Heavy Anxiety while Pregnant

Fallonmcclendon10

I'm a first time mom and only 6 weeks pregnant. I have pretty bad anxiety as it is and now that I am pregnant I don't want to continue taking any medications that may be harmful to my baby. Does anyone know safe meds or herbal vitamins that will help relieve anxiety and mood swings? Breathing and exercise does nothing for me by the way neither does meditation.

Am I hopeless?

BookishMomma

From one anxious and pregnant mom to another, you are not hopeless! These early weeks of pregnancy are tough for anyone because there are so many unknowns and your hormones are so rapidly changing. For someone who suffers from anxiety even when not pregnant, the effects can be magnified.

There are many drugs that have been studied in pregnant women. Some are safer than others. Before you start taking anything, you should talk to your doctor. If you don't have a psychiatrist or can't find one quickly enough, talk to your family practitioner or OB. These doctors are well-trained now on screening for anxiety and depression and can refer you to someone who can help you if they can't. 

As for me, I take 50 mg of Zoloft for depression and anxiety, both when I'm pregnant and when I'm not. For the first few months of the postpartum period, my doctor increased the dosage to 100 mg, mostly because I was at high risk of postpartum depression. I eventually weaned back down to 50mg without much trouble but a few headaches.

My son is now a healthy 2-year-old and I'm pregnant with baby #2. So, yes, there is hope that you will get through this. The anxiety probably won't go away, but there are ways to manage it.

emy730

I feel your pain! I am only 5 weeks along and prior to becoming pregnant, I really had my anxiety under control. I have been off medication for almost 15 months and I was feeling great until yesterday. I started having a panic attack yesterday night and I had the worst time sleeping. I am planning to talk to my therapist and see what would be the best option for me while pregnant.

I am so sorry that you are going through this as well. It's awful and I hope that you are able to find something that works for you soon. Good luck!