Anxiety/Depression Support Thread

[mamacastro]

Hello ladies

I went for my first appointment yesterday. I saw a NP for the first visit just to go over my medical history. She advised me to make an appointment with high risk just to discuss my klonopin use. She is happy I am coming off of the klonopin, but just wants me to meet with the other doctor to keep a close eye on the pregnancy. I made that appointment for January 13!
Otherwise, she said the Prozac is completely safe in pregnancy, which made me very happy. I know how bad my anxiety and panic gets when I stop taking my medications c/t.

Hope you are all having a lovely day!

 

[Stimpyroo]

im not pregnant that i know of yet lol we are ttc currently on cycle# 2 of femara and hcg timed intercourse!
anyways i have had anxiety since i was 16 that was almost 17 years ago! I have always wanted a family and we have tried for years with no success.
i am currently under supervision of a perinatal specialist that believes that medication during pregnancy is ok if it the benefits out weigh the risks.
that said however it does depend on the situation and the medications!!! im so scared that my anxiety will flare up and ill be in a constant state of panic. right now my anxiety is pretty under control i do get that anxious feeling every now and then. is there something that would help me with going into pregnancy? any advice? i should also tell ya we are on our tww until jan 8th!!! ive never wanted anything more than to be a mother.

 

[Sarah1508]

Mamacastro- glad your appointment went well!

Stimpyroo- I would advise going to your gp or whoever gives you your medication and make an appointment just for discussing all your worries and questions in depth! I take anti depressants and before we ttc I spoke to my doctor about what if I did fall pregnant could I keep taking the same medication ect , beforehand I was on two lots of medication and one wasn't advised to take during pregnancy so I stopped that one but luckily enough they where actually thinking of taking me off that one anyways to see how I managed without it and honnestly I haven't felt a difference as for the other medication (which I need to take to function in a daily basis) that was perfectly okay to take during pregnancy but it was lowered because I was on quite a high dosage and I've managed okay as well so I would definetly say to ask before hand if possible so that if the medication you take is not safe during pregnancy you can find an alternative that works for you too! I would say try your best to do it before you get pregnant as then if you do end up having to try out a different medication or a lowered dose at least you can do it with a clear head and not have those damn pregnancy hormones messing with you!
Good luck and sending you lots of baby dust for ttc

 

[bebedreamr]

Hello ladies!

I've been searching for threads through the forums today and realised there's more of us than I knew! I thought it might be useful to start a support thread, where we can vent, share worries, and generally just reassure ourselves that we are normal!

I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in April 2013 and had been on 20mg Citalopram for around a year before I decided to come off them as I was feeling pretty good. I didn't, perhaps naively, anticipate the anxieties that pregnancy would bring, perhaps as we were TTC. The anxiety kicked in around the same time I started with morning sickness, and have since been diagnosed with hyperemesis. Staying home alone in bed hasn't helped as you just lie there all day thinking about stuff.

My worries at the moment is that I won't bond with the baby, that I'm not ready to be a mother, I'll hate being a mother, I'll get PND and not be able to look after the baby... I also feel really guilty as none of these worries relate to the baby, they're all rather selfish. I'm seeing my GP on Monday for HG and will be letting her know that I want to go back on my meds, she is quite supportive so hoping this will be fine.

I guess I really want to hear "I had the same anxieties, but I loved my baby"

Please feel free to sound off your worries

I also have GAD as well, and have been diagnosed with it since 2007 (with co-morbid OCD yay lol). I haven't been on medication in years as I decided that exercise worked best for me, however medication really takes the edge off during a prolonged anxiety attack. I do hope your doctor can help you!

I would recommend reading information by Claire Weekes, as she is quite helpful in teaching anxiety prone individuals to calm their nerves! I think especially since you are bed ridden you deserve some peace Also look up Cognitive Behavioural Therapy- it helps you learn to accept and exist with the anxiety and thoughts until they subside. It takes practice and support though, so perhaps seeing a therapist/social worker occasionally can help! It did wonders for me and I still go back sometimes.

As for your worries- I felt the same in my first pregnancy! Its hard NOT to be a bit self centered when thinking about the baby and your feelings because it involves largely YOU. So worrying about how you will feel and cope is totally normal- and preparing for these unwanted feelings and acknowledging that they can exist is OK, just be sure to put in place some support and ways that will help you cope if it DOES happen. Ie. Letting baby go with family/a friend so you get extra rest, going weekly to a baby group to connect with other moms, making daily time to cuddle and bond with baby, etc.

I will say that please don't worry about bonding with baby, while some women struggle at the beginning it tends to happen naturally as you learn about eachother. And for some, you fall in love right away. I didn't think I would be one of the ones who fell in love right away- I was scared like you. But while I was pushing I got to feel my little girl's head and felt her little hairs, and the most powerful emotions came over me. It was heaven and I have loved her more ever since.

Much love and peace to you! xo