how to stop worrying

amelyse39 · October 2014

i'm a chronic worrier, ESPECIALLY when it comes to anything health related. Not kidding, I've literally been 100% sure I had various forms of cancer (Google MD over here) only to have absolutely nothing wrong with me. before i got pregnant, i worried i was infertile. Then I got pregnant the same month i stopped birth control and now im worried about miscarrying. in my head, i know that the odds are in my favor that nothing will go wrong but its still scary, especially when my drs appointment isnt until im 11 weeks (im 4 now). any tips to take my mind off of this? i know this has to be a common worry, especially for those of us who are pregnant for the first time.

amelyse39 · October 2014

lol nothing logical at all, even remotely. I didnt necessarily worry, it was just kind of a "what if" thing.

shibby00 · October 2014

I tell myself that today I am pregnant. Tomorrow: who knows. I can't control what happens, so I will enjoy today.

kimmarie1105 · October 2014

I was worried with my 2nd pregnancy after a loss. I asked my mom when I was going to stop worrying and she told me that when it happens for her she will let me know. Point, you're a mother now. You will always worry. However if your fears are consuming your life and your ability to be happy then yes, you need to seek help. Pregnancy if pretty fucked up. Youre only in the beginning. You're going to need to learn how to reel it in. And stay away from Dr Google.

amelyse39 · October 2014

I already did see my dr and started taking celexa at the beginning of summer for general anxiety. No idea where it came from but one day it just hit me out of nowhere and i started worrying about everything. Now, I'm trying to taper off the celexa even though my dr told me it might be a better decision to stay on it, but i am going to see a psychologist next week for the first time so maybe that will help.

katier29 · October 2014

I completely understand this irrational worry, I have the same issue! And it gets bad, I don't have my ultrasound til Tuesday and it's killing me waiting. I will be 6 weeks and some days..I called my doctor office and explained about my worries that's why they are letting me in early to try and calm me down! Maybe yours can do the same!

delujm0 · October 2014

I'm worried irrationally too. 5 weeks tomorrow and no symptoms yet other than a missed period and several positive tests. I think once symptoms kick in I'll worry less. That should be coming in the next couple of weeks.

amelyse39 · October 2014

delujm0 said:

I'm worried irrationally too. 5 weeks tomorrow and no symptoms yet other than a missed period and several positive tests. I think once symptoms kick in I'll worry less. That should be coming in the next couple of weeks.

This is so true! I feel completely normal. I've taken multiple tests (digital and nondigital) and I just keep expecting to feel pregnant.

amelyse39 · October 2014

chrain said:

amelyse39 said:

I already did see my dr and started taking celexa at the beginning of summer for general anxiety. No idea where it came from but one day it just hit me out of nowhere and i started worrying about everything. Now, I'm trying to taper off the celexa even though my dr told me it might be a better decision to stay on it, but i am going to see a psychologist next week for the first time so maybe that will help.

Uhm, honey, if your doctor thinks it's better to stay on it, I wouldn't taper off it. Where is @catmagick? She was talking about this elsewhere. Anxiety and depression are serious conditions and pregnancy can exacerbate them. The best thing for you and your baby is for you to be as calm and stress/anxiety free as possible.

AND for goodness sakes... STEP AWAY FROM THE GOOGLE!

I've thought about that but it worries me to be on a category c drug. Part of me feels like I should be able to just realize that this is all in my head and move past it.

beattykid · October 2014

Stay away from google! I am an anxious person and when I am feeling particularly anxious about something the only thing that makes me feel better is to make some progress on something. Usually it is work for me (bc that is what I am usually anxious about) but anything that can take up your time but has a beginning, middle, and end. Pick up a few books to read, some good mysteries can distract me for a long time! Focus on things outside yourself too like helping out an elderly family member or volunteering somewhere. I know that sounds goody goody, but it really does help. Most of all I tell myself, whatever happens happens and I will deal with it then. There is very little you can do to prevent an early miscarriage, so worrying about it really is a waste of time (although I know hard not to do). Today you are pregnant. Cherish that.

Btw your thread title really makes me think of Dr. Strangelove. How I stopped worrying and learned to love the bomb.

wendyful · October 2014

Im a worrier too. a few months ago i was paranoid I was going to get diabetes. now I'm paranoid I'm going to miscarry.

Most of the time when I'm around people, I dont have these thoughts too much.

Try to stay active and focus on other things you can control.

I signed up for a prenatal yoga course today and started organizing all the prenatal classes I get to take through my health care provider.

JoJo1111 · October 2014

I have an anxious/ worrier personality and it got a thousand times worse once my dd was born. The lack of sleep and crazy pp hormones did me in. I urge you to get a good support team around you now because (in my experience) it can get overwhelming very fast once your little is here.

alygator11687 · October 2014

chrain said:

amelyse39 said:

chrain said:

amelyse39 said:

I already did see my dr and started taking celexa at the beginning of summer for general anxiety. No idea where it came from but one day it just hit me out of nowhere and i started worrying about everything. Now, I'm trying to taper off the celexa even though my dr told me it might be a better decision to stay on it, but i am going to see a psychologist next week for the first time so maybe that will help.

Uhm, honey, if your doctor thinks it's better to stay on it, I wouldn't taper off it. Where is @catmagick? She was talking about this elsewhere. Anxiety and depression are serious conditions and pregnancy can exacerbate them. The best thing for you and your baby is for you to be as calm and stress/anxiety free as possible.

AND for goodness sakes... STEP AWAY FROM THE GOOGLE!

I've thought about that but it worries me to be on a category c drug. Part of me feels like I should be able to just realize that this is all in my head and move past it.

I take a cat c drug when I need to. Because it is more important to me to handle the issue I take it for than the risks.

Really a cat c means that they can't prove it's 100% safe. That doesn't mean it's 100% bad either. I highly recommend reading Expecting Better by Emily Oster. She has a chapter on the drug categories that was very helpful for me.

----------
I completely agree with this. I would suggest taking your doctor's advice. If you are worried about the Cat C then talk to the prescribing doctor and your OBGYN to see if there are any other options that you would feel safer taking. I would not taper without the guidance of a doctor.

You need to be healthy for the baby and health includes mental health too. Many women have chronic conditions that they have to take medicine for while pregnant; you will be fine. I know it's hard because I'm an anxious person too but try to relax

dojo1 · October 2014

If Dr. Google is your BFF, make a conscious effort to avoid googling and reading about pregnancy complications. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

AmberC311 · October 2014

I know how you're feeling. First it was three years of omg I am never getting pregnant. Now it's omg I don't want to have a miscarriage. It's so hard! Sometimes I am rational, other times not so much... lol

btm013 · October 2014

I completely understand what you are going through!! I am in that boat right now. I suddenly became an anxious person 2 years ago and pregnancy has made it a million time worse. I ended up going on a low dose (10mg) of prozac. I know I can't live the next 9 months this way. Hormones are a bitch! Just know that you are not alone.

holliberry28 · October 2014

I understand how you're feeling. I have obsessive compulsive health anxiety, basically, like you, having irrational fears about getting sick. I'm on zoloft and plan to continue staying on it, and my psychiatrist agrees it's better to feel healthy, emotionally and physically.

Like the other ladies said, try to make a promise to yourself that you won't check google anymore. Symptom searching will never bring about anything good. Good luck.

amelyse39 · October 2014

Thanks for the advice everyone! I really appreciate it and I'm glad to know other people feel the same way.

amelyse39 · October 2014

poohbearlove123 said:

amelyse39 said:

I already did see my dr and started taking celexa at the beginning of summer for general anxiety. No idea where it came from but one day it just hit me out of nowhere and i started worrying about everything. Now, I'm trying to taper off the celexa even though my dr told me it might be a better decision to stay on it, but i am going to see a psychologist next week for the first time so maybe that will help.

Why would you go against what your doctor is telling you? That makes absolutely no sense at all.

My doctor didn't explicitly say "you must stay on this medication". What he said was, if you have anxiety, you're already predisposed to depression which can be exacerbated by pregnancy hormones. It's much better for the baby to stay on a medication that will help you avoid going down that path, than to be depressed and anxious and stressed for your entire pregnancy and/or suffer from post partum depression. He essentially said that he recommends women stay on this medication if they have anxiety/depression but that it was a personal choice and if I felt I could handle it, either on my own or through counseling, than I could go off of it.

amelyse39 · October 2014

---------- I completely agree with this. I would suggest taking your doctor's advice. If you are worried about the Cat C then talk to the prescribing doctor and your OBGYN to see if there are any other options that you would feel safer taking. I would not taper without the guidance of a doctor. You need to be healthy for the baby and health includes mental health too. Many women have chronic conditions that they have to take medicine for while pregnant; you will be fine. I know it's hard because I'm an anxious person too but try to relax

Celexa is an SSRI which are really the only safe antidepression/anti anxiety drugs out there so there's not another option besides just going off of it altogether. I cut the dose in half but the dr told me if i wanted to stop taking it, to just stop. Apparently I'm on such a low dose, that tapering is completely unnecessary.

OMGTree · October 2014

As someone else said Post Partum is a whole beast of it's own. I think your doctor has the right idea that for some people (my sister was one of these) post partum can be a HUGE trigger for a down ward spiral. It isolates you and makes you feel horrible. Anything you can do to prevent something that your doctor feels you are more likely to encounter, I would. You have to weight the risks and benefits with your doctor.

hilgspritch · October 2014

Do you keep a journal? Expelling all of your thoughts and fears onto paper could ease anxiety a bit. Doesn't have to be everyday. It has helped me worry less and organize my feelings.

xoxo

Cynthia1207 · October 2014

amelyse39 said:

delujm0 said:

I'm worried irrationally too. 5 weeks tomorrow and no symptoms yet other than a missed period and several positive tests. I think once symptoms kick in I'll worry less. That should be coming in the next couple of weeks.

This is so true! I feel completely normal. I've taken multiple tests (digital and nondigital) and I just keep expecting to feel pregnant.

I never had symptoms with my first in the first tri. And in second and third, besides a growing belly and feeling baby kicks,I didn't get much of anything else. My son is perfectly healthy. I know it's hard not to worry but not having symptoms is normal also.

catmagick · October 2014

Stay on your Celexa. I mean unless you truly feel you can handle yourself without it. Cat C just means that when they gave rats like 40 times the dose a human would ever be prescribed there were birth defects. Your baby will be much better off however you are better off whether it's with or without meds.

spidermonkeymomma · October 2014

With both pregnancy & parenting, I've tried to take things day by day and not worry unless I was given a specific reason to worry. I'm pretty high-strung normally but for some reason, pregnancy/ motherhood helped find a better sense of balance for me. My daughter has had a variety of health issues and every time we go thru something, it's really helped me to just take it at face value. I freak out after the fact and usually have a meltdown (it's really more a relief/ release of bottled up anxiety but I'm able to at least control it during the important times).

If your anxiety and worries interfere, you should reach out to your physician and speak with him/ her.

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