Anxiety & the horrid symptoms!

[serafina8]

Anyone else out there suffering with Anxiety? My Baby girl is 13 weeks old now & still having massive anxiety & panic, started in pregnancy & thought i'd got it under control towards the end of pregnancy, but it seems to be back with a vengance! Have had panic spasms & the worst headache & neck pains, my scalp aslo seems to tingle?? Had most of the symptoms over the last 10 months! got some good books & advice seen Dr & Had Ecg's Etc..... So can't understand why i can't accept im ok & get on with things! Dr has Suggested Citalopralm ( Spelling???) Anyone else had this medication? Im a bit scared to take any thing. Any advice would be sooooo appreciated!!

[ChillyCooper]

Anxiety can have loads of horrible physical effects, I had crushing chest pain and neck pain - it was all to do with how rigid I was holding myself. The good thing is that once you get a hold on the root cause - the anxiety - the physical symptoms will start to fade. I found that Prozac helped me, I've not taken Citalopram personally but many Mumsnetters have and can advise.

What worries you most about taking the Citalopram?

[serafina8]

Thanks chillyCooper, i hope so, there is just no reason to pin point, just very tired have a three year old also. Feel a bit scared to take it because i hear some people feel worse before they get better, & can't face feeling any worse!! Have you recovered or do you still have it? are you still on med?
I feel quite dizzy & just not right most of time even if i dont have the panic!

[Albrecht]

Can't advise on meds but have they suggested anything in addition? It sounds a bit kooky but relaxation, deep breathing etc might help release some of the tension. Even repeating a simple positive phrase (I'm ok, dcs are ok, for example) might help you to believe it. Don't expect too much of yourself, you can't get over this kind of thing in a flash. Focus on what you have achieved each day not what has gone wrong, was good advice I got.

[mumblecrumble]

Hi there,
I also suffer with anxiety - though I now feel like I don't as I have felt pretty stable for the last three months with just a few little wobbles.

Physical symtoms are awful - much worse than the worse of side effects. I started taking a low does of sertraline. This time I am taking a low dose everyday and plans are to stay ion for a slong as possible (few years_ before we hope to conceive again. I also asked for some anti sickness pills and they worked a dream. Apart from a tingly jaw for a few days and had no side effecvts and after around 3 weeks sweet relief from the crippling anxiety. I do think that big life changes (like you having your baby [congrats!] for example) are triggers and that once symtoms are under control youy can think about any underlying problems.

Thing I found worse was the 'secondary emotions' so, not just the anxiety but the guilt over feeling anxious (I am not starving, being abused etc so why am I feelingg anxious), inadequate, frustrated, tired, sick etc. Once I accepted that I was a little bit poorly, needed some medicine and some healing time it made things easier. I just concentrated on the basics: feeding family, doing my paid work, children, partner. Cleaning, house projects etc I left and spent that energy on the essentials.

I wrote myself a 'you;re doing OK' email and also had long honest chats with my husband. He is now quit good at helping me feel reassured etc.


Best of luck, and most of all don;t be scared of the drugs. They are like a plaster on a broken leg - they help the healing then when its healed underneath you wont need it anymore

I feel so much better than I did last year and also am better at dealing with myself if it crops up again.
:)

[serafina8]

Thanks for your posts!! Great Advice mumblecrumble! It's so awful to be like this, thought i was doing better but the last month or so has been worse than ever! It's generally always me thinking there is something wrong with me as the symtoms of anxiety make me feel that way. had a tension headache now for about 3 weeks, and if it's not that it's something else, been to dr been checked out etc, so just wish i felt ok. did you feel this way when it was bad for you? xx

[ladybutterfly1]

bit of a late post but when i had my baby i had pre eclampsia and after i was left feeling anxious 8 years on i still suffer from it i always feel like i have a lump in my throat and choking its terrible i have been to doctors about it but i often dont think they take it serious i dont want to take medication as i am too scared of it i had depression tablets once and i was hullucinating and felt i was cracking up i also had dark thoughts while taking them it was a very scary time so now i dont take tablets i dont get panick attacks now but i could very easily have one again it makes me sad an misarable i often dont think my daughter gets the best out of me i too have neck tention and my eyes always feel hard like there not mine it even affects down below the tention i feel for anyone whos got it has it takes a part of your life the reason i got anxiety is because i went through a bad pregnancy i dont no why i still have it now because i should be happy