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Thread: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    Exclamation For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    First of all thanks to Jen2503 for starting this forum as I think it is such a common problem and great to chat to other people in the same situation.

    I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and an anxiety sufferer for the last 5 years or so. My anxiety/panic attacks stem from fear around my health, particularly my heart. Anytime I go near hospital/doc my heart races- sometimes as high as 150 and my bp usually goes up to somewhere between 130/80 - 145/90. I came off meds in Oct before ttc and have managed to stay off them but I have had a tough time of it, particularly in the 1st trimester. Thankfully all is ok with babs but worry that the stress isn't good for baby or me. I'm now worried about how I'll cope in labour, especially if my heart starts to race (very uncomfortable).

    The anxiety is with me most of the day in terms of thinking about it and waiting for the next attack and I often feel like I can't fully enjoy things because of it and there are days when it gets me down. I'm off work at the moment also (on hols) and some days find it sooo hard to get motivated to get out and about.

    Things I find help me: pregnancy yoga (very good), exercise (when I can motivate myself), relaxation CDs, eating properly and drinking enough water.

    Anyone else that is pregnant I'd love to hear from you and maybe we can share some of our experiences

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    56

    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    Hi,
    I'm really struggling with this too! 11 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I have other health problems (a pacemaker, and inflammatory bowel disease) and also have long-term anxiety problems. Have just found out this week that my bowel condition makes me more likely to suffer from blood clots, and the panic has hit a new level. Like you, my anxiety centres around my health - I am convinced I am going to die in pregnancy. Also like you, I find it hard to think about anything else. I also have terrible morning sickness, throwing up everyday, which really isn't helping.

    This has been a tough week for me, and I'm finding it hard to keep going, so it's good to hear from someone who has made it so far along. You are doing brilliantly! You are almost there, and most of the hard work is behind you. Soon you are going to have a wonderful baby as a reward for all your efforts.

    Easier to say it than to feel it though, I know!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    Quote Originally Posted by shortcake View Post
    First of all thanks to Jen2503 for starting this forum as I think it is such a common problem and great to chat to other people in the same situation.
    Thank you Hun,

    Im just pleased this forum has come in handy.

    Anxiety is such an awful thing to deal with at the best of times so it can be even harder when you you feel alone. I mayself suffer with postnatel anxiety and i had seen others that suffer with psotnatel and prenatel anxiety and pnd so im glad everyone now has somewhere to come to talk to others in the same boat.

    I just want everyone to realise that you will not have this forever, there is a way out for everyone. we all have to deal with this differently in our own way and time but it wont be with us forever. we will all get through this and now we have a place to talk about it

    xxx
    __________________

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    52

    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    Genie,

    You will get there, have no doubt! This too is my 1st baby and it's such a rollercoaster of emotions anyway without having anxiety thrown into the mix! And the fact that you have health issues also, its only a natural thing to be worried about things. I really hope the morning sickness eases for you soon. It's a horrible feeling. I wasnt sick thankfully but did experience nausea for a few wks during the 1st trimester.

    Take things easy and be gentle with yourself. Our bodies are amazing things and it will just take over and grow that precious little baby inside you. And let the docs worry about the other issues.!They are the professionals and they will take good care you Try and relax as much as you can - I know it's not easy believe me but it will help with the anxiety. And things will start improving in a couple of weeks. The 2nd trimester is easier and you'll start to feel a bit more like your old self.

    I'm in the hospital tomorrow for check up. Not looking forward to it. Hope I can stay calm and my bp doesnt go up too much I just have this fear they will tell me something is wrong...even tho everything has been perfect all along! Will let you know how it goes

    Talk soon

  5. #5
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    Jul 2010
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    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    Thanks!
    I have a pacemaker and went to my cardiologist yesterday: I have had 315 episodes of pulse rates over 150bpm, one of which I know was when I was just sitting down! Now that didnt help with the anxiety!!!! But my cardiologist says it is nothing to worry about, just my body getting used to growing a person! So I'm trying not to worry.

    Good luck with the check up. Just remember that you are just fine, and in really good hands. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, so let me know how it goes.

    Genie xx

  6. #6
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    Jul 2010
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    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    My heartrate is constantly up and down, often when Im sitting down. I know it's the anxiety that causes it! I often feel like it gives a jump or skips a beat as well which then gets me more panicked! Anyway it's good reassurance that the cardiologist isnt worried about it hun. He wouldnt have said that if it wasn't true

    Anyway was at hospital today, anxious and heart racing as usual bout 150 at least! Midwife was sooo lovely tho!She took BP and the machine started beeping at her...indicating it was high. I told her about the anxiety and it's in my file anyway. She actually recommended reiki to me. Have you ever tried this? She does it as well as being midwife. She lay her hand just over tummy and my chest and told me to take some deep breaths and imagine I was at the beach just relaxing. She then took BP 5 mins later and it had come down to 137/82 (good for me). It would be gr8 if she was on when I'm in labour! Was then seen by doc and she checked baby, head is down and heartrate perfect so all is A ok thankfully.
    Just hope I can start to relax a bit. I would have anxiety to some extent every day, just some days worse than others. What about you?

  7. #7

    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    I had dreadful panic attacks and anxiety with my first pregnancy - it was a rollercoaster or hospital admissions as I constantly exceeded the midwives safe blood pressure parameters and they were obsessed with pre-eclampsia when the truth was that I was just **** scared of hospitals, doctors et al.

    One frustrating evening at the hospital when it was beginning to look as if I was going to have to stay in overnight yet again with high BP, a midwife asked me if I wanted to try reiki - well not generally being very good at giving into relaxation techniques previously I was willing to give it a try as I so desperately wanted to go home. It was AMAZING I felt brilliant when she had finished and my BP was within normal guidelines and I was allowed home!

    I would recommend anyone suffering panic and anxiety - it certainly did the trick for me during my first pregnancy and gave me the confidence to cope with the hospital environment which so unnerved me.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    Thanks for the response Maggiejan. I think I will look into it as I'm so worried that I'll get really anxious during labour that it will be awful or I'll end up having to have a c-section or something.

    Did you do many sessions of Reiki? Im nearly 33 weeks now so don't have long to go!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    6

    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    my thanks also to Jen2503 for this place to hopefully find kind ears. I wasn't sure if i should start a new thread but don't really want to as I feel out on my own enough as it is. Am hugely anxious about being pregnant, not for health reasons (weirdly, the one thing that I'm not anxious about is the health side of being pregnant. The birth? Oh yes) and having decided on home birth the hospital related anxiety is fended off a little but I'm completely freaked out by being pregnant. I hate it. And now it's started kicking I think (20 or so weeks) and it just makes me feel sick and panic. I'm really struggling today, that's why I finally joined the forum. I know it's very juvenile (and believe me, I'm not) but I find it completely disgusting that something is growing inside me. And before you ask, we did mean to do it. I just didn't think that I would feel like this. Plus, the actual birth is getting closer all the time and I honestly don't know how I'll do it. I really don't think I can.

  10. #10
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    Jul 2010
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    56

    Re: For anyone pregnant and suffering anxiety

    Hi WFB,

    Don't be afraid to start a new thread: you are not alone! I'm 14 weeks, and my anxiety is very much health related (you think you are juvenile - I have talked my doctor into prescribing me blood thinners on the basis of a moderately increased risk of DVT and am off this morning to learn how to inject myself with heparin!!!).

    I completely get the weirdness feeling. Every scan, I am terrified I will look at the baby and freak out. I'm not looking forward to the kicking. At the 13 week scan they showed me the baby's brain - ugh! And I hate being pregnant too: I am throwing up five times a day. I think this, like the kicking, reminds us that we are committed to something. For me, it makes me feel trapped and out of control, and that's when I get those feelings that I can't do it. But, like you, I wanted this baby, and I still really do. I try to remember that it is the fear that is trapping me, not the baby, and I try not to think about it being 'inside' me: I just imagine it when it arrives.

    Your feelings are normal. No-one I have spoken to didn't pull a face when I told them about the brain incident, and it's quite normal to be freaked out by the kicking. My mum told me she was glad they din't have scans when she was pregnant, as she just spent her whole pregnancy trying not to think about it. Those of us with anxiety just have to deal with the fact that our reactions can take over and lead to panic when others are able to switch off and forget. Have you tried talking to someone? I am going to start CBT in a month, and am hoping to learn some strategies to talk myself through the bad moments.

    You can do this. Everything is going to be fine. And you are going to have a wonderful baby that is going to make you forget all about how difficult this has been. Feel free to private message me if you want to chat.

    Genie

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