Increased anxiety! Please help!

catladie21

I'm 11 weeks pregnant and when I found out I had to stop taking all my depression and anxiety meds to be sure they do not harm my baby. However, my anxiety has increased so badly that I can't even clean my house, drive myself to work, etc. Everyday it only gets worse and I'm wasting my enegry on that rather than on the baby. Is there anyway to keep these. feelings down as I do my daily duties? I'm worried it will get so badly I will need to quit my job but I know we need the money and i need to keep a career going. 

hfooter

You need to call your doc. There comes a point where not being on the meds can be more harmful to the baby then being on them. Sounds like you’ve hit that.

calimom2524

catladie21 said:

I'm 11 weeks pregnant and when I found out I had to stop taking all my depression and anxiety meds to be sure they do not harm my baby. However, my anxiety has increased so badly that I can't even clean my house, drive myself to work, etc. Everyday it only gets worse and I'm wasting my enegry on that rather than on the baby. Is there anyway to keep these. feelings down as I do my daily duties? I'm worried it will get so badly I will need to quit my job but I know we need the money and i need to keep a career going. 

QFP

You really need to talk to your doctor. 

mrsbubbles-2

This is something that you need to speak with your doctor about ASAP. Please call. 

ecwk

catladie21 said:

I'm 11 weeks pregnant and when I found out I had to stop taking all my depression and anxiety meds to be sure they do not harm my baby. However, my anxiety has increased so badly that I can't even clean my house, drive myself to work, etc. Everyday it only gets worse and I'm wasting my enegry on that rather than on the baby. Is there anyway to keep these. feelings down as I do my daily duties? I'm worried it will get so badly I will need to quit my job but I know we need the money and i need to keep a career going. 

+1 for call your doctor ASAP. They will be able to help you! 

scottishlass1213

I sympathize! I agree with the other ladies. We have a few moms on this board with anxiety and other issues, myself included. There are other alternative methods as well outside of meds but I’m a definite advocate of meds if needed. You need to take care of yourself!

livinthesunnylife

Yes, please call your doctor.  I believe there are some meds that they can offer that are safe for the baby.  You have to take care of yourself so you can take care of the LO. 

ladygali

Call your doc. I’m still taking lexipro because the benefits of being mentally healthy outweigh the risks to me. Good luck. 

scottishlass1213

ladygali said:

Call your doc. I’m still taking lexipro because the benefits of being mentally healthy outweigh the risks to me. Good luck. 

That's what I was on!  I have a feeling I will be back on after baby.  It worked really well for me.

ladygali

@scottishlass1213 yeah I like it more than the other SSRIs I’ve tried. Zoloft and Prozac give me too many stomach issues. I’ve been told by my docs that it’s such a low dose that I shouldn’t worry. I do worry a little, but I also like not having my crazy anxious moods, so here I am. 

catladie21

Thank you ladies! In the beginning i did speak with my doctor about this on the first visit because i knew from the beginning that it could get bad from just little triggers. I will call asap to have her relook into the med situation but until i can get an appt, what could i do to help decrease it? I know from personal experience that if anxiety is not controlled it will trigger deep depression. 
Also thank you again for coming together and not pushing mental illness to the side. ❤

ladygali

@catladie21 have you tried meditation? I really like Calm and Headspace, if you are looking for good beginner apps. They are free with in app purchases but might be enough to get you started. 

catladie21

Ive tried zoloft and prozac which both sedates me to the point of sleeping at all. Im gonna talk to my doctor about lexpro it seems to be the go to. Before pregnant i was on welbutrin, vyvanse, and diazepam. Which was working great.

mrsbubbles-2

@catladie21 - My only advice is to be completely honest when you call that your anxiety is preventing you from performing your daily tasks. Hopefully this will push them to see you immediately. Ditto @ladygali about meditation. Good luck, I hope you get in soon!

catladie21

Thank you. Much appreciated.

cthulu

I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR NURSE SIMPLY REITERATING WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME BY A PSYCHIATRIST AT A WOMANS HOSPITAL SPECIALIZING IN PRE AND POST NATAL WOMEN.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, what I was told was most antidepressants are fairly harmless in terms of mental health vs baby development. I have had several doctors tell me that Prozac has been linked to birth defects, but I’ve been on Zoloft lexapro and Wellbutrin at different points while I was pregnant with my daughter. For anxiety I was taking clonopin. Before 12 weeks there is an increased risk of babies heart forming improperly. After 12 weeks that chance drastically drops. With my daughter I continued to take my clonopin if things were really bad between 12-30 weeks. (They don’t want it in your system when you deliver so I cut myself off around 30 weeks as a precaution.) You absolutely need to talk to your doctor so they can go over risks and what exactly the chances of developmental issues are. I’m assuming since you were on vyvanse that you have a Psych doctor you can talk to about medication, they will be better versed in side effects than your ob. That being said I would talk to both of them so everyone is on the same page with your medication. 

marafox

@catladie21
Yes, definitely doctor is number 1 priority. 
I agree with meditation recommendations, I use Expectful app and really enjoy it, there’s a 2 week free trial. I also find my anxiety decreases whenever I excercise. I know that’s not always what people want to hear (myself included) but when I do a light jog, a run, or yoga my worries go away for the day, just 30 mins. 

scottishlass1213

So I exercise, use the roll on essential oils and a diffuser, watch videos on fish swimming and other meditation type things. Progressive relaxation on you tube. I find if I keep busy I am better. Sitting at work with nothing to do makes it much worse for me. I second headspace because they are short and I. Can’t relax long enough to focus on anything else. Acupuncture, chamomile tea. I’ve definitely learned healthier coping mechanism since working at an integrative health university and am more open to them. 

Im a fidgety anxious person so I will fiddle with stuff or mess with my nails etc. 

marafox

What @scottishlass1213 said! Forgot acupuncture! That actually saved me from my anxiety, panic attacks and scary vertigo.

Taylovesbrad

Is there a mental health thread where moms with anxiety and depression can check in with each other? I would love that personally. I’m sorry your having increased anxiety- I am also experiencing it but not to the degree you are. I weaned off Zoloft prior to pregnancy- weaning was awful and I’d love to not go back on it but dammmmn anxiety blows! Deep breathing, baths, acupuncture, even a pedicure helps me. 

mrsbubbles-2

@Taylovesbrad I think that there's a mental health mamas thread that seems to meet what you are looking for. I don't think one has been started this week, it's fine if you want to start it!