Freaking out

Sometimes I find that changing little things first can help, kind of feel like if the mood feels different the day can be different. Seems hard for me to get out of the ruts if I keep everything exactly the same. Sometimes just changing where I sleep, the lighting of the room or rearranging a room makes me feel like things that are different can be comforting.

Panic Attacks while Pregnant

I started having panic attacks about 12 years ago, maybe a little longer...I have gone through many different types of episodes and down times, but this is one of the worst ever! I have not had anxiety this severe since I was pregnant with my last child, yet even then the panic attacks were less severe and the thoughts were worse. A few weeks ago I started feeling more and more anxious every day and finally out of no where I was pounded with one of the worst panic attacks ever. After a few visits to the ER in the following days I started to recognize some of the things that were escalating my panic were not going to harm me (amazing that in all these years I still have to do this) Sometimes you forget what feelings are okay to have when you go awhile without any major attacks. Anyway, I started taking xanax again and was starting to feel better...then I found out I was pregnant and am now having to wean myself off which is proving very difficult because I still feel so much panic pounding me and have had several more severe attacks. My doctor will not give me anything becuase of me being pregnant and already being high risk as well. I feel great hope about this program as I know that training your thinking can make the biggest difference, I just still feel fearful because my hormones/chemicals are so wacky right now and I can't control the panic that I just feel inside all the time. There is just this uneasy feeling deep inside constantly and I am trying desperatly not to get stuck in this and in the house. Today has been better than the last few, so again I am hopeful. I believe in God and believe that he will help but, but I do know that my mind needs to be renewed. I have to learn to think differently in order for me to deal with this!

Panic Attacks while Pregnant

I haven't touched caffeine in a long time...def a must to stay away from stimulates!

Panic Attacks while Pregnant

I want to gain as much control over the situation as possible and to learn to cope with the intense feelings that come over me and hoping that maybe they will stop. I do fear that me being pregnant is inducing some or even most of these attacks and I fear the lack of control over that. I am terrified of lowering my Xanax but continue to do so at a slow pace for the sake of my baby. I am so desperate to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I feel so exhausetd and have been battling for so long. These episodes are so extreme and do leave me fearful of having more.

Panic Attacks while Pregnant

My doctor won't give me anything and she seems to have no compassion for what I am going through, this is my second successful pregnancy and last time was hard too, but the panic was not as extreme in most ways and worse in others...I had to wean off of Xanax last time and it was terrible. I am hoping this time will not be as bad bacuase I am taking so much lower of a dose.

Panic Attacks while Pregnant

Also, I did breastfeed my baby girl until I started freaking this time and took xanax, she is 15 mnths alomost 16mnths, so I don't feel too guilty about quiting now. I totally know what you mean by it keeping your hormones going and wonder of the mix of being pregnant and breastfeeding at the same time may have made it a little worse. Oh'and I actually got good sleep last night thank God!

Panic Attacks while Pregnant

I have managed to get enough sleep every night, my daughter sleeps through the night being that she is 16 mnths and has a very steady sleeping schedule (thank God). I do remember how little sleep I got after my daughter was born and especially since I breastfed her. As a matter of fact i went through 16 hrs of labor with only 1hrs sleep and had to push for 4 hours! Lucky they didn't give me a c-section...I was never more tired in my life after that and for the first few weeks. I am only almost 7 weeks pregnant and have such a long way to go and feel very frustrated that the doctor has absolutly no compassion for me. I understand her concern is with the baby, but as you said my health plays a major role in the baby's health and wellness as well. I am struggling with trying to get off very tiny doses of Xanax I am taking...I have kept it at 1/4 of a .5 3xs a day, which is the same as taking 1/2 of a .25 3xs a day...very low dose but enough to keep me stable. I even take a little less than that most of the time. I was taking much higher doses when I got pregnant with my last child and it took me til' 20 weeks to be completely off of it, but it was terrible getting off. I am on such a low dose now that I am hoping it will be much easier. My doctor wanted me to just drop it cold turkey while I was still going through the worst of it and I refused because I know it would have only led to much greater problems and mental unstability. I have a child that I have to care for outside my womb too and I have to be able to be okay to take care of her properly. I am trying to do a balance that is good for both my children (born and unborn) and for myself as well.

How can I tell?

Feeling like I am spiraling out of control...

I think my hormones have kicked in high gear and I am having a difficult time dealing with it. I keep having feelings of despair and complete hoplessness with anxiety/panic. I am not sure why pregnancy does this to me, other than hormones. I am hoping that it will level out some in the second trimester. Does anyone else ever feel these feelings with panic attacks? Has anyone else experienced this with pregnancy and did it get better after the first trimester???

Feeling like I am spiraling out of control...

I went through this with my first child too, but it was a little different. I seem to be getting slammed a lot harder this time and while I am happy about the new baby I feel surreal and a really heavy blanket of despair over me most of the time. These feelings do not reflect how I feel about the baby at all. I live kind of far away from evryone and I have tried to pull as many people close as possible for support. I ride out the bad moments as good as I can. Has anyone else here ever experienced that feeling of despair during panic? I keep praying that God will help me through this and I know he will...it is hard to talk myself through each day sometimes as I feel out of it most of the day. I hope today will be different and this feeling will fade into something more like normal...