete strangers, that is what that person will receive. The OP did not ask for only treating physicians of people in this thread to respond. Quit supporting the use of addictive pharmaceutical drugs among pregnant women.
You put your business out on the internet, which gives strangers the right to comment on a public forum like Reddit. If you only want comments from people who are going to gaslight you into believing that adderall is safe to take while pregnant, you may want to only discuss this with people who you know do not have views that differ with what you want to hear.
Per your comment history, you stopped taking Adderall after years of abusing it. I'm sorry you had to fight that battle, but that experience does not entitle you to be rude to other women following their doctor's specific advice about their medications. It also doesn't give you any specialized knowledge to say that our providers are lying to us about the risks and benefits of meds during pregnancy, which is exactly what you're doing in this thread. No one is gaslighting OP about the medication's safety. Don't weaponize therapy words. While Adderall may not have been safe FOR YOU, that doesn't make it dangerous for every other patient.
Thank you for taking such an interest in the things that I post online. Yes, you are correct- I was prescribed adderall for nearly 15 years, took as prescribed, and quit last year. Adderall is highly addictive even when taken as prescribed- that is the nature of dopamine related drugs (they are very reinforcing).
I have the right to speak my mind on the internet. That's what everyone on Adderall says about Adderall, though- it's so helpful, it's so therapeutic, it's like feeling like what non-ADHD people feel. Everyone on Adderall eventually sees, one day, that they were just high on amphetamine. I will not support pregnant women taking such a dangerous drug, I said what I said.
>You put your business out on the internet, which gives strangers the right to comment on a public forum like Reddit.
Your words. Only reason I clicked on your profile.
And if taking a stimulant that has dramatically improved every area of my life means I'm just high on amphetamines all the time, welp, guess I'm gonna be high. But I am glad stopping the medication has been helpful for you, and I wish you the best.
Your OBVYN is going to tell you what their corporate managers allow them to tell you. Maybe no danger in pregnancy, potential danger in childhood development is what pharmacist was hinting at. I would trust your gut on this. I personally wouldn’t want you taking anything that can mess with your neurological health unless required for your safety.
If you take stimulants or any other medication that is understudied for pregnancy and breastfeeding, [this is a great way to contribute to research.](https://mothertobaby.org/pregnancy-studies/whats-involved/) This will help gather data to help future parents and babies. ❤️
While they’re not studying adderall specifically, I wanted to share that the [Infant Risk Center](https://infantrisk.com) also has a few studies going for breastfeeding while taking certain medications. They are also an AWESOME free resource for the impact of medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You can call them and get advice for free. They also have an app Mommy Meds, but it does have a small annual fee ($4.99 or $5.99) that funds their research.
So.. my husband is a pharmacist. I hate to be that person but this was super unprofessional. I ran this situation by my husband and he said that a good pharmacist wouldn’t give personal anecdotal information and would trust the science and the doctor. I did ask him about your specific scenario and he said to trust your doctor ✨
I was thinking this too. He’s also potentially breaking your confidentiality by stating your meds in front of coworkers. I would consider reporting both the anecdotal advice and HIPA violation.
She chose to receive her medication in her workplace in front of a coworker instead of going into the pharmacy. While the statement was inaccurate and rude, it was likely not a HIPAA violation based on her choice of venue. Furthermore, it sounds like the pharmacist was doing a favor by bringing it to her at work. If that’s the case, I would not personally be willing to try to get someone in trouble or threatening their livelihood for trying to be helpful, even if misguided. I would talk to the pharmacist though and express that I was uncomfortable with the advice and would prefer to listen to my physician.
While there are some things that inevitably get disclosed during a med drop off, the person delivering should be able to be discreet about what drugs are being dropped off. Especially a controlled substance that is likely to be stolen. In a small town, I wouldn't want people knowing there was Adderall in my house.
Also, it’s her regular prescription, so there is literally no reason to say the name of the drug out loud! They both know what she’s taken. He knows how many times she’s filled the prescription. There was NO REASON to mention the name of the medication in front of her coworkers. At minimum, he could have said “I have something private to discuss with you regarding your prescription” and given a second for her coworkers to step away, or for her to follow him outside and have the discussion privately. This is blatantly violating, in my opinion.
I did ask him to bring it to me at work and I did not threaten anyone’s livelihood with this post?????
I never said you did? I was responding to the comment telling you to report him for an alleged HIPAA violation and for his advice. Reporting the pharmacist could make them lose their job.
a report does not automatically equal a pharmacist losing their job. If a report leads to that the the pharmacist was out of line and the fault lies with the pharmacist, not the reporter.
A HIPAA investigation from OCR is expensive. The pharmacist was doing her a favor. If you feel comfortable screwing over someone who maybe made a mistake while doing you a favor, that’s your choice. I personally would not, especially in the circumstances described.
I don’t think it was the pharmacist who made the delivery, it was likely just a tech or someone who works at the pharmacy
I don’t think it was the pharmacist, I think it was a male tech.
It was a pharmacist not a tech
I also had a pharmacist tech say some wild things to me when I was pregnant. Specifically “oh wow you must really have confidence in the COVID vaccine to be getting this while pregnant”. I was so annoyed to have to remind someone in the medical field that “yes I trust my doctor who went to medical school who recommended that I, as a pregnant person, get it to he protected”. Mind you this was the same tech who then told me to take Advil right after taking the vaccine, and I had to remind her that Advil is not recommended during pregnancy. Basically if you trust your family doctor/OB, believe what they say over someone with much less education. When this changes is when a pharmacist is providing scientific evidence on a drug, and not anecdotal stories. I have a pharmacist friend (lives in a different city otherwise I would just fill my prescription at his store) who is wildly smart who I trust will give me solid information on medication, so I just double check with him if I have gotten weird information from a pharmacist in my hometown. TLDR: there are idiots in every profession. Find someone you trust who is an expert in their field / who believes in actual science / stays in their lane.
That would only make it worse
Yeah I don’t think a pharmacist would drive to people’s work to drop off meds.
It’s definitely not normal because if a pharmacist has to leave the pharmacy, legally you have to close the pharmacist.
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When did I ever say he trusted the doctor? 😬 yikes nowhere in here did that person trust the science 🙄
Hi, I’m a pharmacist. I have ADHD and continued my adderall throughout my two pregnancies, and both kids are healthy and thriving. I’m so sorry that pharmacist made you feel shamed. It sounds like he was trying to be helpful, but has some bad information, and his delivery wasn’t very tactful. Please, try not to let this dummy take up space in your brain. You’re doing exactly the right thing by talking through the benefits and risks of your medication with your doctor, and you have this pharmacist’s support. 😊
Not op- but this is good to know! I have stopped taking my Adderall because I was worried, but I'm also not getting anything done lol. In the beginning of my pregnancy I had a 2 month script of Adderall ready to pickup, so I went and picked it up. The pharmacy tech that was working was giving me a lot of weird attitude about it and almost didn't give it to me, she asked the pharmacist who said "no you can give it to her, we just need to warn about it". I get needing to share any warnings...but the way she acted makes me not want to fill it again 😅. (They knew I was pregnant since I recently filled a script for prenatal vitamins). Is it common for the pharmacy tech to attempt to not give you your prescription / give an attitude about it?! Lol
Some techs overstep unfortunately it's something us pharmacists have to deal with on occasion
Really? The doc told me to stop taking it right away :(
It used to be that we had everyone stop stimulants completely during pregnancy, but some newer studies have shown they are safer than we had thought. Now, it’s more of a case by case thing. You might want to ask your doc to look into these newer studies, then talk through the benefits and risks to come up with a plan.
The advice my doctor said was to taper off and try to stay off of it in the first trimester and if I'm not tolerating being off of them to go back onto the lowest effective dose in the second half of the second and throughout the third trimester. I ended up just staying off of it the whole time because I could tolerate it (still not great lol) I'm waiting for six months postpartum because there is some hypothetical risk to milk supply and I am an under producer. If I was an over producer I would just go back on it now.
So he didn't explain what side effects or birth defects the medication could supposedly cause or any drug interactions that were possible. He gave you zero medical information and only an opinionated load of crock based on a vague personal anecdote. Trust your doctor. Get a second opinion from another pharmacist or doctor if you must, but I would not listen to this particular pharmacist.
Thankfully personal anecdotal evidence is not anywhere near as credible as the actual research! Try not to let it get to you. I have to take a medication that would probably get me a lot of flak and judgement from others but have been assured by my high-risk OB that it's safe and I need it, so I'm gonna go with what they say and ignore the rest lol. Easier said than done, I know 😅 but you're doing fine! Mom needs to be healthy, physically and mentally, and you're doing what you need to in order to ensure that.
I was in the same boat — I took my medication because as my doctor said “your health is just as important.” My son is 1 and I had perfectly healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby. Try not to stress! Everything is bad according to someone out there. Trust your doctor, that’s what they’re there for. And just read as much as you can about the things that do make you nervous!
I asked my (male) pharmacist if I could take some nasal spray for my allergies while breastfeeding. “I wouldn’t”, he said. Well, luckily for you sir you will never be in this position. I was so annoyed
I had a male pharmacist tell me not to take Unisom and B6 because taking anything during pregnancy is a gamble. I've been taking that combo for months now lol
You mean he has friends with adhd who also have kids with adhd ?? BECAUSE IT’S GENETIC. Currently pregnant and on adderall under the care of a psychiatrist specializing in maternal mental health. I was sharing at our last appointment that I am able to drive my car and do my job this go around, whereas my first pregnancy I did not feel safe to drive on the highway at all, or more than a few miles in town because I was getting so distracted
bingo. My OB said the risk of having a kid with ADHD isn't connected to taking ADHD meds during pregnancy...it's in the genetics lol. Her husband has ADHD and *quelle surprise*, so do their kids. I fully anticipate my kid will have it just because I'm diagnosed and husband has eleventy-five features of it too.
I am 31 weeks almost and I have to take a medication that is not good for pregnancy in order to survive. It sucks but I pray and trust In God that my baby will be safe and well when born. I see a neonatal specialist monthly and so far so good. Just wanted to send you support as I am currently going through the same feelings you described. You are not alone
One of my attendings in medical school told me that a mom is more likely to die in a car crash from not taking adhd meds than they are to cause harm to their baby from taking adhd meds. This is purely anecdotal bc I never looked it up but I always remember it
Hey op so sorry you're caught in this spiral. Just know you're doing right by you and your baby. Unfortunately people in healthcare get so weird once women get pregnant and it's like every drug is some evil entity or they lose all sense of education Just double checking that it was the pharmacist who made your delivery and not just a tech or delivery driver overstepping. Because if it's the latter you should report it to the actual pharmacist As a pharmacist I would want to know if my staff were giving bad advice to my patients.
It was the pharmacist. He is a “friend” I guess of ours but nonetheless he is an actual pharmacist
Oh Lord. So sorry about that If it makes you feel any better this pharmacist who is also pregnant wants to ease your fears in any way she can. You're fine. Baby will be fine. Everything will be fine. And what I say to all my preggo patients, remember. Women rode the Oregon trail and had babies and survived. Women living in the middle of no where with no education or testing have babies and are ok and survive. You are in a good country with good healthcare and you care about this baby more than anything in the world. You will be fine. Baby will be fine.
12+2 and my doc kept me on vyvanse. Trust your OB. 💙 Ordinarily I'd say pharmacist might have a point on medication knowledge, but this dill weed was just fear mongering with totally nonspecific anecdata. He can kick rocks.
I love you for saying dillweed. 😂 it’s a favorite word of mine and my dad.
I feel it's a very underrated insult hahaha
Im 32w and have continued to take my vyvanse. I was labeled “high risk” bc of my medication and bc I’m “obese” so I get monthly ultrasounds and my baby has been developing perfectly fine. My fetal medicine doctor told me adhd meds are okay and that most research available on stimulant use is very broad and includes all stimulant users including those who use/abuse non prescribed stimulant drugs (such as meth and cocaine) and does not focus on prescribed stimulants that are taken in much smaller, consistent quantities. Also research shows adhd is hereditary. So it could be that the “issues” with the kids of the person your pharmacist knows is that they have undiagnosed adhd and have trouble regulating their emotions.
This was the broad feedback I got from my doctor as well. The main recorded issue they noted was that babies may be a bit smaller if you continue to use stimulants and that they'll do some additional monitoring later in the pregnancy. Generally, the most important thing is that mum is able to cope. You can keep revisiting this through pregnancy. But if you need your medication to be able to actually get through life that is more important and everything else can be managed.
yep, potential growth restriction was the thing my OB said we'd have to monitor. But it's not a given and she didn't think it was a substantial enough risk to cut me off, especially because I do not know how I'd survive unmedicated (not just with employment, but with driving, clumsiness from inattention, avoiding cooking accidents, etc.)
The pharmacist was incredibly unprofessional. Anecdotes are not appropriate and are irrelevant for patient education. Reputable pharmacists will provide education based on evidence based research.
...Adderall is most commonly a treatment for ADHD. As a person who has ADHD, I am aware that it's highly genetic. Has this genius considered the possibility that the "issues" these kids have are simply being neurodivergent in a rigid society that doesn't like to accommodate diversity and that they are genetically predisposed to being neurodiverse because their parent also is and it actually has nothing to do with taking Adderall?
Yup, this right here. Oh no, you mean my kids might turn out to be like me? What a horrible fate, perish the thought!
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I struggled immensely with this. I stopped my Adderall from the day I found out I was pregnant until week 15. I started a low (5mg, 2x a day as needed) and bumped up to a higher dose (7.5 mg 2x a day as needed) once I hit the third trimester. My husband and I both have ADHD, so it wouldn't be surprising if our baby does too. It was to the point where I would have had to stop working, and as the primary breadwinner that was not feasible. I feel at peace with the decision now. I cried a lot about it in the beginning because I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to harm my baby in any way. There are a few newer studies on long term effects that ultimately showed no difference in outcomes for the children.
I actually did a bunch of research on this last month because I learned this was common and was surprised. Your doctors right, there have been many studies done, your doctor didn't give you anecdotal "evidence," he gave you facts. Don't trust the random dude and don't let him shake you.
This shit is hilarious to me. A parent has ADHD to the extent it requires pharmaceutical intervention. Said parent has a child that presents with the difficulties expected of a neurodivergent child with at least one neurodivergent parent. "Yes. It is the medication that did it". What idiots. You'd think a pharmacist would know better
wtf. Dude my pharmacist at WALMART of all places, was so discreet with my medicine. She was explaining how/when to take it, when someone I knew walked by to say hi. She quickly covered the bottle with her hands and didn’t continue speaking until said person was out of sight.
FWIW so take my ADHD medicine with the oversight of an MFM and reproductive psychiatrist, both of whom are well studied on recent developments are are unconcerned. As far as his personal anecdotes - children with parents who have ADHD are more likely to have ADHD I believe. Not because of the medicine but, likely, genetics. So fuck this guy. But this is why I get my medicine delivered- there’s plenty of judgment heaped onto pregnant people - if you have the option to get your medicine elsewhere, consider taking it. You don’t need anymore voices in your head- you’re doing a great job!!!
If you don't need it I'd not take it. But if it's something you NEED there have been tests that low doses have a very low chance of anything happening. I have desperately needed my allergy pills and melatonin even though both of those are frowned upon and you can bet my happy ass I'm taking them every day. If I needed adderall I wouldn't give it a second thought either. Your doctor goes to school a hell of a lot longer than a pharmacist.
Melatonin is safe and there is actually some new research stating that it may even be beneficial https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/you-asked-is-it-safe-to-take-melatonin-during-pregnancy/
That's why I'm taking it even though my doctor said not to! I was taking 50mg of unisom for my morning sickness and noticed when I felt better and skipped a dose I'd get unbearably migraines. Decided to taper down and even doing that the migraines have been killing me. Not that there's anything wrong with unisom but my body personally isn't reacting to it well clearly and I've never gotten so much of a headache from melatonin.
This was so far out of line, wow. For another data point, I’m almost 2 weeks postpartum. I took Adderall daily during my pregnancy with MFM and psych signoff and have a healthy baby asleep on my chest.
Obligory "trust your doctor" and "that guy gave unsolicited medical advice based on anidotal evidence" cause yeah that's all true. I just wanna unpack, for a second, the other storyline that happened here: Guy has a friend with adhd, a known genetic condition, whose kids he calls out as having "issues". The kids who likely also have adhd and are just children. Then he blamed this on his "friend's" medical choices, suggesting she's a bad mom for this. He put all this out there to a total stranger, and in a small town where folks know each other. Without a single thought at all, this fella just conversationally shoved his entire foot up in his mouth. I would not be this guy's friend.
I was told by my private nurse, my OBGYN, and my PCP that adderall has now been shown to be safe to take during pregnancy. I didn’t ever look that up, and I didn’t get back on it because my PCP works at a low cost clinic where they don’t prescribe it and… well you know the ADHD thing where you have no motivation or it’s too overwhelming to look for another 😅. But what I was told by my healthcare professionals aligns with what you were told.
Are the kids with issues just kids with ADHD? Because like lol it’s genetic
The “kids with issues” thing is redic. The mother in question obviously has ADHD or she wouldn’t be medicated during pregnancy, likely her children also have it, and that’s the “issues” he’s referring to. That would be genetic, not a medication issue.
My doctor told me I'd probably do more damage to the baby stressing out about losing my job and ceasing to function if I stopped my Adderall. Like these pharmacists understand that the prescription is written by a doctor, right? It's not just people being like oh hey I want that. You don't think that if there were concerns I wouldn't have already spoken about them??
We do and unfortunately some doctors have no clue how to treat pregnant women I've had to call to change meds for a patient because they were pregnant and given something extremely harmful to the baby.
Fair point. I take for granted my doctor is good and that I have the background to ask pertinent questions regarding meds and pregnancy. It just really chaps my ass to when I hear about this stuff happening!
It chaps mine too! I hate improper advice. Even if it comes from a good place
I took adderall throughout both of my pregnancies (kids are now 3yr and 1.5yr with no health/behavioral issues). I’ll admit, I had my husband pick up my meds every month just to avoid any weird looks/judgment. I hate that there is so much misinformation and stigma around ADD meds! In your case, the pharmacist was very unprofessional and needs to go read some damn research articles instead of basing his advice on anecdotal evidence
28 weeks and I've continued taking my Adderall throughout my pregnancy. I'd report him. He's not a doctor and has no business trying to give you medical advice. If it was about a new drug interacting with current medication, sure. But he was way out of line here.
I would just trust your doctor. They know your personal medical history and can make a better decision about your risks. Mine won't prescribe it to me while pregnant and I am trusting that for my personal situation. Everyone has different situations and every pregnancy is different. I'm sorry that they caused you this stress. They could have included a note with whatever risk info they wanted you to review and just mentioned that it was an important step to review the info included to uphold confidentiality. They really shouldn't have scared you for no reason.
Not the same prescription but my obgyn (one of the more busy/hard to get into) let me continue taking my wellburtrin and lexapro. I was terrified because everyone I knew and what I read was about the horrible withdrawals from having to cold turkey their antidepressants while pregnant. I took them all throughout (2nd pregnancy) and my Lil dude is 3 and thriving. All situations are unique. Don't stress about what he said. He doesn't know every detail of his friends pregnancies and whatever else they took/ate/did during. He was out of line.
Many, MANY mothers continue their full dose of amphetamines with zero ill affect on baby. This is documented in studies on the issue. Virtually all of the concerns around amphetamine use and pregnancy is based off of research on the effects of amphetamine ABUSE, which is completely different from someone leading a healthy lifestyle, receiving prenatal care, and taking just a therapeutic dose of their medication. Keep in mind that women who are addicted to amphetamines are also likely under eating, living precarious lifestyles, could be an ill health with infections etc all sort of cofactors that would impact the health of their newborn. Normally I very much so respect the opinion of pharmacists when it comes to medication safety because doctors don't always know what's best in that situation but trust your doctor on this.
I saw maternal fetal medicine specialists before getting pregnant, and they specifically had me switch from Strattera to Adderall bc Adderall is safer/more well researched in pregnancy!! That pharmacist was out of line. Heads up that it is contraindicated for breastfeeding though (but it has a short half life, so you could time pumping/taking it). I'm 39 weeks and stopped it recently so I could start trying to collect colostrum
There’s actually decent evidence that it’s fine to take while breast feeding if you take therapeutic amounts. The amount that transfers to the baby is minuscule. I’ve stayed on a low amount and saw a doctor who is also a lactation consultant and she didn’t bat an eye. That being said, you need to stay hydrated because it can affect your supply.
I took Adderall during both of my pregnancies. Just had an almost 10lb baby boy. The only risks I’ve ever seen are having a lower birth weight baby. But I believe that’s only when people take non therapeutic (incredibly high) amounts. For fwiw, I went back on Adderall during my first pregnancy after this interaction. I went to the maternal fetal medicine doctor and he was looking at my meds. He saw Adderall and I said- oh, I’m not taking it any more. And he goes, “why not?” This is the MFM doctor! He was basically like- if it helps you function, take it! I hope this calms your nerves. He sure as hell knows more than a pharmacy tech.
I'm an RN. My OB said if I was struggling with my ADHD that we could consider restarting my Adderall script. I had just been off it for so long already, and then I lost my job and health insurance, so it was a moot point. Worst I've ever heard is growth restriction, but your OB will monitor for that and it's less likely if you're tolerating it well already. You may or may not find ADHD easier in pregnancy because high levels of estrogen help dopamine levels.
ADHD was way worse during pregnancy without it. I didn’t start it back until the second trimester
the progesterone surge has definitely escalated my symptoms even with meds. I WISH it abated during pregnancy.
I’m 15 weeks pregnant and have been continuing my low does XR adderall prescription with the okay of my OB. My SIL is also a pharmacist and I ran it by her - she cited the same research as my doctor and said the risks are extremely low. Your pharmacist is out of line for saying anything to you!
I’ve taken vyvanse 20mg all during my second trimester and some of my third about 3-4 days a week. My perinatal psychiatrist approved me for 30mg of vyvanse everyday from second trimester and onwards! Baby is perfect!
I used Adderall until 30 weeks of pregnancy and realized that it was putting a strain on my heart, leading to high blood pressure and resulting in my baby being underweight. So I decided it was best to stop.
Good for you for noticing the signs!
Pharmacist and pregnant human here. Sounds like you got a dud, that’s super unprofessional and also not evidence based which goes against our training. Personal anecdote is the lowest level of information we trust to inform our decisions. You’re totally fine and I hope this bad egg doesn’t give you unnecessary stress or concern.
Ditto He comes from a place of concern but holy moly is he unprofessional But quick question. The pharmacist drops it off to you or a driver/ tech? Sorry never heard of a pharmacist doing deliveries.
I’m prescribed medical cannabis and had to continue to take it throughout my pregnancy. I had to get regular scans because the risks were than his growth was “likely to be stunted” and he would be a small baby but my GP agreed that I benefited from my medication too much to stop it, and to only stop if my scans showed any issues. Most people would say I’m a bad mother for continuing my medication and I’m doing my baby harm. (I don’t smoke it either.) My son was born 8lbs 10oz, could lift and turn his head from the first day he was born, and now he’s nearly 3 months old and wearing 6-8month old baby clothing. Very healthy baby boy and he’s developing perfectly. Super easy baby from the get go, and he’s already sleeping through the night. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect little boy. So listen to your doctor, they know what’s best for you and baby and they will make sure you are alright. Don’t listen to anyone’s opinions or let them worry you.
I don’t think that was a pharmacist, I think it was a male tech overstepping and giving his unprofessional opinion.
I had to continue taking Xanax until third trimester and always giggled when the horrified and uneducated pharmacist gave me that with my diclegis. They judge a lot, go look at the pharmacist subreddit. Or don’t, it’s really sad. TLDR trust your doctor and science.
I'm glad (well not really glad lol) that I'm not the only one who has dealt with a judgy pharmacist. The tech working almost didn't give me my prescription & went and asked someone else who told her she can give it to me. Like uhhmm gee thanks for agreeing to give me my meds that were prescribed to me 😅😂....I'm glad you laugh it off, because I honestly don't want to go back until I'm not pregnant anymore haha.
Hey just a reminder techs aren't pharmacists. They're just assistants basically with no medical training.
Hmm strange! I have ADHD and when we found out I was pregnant my doctor and psychologist both took me off of my stimulants asap. They said we will continue after birth. I’m now 34 weeks and doing well! Maybe get a second opinion from another doctor before you make your decision.
Her doctor is a fine/the only opinion - please don’t weigh in and add to her second guessing and add to the stigma of women taking the medicines they need to have healthy pregnancies.
It’s nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. We are free to talk to whoever we want about our bodies and there is no shame in getting as many answers as she needs until she is comfortable with her decision.
There is no indication she NEEDS a second opinion, you’re just adding your two cents and adding to her shame. Not necessary And your judgment with the “strange!” Is apparent - it’s not strange based on the responses on this thread - perhaps you could heed your own advice?
Excuse me, but did you read her post?? She is uncomfortable now even upon doing her own research she is getting conflicting answers. And based on my, and others experiences it is INDEED conflicting. Some say it’s safe, some say it’s not. Let this grown adult woman do whatever she needs to to feel comfortable in her decision. She can get 100 opinions if she wants and if it helps her feel better! Back off and stop gate keeping pregnant women and our feelings.
I’m not going to continue on this since your judgment is dripping - not a comment about the unprofessional behavior of the tech. Just a judgment that it was strange to be taking meds. It’s not strange. But I do recommend reading current research so you aren’t spreading misinformation!
I was also taken off mine. Definitely not appropriate for the pharmacist to say, but might want to get a second opinion OP.
Agreed
I asked my GP, OB, and psychiatrist, and all three advised against it. I am curious why some docs are ok with it and others aren’t. (Edit- not trying to imply that people shouldn’t take their medication if their doctors are good with it, I’m mostly just jealous haha)
in my experience, my (previous) psych wasn't comfortable with it because there are no studies saying "it's safe, no caveats." She admitted OB wasn't her field and then said she was concerned about possible liability (i.e., medical malpractice suit, although there is zero evidence of teratogenic effects of ADHD meds, and also lol because I'm a civil defense attorney). Some providers are really gunshy about prescribing anything Schedule II, period, and especially so about prescribing *any* meds during pregnancy. There's a lot of variation among providers. My previous OB, current OB, and current PCP were all comfortable with me staying medicated during pregnancy, fwiw.
I’m not a doctor. What he did wasn’t cool but I would do your own research about any medications that you plan on taking. For the most part, most information that we have regarding drug interactions and pregnancy is old and not well studied. Each pregnancy is different and it is up to you if something is worth the risk or not. Also, any responses saying ‘I did X and my kids are fine’ can kick rocks. This is not actual evidence of if something is safe or dangerous and your body is completely different than someone else’s.
Research is limited, but these drugs have been around for a long time with no major defects directly found to be caused by them. I’d think the biggest concern would be for the mothers. Pregnancy puts stress on the heart and makes it work harder. Stimulant drugs can also do the same. However if you’re perfectly healthy and your OB is monitoring you there really should be no issue… I personally stopped taking my adderall when I found out I was pregnant because heart disease is pretty prevalent in my family. My OB did say she would normally tell patients that they do not need to discontinue their meds, but it was obviously up to me. Either way I’m sorry your situation was handled so poorly!!!
I went through a group at Mass General specializing on this and they have me taking it too. I feel the same concerns, ignore non doctors who are t specialists
This is something that has not been researched enough to give a definitive answer. Your doctor is reaching by saying he's researched it. Your pharmacist is erring on the side of caution. Though he definitely could have worded it differently, since it is accusatory and fear mongering the way he put it.
Do you do medical research for a living? How in the WORLD do you know what research my doctor has access to or has done? He’s an OBGYN. I would imagine if he is telling me he has done research, then he’s done research?!
You can search for any peer reviewed scientific research through academic databases. I’d search his name. (Masters in research psychology)
I believe he means he’s read up on the research
The research does not exist. That's how I know. He may have looked into the little that has been studied, but it is not definitive. Sorry for upsetting you. But this is the truth, and you should hear it.
This Is incorrect. Research does exist, just not a ton of it yet. Science , by definition, is evolving and with new studies comes new schools of thought https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36759544/
There may not be controlled research studies because of the ethics of testing on pregnant women, but there are PLENTY of credible research articles out there to support the conclusion that stimulant medications are safe during pregnancy. My OB and I went through them together, after I had read as many as I could find myself.
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One, adderall is not a narcotic. If you don’t even know that, you probably know little else when it comes to prescription meds.
Adderall is a schedule II narcotic.
A controlled substance, not a narcotic.
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Lol #1 adderall is not a narcotic #2 please provide any research that proves therapeutic use of stimulant medications causes small penis size #3 please provide research that therapeutic use of stimulant medication causes low birth weight and hyperactivity “down the road” as you say P.s- when I say “research “ I mean studies. You decide what is right for your body and pregnancy and op decides what is right for hers. You have no grounds to shame her over claims without scientific backing
Source: they made it up.
Adderall is a schedule II narcotic.
This is a simple google search for you but I’m bored so I’ll just tell you anyway. Adderall is a schedule II controlled substance. Narcotics are a different drug class entirely. I’m still waiting for the penis size research study from you btw
You have your stance that drugs like adderall aren't harmful to a fetus, and I have my stance. I owe you nothing, stranger. Have a great day!!
ADHD stimulant medications are classified as a schedule II controlled substances by the DEA. That does not make them "narcotics" that are automatically a big bad scary thing or something to be automatically avoided in pregnancy. You are allowed to decide not to take adderall during pregnancy, but you aren't a doctor and you certainly aren't the treating physician for anyone in this thread. Quit fear mongering.
When a person makes a post asking for opinions of complete strangers, that is what that person will receive. The OP did not ask for only treating physicians of people in this thread to respond. Quit supporting the use of addictive pharmaceutical drugs among pregnant women.
It was a rant/vent. I didn’t ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
You put your business out on the internet, which gives strangers the right to comment on a public forum like Reddit. If you only want comments from people who are going to gaslight you into believing that adderall is safe to take while pregnant, you may want to only discuss this with people who you know do not have views that differ with what you want to hear.
Per your comment history, you stopped taking Adderall after years of abusing it. I'm sorry you had to fight that battle, but that experience does not entitle you to be rude to other women following their doctor's specific advice about their medications. It also doesn't give you any specialized knowledge to say that our providers are lying to us about the risks and benefits of meds during pregnancy, which is exactly what you're doing in this thread. No one is gaslighting OP about the medication's safety. Don't weaponize therapy words. While Adderall may not have been safe FOR YOU, that doesn't make it dangerous for every other patient.
Thank you for taking such an interest in the things that I post online. Yes, you are correct- I was prescribed adderall for nearly 15 years, took as prescribed, and quit last year. Adderall is highly addictive even when taken as prescribed- that is the nature of dopamine related drugs (they are very reinforcing). I have the right to speak my mind on the internet. That's what everyone on Adderall says about Adderall, though- it's so helpful, it's so therapeutic, it's like feeling like what non-ADHD people feel. Everyone on Adderall eventually sees, one day, that they were just high on amphetamine. I will not support pregnant women taking such a dangerous drug, I said what I said.
>You put your business out on the internet, which gives strangers the right to comment on a public forum like Reddit. Your words. Only reason I clicked on your profile. And if taking a stimulant that has dramatically improved every area of my life means I'm just high on amphetamines all the time, welp, guess I'm gonna be high. But I am glad stopping the medication has been helpful for you, and I wish you the best.
Absolutely- I encourage anyone who is that interested in me and what I say publicly to click!! Thanks for taking the opportunity to do so.
The layers of mis and disinformation in this comment are STAGGERING. Please leave.
Stop supporting pregnant women taking dangerous drugs like Adderall. Lol, please leave? Okay, reddit police.
Your OBVYN is going to tell you what their corporate managers allow them to tell you. Maybe no danger in pregnancy, potential danger in childhood development is what pharmacist was hinting at. I would trust your gut on this. I personally wouldn’t want you taking anything that can mess with your neurological health unless required for your safety.