Severe anxiety

[Namechanged86]

I’m suffering severe anxiety. 15 weeks pregnant. Catastrophising everything and can only see the worst outcomes. I feel terrified. My chest is like a tight ball inside. I’m not sure what to do. Definitely need to distract myself tonight. I don’t think I can sleep although I am very tired. I’m not sure what my question is though. I’m not sure why I’m posting but maybe it will help.

I am exactly the same @Namechanged86 I'm even having nightmares about the things I'm worried about because I'm thinking about them that much. It's draining I can't stop the worry and even if I do stop worrying for the smallest amount of time within half an hour my brains decided on something else for me to worry about it's never ending or it feels that way 🙁 x

Thank you for the replies. I get the nightmares over things I’m worried about as well. Really didn’t sleep well last night so I am very tired. I am mainly worried about the health of myself and my family. In some way I feel like I have jinxed us by having another baby and that I can’t be lucky enough to have another healthy child and that one of us will therefore end up seriously ill. It sounds ridiculoys and yet it is really scaring me. And I am very scared I will die giving birth and leave my children and not meet the new baby.

I am always googling which really doesn’t help. I definitely need to keep off there as google always leads to panic.

@Namechanged86 I have been really struggling with this for the last two weeks, sometimes I will be having a good day and it will suddenly hit me like a brick wall. I spoke to my midwife about it on Friday and she is referring me to Mums in Mind which is a support group for pregnant women going through the same thing.

Please speak to your midwife and be honest about how things have been, she has ways to help you xx

Aww really feel for you.
I have been up half the night as baby was very quiet yesterday day and all evening after a good week of being super active (I am 21 weeks).
When I finally did drift off I had awful dreams (nothing actually about the baby but about my partner and my dog and generally upsetting / anxiety enduring dreams).
Woke up to heart racing and feeling sick.
Baby has kicked me a bit now and moving about so he’s fine but I still spent last 12 hours absolutely sure something terrible had happened.

I am not an anxious person by nature so this is all new for me...the only thing which did help was really practically considering the odds of something terrible happening. Yes, awful things do happen but it’s very rare once you are past 12 wks and the % chance of it happening to you or your baby is very, very low. Considering statistically the chances did make me feel slightly calmer but really logical sense doesn’t fight emotional worry - especially pregnancy / baby related apparently.
Sorry I have no advice but just wanted to say you’re not alone with it. I actually laid in bed at 3am this morning thinking “if this baby comes out ok there is no way I’m doing this again....I’m bloody terrified of loosing him 24/7”

Thank you. Is it the midwife I need to speak to then rather than the gp? I am trying to think logically but it’s really hard. It just seems to get over ruled by fear.

Hi Namechange86

I've been through exactly this. At around 27 weeks (I'm now 34) all of my worries and fears throughout the pregnancy got too much and I started catastrophising. Mainly about what if something happens to me or my husband - or both of us. I felt huge regret of past choices which may affect me in the future (such as getting cancer etc) - and I completely broke down with panic and fear. I couldn't cope so went to my GP who signed me off work and also saw my midwife.

I've been referred to my local perinatal mental health team (appointment isn't for a few weeks yet) and getting monitored with extra scans of the baby to rest my mind.

When I was off work, I didn't just sit around (all of the time) - I started reading books. This helped me understand what is happening to mind in a body full of hormones (I read Overcoming Health Anxiety, The Chimp Paradox and Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself). I also use Headspace daily to reduce the panic and breathe better.

I'm definitely feeling much better, not 100% my normal self, but in a much better place than I was.

Please take comfort in that you're not alone. I was relieved to hear others are experiencing something similar.

You will get through this

Hi Namechange86

I've been through exactly this. At around 27 weeks (I'm now 34) all of my worries and fears throughout the pregnancy got too much and I started catastrophising. Mainly about what if something happens to me or my husband - or both of us. I felt huge regret of past choices which may affect me in the future (such as getting cancer etc) - and I completely broke down with panic and fear. I couldn't cope so went to my GP who signed me off work and also saw my midwife.

I've been referred to my local perinatal mental health team (appointment isn't for a few weeks yet) and getting monitored with extra scans of the baby to rest my mind.

When I was off work, I didn't just sit around (all of the time) - I started reading books. This helped me understand what is happening to mind in a body full of hormones (I read Overcoming Health Anxiety, The Chimp Paradox and Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself). I also use Headspace daily to reduce the panic and breathe better.

I'm definitely feeling much better, not 100% my normal self, but in a much better place than I was.

Please take comfort in that you're not alone. I was relieved to hear others are experiencing something similar.

You will get through this

posted twice sorry!

I think the same @Namechanged86 that this baby isn't going to be healthy because I've already got a little boy and it's taken so long to get pregnant it's a horrible way to think isn't it but it doesn't seem to stop. If speak to your midwife, I told mine and she says I can be referred to the mental health midwife which I might consider as it's getting a bit much. Also been getting out of breath at stupid times like when I'm laid down I'll start gasping but think that's my anxiety as I'm having palpitations also x

I’m so sorry to hear other people are feeling like this but at the same time I’m incredibly relieved that there are other people going through it who understand. It makes me not feel so alone.

I will look at those books cakes321 and headspace. I’ve never heard of headspace but I’m willing to look at anything that might help as I have a long way to go yet.

That sounds like anxiety lmj25. I get breathless when I get panicky with the anxious feelings. It really is an awful way to think but it’s so hard to shift.

I sympathise totally. I’ve been suffering anxiety for the last two years, was very well recovered with medication and CBT then slowly came off the medication to TTC fell pregnant really quickly and I’m back where I started. If you haven’t, I would speak to your MW or GP as I’m only 14 weeks and am starting my new CBT on monday, you are a higher priority when pregnant. Anxiety ruined a year of my life, I really hope you get help and it won’t ruin your pregnancy. It’s so hard and you are not alone! There is also headspace and meditation app, it something to do with bump. Put it in the AppStore and it comes up, I have used it on and off and found that useful too. Take care and ask for help if you need it, it really helps in my experience and Inhope it will for you too!

Lots of sympathy, sounds horrible :-( make sure you get all the support there is going, it's what midwife is there for- she can refer you to someone else if she feels that's a good plan.

Making a human is hard work and it is worrying! Be kind to yourself, don't beat yourself up :-)

Thank you again for all the replies. I had a better night last night and actually got some sleep. I’ll see how I go for the next couple of days. I have a midwife appointment in about two weeks and I’ll definitely discuss it there but I will call them sooner if I feel I need to.