Anxiety

[Becky6X]

Hey... so I'm writing this in the hope there may be someone out there who has been through similar.

My little boy is due in 5 days and I am SO excited to meet him! I suffer with anxiety and it seems to be taking over anything else at the moment. I am a nightmare in hospitals/doctors etc... my anxiety goes through the roof so you can imagine that my midwife and consultant appts are never fun for me, I dread them every single time.

Throughout my pregnancy I have worried about things like pre eclampsia so I religiously take my blood pressure everyday at home for peace of mind.. it's always around 125/85 max - most of the time less than this. At my hospital appts it's always been around 145-150/90 which I put down to being a nervous wreck every time I go.

At an appt a few weeks ago it was 160/80. This was the highest I have ever seen it which made me panic. After being with the midwife and talking and being a bit distracted.. she re tested and it had come down to 131/82.

I had an appointment yesterday and all I keep thinking about was my blood pressure and was dreading it. It came back at 162/98... then the comments started. This is again the highest I have ever seen it and I completely freaked out in tears and left because I genuinely thought I would end up in a heart attack or something (stupid I know). But I felt on the verge of a panic attack and just a complete mess.

Has anyone else had readings this high due to being in a medical environment? I can only think it's the due date getting closer which is causing me increased anxiety, hormones and just worry.

I am scared of labour but I am TERRIFIED of what my blood pressure will be during labour and how I will cope. I have images in my head of the doctors all freaking out at my blood pressure and it just being disastrous. Does anyone else suffer like this and how did you get through it?

When things have got too much for me I have always run away from the situation... this is the first time in my life there's no running away or escaping and it scares me a lot! I just want to enjoy the experience but this is making me dread it.

I had high blood pressure in my delivery and the nurses said it can just be due to pain. It just meant they both me and baby were monitored and I couldn't have the water birth I wanted. I suffer with anxiety and mine is always higher at appointments too

@Becky6X- Ohh bless you, sending you big cuddles. I’m 30 weeks and I recognise a lot of myself in what you’ve said. I dread any medical appts even if it’s about something simple like my eczema. Also worry like mad about blood pressure which consequently makes it worse!! You’re so close to the end now, you’ve done SO well and I hope you recognise that. Do tell the medical staff that you are suffering from anxiety!! Xx

I say that because when I’ve had pulse taken etc in the past they will often say “oh that’s a bit fast” and I tell them it’s because I’m anxious. So if you’re readings are slightly high the anxiety could be the reason for it. I’m sure they expect most women to be anxious during delivery 💜