I miss my meds!
For anyone that’s ever had a panic attack, found some comfort in medicine and then got PREGNANT, you know what i’m going through right now.
My grandmother died this weekend and it sparked that horrible fear of dying/fear of the unknown that causes me tremendous anxiety. The more I thought about her passing, the more I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest and that I would be the next one to drop dead.
I couldn’t concentrate, I was shaking, I didn’t want to leave my house and I physically could not calm myself down. I had at least 4 severe attacks yesterday and just sat in tears until they passed.
Normally when this happens, I take a half of .25 mg of xanax (I’m a lightweight) to ease the hyperventilation and calm my nerves a bit. But, since I’m pregnant, I just have to suffer it out.
Thankfully I have an OB/GYN who understands the severity of panic disorder and recommended a few weeks ago that I take benedryl if it gets this bad. I’ve yet to go that route, but its comforting to know there’s SOMETHING I can do instead of making a trip to the ER.
I’ve also started myself on a magnesium/B vitamin/calcium combination to see if I can’t fight back using a more natural approach. I’ve even considered meeting with a local doctor that specializes in alternative medicine for some ideas on how to deal with a chemical imbalance without medication.
I would love to hear of any success stories out there of women that have controlled their panic disorder during pregnancy.
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Oh girl, I am there with you. I had panic attacks all throughout my second pregnancy because I chose to go off my meds (which as you know, aren’t good for preggos).
Here’s what helped me the most. I went to weekly psychotherapy and talked about it. I also de-stressed as much as possible and crossed things off my list as much as I could. I basically treated it like I was ill the entire pregnancy and gave myself a big old break.
I haven’t heard the Benedryl solution. If you are really miserable, they do treat panic disorder with antidepressants too (which I personally don’t think is the best treatment for PD) but it’s an idea if things get really bad since there are some that are less dangerous during pregnancy than the Xanax type drugs.
I want a third child so badly, but the thought of going off my meds makes me not want to do it. How sad is that?
Good luck, hang in there!!!
I’ve also heard that people do keep taking the benzodiazepines, like Xanax, when needed, even when pregnant. Epileptics who need such drugs to control their epilepsy also keep taking them. So it’s not out of the question that your doc could let you take it when you need it, especially once you are out of the first trimester.
Next time the anxiety hits, look at it a bit differently–as a friend. Weird, right? Well, hear me out (as I’ve been there).
It’s actually your body telling you “I need attention here!” It’s telling you that you need to slow down because a panic attack is a friend (it’s saving you from pushing yourself too hard so that you don’t get really sick). It enables you to recognize that there are some things that need to be dealt with so that you can be even happier ;-).
It’s like that friend that tells you the honest truth in order to help you grow. At the time you don’t want to hear it–but it gives you years of happiness from the growth of the lesson and when you look back you see that the person was a really good friend to you.
Sometimes if you clench your fists really hard and then release and unclench them very slowly–while imagining that as you unclench your fists that you are “releasing” the panic–it can be very soothing. It helps you funnel and direct the anxiety. Almost like visualizing it so that it becomes in your control. You see, the hardest part of an anxiety attack is that we feel out of control.
Until we learn how we can control them better.
And there is nothing wrong with taking meds to stop or prevent the anxiety. But the thing is this…and this I know as I had a terrible time with anxiety in my 20s (but man was I skinny as a result!)….it will get better. But in its own odd way it’s there to help you (though what a pain of a lesson it is).
Oh, and the fact that you can talk about these attacks is HUGE. I hid mine for months not wanting anyone to know. And also start trying to inject some humor with them. Like, pick a name for them (Louie? Mildred?) and when one hits, be like “Oh there you go again, Louie, fine I’m listening to you…but I’m not letting you stay for long!”
Keep me posted as you’ll be amazed at how, over time, Louie will stop visiting as much. Because just like our real friends, once you start listening to them they stop shouting at us and causing us grief.