Pregnancy anxiety and low mood

[AgentCooper]

I really didn't want to be writing this post but I am worrying that my anxiety and low mood are getting the better of me and I'm 27 weeks pregnant. I have a history anyway and was already on 100mg sertraline when I got pregnant and have stayed on it.

First trimester was really tough emotionally but things seemed to level out a bit in the second. Now I'm entering the third I'm having a rotten week. Losing my appetite, that horrible burning sickly feeling of anxiety in my throat, sweating. When I feel like this I worry that I'll never come out of it. I worry that I'll be stuck on ADs that sometimes and work and sometimes don't forever, that I'm one of those cases which will never be fixed. I think I may be in the middle of a hormonal surge as I've got spots for the first time in months.

I've contacted a counselling service for pregnant and post natal women in my area and they should hopefully be able to see me in the next few weeks. I'm keeping up my swimming, mindfulness and pregnancy yoga but sometimes it just feels like nothing helps. I'm basically anxious about being anxious. I don't want to let my wee baby down - I love him so much already - and I don't want to let DH down. I just want to feel better. I'm terrified of getting PND. I sometimes feel like I was a fool for thinking I could be a mother at all, let alone a good one, but as I said I already love my wee baby more than anything.

If anyone has any experience of prenatal anxiety and has come out the other end, whether or not you already had a history of MH trouble, I would love to hear how you coped. Thanks

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but I suffered with pre-natal anxiety. I didn't cope with it well during pregnancy. I was ok for about 5-6 months after the birth and then got hit by post-natal depression. In the end I was more or less saved by a brilliant counsellor and support group. You're doing the right thing by contacting your counselling service - I hope they can help you. Also, I don't know anything about the amount you can have, but is there any chance that your gp could up your dose of sertraline?

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

Also .

[CarpeDiem83]

I'm not sure I have anything helpful to add as I am in a similar place at 29 weeks - you are not alone. It sounds like you are doing all the right things to help yourself, but it is rubbish.

[Beachbaby2017]

I'm sorry you're struggling.

When I feel like this I worry that I'll never come out of it.

I know this feeling well and all I can say is, you will come out of it. You have in the past, you will again. It is horrible feeling like you're falling into a bad spot that you'll never get out of. For me, the more I accept that I'll never be cured and rather that the bad times will come and go, the more I am able to proactively manage and prevent dips and also, most importantly, to know that "this too shall pass."

I'm also terrified of getting PND and basically all of my "be healthy" efforts before getting pregnant and now while pregnant have been about tapping into every resource I can to help prevent PND and to be able to respond quickly if something does happen.

I urge you to look into all the local resources available and say yes to everything offered. Do you have a supportive partner? If yes, bring him/her into planning and preparing. It's better if you don't have to do the heavy lifting of getting help once you're already in a bad place, and rather have it set up in advance or have your partner prepared with numbers to call. My fridge is plastered with resources that I've written down!

Best wishes to you. You'll be okay. You can see what is happening and you're reaching out, those are both hugely positive things.

[AgentCooper]

Thank you both

Lorelai I'm going to see how the counselling goes. I just get this fear that I can't change or be helped as I've had counselling before and yet I'm feeling like this now. Trying not to be so negative though. I'm seeing GP on Monday - I was so reluctant to up the sertraline but I'll see what she says.

Carpe sending love your way. Don't know about you but I don't think the heat is helping much right now!

[AgentCooper]

Thank you so much BeachBaby. You are so right about acceptance being key. I think that is actually what was helping my anxiety before I got pregnant, I have a great book by Claire Weekes. But chuck hormones into the mix, and the prospect of such huge responsibility...

I really hope you are doing well

[Beachbaby2017]

Yes, pregnancy is really a trip! I am doing well, thank you (fingers crossed). I hope this passes for you soon and that counselling is helpful. And if it lingers or returns, know that you are okay just the way you are