Hi,
My name is Michelle. I am a 31 y/o newlywed and now newly pregnant. I have wanted to have a baby since I was 8 and here I am now... freaking out! I have been on klonopin and zoloft for the past 14 years and now my OBGYN is suggesting that I get off all of my medications ASAP. I have slowly started cutting back and I have turned into a walking anxiety attack - even spontaneous middle of the night attacks. I started this program about a year ago and am now coming back to it in hopes that it can help me. I have also had to discontine my high cholestrol medication (I'm not sure if that plays any role in added anxiety) and my psychiatrist has been no help at all. I am so fearful of delivering a baby with birth defects due to use of these medications but I can NOT live my daily life without them. I am looking for ANY ideas, support, feedback, help, etc. I am going to try seeing an accupunturist as well as an MD in naturopathic medicine. Any other alternatives to medication??? PLEASE HELP!
Thank you so, so , so much!
Michelle
(m2spoild@aol.com)
Newly Pregnant, Trying to Get off All Anxiety Meds and FREAKING Out...
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Guest
What an exciting adventure you're beginning! Congratulations on your pregnancy! It sounds like you are dealing with a big life change, withdrawal and pregnancy hormones all at once- whoopie =) Pregnancy hormones cause an increase in anxiety for sure. My friend had this and would make her hubby take her for walks in the middle of the night when she'd get anxious. As for withdrawal, I recommend The Ashton Manual. It's written by this doctor in the UK that used to run benzodiazepine withdrawal clinics. It has dosing regimens to help guide a safe and eas(ier) withdrawal. Definitely talk to your doc about how to cut back. I decided to get off my antidepressant and xanax this year. I switched from xanax to valium and was able to get valium suspension (liquid) so I could cut back slowly (there's sometimes only so much a pill will cut!) Cut back slowly and at your own pace. You'll feel weird when you make a cut, but just ride it out and stay at that level until your body adjusts (at least a week), then make another cut. Exercise, cut back on caffeine and sugar, and try to think about all the things you're doing that are positive for your baby. I always wondered if I would feel less anxious if I got pregnant because then I wouldn't be ALONE anymore =) GOOD LUCK!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!
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Thanks to the two respondees. You both make it sound so easy... but of course it's nowhere near easy. I do have this program and I am starting all over again with it. How did walking help in the middle of the night? So far walking and/or excercise hasn't seemed to help with the sever anxiety that I am facing.And of course now I am anxious of my baby having birth defects if I don't get off of this medication... like yesterday.
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Michelle - First off, congratulations on your pregnancy...you are about to embark on a wonderful experience.
I was on meds (xanax)when I found out I was pregnant, and my doctor put me on buspar and dropped my xanax slowly so I would not have withdrawals. I took 10 mg of buspar throughout my pregnancy. My son is 13, he was born without birth defects and just tested at above-average intelligence in school.
Your hormones are going to go up and down throughtout your pregnancy, but you don't have to let your anxiety react to them. You can always try guided meditation if you feel your anxiety is too hard to just let go. Guided meditation will help you relax, feel yourself in the moment and help you sleep better.
Good luck to you and enjoy your pregnancy.
LisaLisa
I was on meds (xanax)when I found out I was pregnant, and my doctor put me on buspar and dropped my xanax slowly so I would not have withdrawals. I took 10 mg of buspar throughout my pregnancy. My son is 13, he was born without birth defects and just tested at above-average intelligence in school.
Your hormones are going to go up and down throughtout your pregnancy, but you don't have to let your anxiety react to them. You can always try guided meditation if you feel your anxiety is too hard to just let go. Guided meditation will help you relax, feel yourself in the moment and help you sleep better.
Good luck to you and enjoy your pregnancy.
LisaLisa
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Michelle
Congtratulations on your exciting new chapter of your lives together
I was thinking back to when I got pregnant and I was put on pre-natal vitamins. Not only did they have vitamin B6 Folic acid they had the other B vitamins and vitamin D also. Those are vitamins that many take to help fight anxiety and depression as well. I am sure those will help you too along with some exercise . Some calming healthy foods are bananas and apples and oatmeal and applesauce and yogurt and lean turkey breast. Maybe eating some of those might help too? Take care and keep talking to your obgyn about all your worries.
Bless you
Jill~
Congtratulations on your exciting new chapter of your lives together
I was thinking back to when I got pregnant and I was put on pre-natal vitamins. Not only did they have vitamin B6 Folic acid they had the other B vitamins and vitamin D also. Those are vitamins that many take to help fight anxiety and depression as well. I am sure those will help you too along with some exercise . Some calming healthy foods are bananas and apples and oatmeal and applesauce and yogurt and lean turkey breast. Maybe eating some of those might help too? Take care and keep talking to your obgyn about all your worries.
Bless you
Jill~
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Guest
Hey congrats on the baby I to just recently found out I was pregnant iam 12 weeks And i'M also on Xanax they cut my dose down but they seem to think it's okay but iam still worried and scared to take them,I just Want a healthy baby my anxiety has been high this week iam having problems with feeling light headed and off balance,so I know how you feel it's hard but just keep ur head up.
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If you don't mind me asking how much xanax were you on? What are you down to? My doctor prescribed me with buspar today (I'll start it tomorrow) after reading LisaLisa's response above. It's a pregnancy category 2 which is known to be safe. I'm hoping that it works but at the same time I am anxious to try something new and what the side effects may be after being on the same medication for the past 14 years. I just want to feel "normal" especially during the pregnancy. It's so frustrating and 100% scary. I too am having dizziness, feeling off balance and kind of loopy. Thanks so much for your feedback.
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Hi Michelle,
Congrats on being pregnancy! As anxious as you are try to focus on a new life ahead, it is an exciting time for you and your hubby. I feel for you. I am newly married as well and I am almost twenty two weeks pregnant. I used to occassionally see a psychiatrist and I was put on Clonapin as needed (when I was having an anxiety attach, but other than that, I didn't take any other meds. I used to have lots of anxiety attacks where my heart would go so fast and beat outside of my chest. My anxiety was under control for a while, but because I am pregnant now and have noticed more heart palpitations due to my condition my anxiety has come back. I find now that my anxiety is almost unmanageable without meds. If I had to get on an airplane, or if I have to use the subway, get on a bus, go into a crowed place, or if I even go to the Dr's office, my heart goes crazy on me. It goes fast, I feel a tight knot in my stomache and I feel a little sick and on top of it all my blood pressure goes up and I get palpitations. I am so scared sometimes because I fear getting throught the labor of the baby. I have an appt. coming up with a psychiatrist because I reached out to my OBGYN and got a referral because I was scared that my anxiety was so out of control I had to take a Clonapin to get on the subway. Don't be scared, get some help and continue with it. There are some meds you can take while pregnant like the Buspar you are on. I also would suggest going for counseling too. Sometimes, the meds help to get the anxiety down so counseling can start to work. You are not alone and don't think you are crazy or you are the only one with this condition. I recently felt so bad about myself because If felt like something is wrong with me because other people don't freak out like me, but as my Dr. said all people are different and feel anxiety in different ways. Some people when they feel anxious don't feel to bothrered by it, while other people are. I think alot of it has to do with our genetic makeup. Stay strong, pray to God and reach out. If your present psychiatrist/counselor is not helping you, get another one. You can get through this and just remember that you are not alone, other people have the anxiety as well. I wish you the best!
Congrats on being pregnancy! As anxious as you are try to focus on a new life ahead, it is an exciting time for you and your hubby. I feel for you. I am newly married as well and I am almost twenty two weeks pregnant. I used to occassionally see a psychiatrist and I was put on Clonapin as needed (when I was having an anxiety attach, but other than that, I didn't take any other meds. I used to have lots of anxiety attacks where my heart would go so fast and beat outside of my chest. My anxiety was under control for a while, but because I am pregnant now and have noticed more heart palpitations due to my condition my anxiety has come back. I find now that my anxiety is almost unmanageable without meds. If I had to get on an airplane, or if I have to use the subway, get on a bus, go into a crowed place, or if I even go to the Dr's office, my heart goes crazy on me. It goes fast, I feel a tight knot in my stomache and I feel a little sick and on top of it all my blood pressure goes up and I get palpitations. I am so scared sometimes because I fear getting throught the labor of the baby. I have an appt. coming up with a psychiatrist because I reached out to my OBGYN and got a referral because I was scared that my anxiety was so out of control I had to take a Clonapin to get on the subway. Don't be scared, get some help and continue with it. There are some meds you can take while pregnant like the Buspar you are on. I also would suggest going for counseling too. Sometimes, the meds help to get the anxiety down so counseling can start to work. You are not alone and don't think you are crazy or you are the only one with this condition. I recently felt so bad about myself because If felt like something is wrong with me because other people don't freak out like me, but as my Dr. said all people are different and feel anxiety in different ways. Some people when they feel anxious don't feel to bothrered by it, while other people are. I think alot of it has to do with our genetic makeup. Stay strong, pray to God and reach out. If your present psychiatrist/counselor is not helping you, get another one. You can get through this and just remember that you are not alone, other people have the anxiety as well. I wish you the best!
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I too would like to feel normal this is my first pregnancy and I am 31, I was on .5mg 3xaday now on2.5 mg 2 to 3 times aday. How do u deal with the light headed feeling it really freaks me out,I also went to an ent dr who says I have euhstchian tube dysfuction and allergys so I had bloodwork done today to see what my allergy is.
Good luck let us know how things go.
Good luck let us know how things go.