Anxiety and PPD

[lilysmama1124]

I am just wondering if anyone out there suffers from anxiety about their dc getting sick, hurt, kidnapped, abducted by aliens(okay just kidding on that one..for now)... I have struggled with anxiety for about 4 years and usually it is about my health or about bad things happening to my family. Since having my dd 5 weeks ago I have been having alot of anxiety about her. If I put in her my sling and she fusses I worrying permanently hurt her neck, if she makes a new face I wonder if something is wrong. I have obsessive thoughts until I either call my ped( I've called three times about baby acne) or have some kind of proof that she is okay for now. It is very frustrating because she can't tell me if she is okay or not and she changes every day so there is no "normal" to comfort myself with. I have also been feeling irritable and depressed for the past two days so I am worried that PPD is beginging. Other than the anxiety and baby blues the first 10 days I have been doing pretty well mood wise until now. How have you managed to deal with irrational fears/anxiety and did it seem to be related to PPD. Is there any medication that treats anxiety that is okay for bfing(SSRI"S do not help my anxiety)!

[mom0810]

I just wanted to chime in here and first give you a .

I had this exact same thing after ds was born. He is my first, after a loooong struggle to get and STAY pregnant. I worried about everything, from the color of his skin to how he was breathing, to "what if" he got sick, fell down, cried... everything.

I did end up going on Zoloft for now... I am trying to wean off of it, been on it for 6 weeks or so and while it has helped, it is also altering other things in my life and I am feeling it's not worth it to keep taking it.

I "think" Ativan is safe for nursing, but I don't know. I do have a copy of Hale's book laying around here somewhere.

I know you can take Wellbutrin while nursing, but I don't know if it helps with anxiety, too. I would think so, since anxiety goes hand in hand with depression. It sounds like you might be having OCD symptoms, too.

I know how you are feeling, and it is the worst thing. Anxiety just feeds on itself like a monster.

I know you can also try fish oil, exercise, and eliminate sugar and caffiene. There are other natural supplements, but I don't know if they are safe while nursing.

Call your doctor, maybe for a referral to a therapist? Sometimes, just talking helps. Are you talking to your friends? Getting a lot of natural light? Hard to do this time of year.

Anxiety and depression are comorbid conditions, so even if you don't think you are depressed at the moment, you might actually have some symptoms.

Just some thoughts. I just wanted you to know I've been through this, and I know how awful it is. There are other meds, I am sure of it. Call your doctor on Tuesday.

[kaydee]

Have you read about Generalized Anxiety Disorder? It sounds to me like what you describe (I have suffered from it since I was a small child, and it flares up especially during times of change/stress). A hallmark of GAD is that the focus of the anxiety will switch, but that there is nearly always something the person is anxious about.

There are many different treatment/management avenues, which can be used together.

Medicine-wise, SSRIs are usually a frontline approach (and have worked incredibly well for me; I had no idea I could ever live without anxiety hanging over me). Some people also use benzodiazepines on a short-term or as needed basis, but they can be habit forming, so approach with caution (I use them during crippling anxiety attacks, but never for longer than two weeks at a time). During BFing, I only used SSRIs, so I'm not much help for you there.

I have not had success with using herbs or supplements for my anxiety, but some of the things that you may see recommended include valerian, GABA, and 5-htp. Kava used to be recommended, but there is concern that it may cause liver damage.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or Acceptance & Committment Therapy (ACT) can be very helpful in helping people learn to manage/cope with ongoing anxiety.

Meditation and yoga can also be helpful.

Good luck. I hope things improve for you.

[amyandelle]

I was that way with Elle. I was a nervous wreck pretty much the whole first year of her life.

This time I am not having all the anxiety but I do get really depressed when I am home alone with both Elle and Meadow because I get very overwhelmed. Elle just does not listen and then as soon as I am feeding Meadow or just holding her Elle needs something and she will not stop nagging me about it until I get up and get it. She will stand in front of me and repeat what she wants over and over again and I drives me insane:

Amy

[lilysmama1124]

Thanks for the suppot mamas. I do think I am depressed too. After the intial baby blues period I was really loving being a mom and all that goes with it(aside from being tired). But for the past few days I have noticed a daily pattern. I am GRUMPY when I get up for the day(or rather give up on getting anymore sleep), once I fully wake up I am almost joyful just looking at dd. This lasts several hours and then I feel depressed and even a bit detached. I just feel like I don't really want to take care of her anymore, wishing I wasn't and AP parent and would just let sit in a dirty spousie in her swing for hours with a bottle like most of the other parents
i know... Of course I always do what needs to be done to the best of my ability and can't imagine actually parenting that way but it really worries me to feel that way. Every night I lay in bed going over my list of worries and think "i need meds" Then I convince myself the next day during the good part of the day that I am just exhausted by the end of the day & meds woudn't help. Wellbutrin worked well for my depression but nothing other than benzo's has helped my anxiety and I think I wouldn't be up for much parenting on bezo's because they make me really spacy. I have been trying to get as much natural light as possible, am doing a small amount of walking and just started fish oil. I do see a counselor and we used EMDR during my pg for anxiety stuff and it helped but I have been so exhausted in our sessions latelt that it just seems like too much. Thanks again