CBD while pregnant? Part 2

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Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

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Hello all, a few weeks ago I started keeping a diary and wrote the first part about my experience with CBD oil during pregnancy. Now we are a few weeks further on and I want to share my ongoing experiences with you. For the people who have not read part 1, you can read it back here.

Before you continue reading, I would like to make it clear that I am not a doctor and that this is purely about my personal experiences. It is my choice to use CBD oil, despite the fact that little research has been done on the use of CBD during pregnancy.

For readers who found this article first, please be aware there is a part 1, which can be accessed here below:

CBD while Pregnant? Part 1

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Short summary of my story

I am a mother of 35 and already 22 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child. Last year I started taking a low dose of anti-depressants because of feeling depressed and down. Because I am pregnant, I decided to stop taking the antidepressants. I discussed this with my GP and together we made a schedule so that I could phase out and then stop.

Wanting to stop and being afraid of severe withdrawal symptoms, and the risk of a relapse, I started surfing the internet for natural products. Looking for products that could help me ease the withdrawal symptoms and hopefully replace the effect of the antidepressants for a while. I wanted to continue to feel good during my pregnancy.

Because of all the positive properties, my interest in CBD oil was piqued. I, therefore, decided to try this product while quitting the antidepressants.

What is CBD?

CBD (Cannabidiol) comes from the hemp plant. The cannabis plant contains more than 100 cannabinoids and the best-known substances are THC and CBD. Cannabis plants are also called hemp plants or marijuana plants. The difference has to do with the amount of THC in the plants. The hemp plants are mostly used to make CBD oil because they contain more CBD and much less THC than marijuana plants.

Until recently, THC was the best-known compound in cannabis. It is the most active compound and it has a psychological effect. It causes a mind-altering high when smoked or used in food. This is because the THC is broken down when someone heats it up and puts it into the body.

Nowadays, CBD has also become very famous. CBD is not a psychoactive substance. It does not change the state of mind when you use it. It can, however, bring about significant changes in the body and it can have a helping effect on various complaints and disorders.

More from our blog:

• CBD while Pregnant? Part 1
• CBD Oil and Yoga – The Perfect Combination
• CBD Withdrawal: Are there Symptoms?
• The Real CBD Stories
• Broad Spectrum CBD Oil – 10 Surprising Benefits

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How does CBD work?

All cannabinoids produce effects in the body by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors, which are part of the endocannabinoid system.

The body produces two receptors:

• CB1 receptors: These are present throughout the body, especially in the brain. They coordinate movement, pain, emotion, mood, thinking, appetite, memories and many other functions.
• CB2 receptors are more commonly found in the immune system. They influence inflammation and pain.

CBD stimulates the receptors so that the body produces its own cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids.

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What does science say about CBD during pregnancy?

After some theoretical information about CBD, I went looking for what science says about the use of CBD during pregnancy.

There are actually no clinical studies on the use of CBD during pregnancy. The few studies that exist show very contradictory results. Despite the many advantages, its use during pregnancy is not recommended. This does not necessarily mean that it is bad to use CBD during pregnancy, there is just too little research done to be able to assess whether it is safe to use during pregnancy. Should someone want to use it during pregnancy, it is recommended to always consult a doctor first.

Personally, I think it's a shame that no clinical studies have been done. There are many positive stories of experience from women who have used CBD oil during pregnancy.

Pregnancy symptoms and CBD

Many women experience nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy. Often nausea starts between the 4th and 7th week of pregnancy. The exact cause is unknown but there are a number of things that could be related such as the production of the pregnancy hormone and an increase in other hormones or because it also runs in the family.

Fortunately, I suffer little to no nausea during my pregnancy. I did not suffer from this during the previous pregnancies either. I was curious if CBD could do something for nausea and vomiting.

There are stories that women who use CBD had less nausea and vomiting. There is also clinical evidence that CBD can be effective in suppressing nausea and vomiting.

Due to the positive properties of CBD, there are pregnant women who are looking for CBD products to support various symptoms during their pregnancy.

Besides nausea and vomiting, there are more reasons why pregnant women might consider CBD supplements:

• Cramps
• Sleep problems
• Tension and stress
• Acne caused by hormones
• Inflammatory conditions
• Migraine, headaches
• Mood disorders

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Quitting anti-depressants

At the time I stopped taking the antidepressants, I was 12 weeks pregnant. I am now 22 weeks pregnant and have completely stopped taking the antidepressants. Because I didn't quite know what to expect during the phasing out of the antidepressants and the combination with CBD oil, I did some research.

Side effects of taking the antidepressants

Before I stopped taking the antidepressants, I found out what complaints it can cause when you cut down and stop too quickly. Examples of these complaints could be

• Anxiety, restlessness
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Feeling flu-like: muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, no appetite
• Sleep problems
• Feeling irritable

You may also experience these symptoms after you start taking a lower dose or stop. If the symptoms persist, the depression may even return.

Because I was taking a very low dose of antidepressants and was phasing them out slowly, I assumed that the symptoms wouldn't be too bad. However, I was a bit afraid that I would have sleeping problems again because when I started taking the antidepressants, I couldn't sleep for the first two weeks.

Combining antidepressants with CBD

Just like with CBD during pregnancy, little research has been done on combining antidepressants with CBD.

Antidepressant is a general term that encompasses many different products that treat depression through many different mechanisms. An important similarity between most antidepressants is the way they are metabolized by the liver.

The liver houses a number of different enzyme systems that catalyze (speed up) reactions. Among these are the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes responsible for breaking down many different drugs, including antidepressants. CBD is a potent inhibitor of these enzymes and therefore there may be interactions with antidepressants when combined with CBD.

This means that taking antidepressants with CBD oil could slow down the process by which these drugs are metabolized, leading to more of the substance remaining in the body at any given time and increasing the risk of side effects or even an overdose.

Combining antidepressants with CBD may involve risks. Always consult with a doctor if you can combine CBD with your medication.

Quitting antidepressants and starting with CBD oil

Because the combination of antidepressants with CBD can bring risks, I decided to proceed carefully. I made a schedule with my GP.

As I was taking a very low dose of antidepressants, I started to reduce the dosage with drops. Each week I took one drop less so that I could stop in four weeks. In addition, I took one drop of CBD in the evening during the phasing-out process. The reason I took the CBD in the evening is that I took the antidepressants in the morning, so there was more time in between for my liver.

One drop of CBD per day seems very little but I found it very important to be careful and feel what it did to me first.

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My experience with stopping antidepressants and starting with CBD oil

Actually, I didn't notice much difference in my mood during the withdrawal from antidepressants. Fortunately, I didn't experience any side effects because I was a bit afraid of them. It was a bit of a challenge to take the antidepressant drops. These drops were so disgusting, I felt like I was taking poison.

From day 1 when I took one drop of CBD in the evening, I slept much better. Normally I would wake up several times during the night but now I slept much more soundly and was well-rested. The taste of the CBD drop was not too bad and I could get used to it, unlike the antidepressant drops.

COVID

In the last week of cutting down on the antidepressants, I got COVID. Feeling extremely tired and had no energy at all. Spent the first two days in bed and then the fatigue lasted for another two weeks. I was so tired and did not have the courage to take the nasty drop of antidepressants, I decided to stop taking the drug immediately.

I had read that CBD would also have good anti-COVID properties and I had stopped the antidepressants this week anyway, this made me increase my dosage of CBD oil to one drop in the morning and one drop in the evening. A week later I increased the dosage to two drops in the morning and two drops in the evening. Two weeks after having COVID I felt great again. I had a lot of energy and actually felt better than before I stopped taking the antidepressants. Even those around me noticed this.

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My pregnancy symptoms

My aim to feel good during and after stopping the antidepressants has been achieved. I take two drops of CBD in the morning and two in the evening and I feel great.

Fortunately, apart from some pelvic pain, I don't have many pregnancy symptoms (yet). CBD oil works well for me against pelvic pain. This pain often starts at the end of the day. This is logical because I have worked all day and then I enter the resting mode. When I take the CBD drops in the evening, I notice that the pain is reduced. For my pelvic pain, I now also go to the physiotherapist to tackle the cause because pain management alone does not help me.

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Two weeks without CBD oil

After 8 weeks, I stopped using CBD oil for 2 weeks. I wanted to know if I would feel different and if I would experience any side effects.

I did not experience any side effects. CBD is also known for the fact that it gives little to no side effects.

I did notice that my pelvis was bothering me more and that for a week I didn't sleep as well as before. I've always been a good sleeper and I still am, but with CBD oil I noticed that I slept deeper and didn't wake up as much during the night. I also notice my amount of energy during the day has decreased. I am now more physically tired and mentally, and I have noticed being more emotional.

Because so much has happened in the last few weeks, I've stopped taking the antidepressants and I've had corona, I found it very difficult to judge whether the CBD oil has really had an effect. That's why I took a break for a while.

Next week I will start again with the CBD oil and I want to see if my sleep improves, whether I feel better mentally and if the pain in my pelvis will decrease.

I am now 22 weeks pregnant, I also want to start using the massage oil from The Real CBD. My first two pregnancies gave me quite a few stretch marks on my stomach. I want to find out if the massage oil has an effect on my skin during this pregnancy. I will let you know in my next post.

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Which CBD oil to use while pregnant?

Wanting to use a good quality CBD oil, I chose the CBD oil from The Real CBD. The CBD oil from The Real CBD is always tested by a certified laboratory. The reports are published on their website so that I can be sure that the product is 100% safe. Because of the good reviews on Trustpilot, I found out that The Real CBD is a good and reliable company. The product is shipped from Spain and I received it within two working days. The products are offered at competitive prices, which means that the shipping costs are earned back immediately.

I chose the full-spectrum CBD oil, which is often a bit more expensive, but then you also have a better product. Due to the high purity of this CBD oil, the substances from the hemp plant remain better intact and the CBD concentration between the bottles is easier to dose. Because of this, I am sure, that the amount of CBD on the label is also in the bottle.

This brings me to the end of my second story. I would like to thank you for reading it. In a few weeks, I will share with you my new experiences with CBD during pregnancy.

Finally…. Get some free CBD for yourself!

On our webshop, you can get a combination of Vitamin D and CBD. Also take a look at our other products, who knows, you might come across a CBD product that can help you with your complaints. We offer different kinds of products. You can think of CBD oil, CBD crystals, CBD balm, and many other high-quality products. The hemp plants are from European soil and our products are tested in a certified laboratory, so you are always guaranteed the best quality.

We weekly post new blogs on various topics related to CBD and other cannabinoids. In this way, we hope to answer all CBD-related questions you may have. If you have any questions, you can always send an e-mail to [email protected].

Have you had positive experiences using our products? We would love it if you would share them with us. If you do – there is a Free Jar of CBD gummies for you. You can share your story here:

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