Anxiety higher after miscarriage?

Hopefulmommy1980

i feel like my anxiety has been super high since my miscarriage. I feel myself jump to the worst conclusion about most things. Anyone else have a increased anxiety after their miscarriage?

BrightenMySky

Yes.  *hugs*

joyful08

Yes most definitely! I am so scared to get pregnant even though I really want to. I don't think my anxiety will be able to take it

roxgibbons

Absolutely. In many different ways. I've been getting anxiety in stores when people are too close to me or if it's crowded, when I am stuck in traffic too long, or when I don't hear from my other two kids when they are at their dad's house- the list goes on. I've never been like this before so it's new to me. Some days it's worse than others. I understand where you are coming from 

HowlCircus

Yes! I used to have really bad anxiety in high school and it continued after but for about 3 years now I've had it very much under control. After my miscarriage my anxiety went back to awful. Feeling so anxious and like something bad is always about to happen. I was waking up in the middle of the night sweating and panicky. For the first two months it was very bad but it's been 3 months now and it's gotten a bit better. I'm hoping in 3 more the anxiety will have gone back to being just an occasional occurrence. You surely aren't alone in that feeling. I've found one or two songs that I listen to on repeat when I'm starting to feel anxious that are what I call my "happy songs" they're ones that can make me smile even during stressful days. I always encourage people to find a trick when and if possible. 

Spartanrd4

I was anxious with my pregnancy and DH thought I was crazy and worrying for nothing...then my worst fear came true. I want a baby so badly and I want to be pregnant again But I'm scared to death. I talked to a friend this weekend who had 2 losses before she had 3 children and she said the experience definitely takes the wind out of your sails. I will be very nervous for my next pregnancy, I am no longer innocent from reality and I'm kind of sad about that.

HowlCircus

@Spartanrd4 I totally agree with your last sentence. I'm very nervous as well and for me that last part is what resonated with me. It was my first positive pregnancy test and pregnancy. I'm 26 and I know so many people who have had or are in the middle of normal healthy pregnancies. I never thought I'd been so naive to think it couldn't happen to me. I had said to my boyfriend about not telling people "well you never know" more as a silly precaution than an actual reality. That 1 in 4 statistic I've seen really hit home because I began to think what if other people I know have gone through this? I haven't told many people and the silence is what bothers me. I feel so badly that all these women do suffer mostly in silence. I feel like I've lost my innocence and excitement I've always thought of and had about pregnancy. I feel like it's now tainted with fear and a lack of trust with my own body and that makes me very sad. I do find hope in all these brave women who are on here who have endured so much worse than what I went through. What I truly wish that you and I both get from this community is strength to move forward and the ability to embrace the next pregnancy with a new found courage. 

lilylover27

Yes, I occasionally had some anxiety before all this happened but now it is at an all time high. I got anxious just seeing my brother's new baby who was born just 2 weeks after my MC. I was fine when I was there but the second we got to our car I started sobbing which DH couldn't really understand. As everyone else said I definitely want to try again but I am so scared. I do not know if I can personally handle another MC but I so desperately want a baby with my DH. @Spartanrd4I was just like you, I was anxious from the moment I saw those two pink lines, DH was optimistic and said everything is fine we are having our baby finally. Like you unfortunately my worst fear came true, I think that I worried about it so long before hand did not help when we found out. I will always be concerned about another MC but I am weighing that against not having children and that is not something I want to give up on.

I know it sounds cliché but I have found that yoga has been helping with my anxiety, trust me I am still anxious, but the physical act of doing it and the fact that you have to try to clear your mind helps. Of course I still have my triggers, unfortunately our bathroom is one of them since it happened there, but just take it one day and one breath at a time.

RiverSong15

Definitely. I keep waiting for everything else that's good about my life to be ripped away, and I find myself much more anxious about something happening to my husband. Hugs. It's never easy.

ThePax89

Yes. I also believe there is a component of ptsd involved. Miscarriage is scary and really awful things happen that you can't forget nor unsee. My anxiety was fine until it came time to ttc again. That is when my anxiety got horrendous. 

BrightenMySky

When I was around 2 months post-d&c, we found out that my dog has bone cancer (updated prognosis, though, is not as bad as it could be, meaning we have some treatment options).  I had begun feeling a bit more upbeat after the loss, but then with the dog diagnosis brought everything crashing down on me.  It was triggering.  Thinking about losing her made me relive all the terrible things that had happened related to the miscarriage.  

lilylover27

@ThePax89I agree with you on the component of some PTSD involved. I took Cytotec for my MMC so I experienced everything and honestly sometimes I cannot get it out of my head. I think that is another reason DH doesn't understand even though he wants to. While he was sitting right outside for me it was my body and mind that had to go through everything going on. I didn't even think of it this way till I read what your wrote but it makes complete sense.

ThePax89

@lilylover27 last month when I started ttc, I took pregnancy tests during the 2ww, which reminded me of waiting for my hcg to go to zero. And then when I got my period, I really felt like I was miscarrying all over again. It was my wise husband who said it sounds like PTSD. 

Hopefulmommy1980

Thank you all so much. It helps to know that I am not alone and not the only that is feeling this Anxiety.  I agree that now pregnancy scares me and there is a loss of innocence.  Thank you all for the validation. Hugs to all

nmd9168

YES. Most definitely, YES. I'm worrying about everything way more than ever before. I'm afraid of everything. You are not alone, in that respect. ::Hugs::

kns1988

@RiverSong15, I'm the same way. After my last MC and this one, my anxiety manifested itself as a fear that something would happen to my husband. I find myself being a lot more clingy and not wanting to spend time away from him. I know from my last experience that I'll go back to being balanced in a few weeks... H is really understanding about it, and honestly, I think he might be feeling a little clingy too.

rainbowturtles

Yes. And I agree with and relate to all the ladies here. I also already have PTSD from things in my past and it was definitely triggered. Also, this was my second mc, with a ten year gap in between, and the only two positive pregnancy tests I've had have turned into losses, so I'm finding that terrifying for sure My first period after this mc landed on exactly the one month "anniversary" of the mc, which I found horribly triggering and my DH didn't really understand that, tho he tried. Then two days later we were away for Easter and our yard was broken into and we got robbed. Talk about PTSD! So, yes, I'm still anxious And now I'm near the end of my cycle and DH is leaving for work on the exact two month anniversary date and he was away at work last time I found out I was pg so I'm sure you can imagine all the things going through my head.

It's truly awful to want to be pg so badly but at the same time to be so scared of it happening again. Mc really does steal a lot from us

MooFish2364

I've never really had a lot of anxiety until my mc. I was really anxious for a while which is know is normal but wasn't something that I was used to. Then, just as I started healing from my mc loss I just found out that my kitty has cancer and is dying. She is the only baby I've ever had and it is killing me. My anxiety is so bad it makes me nauseous, which makes it hard to function all day. So not only was I in a holding pattern during my mmc, I'm now in holding waiting for signs that it's time to put my sweet baby kitty to sleep. Ugh

rainbowturtles

@MooFish2364 ohmygoodness, I am so so sorry It seems so cruel and unfair to be hit with additional trauma or tragedy when we haven't even recovered from the previous one

RiverSong15

I'm so sorry @MooFish2364. It's so cruel when awful life events pile up one on top of each other. Hopefully this means that many good things will come your way one day and all pile up together too. Hugs.

MooFish2364

@rainbowturtles & @RiverSong15 Thanks ladies. I've been in a bad place the last few days. DH is worried about me and honestly so am I. I think I might go and talk to a professional who can help me with my anxiety. It makes me really suck to my stomach and hard to eat. I need to find a better way to deal with all of this. 

virginiaham

RiverSong15 said:

Definitely. I keep waiting for everything else that's good about my life to be ripped away, and I find myself much more anxious about something happening to my husband. Hugs. It's never easy.

Just wanted to jump in to say, it helped me SO much to hear that I'm not the only one more anxious about something happening to my H (especially with him traveling).  It really helped me to separate that feeling from real danger, if that makes sense.  Hugs to so many of you, this is a hard season.

Hopefulmommy1980

@MooFish2364 I am so sorry. Our furbabies are so important I am sorry you are having to go through that along with everything else. I hope talking to someone helps and that things calm down for you

MooFish2364

@Hopefulmommy1980 thank you. I'm just dreading having to take her in to be put to sleep. I also don't want her to suffer. DH and I have had long talks and he promised me to let me know if it's time, even if I'm resistant. I don't want my fear of letting her go get in the way of making a sound decision. He loves her dearly also so I know I can count on him. 

BrightenMySky

@MooFish2364 I am sorry for what you are going through with your kitty on top of everything else.  My dog also got diagnosed with cancer after our loss.  It makes me so sad that I will probably never get to see her interact with our child--I love seeing her with friends' kids.  Hugs.

And on the general anxiety issue, I've found that some issues I previously had related to a car accident over 5 years ago are resurfacing.  A few nights ago, I woke up a from a dream where I was about to be in a crash.  And I am also very anxious about something happening to DH.  

iceandsnowflakes29

I know this post is older but I wanted to tell you, I got severe anxiety after my MC. It was so bad I didn't want to leave the house and I was having panic attacks daily. 

I managed to go to my PCP and by the time I got there my BP was 160/40. And I usually run low to normal. 

If your anxiety continues go see your doctor. 

yolandamunoz

Reading this, I just realize I'm having anxiety for my husband 's safety.

i miss him so much when he is away (working) and I keep fearing he is going to have an accident riding his bike, or get mugged downtown, or something. So that's it. I feel your pain ladies.

ive been feeling better throughout the whole process, though. 

Hugs
-Y

alison518

You're not alone. I miscarried last year at almost 17 weeks and it completely blindsided me. I already had issues with anxiety but after my loss, I was in rough shape for a few months. I was able to work through it though and eventually things got better. Being active helps. Exercise and going to the gym helped me a lot. Mediation and breathing is also really great too. Hang in there, it will get better. *Hugs*

Stairbear

I've always been an anxious person, but I felt like my anxiety was out-of-control about six weeks after my miscarriage. I was having worried or morbid thoughts all the time. I went to a psychiatrist to try to get some relief, and he mentioned that there is a hormonal aspect to this: that even if you've "mourned" the pregnancy loss from a psychological standpoint, your brain chemistry is still adjusting to the sudden "crash"/loss of pregnancy hormones. I hadn't considered that. I am now on a low-dose anti-anxiety medication, and if I get pregnant again, I will stop using it.