Losing My Mind a Little...

[BrewGirl]

I suffer from anxiety and OCD. I have for as long as I can remember. I am much better now than I used to be. I am on a small dose of Celexa and have a prescription on hand of Xanax whenever I need it which is rare. i am allowed to continue taking my Celexa when I do GKU but of course will discontinue my Xanax. I was on Zoloft through my entire first pregnancy with DD. She is great. No issues. It would be wise to look into meds if nothing else is working. Good luck to you.

[mill23]

I have no helpful advice to add, but I wanted to say I'm sorry you're going through this and I hope you find something that works for you soon.

[TheEleventhHour]

You have gotten some really great advice but I just wanted to offer my support and hugs. I have dealt with anxiety and depression since high school and I have found that there isn't one right way to treat it. Sometimes I am fine with just diet, exercise, and meditation/yoga. Sometimes I have to add therapy into that. And a couple of times I have gone on medication. I've taken Zoloft in the past and also had low dose lorazepam for a time in my life when my anxiety was through the roof.

Definitely start with talking to your PCP and even looking for a counselor/therapist to start. Talking to a doctor and a therapist will cover all of your bases in treatment (medications and non-pharmacologic interventions) and help you work toward finding the balance to feel better!

[fozziebear]

I want to add that I started running about 4 months after I started therapy. I had never run before, I thought I hated it. A couple of friends invited me to do fun-run/obstacle course type 5K races. I took the plunge, signed up. I started a C25K program. Now, 2+ years later, running clears my head in a way nothing else can.

Maybe it's not yoga, maybe it's not running. Find your physical outlet.

[icequeen]

A lot of the ladies have already given great suggestions, and I just wanted to chime in with my own experience and insight. I have had general anxiety disorder (GAD) since junior high school, and have been on a variety of medications including Zoloft, Ativan, and Lexapro. I am currently on Prozac because it is the most well studied and well tolerated anxiety medication for TTC and pregnant women according to my psychiatrist. I am also on Topamax and Naltrexone for OCD. I will have to stop these if I do get pregnant.

I was never good at taking medication because I was adamant about being able to control my thoughts, feelings, and actions, even though I knew I was wrong. I tried medication but the ones that I tried rarely worked for me, and I gave up very easily on meds and therapy. The Prozac is the one med that is actually making me feel better, along with a new therapist and new attitude. While I understand the issues with payments, maybe you can spend the money on a few sessions with a therapist just to learn a few techniques to self soothe or get some other resources like the books mentioned? I also recommend David Burns' book, by the way. Maybe you could see if your local hospital, church, community center, or outpatient counseling center has any mindfulness workshops coming up that you can sign up for. Like the other ladies have said, there are definitely different kinds of meditation techniques to try, and you do have to be patient and give them a chance. You may find the right one, and maybe you won't. I am all for medication because it truly has saved my life, but therapy has given me the tools to manage my disorder and turn it around in the moment. There is also a Mental Wellness board on this site, if you want to participate on there, too. It's a small group, but the women are truly supportive. I wish you all the best!

[WVaRN]

No advice, just creepy internet hugs. I echo the others, talk to your DR and I hope you start to feel better soon.

[notthedroids]

::big hugs:: I have been on anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds since college. For TTC my pcp prescribed me Zoloft. It's working great for me. My advice to you is to definitely talk to your doctor and remember that it may take some trial and error to find the right medication that works for you. There's absolutely nothing wrong with having to be on something to help you; that took me awhile to realize. I also recommend trying to find something that helps relax you and stick to it as best you can. I wish you the best of luck and you will be in my thoughts!

[akraus2015]

Thanks for all the kind words and wonderful advice everyone! I am going to call my doctor today, and also try out some of the other techniques that you all mentioned. It's nice to hear that I'm not the only one who deals with things like this!

[thycapa]

I've been a little absent lately due to personal life issues going on, but I saw this post and wanted to help. My husband was in this boat. He lived in a constant state of obsessing over things in his life, because he was becoming overwhelmed and couldn't adjust. He tried running alone to sort out his thoughts but that didn't work, yoga wasn't always at a convenient time that he could keep up with and talking to a therapist he felt like he was rehashing things and never getting to the route of how to fix the problems he was presently having which left him frustrated. He became anxious and panic stricken and wasn't sleeping very well. Together we went to talk to someone and they put him on medication and it helped take the edge off enough and focus him in so that when he feels overwhelmed he can take a step back and prioritize. He has also become less snappy with me. I know it's not entirely the same situation, but sometimes medication may help. I would talk to your doctor and also let them know you are TTC so if medication is a route you decide is best for you, one can be prescribed that is safe during pregnancy. I wish you the best of luck and am so sorry that you are feeling this way!

[anustart]

I just wanted to say good luck! I hope you can find something(s) that work(s) great for you. Sending you my best.

[akraus2015]

Apr 1, 2015 14:37:06 GMT -5 thycapa said:

I've been a little absent lately due to personal life issues going on, but I saw this post and wanted to help. My husband was in this boat. He lived in a constant state of obsessing over things in his life, because he was becoming overwhelmed and couldn't adjust. He tried running alone to sort out his thoughts but that didn't work, yoga wasn't always at a convenient time that he could keep up with and talking to a therapist he felt like he was rehashing things and never getting to the route of how to fix the problems he was presently having which left him frustrated. He became anxious and panic stricken and wasn't sleeping very well. Together we went to talk to someone and they put him on medication and it helped take the edge off enough and focus him in so that when he feels overwhelmed he can take a step back and prioritize. He has also become less snappy with me. I know it's not entirely the same situation, but sometimes medication may help. I would talk to your doctor and also let them know you are TTC so if medication is a route you decide is best for you, one can be prescribed that is safe during pregnancy. I wish you the best of luck and am so sorry that you are feeling this way!

Thank you for sharing. Your husband's situation sounds similar to mine. I am seeing my OBGYN next week to talk about medication possibilities. I'm looking forward to feeling better and also less snappy with my hubby -to-be.