Whooping cough paranoia

[MammaMia1234]

I have been struggling with anxiety so far in this pregnancy and just when I though I was starting to relax something sparked it off again. I had my whooping cough vaccine this morning and when I arrived at the surgery there was a muddle over my appointment time - they had wanted to change me to a later appointment but had forgotten to call me and muttered something about shingles vaccinations. Anyway, I had the jab and when I got out to the car had a horrible feeling of what if I have been given the wrong vaccine. The nurse confirmed I was in for the whooping cough but I keep thinking what if she took the wrong box out of the fridge, as she had been doing shingles ones before my appointment. What if she just did it on autopilot. I went back to ask if i could see the box and info leaflet but the receptionist said the GP was not prepared to do that. I asked if I could speak to him, she then came out with generic info on the vaccine printed from the internet. I told her I wasn't worried about getting the vaccination but just in case I had been given the wrong one. She said she had checked with the nurse and I had definitely been given the right one. I still feel a niggle. I just feel like a mess.

I mean this sincerely - go back to your GP. Not because of the vaccine but because you really need to have this anxiety managed better. I ruined my pregnancy with severe anxiety and it nearly resulted in me losing my partner and future because I couldn't 'stop'.

Speak to your midwife about being referred to mental health team if not already. Anxiety only spikes when your baby is here and things constantly change one day to the next so you need to have a grip on this - I know EXACTLY where your kind is going because mine did the same thing - doubting myself, professionals, manufacturers, everything. It was very exhausting and resulted in a huge inability to really focus on preparing for my son and my labour, and once I did have him, I couldn't bond for 3-4 days as I was so overwhelmed.

CBT might not help - but there are other avenues you simply must focus on before you drive yourself to ill health.

Thank you for the kind words and advice but would like to stress I definitely would not question the manufacturer. It is just the fact I didn't see for myself or ask to clarify what I was receiving at the time. And for the person who asked what difference would seeing the box make - quite simply - I would know I was getting the intended vaccine. It's just about that certainty. I don't expect some people to understand the need for this as before this I wouldn't have needed that. Hence the reason I didn't ask at the time - I felt relaxed. Only afterwards boom the anxiety reads its ugly head. People do make mistakes in life. Not saying she has but it does happen.

You're not saying she made a mistake though, you're saying she gave the wrong vaccine, then lied to you about it, then falsified a record. You get good and bad nurses but you're implying she is dishonest and has committed a criminal offence and if she had done this, should be struck off the nursing register.

Please, please get help. As said above, this is only going to deteriorate once your baby is here. It must be awful to feel this anxious, I can't even imagine it.

I'm not even sure you can get a blood test for this actually. The antibodies I mean.

The simple fact that you feel seeing a box would resolve this situation is really worrying. Your level of rational thought is so low you can't accept that this is a very serious problem. PLEASE go get some help ASAP.

Tell me this... what if the nurse shows you the box and it's slightly different than you remember. Will your brain let it go or are you going to convince yourself that what you saw originally was completely different. What if the nurse put a sticker over the box or said the medication was in another box. What if. What if. What if. Your mind is running away with the what ifs.

You are going to be a nervous wreck if you don't get help and this baby is born, what if they gave him a wrong injection in your view? You need help with your rational thought for the sake of that little bundle of joy. He learns from his mummy. Remember that. X

Sorry to hear how much this is bothering you :( The problem with anxiety, particularly GAD (which is what this sounds like to me, but I'm only going on what you have said) is that it is triggered by uncertainty, and life is uncertain so you are never going to be completely reassured. As much as reassurance might help in the short-term, it is just going to keep your anxiety going in the long run.

Not sure what CBT techniques you are using. You mentioned thought challenging and relaxation techniques. It might be worth trying techniques specifically for worrying (ask your worker about this if you are seeing someone 1-1) as these techniques look at tackling worrying as a behaviour rather than focusing on individual thoughts.

The nurse who did my Whopping Cough jab got me to sign a form. She also did my flu jab at the same time. Did you have to sign any paperwork?