Pregnant and anxiety/panic attacks

[rrocco92]

I found out I was pregnant last week (3 weeks along) and I am freaking out!! In April I got a bad ulcer, got put on bed rest and eventually stayed on bed rest (I guess you could say) Since April I haven't been able to be "normal" I wasn't able to ride in cars, go to doctors, shopping.. basically everything. My psychiatrist is awesome and I have been going to her for years and when this problem came about I immediatly called her because when I started having panic attacks I just thought "Oh my gosh I'm dying." She prescribed me Ativan (which I only take when I'm desperate) and told me the ulcer interacted with something and I need to "re-train my brain." I have gotten a little better and can now handle short car rides and going into small stores such as Walgreens and CVS. I am still unable to drive or do anything else. I am fine going to my Psychiatrist's office, because I feel "safe," but other doctor offices send me off in a panic.

Now that I am pregnant a million things are going through my mind, I know its "normal" to be in panic but I think of other things like how will I make it in the doctors office, how can I handle trying to get WIC, will I be able to drive, how will I deal with labor...ect. I am completly lost on what to do and how to feel. I know that I am slowly getting better but I want to know when I will get 100 percent better. I'm on week 4 of the program and I'm hoping it will really start to kick into gear and I will be able to get through a normal pregnancy. I know I will be done with the program and SHOULD be better by the time the baby is born but I am afraid I will replace an enjoyable pregnancy with worry and miss out on all the milestones. I am hoping my body will go into "overdrive" and realize its not all about me and I now have another person to worry about. I have panic attacks a lot and now that I know my "limits" I don't even attempt what I know I can't do. For some reason I can't even talk to people outside of my family and fiance without almost blacking out.
Has anyone else has as bad anxiety as me and been pregnant? Or had panic attacks and pregnant? I know I need to take baby steps (literally ) but how can I push myself to get over things and prepare for the baby. Anything will be appreciated.

[vnca]

You're not going crazy. All of your symptoms from the mild to the most severe are temporary. I had severe post partum anxiety eleven years ago and got through it without medication and you can too. You will recover much sooner than me because I had no money, no health insurance, and no help from a professional. My recommendation to you is deep breathing and excercising along with counseling you will recover. Breath in deeply for 6 seconds, hold it for 8 seconds and release it for 6 seconds this is very relaxing and good for your baby and you. Forget what your psychiatrist told you about your ulcer interacting with something, you are under stress and your body is changing that is why you feel anxiety every woman, preagnant or not, can experience what you are experiencing. The reason you cannot talk to anyone is because of fear. You fear that they will tell you something horrible is wrong with you(Sorry I am telling you this because I know this is hard for you to see) There is nothing wrong with you disease wise, you are not dying, and most importantly you are not going insane, and you are recovering now. Continue with your therapy you will be 100% before your child turns 1 guaranteed. vncasz@yahoo.com

[rrocco92]

Thanks vnca! Its just hard knowing I can't go into big stores and its hard to hold a conversation with my OBGYN. I went to the hospital yesterday to have blood drawn and as I started explaining to the lady what and why I needed it done, she kinda started arguing with me and immediately I got light headed, weak, dizzy and sweat starting pouring out everywhere on my body. I got to the point where I just had to leave. It was hard for me to even go to the hospital but I know its what I needed to do for the baby and that is what is pushing me to push myself to get over anxiety. Thanks for the advice with deep breathing it has really help, and I read that walking is good because it helps your back and other muscles get ready to hold the extra weight so I'm going to start doing that also. Yes when I was trying to talk to my doctor everything was just so over whelming and so much to take in at once!! Thanks again!!

[nicmarie9]

hey rrocco! Well first of all congrats on being pregnant! I cant wait to have one myself! It sounds like a couple of different things are making you anxious. For one you said you're hoping that the anxiety will subside bc you are hoping that some kind of maternal instinct will kick in and make it easier to forget yourself. I actually think this is a time to be thinking that you really need to make yourself a number 1 priority bc being pregnant does not discount you as a person, nor does it take away how precious you are too! I think that you should do your best to make sure that you are calm and relaxed because the happier you are, the better your whole experience will be, and the better that is for the baby. Dont worry about being a perfect pregnant lady, or a mom bc no such thing exists.

I know exactly how you feel about being afraid to talk or you will black out. That happens to me all the time when I get overwhelmed and I don't want to tell ppl exactly how overwhelmed I am. I sometimes think that I am talking to my friends and family about what is going on with me, but when I look back I realize that I don't fully divulge my real feelings. I agree with vnca that you're probably just worried about what others will think about what you have to say. Don't be afraid to talk about yourself. Just because you're becoming a mother doesn't mean that your thoughts/feelings need to be discounted. They are in fact the most important thing right now. You need to be well so you can bring a person into this world.