Anxiety During Pregnancy

MrsTinMKE · May 2014

This is something your doctor definitely does not mention during your monthly appointments. The hormonal and emotional stuff doesn't come up... but I have to ask, because its hitting me hard.

Is anyone else having mega anxiety? It hits me at random times, I feel panic and short of breath and incredibly uncomfortable for a few minutes and sometimes longer. I am chalking it up to hormones and all of the emotions, but its really bothersome. I am extremely happy to be expecting, I just have no idea what is going on, or what the hell triggers it! I try to take some deep breaths, drink some water and wait for it to pass. Happens several times a day, just have these "moments". Maybe I am just having a hard time adjusting to the new changes....

Anyone else going through this??

MrMrsandBaby · May 2014

This has come up in the past but I can't remember who was dealing with it. I have anxiety attacks and when I feel them coming I get a big glass of ice water and chug it. It sounds stupid but it takes my brain away from the anxiety and focuses on not drowning in all the water!

There are a lot of ways to cope but hopefully it is a phase you are going through with all the changes and it passes soon. If it starts to interfere with yoru daily life I would suggest talking to your doctor.

TheOtherJacobsons · May 2014

It did come up and I do remember who it was. Just feel weird calling them out. She'll find this thread eventually.

ETA: or you could search the board.

Saragoeswest · May 2014

Yes, there was a great thread with some helpful tips on it. I'm happy to say my anxiety has been amazingly low during pregnancy. It almost feels like I'm on meds because I'm so even keel right now. Except, unlike on meds, I feel all the happy and sad emotions-- I'm not just stuck in the middle.

MrsSarahRenee · May 2014

My anxiety has become much worse since I got pregnant. You can pm me if you would like but here is what is working for me:
Walks outside to burn off the excess adrenaline. Plus fresh air.
A plan for when I get one so I am not anxious about having an anxiety attack (which is the worst)
Meditate every night whether anxious or not.
Grounding techniques to help yourself focus on the now/be present. My favorites are adding (1+1=2 2+2=4 4+4=8 etc), naming presidents/states/cities/book authors etc.
Here is a document of others https://www.peirsac.org/peirsacui/er/educational_resources10.pdf

The anxiety and phobia workbook is great!

Positive statements: this panic attack cannot hurt me. I am strong and can get past these thoughts etc. My fav is I deserve to have reasonable expectations of myself.

Oh and seeing a therapist who specializes in prenatal and postpartum care.

Hope that helps! PM me with questions

Eta: I forgot to say I am so sorry you are feeling this way. Just don't give up hope that you can manage it and feel better.

Klavanga74 · May 2014

I'm not having anxiety, per se, but I've had a couple of rough weeks where I was pretty depressed, not wanting a baby, etc. I wasn't going to let it go on much longer without talking to someone but I have settled some and feel like I'm on a better track. It sounds like you've gotten some really good advice above, I'll keep you I my thoughts!

lrobi13 · May 2014

I have had a couple of mild attacks this week. I just took deep breaths and had to drink some ice water. It hit me really fast and then I was okish after a few minutes. Today has been rough and I am wondering if I can muster the energy to drive home.

LindsC10 · May 2014

I have bad anxiety and got off all meds when I found out I was pregnant and at times it can be tough. The best thing for me is to take a long shower while listening to my favorite music, so relaxing. Needless to say I've been extra clean lately!

JessAnnJ · May 2014

You body is going through so many changes and you are sometimes legitimately short of breath or light headed and I think that can sometimes trigger an OMG anxiety reaction that makes it all feel worse. Things like singing to yourself in your head or easy math as PP mentioned can help bring you out of the spiral.

Also make sure you are eating regularly because sometimes going too long without eating can give you a dizzy anxiety attack like feeling.

DaniGrace89 · May 2014

Not being able to take anything as needed for anxiety has been hard for me.

It helps my anxiety to focus on the happy things about my baby. I write a letter to the baby or hang out with my dog.

Anxiety is the worst. Sorry you are going through this. There are medications that are safe (haven't been proven otherwise) for pregnancy, which can be really helpful if the anxiety is getting too rough. A baby needs a healthy mom. End of story. If your OB is helpful with mental health issues, you may want to mention your anxiety to him/her.

haboobjob · May 2014

@MrsTinMKE- So glad you asked about this as I was just going to post something about it! I've had terrible anxiety from a very young age and in the past few years, I've really gotten a handle on it and been able to properly manage it through positive thought, exercise and breathing techniques. Like a complete turnaround and it's changed my life. Pretty much no issues throughout the pregnancy, overall very calm and happy...

BUT... (because there always is one...)

We just hired a new person in my department and she is very nervous and anxious all the time. We share an office space and I feel that energy all day long. She will come up to ask me questions and after she is done stressing or panicking about a word choice for a marketing campaign, I feel like I've been in a car accident. My body is tense and feels like it's turned inside out.

The first week or so I would remove myself from the situation or walk away after the conversation to relax, or I would kindly ask her to relax and we would find a solution. I snapped last week as she hovered over me while I made corrections to her work and I asked her to sit down because she was going to give me a panic attack. She was offended saying I had no idea what I was talking about, panic attacks aren't a joke, anxiety is real, on and on and on. I explained to her that I do have anxiety and manage it well but her nervousness has been making me uneasy and is causing me to feel unnecessary stress.

It's gotten to the point where I'm taking any project I can out of my office so I can be away from her. I feel bad because I understand how it is to have out of control anxiety but she claims (because she has a masters in psychology) that she has a good handle on it. I don't want to move offices as it's been my office for 6 years and she's only been there for a few weeks.

Sorry for sort of hijacking your post. I plan to talk to my OB next week about some possible solutions but until then I (clearly) needed to vent and some advice.

rowanrat · May 2014

Like a PP, I take Zoloft. I've dealt with severe anxiety since childhood and an attempt to wean off medication pre-conception failed miserably. I am 22 weeks now and do have some 'breakthrough' anxiety even with the Zoloft but I know it's hormones and adjusting to all of the changes pregnancy brings.

I will say that seeing a therapist has also helped a lot, and lavender essential oil calms me, too (I put a drop or two on a washcloth and breathe it in). I know how upsetting and frustrating anxiety can be; I hope you find methods that help you! Good luck.

Littledeer84 · June 2014

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said, but I just wanted to wish you luck.Before I got pregnant I took clonazepam as needed and it worked really well for me. First tri was really hard, but once I talked to my ob, it got better. I am on a low dose of lexapro, and it has really helped me.

MrsTinMKE · June 2014

justaudrey said:

@MrsTinMKE- So glad you asked about this as I was just going to post something about it! I've had terrible anxiety from a very young age and in the past few years, I've really gotten a handle on it and been able to properly manage it through positive thought, exercise and breathing techniques. Like a complete turnaround and it's changed my life. Pretty much no issues throughout the pregnancy, overall very calm and happy...

BUT... (because there always is one...)

We just hired a new person in my department and she is very nervous and anxious all the time. We share an office space and I feel that energy all day long. She will come up to ask me questions and after she is done stressing or panicking about a word choice for a marketing campaign, I feel like I've been in a car accident. My body is tense and feels like it's turned inside out.

The first week or so I would remove myself from the situation or walk away after the conversation to relax, or I would kindly ask her to relax and we would find a solution. I snapped last week as she hovered over me while I made corrections to her work and I asked her to sit down because she was going to give me a panic attack. She was offended saying I had no idea what I was talking about, panic attacks aren't a joke, anxiety is real, on and on and on. I explained to her that I do have anxiety and manage it well but her nervousness has been making me uneasy and is causing me to feel unnecessary stress.

It's gotten to the point where I'm taking any project I can out of my office so I can be away from her. I feel bad because I understand how it is to have out of control anxiety but she claims (because she has a masters in psychology) that she has a good handle on it. I don't want to move offices as it's been my office for 6 years and she's only been there for a few weeks.

Sorry for sort of hijacking your post. I plan to talk to my OB next week about some possible solutions but until then I (clearly) needed to vent and some advice.

That would be hard to deal with! I work in a very quiet office, and my new replacement at work is similar very anxious.... I am able to get away and hide in my office, but other times I simply have to tell him to call down. I know managing anxiety takes work, and having people like that around does not make it easier.

MrsTinMKE · June 2014

MrsSarahRenee said:

My anxiety has become much worse since I got pregnant. You can pm me if you would like but here is what is working for me: Walks outside to burn off the excess adrenaline. Plus fresh air. A plan for when I get one so I am not anxious about having an anxiety attack (which is the worst) Meditate every night whether anxious or not. Grounding techniques to help yourself focus on the now/be present. My favorites are adding (1+1=2 2+2=4 4+4=8 etc), naming presidents/states/cities/book authors etc. Here is a document of others https://www.peirsac.org/peirsacui/er/educational_resources10.pdf The anxiety and phobia workbook is great! Positive statements: this panic attack cannot hurt me. I am strong and can get past these thoughts etc. My fav is I deserve to have reasonable expectations of myself. Oh and seeing a therapist who specializes in prenatal and postpartum care. Hope that helps! PM me with questions Eta: I forgot to say I am so sorry you are feeling this way. Just don't give up hope that you can manage it and feel better.

Thanks MrsSarah! Great advice, I will look at the info you sent. I appreciate the support. I know I can manage it, it is just scary that it is happening so much right now. Chalking it up to all of the hormonal changes etc. But none the less I have to find a way to deal with it and recognize the triggers.

Thank you again!

haboobjob · June 2014

MrsTinMKE said:

Chalking it up to all of the hormonal changes etc. But none the less I have to find a way to deal with it and recognize the triggers.

My little project will come to an end this week so I know I have to go back to the office. I'm trying to be optimistic about it. I agree, pregnancy probably heightens your awareness but it's all about recognizing the triggers before the panic sets in.

My coworker a heavy smoker too and I can almost feel when she needs to take a smoke break as the tension in the room shoots through the roof. I have no problem letting her know to relax but there are times when she'll tell me she thinks she is relaxed as she's tapping her feet and fidgeting. lol ~X(

archi35 · June 2014

FWIW sometimes I feel like I'm having heart palpitations and am getting tightness in my lungs - and I know this is random anxiety. It comes out of nowhere and if I take a few deep breaths and focus on relaxing my body it does go away after a while. My doctor said that unless it happens more often and/or increases in intensity that its probably just hormone surges and she's not worried. I used to get panic attacks a lot at night and was taking 5mg Ambien under my GPs supervision, so stopping it for the baby certainly hasn't helped any. Its hard for me specifically because these little mini-attacks aren't really triggered so much as they just pop up. I guess (tl/dr) I don't have an immediate advice other than hang in there - I know what you're going through and its not easy. You're always welcome to PM me if you need to vent - I have had lots of different experiances with anxiety throughout my life. GL!

cozybluebear · June 2014

I am a total planner! With my son, the nursery was finished by 20 weeks, my shower was at 28 weeks, everything was organized, washed, completely done by 30 weeks. I've always been this way about EVERYTHING in my life so when things don't go as planned I have total anxiety. Here we are at 22 weeks and we haven't done anything yet for baby... haven't even thought about names. Having everything on my mind gives me total anxiety. I find that making lists when I'm feeling overwhelmed helps me.

MrsTinMKE · June 2014

@Cozybluebear - Organization and preparation could be part of my problem. This is our first baby, I am 22 weeks and we have been so preoccupied with all of our other home projects (kitchen remodel and major yard work) that I have done nothing to prep for the nursery or the baby other than buying some clothing and purchasing the paint.... There are just so many changes, everything is overwhelming, that could be part of my issues right now.

holliberry28 · June 2014

crawford411 I see a psychiatrist @ Columbia who specializes in women's preconception/pregnancy health and she said new information just came out that the drugs don't cause preterm delivery like they thought, possibly just days of a few weeks early, not months.

I'm taking Zoloft 150mg and I really don't think I can go down due to panic attacks and anxiety, and we are starting TTC in the end of June, although we haven't been preventing and I just can't decide what to do despite my psychiatrist's suggestion that I stay on it.

To anyone else wondering, I asked my Dr. how many of her patients that chose to stay on meds during pregnancy went on to have healthy babies, and she all of them (knock on wood). She thinks that excessive stress/depression/anxiety could possibly be more harmful than being on meds.

How do you ladies make this decision?

lrobi13 · June 2014

The worst is having to explain to DH about my panic attacks. He has never had them so he doesn't relate. He asked my why this is happening and I can only say "I don't know". I think it makes him think that I am not happy about the baby when I truthfully tell him that this is going on.

I had been free of panic attacks well before I met him so this is new to him even though it is not new to me.

I talked to my OB and she mentioned that I could take Zoloft if I needed to so I will just wait and see.

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