TTMA About Anxiety and Pregnancy

[quijibo]

So, I’m a pretty anxious person. I’ve been on and off meds for many years.

I was feeling pretty good for a while (no meds for about a year), but recently I’ve been experiencing intense anxiety at night. I have this intense fear of dying and leaving my children behind, I have this intense fear that every pain or twinge or mole is cancer, I wring my hands over blood work and my blood pressure, even though the doctor hasn’t noted a single issue, the news and shootings make me anxious... and then the morning comes and I feel fine and positive and go about my day.

In my area, finding a psychiatrist is pretty much impossible. They’re booked solid. No new patients or they book months and months out. So, do I talk to my OB? Can they do anything? Do I want meds this late in pregnancy? Would BFing be affected? I just don’t really know what to do, or whether I just need to be smacked upside the head and told to get a grip.

Any feedback or direction or commiseration is appreciated.

[Dr. Cox]

Talk to your OB. I have anxiety/depression and started Zoloft several weeks ago. I tried to hold off, but it was becoming overwhelming. I already feel a big difference and more at peace than I have been the entire pregnancy. I’m on the lowest dose, 25mg, with the option to bump up if needed after birth. I’m not going to push you to start meds in your third trimester, because I know that comes with different OB opinions and comfort levels. But I encourage you to talk to your OB about your options.
There are several drugs that are safe for breastfeeding as well.

Anxiety is such a mindfuck. I’m sorry you are going through this. But I think it’s absolutely the right thing to discuss with your OB as soon as you can.

[charlotte]

I am really sorry you’re struggling with this. You definitely don’t need to just “get a grip”, and I’ll +1 everything drcox said.

[sarcaztic10]

I agree, talk to your OB or primary care Dr. After I had DS2 my anxiety got pretty bad and my primary care Dr prescribed me a medication that was safe for BFing

[ladybrienne]

Definitely talk to your OB or PCP as other posters have said. I have a history of PPD so they are ready to call in a prescription if I need before or after delivery.

You have options, that’s what is important here. Remember that. Start with your OB and don’t stop until you have a plan in place.

[summerrain]

Hugs quijibo. I will say plus everyone that you should talk to your ob or pcp. There are options out there and depending on your comfort levels they can recommend and prescribe different things. You don’t and shouldn’t have to struggle. Anxiety is such a cruel bitch.

[Argyle]

This is definitely not a "snap out of it" kind of thing. I am sorry about the therapist situation (why do is finding a therapist always so damn hard???) But yes definitely OB or PCP or both if one or the other isn't helpful

[SayitaintSnow]

Hey quijibo I'm sorry you're in this place. I am too. I was actually coming here today to post something similar. In my experience, I can say that my anxiety has become worse, not better, since baby arrived. Like you, I cope okay most of the time during the day, and evenings tend to be worse. Though recently daytime anxiety has been hitting me too. I thought I could cope without meds but it is becoming very apparent to me that I need to call my OB on Monday and talk about options that are safe while breastfeeding. I made an appt with a counselor a couple of weeks ago but it's a month wait before they can get me in. I encourage you to try to get on someone's schedule even if it's a few months out, it's peace of mind knowing that even though there is a wait, that I have a plan. Anyway, all this just to say you're not alone.

[Diordra]

((Hugs)) quijibo

I too struggle with anxiety and through talking with my psych and OB decided to stay on Lexapro throughout this pregnancy. I’ll +100 to everyone suggesting to talk to your Drs ❤️

[codypup]

I read this last night and meant to come back to it. Big, huge hugs to you. I also struggle with anxiety and made the decision to stay on medication throughout this pregnancy. Those thoughts you mentioned are exactly what I went through when I was pregnant last time and after giving birth. Frankly, it was practically debilitating. I did not have a support system like I do now and was told my feelings and experience was normal, and just to suck it up. I still carry some anger and sadness about that, but it is what it is.

This time around, things are different. I had sought help for the anxiety I had been told was “normal” 5 years ago and it was like night and day. I basically refused to go back to that awful place. My OB was completely supportive and helped guide me down the right medication track. This whole pregnancy has been a completely different experience, in a good way. This first week of having a newborn has also felt very different.

That was a really long-winded way of saying I hear you and I get it and I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I would start by talking to your OB. Please feel free to PM me if you want to talk more.

Hugs, lady.

[foxtober]

I have always had terrible anxiety and sometimes depression. I talked to my OB and she really wanted me to go to a counselor. So I did and I had a bad experience. I tried another only to find out my insurance didn't cover her (at the appointment, so by this point it's been like two months). My OB just wanted me to keep trying counseling, even though I don't like talking and I didn't really have time anyway except after work, which few seemed to accept appointments that late. She told me to take time out of my work day to go... no.

So I talked to my son's pediatrician (our family doctor and also my doctor this pregnancy now) and she didn't try to push counseling. Apparently her husband is a physiologist, too. If I hadn't been planning on ttc she said she would have put me on Wellbutrin because it worked well for my sister, but she thought Zoloft would be better for pregnancy & breastfeeding because it apparently has the most research.

So far I'm on 50mg (my original prescription was 75 but it gave me headaches) and it helps the anxiety quite a bit. It was even better on 75, but I'll take something over nothing. It does not help the depression, so if I get ppd later (with my son I had some when he was a bit older), I may bring up changing.

Long story short, talk to the doctor you feel most comfortable with, let them know what you're hoping to gain and what your concerns are, and they will be able to help you. It was such a huge difference for me when I first started, I didn't know just how much my anxiety was affecting everything.

[quijibo]

Thank you all for your responses. Sometimes you feel so alone and you need a reminder that you aren’t the only anxious person in this world. It doesn’t help that my H is chill af and, even after 15 years together, still thinks I can just turn it off 🙄

My PCP wasn’t receptive to helping me with meds in the past. They were all, “We haven’t treated you for this. You need to see your psych.” I DON’T HAVE ONE. I had been away from the psych practice for an extended period of time, so they “discharged” me and now consider me new. Blargh.

I’ll check in with the OB on Monday and see what we can do. I don’t feel like anything drastic is needed. Just something to bring me from a 10 to, like, a 5 or lower. That’d be great. Haha.

[notelsie]

So many hugs. I’m so sorry you are going through this. I can only echo the advice everyone else has given.

I talked to my OB about my anxiety during this pregnancy and my history of PPA that I never got help for. He’s able to prescribe me something he said is safe for breastfeeding. I think it’s Zoloft? We agreed to get that going once I deliver.

I’ve had a few moments recently where it was so bad that I was going to ask about getting on it early, but seeing I’m almost 41 weeks I figure I can make it a few more days. If it gets that bad again I’m going to call and ask for it sooner.

I’m sorry so many of us have dealt with this. I’m thankful to see we can all support each other here.

[sapatos]

I'm super late to this, but after DD was born, I had PPA/PPD. I fought admitting it for the first 3-4 months because I didn't want there to be something "wrong" with me. But I hit a point where I basically had a mental breakdown and I knew I couldn't ignore it any longer. I talked to my OB and got on a low dose of Celexa. Within days I was a new person and I felt like myself.

When I got pregnant this time, I went off the Celexa to try to see if I could go through this pregnancy without it, and no, I still needed it. My doctor said it was safe for pregnancy and BFing, so I agreed. Recently, I started to feel very irritable and not myself, and I had to up my dosage from 20 mg to 30, and I'm back to myself again. Apparently your blood volume increases when you're pregnant and can dilute the effectiveness of your meds.

Fun fact.

You are NOT alone, and if you need meds, talk to your OB. You cannot take care of others if you are not taking care of yourself. Put on your own oxygen mask first. So many hugs.