Anxiety meds?

duffmaker · October 2011

3rd post in a row.. ugh I know, I'm awful

So I'm a basket case, sleeping has been impossible, if you read my post like a week ago you might remember me talking about all my anxiety symptoms popping up again... well OB says that my sleep being all out of wack is probably a big reason for the anxiety... but I can't help thinking um hello, I can't sleep because I'm either stressing about something or terrified of something (I'm a chicken, and have been afraid of everything and anything lately and all my dreams have been awful, home invasions, FI dying, Zombies (yea Ik retarded but still) and I'm terrified of the night, like seriously I won't be able to sleep until right about now when the sky's turning that super pale grey/blue color or I hear the kid's school buses... I just lay in bed all night agonizing freaking at every little sound and having mini panic attacks) I mentioned this all to my OB and she suggested anxiety meds... my initial thought was meds/pregnancy no no no! But she mentioned how the good would out weigh any potential risk this far along, but I still said no... so she told me to take a benadryl before bed to try and knock me out enough to settle into a semi-normal pattern and at least take away that stress-er - It didn't work at all!! Made it worse actually... it makes me drowsy enough to fall asleep but then I still wake up from horrifying dreams, but I get stuck in that half asleep/half awake phase and that scares me more because I can't wake up form the dream and then I panic and FI wakes me up and then I'm up and awake until dawn. So I'm really starting to wonder if maybe I should call her and ask for the meds? She told me to at anytime if I wanted them, but I feel like a freak... I moved today's appointment to last Wednesday because I was stressed waiting and I don't want to have to move next Tuesday's to this week but I'm really freaking out? I know what she said about them helping more then harming, but I'm still leery... does anyone have any opinions, suggestions or experience with this? I wasn't planning on posting about this but now I'm laying here trying to sleep and stressing over it so I figured if I got it out like a vent, maybe I'd be able to get some sleep. Thanks ladies for reading yet another of my long stupid posts Embarrassed

Unknown · October 2011

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SuzJune04 · October 2011

I am so sorry to hear that your suffering and I think you should definitely try the meds. I suffer from some anxiety myself and notice a huge connection between stress and insomnia (and for me fibromyalgia pain). Talking to a therapist has helped me a lot as well.

Good luck!

brandifinch · October 2011

You could ask your OB about a natural remedy from a health food store first theres also tylenol pm that might help you get more sleep than benadryl (that stuff wires me). I agree with pp I would make sure you talk to your OB about postpartum, I didnt get it with my first but with my second due to anxiety and lack of sleep and stress. I hope you get some relief soon.

NikiBurden · October 2011

Vistaril (prescription) might be a good option until delivery. It's non-narcotic and a good friend of mine found that helpful with sleep too.

NikkiMarie · October 2011

I suffered with anxiety for a long time, and finally got diagnosed at christmas. I was on anxiety and depression meds for three months and found out i was pg, and stopped cold turkey. the anxiety has been coming back the last few months...really bad. I spoke with my OB and my shrink, and they both told me that at this point (I think I was 26 or 28w) it was my call. I decided to try to manage w/o drugs, and have been doing okay so far. I am the same as you- I am mostly fine during the day, but at night when I need to sleep, every god awful thought goes through my head (loved ones dying in agonizing ways, etc).

what I am thinking about doing is talking to the dr again- I am fearful of PPD, and dont know if I should be on meds before baby is born b/c of it.

good luck with what you decide to do, and you are the only one that knows what is best for you (with input from dr).

inrut4dj · October 2011

I took something for anxiety before I was pregnant and came off meds. My anxiety has been building over the third trimester and at about 35 weeks I had to start taking Zoloft. Mine was more than just not being able to sleep. I literally couldn't do simple things like eat and bathe. My husband was having to make every simple decision for me and I was pretty depressed too and missing work. It was a tough decision to make. I'd gone so long without the meds, but I'm glad I dealt with it now instead of when the baby is here. With my history, there was a good chance I would get PPD/PPA and I'm glad I've already got the meds in my system.

Tanderson0201 · October 2011

I say go for it. I've been taking Ambien for the past few months. On the nights that I don't take it I literally stay up staring at the wall until 6am. The way you described not being able to sleep at night makes perfect sense to me. I could've written it! FI gets so annoyed with me because he apparently thinks I'm staying up late just for funsies, but my anxiety is just so much worse then! I've also been on Buspar for a few months because my anxiety got so bad. The way my doctor explained it to me sounds much like yours explained it to you...it is more beneficial than harmful at this point. Getting sleep is very important and so is trying to keep anxiety at bay. GL!

b.heather · October 2011

Girl, you need those meds! I know we feel like meds in pregnancy is a "no no" but the level of anxiety you are talking about is absolutely impacting your LO. All those stress hormones in your body are flooding your LO too, and the lack of sleep just throws your body further out of whack, which also impacts your baby. At this point all your kiddo's systems are developed and he's just putting on weight. Your doc would not prescribe something that would be harmful. It's easy to forget that the anxiety isn't just affecting you, it's affecting LO too. If I were in your situation, I would not hesitate to take the meds.

I do also think others recommendations about talk therapy are wonderful and would also suggest that. Anxiety runs in my family, and although this pregnancy has been relatively easy for me, I had terrible PPA with DD's birth, so I really feel for you!

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