Heightened anxiety during pregnancy

[eaudesjardin]

I'm 19 weeks and currently experiencing the most severe panic attacks and my apocalypse thinking is working overtime.

My anxiety had come to a manageable place before getting pregnant, i had come off medication and i had been panic attack free for a good five months, now every time i pull into a petrol station i'm convinced the whole place is going to blow up, ect ect more mad paranoid over thinking.

I don't want to take medication during pregnancy as i only really agree with Diazapam, and it's bad for the baby. I'm also scared to mention it to a doctor or midwife as i'm worried about that being on my chart as a risk factor to the baby (is this possible?). The counselor i was recommended through the GP charged me £60 a session and was useless, repeatedly ignoring me when i asked for methods to cope with the panic attacks myself, breathing methods ect. The whole ordeal was so frustrating that i ended up buying some books and teaching myself. The problem is that these current panic attacks are more intense than any I've experienced before, my last one nearly resulting in a black-out.

I'm just really at a loss as to what to do.

Hi there eaudesjardin,

I'm really sorry to hear that your anxiety is back. If it's any consolation I'm in exactly the same boat, and assume the pregnancy hormones triggered it.

I was previously on Citalopram (30mg) but tapered off it completely to conceive. I was doing ok until about the stage you're at, then the panic attacks came back with full force. In fact, worse than I'd ever experienced before, where I also nearly blacked out and spent over an hour shaking violently. My husband has been supporting me through them but I'm scared to leave the house alone now (am 33 weeks).

All I can say is that you're not alone, and that the sooner you can let your midwife know what you're going through, the better. They will have heard it all before from many other anxious women, and will do what they can to support you.

I've stayed off meds too as I'm concerned about the effects on the baby, but I do wonder if I would've actually had a more pleasant experience if I'd have taken them. I'll never know, I guess. The doctor has given me a prescription and there are days when I've been sorely tempted to cash it in.

I've been doing hypnotherapy/CBT stuff recently, which I'm not sure has helped as yet, but could be worth a shot if you can find someone?

Can I just second the CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) suggestion? That is ALL ABOUT managing your panic attacks and anxiety on your own. I've done it, and it's fantastic.

You don't have to take any anti-anxiety medication if you don't want to. Nobody is going to force you to. I personally would mention how you are feeling to your GP or midwife and see if you can get rushed through to see a counsellor/psychologist. Sometimes there are group courses available that you can be put on at short notice, which teach techniques for managing anxiety (I have also been on one of these and it was very good!). Better to share your feelings with the professionals than try to deal with it all on your own, especially if you feel this awful.

Alternatively, if you can afford it, see if you can find a private practitioner who does CBT who can book you in ASAP. But I still would mention it to the GP/midwife.

Good luck xx

Hi eaudesjardins Sorry you're feeling anxious -
I am too. I think if you tell the midwife, it doesn't mean they put you down as a risk to the baby; more that they can have extra help ready if YOU need it. I told my midwife at my booking appointment and she's put me down for consultant-led care and is hopefully going to refer me for psychological support. I can see how you're worried about talking to them, but I want to have everything in place in case my anxiety gets worse and be as upfront as I can with them, if that makes sense? It's so, so common and really not something they'll be surprised to hear about. Good luck x