Generalised Anxiety Disorder

[Stripedmum]

I'm struggling. All day every day worry, worry, worry, worry. Or feeling weird and on edge.

Will this ever resolve? Please give me some hope.

[Stripedmum]

Hi wundawoman.

I have started drinking gallons of raspberry red leaf tea as it's supposed to be great for balancing women's hormones.

Funnily enough I was going through loads on the lead up to DDs birth and afterwards (along with camomile) but then kind of got put of the habit.

I was still very anxious following her birth (it hasn't resolved since having DS 2 years ago) but I wasn't plunged back to the worst of it as I expected to be.

Anyhow three months later, every time she has a growth spurt everything seems to get so much worse (crisis team worse...). So hormones are certainly a factor for me and I'm back on the raspberry leaf.

If anyone wants to try it you need to drink bloody loads (four cups a day for a few months) to see a benefit. It could be a placebo effect?

"Toxic feeling in my head," God I so relate to that. 'You' are no longer in charge.

On an evening when I'm not at my worst after a run, bath and a nice glass of wine I get 'me' back temporarily. It's bliss. But then I get out of bed and it all starts again.

[sydlexic]

Sorry slow to reply, started having signs memory loss, vocabulary reduced, kept searching for words. New GP was aware of the link and tested me.

[wundawoman]

Thanks Stripedmum, will try the raspberry leaf tea also!!! Anything that helps ....

In addition to the hormone factor, I wonder if we have unreasonably high expectations of ourselves (especially as mums) and therefore create more anxiety? After all, is anyone 'normal' and having the time of their lives? I for one, don't know anyone who does not have issues with stress in one form or another. it's learning how to deal with stress is key, I think....

I am aiming for more 'acceptance' of my feelings and allow the anxiety to come and go, not fight it. (Mindfulness teaches this). And also to remember that tomorrow I will hopefully feel better (I generally do). It's not easy though...

Good luck x

[2013beau]

Hi I'm a new mum with a six week old baby, I've started with really bad anxiety attacks. I used to get them before bring pregnant and then they almost stopped during pregnancy.,I used natal hypnotherapy and relaxation to help me with them and it really helped. I didn't feel panicked while pregnant but now it seems to be back with vengeance. I am breast feeding and have been told can only take mini pill or marina or implant but all of these give me panic anxiety feeling. What can I do I don't want then to take over as they are at the moment. Panic seems worse around period times.

Thanks

[Stripedmum]

Hi Beau! Congratulations on your baby! It's very early days yet but I'm sure it will be hormone related, esp as it's worse near periods.

My baby is 13 weeks and my two real huge dips have been around growth spurts so I think it's a massive factor.

I can't take the pill as it would send me on one. Me and DH are just going to use condoms (NOT the withdrawal method as that's how DD came to be .

Things that are helping me at the mo are exercise and raspberry leaf tea (buckets full). And also a glass on wine on an evening...not ideal but it makes me so much more relaxed. Just one small one mind considering the bfing and it makes anxiety far worse the next day if it's any more.

Claire Weekes book also really helped me. It's about acceptance. That said when I really take a dip there's no touching the sides with anything really.

Is you panic about the baby? With my DS I was absolutely horrendous.

[2013beau]

Hi Thanks for replying
It's just an anxious feeling in general that just comes on. I have a fear of not being near a toilet in case I'm sick or get diarrhoea. This makes it hard for me to go places. I've been trying to exercise gently as just had a c section so can't do too much. I've just tried to take a walk every day when my little one lets me and she the weather isn't too hot. I'll try the raspberry leaf tea to see if that helps thanks for the tip x

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

I've a copper coil and once the first periods settled down (think tidal wave) it's been fine.

Beau, I have found acupuncture really helped in the past. My anxiety was waaaay worse after the DCs were born and is often triggered by fears around them now.

[Stripedmum]

m.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-neurochemical-self/201212/five-ways-boost-your-natural-happy-chemicals

Hi there! I found this article and thought if was really interesting.

[peachypips]

Hi GADflies. Hope you are ok today. Can't remember if I said above but have tried to come off meds and am now in middle of full-blown relapse. Managed to stave it off for a couple of weeks but it has now taken charge. I am currently on sofa with enough tranqs on board to fell a horse and back on my meds.
Have now accepted I am long-term ill and will always be on meds. It beats rocking and wailing into a pillow whilst puking!!!
Hope you're ok today all.

[peachypips]

beau - my sister had that thing with the toilet. We have a family anxiety history as my dad has OCD. She takes a small dose of citalopram and she doesn't fear being away from a toilet anymore. It was ruling her life and stopping her going anywhere and enjoying life.

[peachypips]

My panic started with the baby. He is now 5!

[Stripedmum]

Peachy I'm sorry about your relapse. I've been reading about coming off ADs/tranquilizers and I've heard it's incredibly difficult.

Is it something you have to do really slowly?

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

I'm sorry peachypips. Have you someone around? Is your boy at school or on holidays at the mo?

Our car got broken into last night and they've trashed the inside in an effort to get to the (crap) radio. No prints, nothing. DH is away and I was looking forward to a day of nice things for myself while the DCs have their last day. No such luck...!

[peachypips]

Yes you do- tranqs are fine for me and only as a temp thing until my meds work. I have been totally well for nearly three years on my meds and came off them slowly over 18 months, so I couldn't have been more careful! I have accepted I have a long-term illness now that needs treatment and now I've experimented with reducing I know the lowest dose I am well on so ill stick with that.
Looking forward to being level and happy again.
My kids are at school and DH had got two weeks off fortunately. My mum has come to stay too. Phew!

[peachypips]

You poor thing Betsey! That sucks. We don't get any of that down here.

[Stripedmum]

I'm glad you have the support there Peachy - so very important. I really hope you're back on your level soon. I think you will be as you sound very sussed.

I saw a psychiatrist today...he's told me that my issues have arisen through control, or lack thereof. He said that it's up to me and me alone to rectify. I need to concentrate on things I can control and not on things I can't. He also said my problems are down to adjustment - my life isn't how I planned it would be and I need to accept that. Didn't mention meds which I was very surprised about as I thought they'd be pushed at me and I'd be thrown on the 'unfixable' heap if I refused. I do hope I can get through this.

[Stripedmum]

And no diagnosis of anything! I was quite shocked as thought I'd be labelled.

[Stripedmum]

Can I ask - do you all set quite high standards for yourself?

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

Yes. I think so anyway!

It's interesting he didn't give you a label at all. Would you have liked one? It feels easier sometimes I think to feel you slot in somewhere.

[Stripedmum]

I did think a label was what I was after but I suppose then I'd have been sucked in to researching it and feeling I have a 'condition'. At the end of the day I'm unhappy and really struggling - like people have done from the beginning of time I suppose. I'm going through a really shitty, rough, awful time but that's okay and it's learning to cope with this new 'me'. He said its going to be like learning to walk again. So not easy. But possible, I hope. I feel marginally more confident that I've been seen by a psychiatrist and he's rubber stamped me 'not mad'.

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

I know what you mean. I find it easier sometimes to think about feeling bad as feeling ill; it makes it seem more normal. And like illness in general, we will get better from it in the end.

[Stripedmum]

I'm starting to do that MissBetsey. Rather than weird, odd, strange, sad, despairing, etc etc etc - just 'not good' or 'okay' or 'good'.

[LadyMedea]

I thought I'd pop onto this thread as it has certainly made me feel less alone reading the posts.

I'm 20 weeks pregnant with dc1, had anxiety on and off for years and a decade on Citalopram. Generally managed ok and talked myself through the blips. Came off the meds when trying for the baby. Last 3 weeks its all gone wrong, anxiety and obsessive worrying just took over and when that wasn't happening the depression slid in. Worst trigger is work but baby stuff (childcare etc not the pregnancy thank goodness) is also part of it.

After crying uncontrollably at work last Wed I saw the emergency doc and have been signed off for 2 weeks. Referred for CBT (bit of human but mainly computer apparently) and midwife has referred me to mental health team - my first time for that. As much as I'm dying to go back on the meds I know they aren't great for the baby (not horrendous but something I want to avoid if poss).

Now I'm just trying to get through each day. Being outside is the only thing that helps consistently but it's been too bloody hot!

Crikey life is hard sometimes.

[Stripedmum]

Hi Lady. Life is a strange old thing.

My anxiety during pregnancy with DD1 (DC2) was certainly not good - the hormones don't help.

Things that help me:

Raspberry leaf tea/ Camomile tea (four cups a day) - read up and make your own mind up on the RLT though as some say not to take it before 36 weeks. Camomile fine though from what I've read.

Exercise. At least 30 min a day. Walking worked for me whilst pregnant.

Things to occupy my mind. Reading. Blogging.

Journaling. Pinning down exactly how you feel.

Talking, talking, talking to DH.

Baths.

Coming on MN

FB, Twitter

Finding other people going through similar - I'm on the anxiety forum on the iPad. It's great.

Sleep

An excellent diet

Visualisation

Self talk

Acceptance

Inspirational quotes


That's all I can think of for now!

[Stripedmum]

What helps everyone else? Maybe we can put together a list to help others on here?