Hello, I'm new and struggling with panic!

[Tawny]

Hello,

I was given this site by the crisis team - My names Emma, I'm 33 and currently 39weeks preggy.... having a hard time with anxiety at the mo and looking for abit of support as the doc's arn't willing to prescribe anything due to being preg. It stinks! I'm sorry to just join and promptly offload but I'm just feeling absorbed by it and hoping I can find a few lifelines here to get me through.

I was hoping to use the chatroom but looks like that doesn't happen right away - So in the meantime I'm looking forward to meeting you all and hopefully get abit of support :).

Thanks,
Emma

[diane07]

Hi Rainy

A huge warm welcome to nmp.

You'll get loads of advice and support here and make some lovely friends along the way.

Best wishes

[bottleblond]

Hi Emma

Welcome along to NMP :flowers:

We have had quite a few members in the same situation as yourself (being pregnant and suffering with anxiety) so please don't think you are on your own here.

I'm sure you will get lots of support!!

Nice to meet you
Lisa
x
:hugs:

[crissy]

hi emma, please don't think you are on your own with those feelings, I was just the same when mine were due, you will be fine, the support here will help you through, have you suffered from anxiety before or worrying about having the baby and how it will all be???

[maddie]

Hello and welcome! Congratulations on being pregnant and getting so far.

Could you tell us a little about your anxiety, please? Is it related just to the pregnancy? How does it affect you? Are you in an antenatal group and in touch with other soon-to-be Mums?

I think it's 5 days before chat opens to you. In the meantime, there are lots of lovely people who will answer anything here; and there is lots of information to help you deal with the anxiety. :hugs:

[Tawny]

Hey there,

Thanks for replying so quickly, it's always a worry with a new site whether its really active or not!

I feel like such a wuss, I've had episodes of anxiety since i was quite young, seperation anxiety mainly, home sickness, missing parents then as I got older it was about boyfriends, phoning them all the time, not wanting to be apart from them etc. I was on and off of different antidepressants for several years, until I finally had enough and took myself off everything after a really nasty, violent relationship and set about healing the issues without medications. This worked really well, I did cbt and had lots of therapy, also got into complientary medicines and alternative therapies and I felt really strong within myself knowing I could get myself through the panic without any crutches.

That was about 7years ago, last year (2008) after my 1st child I got postnatal depression, my relationship with my partner broke down and he moved out, after alot of talking we did get back together and things have been great - I had terrible anxiety in the time we were apart, I was so fearful of the prospect of being seperated from my son and I broke-down completely. Thankfully my partner agreed to try and understand depression and he began to see that the angry me was a part of the illness and with abit of time we got back on track and I stopped being so angry and hostile... Then I fell pregnant again!

So now I have a week to go til my due-date and I'm doing a very good job at totally freaking myself out. I had a nasty head cold earlier in my pregnancy which was making me very disorientated, thats what triggered this episode of anxiety - it's a new one on me as I'm usually a seperation anxiety person rather than a 'I cant breath' person. My doctor explained that the combination of low blood pressure, aneamia & a cold was triggering my adrenaline to kick in - that made perfect sense to me, there was a reason for how I felt and the anxiety stopped literally overnight - fantastic!

HOWEVER!

My son who is 21months old caught a cold just over a week ago and has been really poorly with it, I've been ok about it but as time has passed I've become increasingly sensitive to him not being able to breath properly, even though he is still bubbly and clearly not in very much distress I'm still focusing on it and then worrying about my own breathing. I have a very slight snuffle, not even a cold - I've been dosing myself with vit c from orange & lemon drinks etc and garlic to get my immune system up so that I dont catch it, but at the slightest snuffle it's sending me spiraling into full-blown panic. I feel so ridiculous! No amount of self-talk and diverting my thoughts seems to be working, I've phoned the labor ward god knows how many times just trying to find someone to talk to, or to help somehow - they've been fab but I can't keep calling them! I think I have alot of concerns over this new baby and the closer my due-date gets the more I'm worrying.... all the techniques I used to use don't seem to be having an effect, so I'm blundering about in a daze flitting in and out of anxiety for most of the day trying to occupy myself and not doing a very good job at it! I'm waking at around 6am panicing straight from sleep then it just bubbles & brews all day, sometimes feeling ok for abit and then feeling flooded again.

Sorry I have written an essay, just feels like I had to start at the beginning? My apologies if I should have posted elsewhere!

Emma :)

[crissy]

Hi emma crissy here, It's no wonder your stuggling, all will be well keep telling yourself, your son is fine, we are all here for you, just knowing that others have and still are going through the same will ease your anxiety, we understand fully and truly care, I am even looking forward to knowing whether you have a boy or a girl it will all be fine soon when your new baby arrives and your son sees them both you and baby will be in the best of health a new beggining all this nastyness will be gone, please let us know how your doing our thoughts and thoughts of calmness are with you

[eva82]

Hello and welcome! I remember right before I gave birth, I went through so many different emotions also. It can very overwhelming, and that fact that you are experiencing so much worry about the future and your children shows just what a caring mother you are. Sending good vibes your way...please keep us posted!
Hugs,
Eva

[bottleblond]

Emma

You sound like a fantastic, sensible person hun and although you are going through the mill at the moment, i have no doubt at all that things will improve for you quite quickly.

Pop into the chat room and have a chat with the others too!
Lovely to meet you
Lisa
xx
:hugs:

[Southern_Belle]

Hi Emma,

Welcome to NMP. I would imagine it is very difficult to have an ill little one in the last week of pregnancy. It was hard enough for me to just be pregnant with anxiety! Many here will understand how you are feeling and will give their support. So glad you found us.

Best wishes,

Laura