Adrenalin, anxiety and breastfeeding

[mays]

I'm going to talk to a gp next week. My third child is 11 months old and has a lot of breast milk. My other dc are nearly 6 and 3.5. I have found myself getting increasingly overwhelmed and anxious. I'm very safety conscious especially with roads. Over the holidays I didn't feel my usual self and we didn't get out as much as we should have. The weather didn't help. We live on a small cluttered house which also gets me down. I wonder if I have had a touch of pnd which I've not had before

. I have been getting what feels like waves of adrenalin. I can feel it in my arms and the back of my hands. I feel like I'm waiting to sit an exam or treatment at the dentist. This happens for no real reason, nothing is about to happen.

What I would like to know is, is there something I can take when I get this adrenalin feeling to make it go away without affecting my ability to get 3 kids out the door and driven to school? If there is, is it compatable with breast feeding? As I have no intention of stopping bf soon.
Any ideas?

[mays]

I ment to say I was hoping this would go away once the eldest was back at school but it hasn't. I've had the feeling all day yet I'm not worrying about anything in particular.

[Mumblepot26]

It's possible you might have post natal anxiety, although I am not a dr so definately recommend a visit to the GP. I had it after the birth of 2nd DD, I gave up bf as I felt that was making me worse ( the panicky feelings often most intense when I was bf). However I took Prozac and think that you can bf on it. I felt significantly better after three weeks and back to normal after three months. Good luck.

[sittinginthesun]

Have a word with your GP. It might be worth getting your thyroid checked?

[mays]

I've never heard of post natal anxiety, that's very interesting. What effect can a thyroid problem have? Think I had thyroid tests years ago can a thyroid become faulty after a while? Would you both mind telling me a bit more?

[sittinginthesun]

I had an overactive thyroid, with very similar symptoms, but quite soon after my son was born - first 5 months. I am certain the symptoms were aggravated by breastfeeding. Pregnancy can change your thyroid - it is worth getting it checked.

[mays]

Interesting that bf made it worse. I've been bf pretty much non stop for nearly 6 years through diabetic pregnancies. The anxiety is def worse now than when I started out with dc1. It's only my experience that keeps me from thinking that things are wrong with the dc. I know they are fine. If I'd felt like this the first time who knows what I'd have done.

[Mumblepot26]

I suffered with post natal anxiety this year, started 10 weeks after my DD2 was born, panicky, butterflies in my tummy feeling, foggy head, feeling detached from reality, I became quite claustrophobic and agoraphobic, would have panick attacks at least once a day, I would add I have never suffered any other mental health problems, and am generally well known for being a very calm peron. In my case I am sure 85% of it was a chemical imbalance. Please go and see you your GP.

[mays]

I am also known for being pretty laid back. Now I'm shouty and irritable. I want everything done quickly yet I'm so rubbish and forgetful I don't do crucial stuff. The chemical imbalance sounds right. Af returned at 9 months instead of 14 months with the 1st two. Boy did that make me cross!

[hellymelly]

I have an under active thyroid and I have had the adrenalin flashes for ages (thyroid only diagnosed recently). I then felt anxious all the time and so anything stressful overwhelmed me. I've been on thyroxine for a month and the biggest surprise has been that I feel a lot less anxious. When your thyroid isn't working properly your adrenals take up the slack, so it is worth getting your thyroid function tested.
(I was also shouty, irritable and forgetful, you may be just chronically overtired, as that can have a similar effect on your adrenals and your brain.)