Does medication help?

[smiles]

Hello All!
Can some one please help??
Ok ,I have a 11 week old baby and am getting some corking health anxiety issues going on (at least I hope its HA and i am not really ill?) . I am feelin under pressure to stop breast feeding and go onto meds. But do they really work? I have really reached the end of my teather and kinda need to know there is an end to all this!
How about hypnotherapy of other types of therapys??
All feed back very welcome.
Thanks
Sarah
X

[cattia]

Hi Sarah, first of all congrtulations on your little one! My baby is seven and a half months old now and I have had some pretty bad times with HA since having her. First if all your hormones are all over the place, and if you are breastfeeding this is especially the case. Secondly, having a baby presents you with a whole new set of worries, responsibilities and changes, all things that are guaranteed to upset the apple cart for those of us with anxiety issues. In my experience, meds really do help a lot. I have been on them in the past and am considering going back on then again. Most of the SSRIs can be taken whilst breastfeeding. The safest one and the one that is backed by the most research is Lustral. It is in the same family as Prozac and they did a large five year study on breastfeeding mothers who took this drug. They found that whilst a tiny amount does pass into your milk, it did not have any ill effects on the children so you don't necessarily have to give up breastfeeding. I think it you feel that your anxiety is really stopping you from enjoying life with your baby as much as you could do then it is definitely worth considering medication as one possible option, and looking into others like CBT too.

[nomorepanic]

I would not be happy having medication whilst breast feeding to be honest. Who knows what it could do to the baby.

You can go down the CBT route and self-help route instead.

Have a good read of the website pages on the left for loads of tips on what to do and how to overcome this.

[Adelle]

Hi, After having my son 3 years ago my health anxiety got out of control. I stopped breastfeeding at 8 weeks and went on medication. Best thing I could have done. Only just came off them now as I am pregnant with my second child but feeling great.xxxxx

[mcclan]

im not one for any kind of meds but thats me. to me meds trick the mind to make you think your better and eases pain but doesent cure it