Servere Anxiety while pregnant

[lillianava]

I am suffering with serve anxiety.  I have always had an issue with this however I have chosen to not seek medication for this.  I have had 2 babies before and I have never had anxiety like this in my life.  Ive tried everything I could think of. vitamins, baths, music, time away from kids.  Activities.  I just dont really know where to turn its to the point where my chest is killing me half the time and Im so jumpy I can hardly even drive far places especially at night.  Anyone have any input

[Mamatoabunch]

I had anxiety my last two pregnancies and taking floradix really helped.

[camprunner]

Have you tried rescue remedy? Warm teas? Cutting stress out of your life?   I have suffered from it as well. For me it is an indication that my thryoid levels are changing though.

[lillianava]

I have tried the teas what is the rescue remedy?  I cut as much stress as I can however some is unavoidable

[camprunner]

http://www.rescueremedy.com/ 

It's awesome! Will work for me for anxiety but not so much a full on panic attack. DH also snuck me some in my orange juice during labor last time so I would calm down.

[eastmillcreekmama]

Rescue Remedy is indeed awesome, I've also had some luck with fish oil. Are you taking prenatal fish oil? I struggle with anxiety too, though for me it was worst when my daughter was 2, kind of like a delayed PPD. I also worked on breathing into my belly, and cultivating the thought that "everything is as it should be".

Sorry you're going through it, mama!

[EnchantedMamma]

1. Get enough B vitamins. Prob a B complex (I take a 50).

2. Try some Calcium/Magensium. It doesn't make a huge diff for me, but it helps a little and sure doesn't hurt. (It's a good physical, if not mental, relaxant).

3. Ask your midwife about Skullcap and/or Passionflower.

I take Passionflower. It's sort of controversial b/c it's not well researched, although the herbalist Susan Weed does OK it for PIH (preg induced hypertension), so I figured it couldn't be absolutely out of the question for me.

Some studies compare its effectiveness to oxazepam. I know it works for me very very well.

I tried Skull Cap, but unfortunately I have a hay fever type reaction so I switched to PF and it's really helped this pregnancy.

I know how hard it is to cope with anxiety. It's so insidious - that's the things that keeps biting me in the behind. Half the time I just don't really realize that's the problem until I'm already really fed up.

Good luck!

[Kokopelli-mana]

My midwife said for me to take skullcap tincture. Might be worth a try. I'm taking Floradix+Iron, too.

[lillianava]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions Im going to look into these.  Im just hoping I can find some natural reliefs I really dislike taking a lot of medications.  

[EnchantedMamma]

I do seem to recall that anxiety meds are often not idea during pregnancy (unless your doctor determines they are necessary).

However, if it becomes necessary I have read that Dr. Hale says oxazepam is safe for nursing. You can google Hale+oxazepam to see for yourself, should you need to in the future.

Just wanted to throw that out there. I feel better knowing it's at least an option later for me.

[tzs]

hey there! i also have anxiety issues (agoraphobia related/panic attacks) and they do seem to get worse for me during pregnancy as well. for me it seems to peak in the third trimester, i think because of the added fatigue and feeling out-of-sorts from being huge in addition to the hormones. ugh!

i think it's great you are trying natural stuff and hopefully that will help. personally i have stayed on zoloft and oxazapam throughout both pregnancies now so it does exist as a last resort, good to keep in mind if anything comes up post-partum. i also nursed dd with no issues whatsoever on both meds.

cognitive behavior therapy can help although i have yet to find a therapist that actually does it...usually they say they do and it ends up all talk-therapy. there;s a dr. burns who has a couple really good books out which are somewhat work-book/do-it-yourself books. i have "when panic attacks" and it's very straightforward and the thought process techniques are very reassuring...even if you don;t follow through with the therapies, just reading it was great, helps you get out of your head to know that these feelings happen and can be dealt with and gives you very specific ways to deal with them as well as case examples.

also just know that it does get better. i was worried that i'd have the amped up anxiety even after dd was born and was worried about an increased risk of ppd but it DID get better and ease up.

swimming helped me aLOT! and felt great to be in the water. there were days when i thought i would jump out of my skin if i didn;t get into a pool. it's such an easy way to get the adrenaline out even while pregnant when exercise is miserable.

and really, at the very end with dd if i was having a really bad night just shaking in bed not able to sleep....glass of wine. heck, it was the end of the third trimester, one glass every now and then was fine in my book, especially if it meant sleep.

good luck!

[sarahbeara87]

This may be controversial but it has helped me and they have an article about it here on mothering. I use marijuana when I have bad anxiety that I can not deal with. It seems to be harder to deal with in the pregnancy because I have so many emotional triggers. So many things make me cry. I feel sick alot, smoking has really helped me keep my thoughts n check and be healthier. If you have tried all other methods, marijuana may be an acceptable herbal alternative to perscriptions meds. 

[lillianava]

The thought of swimming sounds wonderful and Ive actually I have been looking into water birthing.  Unfortunately,  I do not have a pool at home and I have 2 small children and I really do not have any friends.  I'm pretty much on my own most of the time.  My 2 best friends one moved to Montana and I am in Pennsylvania and my other friend has chosen a dangerous life style.  I really struggle with being alone often.  Im sure I have a touch of depression on and off I have been diagnosed with it in the past.   However when I was a child I was forced onto all kinds of medications to help me deal with my parents and it was the worst experience in my entire life.  I was 13 and they had me on at least 12 different medications.  As I soon learned every pill I took need another pill to counter its side effects.  I was a walking zombie and I'm just not sure that no matter how much I am struggling I can ever bring myself to go back on medication like that.  I was misdiagnosed and on top of it my mother had me put on birth control which I ended up being allergic to every one they tried I had horrible severe hormonal reactions to the point where I was having mood swings to shaking and move even being able to drink.  As Im sure you have noticed my introduction to medications at a young age has really effected my thoughts of even seeking medications like that because even to this day because of the past misdiagnoses my doctors still insist upon other medications that have nothing to do with the symptoms I have.   My sister is the same way as me as well as other members of my family we just can not tolorate any added hormonal birth control....   

[tzs]

so it sounds kind of like alternatives to medication are what you need to try first then. because as much as meds work with brain chemistry and all that, alot of its success also has to do with confidence in it working, which it doesn't sound like you have based on your past.

the good news is, that if you ever feel like you need try to meds, that you are now an adult and can more effectively advocate for yourself, as opposed to having gosh-knows-what shoved down your throat.

i still highly recommend the book "when panic attacks." you can order it off amazon...it's very reassuring. in fact, i should pull it out again for myself....