Anyone suffer health anxiety while pregnant?

[shortcake]

Hi there,

I've just joined and am hoping I can chat with people who have or are experiencing similar. For the last 5 years I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety and it's been a bit of an up and down rollercoaster. The first attack caused me to end up in hospital as I believed I was having a heart attack (My hr was about 180). Numerous tests were done and I was put on a monitor but eventually it was just put down to anxiety. However I cannot shake these feelings of constant worry about my health and often find myself checking my heartrate.
Over the years I have been on anti-anxiety med, which helped and also attended cbt and counselling and a lot of my anxiety stems from the bereavement I have experienced in my 26yrs, including the death of my mother when I was 2. I just cant help worrying that the same will happen to me and I have constant worries about my own health and death.
I got married last year and coped great! Around this time I also came off med in the hope of trying for a baby. I am now 28 wks pregnant and just about coping. I have been anxious throughout and really bad at the beginnning, but have managed to stay off med. I get seriosly anxious going to doc or hospital and worry about my heart racing and bp going up or that I'll be told something is wrong. Last time at the doc my hr was 150 and bp 138/90. She tried to reassure me that it was all down to anxiety and told me to continue doing yoga and practice my relaxation and breathing techniques.

I have been doing this and it does help. I just can't get these negative thoughts out of my head and I get so overwhelmed at times it just feels like my head will burst. I feel so guilty as I don't want to be stressed and worry about harming this beautiful baby growing inside me. Why can't I be happy and enjoy life and not have this anxiety always in the background?

My apologies for going on so long and thank you for reading. I would love to hear from anyone that has been thru similar or that can offer any advice.

Thank you

[patmac]

hello and welcome,
congratulations on becoming a mother.
i have two girls and i am 26,
this is really normal, my blood pressure and heart rate went through the roof when i had to go in and get checked, so bad that they had to check me at home, i was at the doctor almost every week.

it is normal i would say it was not normal to feel like this. it is a really emotional time for us but when we have panic attacks and anxiety its just that bit worse.

i am sure you will be fine and as soon as you have your beautiful baby it will fade well for a short time haha xx

[Adelle]

Hi, I started suffering health anxiety more so after my son was born. He is 2 and a half now and ive been on a roller coaster since then. I just found out I was pregnant 3 weeks ago and had to come off my meds so now I feel im going at it alone. Very scary. I am terrified as i know i have to go to the hospital for check ups and I just did my blood test last week and am nearly passing out everytime the phone rings because i think it will be the doctors with bad news. I hope i can overcome this and enjoy my pregnancy. Your not alone, thats for sure.xx

[amandaj]

hi it is a sure fact anxiety goes higher when pregnant ,i am nearly 5 months pregnant and my health anxiety is through the roof, but im sure like me youve had bp and other tests done at your antenatal appointments the midwife would tell you if she had any worries , this is my 4th baby but i feel no less nervous now than i did with the first all your worries will go away as soon as you see baby if you need to chat anytime feel free to pm me
amandaxxx

[evekins]

Hi,

My mum died when I was 8 months pregnant with my son, 25 years ago. That's when my anxiety started.
I had miscarriages and then fertility treatment for my daughter. All through that pregnancy I had dreadful anxiety and panic attacks and didn't put any weight on at all!
I sure part of it is hormonal because I am now near the menopause and the anxiety has started again.
As soon as both my children were born the anxiety subsided. I have two beautiful kids and I am sure you will have a gorgeous baby too. Time has moved on and doctors and midwives understand this problem far more than they did 25 years ago.
When you feel bad, lie down and chill, try bach flower remedies and look after yourself!:)

[heather xx]

i have recentley found out im pregnant again with my 3rd :D but as my HA is bad im actually questioning weather i am pregnant or not and terrified of miscarrage when i was pregnant with my other two it wasnt as bad and i felt pregnant this time i have no symptoms other than the missed period and 2 positve pregnancy tests although im worried weather they were false or somthing going on in my body is giving out hcg???? why cant i just be happy im pregnant!!!! Oh how i long for morning sickness!!

[Sarah Louise]

Hiya,

I had bad HA when i was pregnant constantly worried something was wrong with me and that my baby would not survive because i had a serious illness.
My midwife assured me i was so healthy and that everything was perfect not that i listen very much. I went into threapy when i was 5 months pregnant this helped alot.

Than after my daughter was born it all went down hill, my HA has come back and the anxiety is horrible. I am currently on Citalopram 20mg just increasing to 40mg which is helping me alongside CBT. I think with all the different changes that happen to your body anxiety can increase.

To add my friend has had similar situation and she has just done a CBT refresher course and attends a support group. She is just starting meds and is also going to workshops to help her control the anxiety and panic x

[leeann]

Hiya Im 16 weeks pregnant and not coping well with my anxiety every thing is worrying me! and My heart rate goes that high as well! with my first daughter it was going to 170 and your blood pressure is what mine is all the time! :) if you want to chat pm me xxx

[Thumbelina]

I have been with my second one. Because the first delivery was somthing that i didnt expect - so i was scared all the way through.

You are not alone.

[heather xx]

scratch what i said yesterday morning sickness has arrived!!!! :( 6 weeks tomorrow so most prob why it has arrived. Just dont like this tiredness either. HA slowly moving away im feeling abit pregnant :)

[shortcake]

Thanks so much for all your replies, it's great to know I'm not the only one! Was at the hospital Tues and all is ok with baby :) My anxiety was still high but the midwife was so reassuring. I just hope I'm not doing the little one any harm with all this stress. It's constantly there and I find it so hard to concentrate on anything. Feels like I'm going around a daze waiting for the next symptom to set off panic...usually heart racing or skipping a beat or bad tension headache. I just want to fully enjoy this pregnancy and be planning for the arrival without this feeling of apprehension and that I won't cope.

It's good to know I'm not alone in feeling this way tho. Thank you :flowers: