to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

i would love to hear from you. i thought i was going to be ok and not need to go back on any medicines...but it seems the monster got me again

been having the racing thoughts and difficulty breathing etcetc. i know all the shifting hormones are bringing it back on with a vengeance plus lack of sleep but i still need to make it through the day.

for moms who have this disorder...please let me know how you deal...what meds you take...etcetc and how you have coped with a newborn.

please no flames and yes i know all about deep breathing excercises and i do have a therapist lol

if you feel more comfy please fm me. tia!!

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

I do not have any of the issues but my MIL had severe isssues and Post Pardum was a mess. She did not have it treated and it made for a horrible early childhood for my DH and his sister.

Pregnancy will not cure the issues you had before in most cases and in many it can make them worse. I would speak to your Dr about meds and if you can take certain ones while breast feeding.

In the end I think I would choose med sover breast feedign because I think you need to be healthy in order to take care of your little ones. Haivng a newborn with sleepign /gas issues is tough (I know mine was horrible) but having anxiety on top of that must be extremely tough. Do not try to deal with it all yourself, definiately talk to your OB, primary and any therapist.

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

I suffer from anxiety too. First tell your dr they may want to check your thyroid levels. This happened to me after I had my first born. Although i suffer from anxiety most of my life. It got very very bad after my first child. I went back on Zoloft. I had gotten off it when i knew i want to start ttc.. Best thing i ever did. It takes about a month to "kick" in but it works wonders for me that was in conjunction with the breathing techniques and therapist

Hang in there it wiill get better. I promise

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

The book Hope and Help for your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weekes changed my life forever. It was first published in 62 so you have to read it with a grain of salt in some regards but I swear to you it made a huge difference for me. I'd been medicated, therapized, lol- you name it. I still have small bouts but I pass through them now.

Eta I have not taken a med in almost 3 years and my panic was about as bad as it gets logistically speaking- running out of stores, not being able to work , etc. What a sick game for your mind to play, right?

Message edited 5/22/2012 12:35:41 PM.

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

I had terrible PPD after I had DS#1. My anxiety was through the roof.

I had been on lexapro prior to having children and that worked fine. I was off the meds when I became pregnant with him and was feeling really well up until the moment I delivered. At about 4 months post-partum I sought help because I just wasn't myself. They tried the lexapro and it didn't help. Then wellbutrin. No luck. It took over a year of therapy and switching docs to finally get it right. We went with a higher dosage of lexapro and that did the trick. Then we went to Celexa which is a slightly different version of Lexapro but still an SSRI and much cheaper. And now I'm on Citalopram which is the generic of Celexa.

So I've been back on meds since after I had DS#1 and throughout the pregnancy of DS#2 and now I'm pregnant again and am still on.

My post partum experience with DS#2 was like night and day. I enjoyed him so much more without all of the PPD and worry.

No regrets.

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

Lexapro has been my savior.

Please FM me if you'd like to chat! I have alot to say on the subject as I've been going through it for years (including throughout my pregnancy and postpartum with DD1)

I hope you feel better soon

ETA: I could not BF because of the Lexapro, but I chose my sanity over "breast is best" since I knew I couldn't be a good mother without the meds. Formula has been fine for us

Message edited 5/22/2012 1:20:18 PM.

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

I was on effexor-xr before ttc and will NEVER go back on it bc of how awful it was to come off it. my anxiety was actually fine after DD was born - I thought i was in the clear. Until I had a severe panic attack at the beginning of march, and ever since then it's slowly been re-emerging. I have been managing ok without everyday meds but have xanax for when I know i'm going to be in a high risk situation.

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

I was on Lexapro before I got pregnant with DS1. I weaned while we were TTC. Once he was born it was clear I needed to go back on meds but I was BF and couldn't take the Lexapro. They put me on Zoloft and I was able to still BF and it did the job for me. We had to adjust the dose now (more than 2 years later) but it's working great.

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

I was on Welbutrin for years before I got married. Once I got married I wanted to be without meds to "see how I was". I did fine...got pregnant, I think looking back, I was anxious while I was pregnant...but not terribly and at the time I chalked it up to "I'm pregnant".

After I had DD I was fine...she was colicky, I cried a lot, but I was fine and dealt okay. In December I started becoming very angry/anxious/sad/depressed...my Dr tried putting me back on Welbutrin...it did nothing for me. I'm on Lexapro and I'm happy

Nothing to be ashamed of!

Re: to mommys with anxiety/panic disorder

It took me 6 months to seek help for my PPD. I was trying to ride it out. Once I started having terrible thoughts, not suicidal, but almost suicidal fantasies because I felt so lost and hopeless, I knew I hadnto seek help. I went on the generic form of celexa and feel so much better. Feel better!