Bad anxiety

[Lmtkrc]

Hey everyone ever since having my baby my anxiety is through the roof have it basically 24/7 tonight has been a hard night I try to go to bed I feel like I'm short of breath like I'm dying all I do is overthink and have anxiety attacks went and saw a gp nearly a week ago she put me on some medication but I feel like it's making my anxiety worser

[Sophie_M]

Dear Lmtkrc,

We’re so grateful to have you reach out to our community this morning and are so sorry to hear everything you have going on at the moment. Times like this can definitely get overwhelming . We hope that you find our forums to be a safe and supportive space to talk through your thoughts and feelings. Our community is here for you. 

We hope you know that there is always help available to you, whether it's from our professional mental health counsellors Beyond Blue (available 24/7/365 on 1300 22 4636) or our friends at Lifeline (13 11 14) or the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467).
Keep checking back in with us whenever you feel up to it. 
 

[TheWookie]

Hi Lmtk.

i assume the doctor checked your breathing out and Sid you are okay. My gp listens to my heart and lungs every time I see him and tells me there is no issues. Yet every damn day I get this stupid breathless feeling and it is so hard to shake. It is one of my main trigger for panic. So sorry you have this feeling.

[Lmtkrc]

No not when I went , she just heard my symptoms this is the first this is happening to me , I had bad anxiety before but now after I had my baby it's gone worse I know it takes awhile after having a baby to go back to normal just wish it would hurry up.

[TheWookie]

First of all... congrats on the baby!

secondly... I wholly concur that it sucks when it feels like you can’t breathe properly. I have been having bad attacks the last 3 months generally in the wee hours after midnight. I have made weekly (sometimes a couple of times a week) calls to the beyond blue help line and they have been really helpful in getting me through the feelings before I go over into full bl9wn panic.

[Lmtkrc]

Thank you 😊 and im sorry to hear about your panic attacks , another thing that triggers me is I listen to doctor Google that tells me I'm dying that's the whole reason I went to the gp cause I thought something was wrong but like she said it's my body trying to get back to normal after pregnancy , I'm over feeling like this it's horrible

[TheWookie]

Oh Lordy Lordy....

never ever never consult doctor google.

I stopped googling symptoms when the Internet told me I was either pregnant or needed a prostate massage.

[Lmtkrc]

Haha I know doctor Google is very bad to listen too but my anxiety gets the best of me too google and I regret it cause every answer is your somehow dying

[Helarctus]

Hello Lmtkrc,

New babies are stressful, there isn't really a great handbook and every one of them has their own quirks (meal times/nappies/noises/smells).

I have five children, my observations are:

It's hard. Take a moment, let that soak in. It is hard work looking after babies and raising children.

There is no shame in asking for help. Don't be afraid to take a step back when it's too much, people love babies and will dive on the chance to cuddle/feed/coo-coo and even yes, change them. Babies make noise, they don't know words, it takes time for both of you to learn what the other one means.

Regards,

Helarctus.

[Willow Jude]

Hi Lmtkrc,

Thanks for reaching out for support. It sounds like things are tough right now. I can definitely relate to your experience of having anxiety attacks, though admittedly in a different context to you, but I understand they can be scary, stressful, and draining.

It's great that you've seen your GP and are on some medication. It can take time to get used to your medication and to feel that it is making a difference. If, after a while, you still feel it is making you worse or hasn't made a difference, you can always check back in with your GP and see what they recommend.

Have you considered seeing a psychologist/counsellor? I understand everyone is different and there may be barriers to this (time, finances, care for the baby, etc.), but it might be something you can think about if you're interested.

As others have said, don't be afraid to ask for help. Raising a baby is difficult work, and I'm sure your friends/family understand this and could offer help in some way. There's no shame in reaching out and asking for support, and I imagine you'll find that many parents in your life will have experienced some kind of struggle following their own child's arrival.

TheWookie has also made a great suggestion of contacting someone for help with managing an anxiety attack in the moment. There are helplines that you could call for support, and or you could contact a friend or family member if they're available.

-WJ