Anxiety & Depression

[levymaria]

Someone please help, I've been diagnosed with anxiety and depression a couple of months after giving birth to my first child. I'm currently taking medication for both. My question is related to the symptoms I'm having. I continue to have chest pain and my muscles feel tense I get tingling sensations all over my body I can never sleep at night I get cold spots around my body and hot spots lately I've been having really bad nausea and diarrhea. At first after taking my medication everything was going fine now I feel like the anxiety and depression are coming back into full effect. I keep thinking something bad is going to happen to me. Has anyone experienced these same symptoms?

[Stevedan]

How long have you been on your meds?

[jMadsen0 in reply to Stevedan]

5 years

[levymaria in reply to jMadsen0]

Are you experiencing the same symptoms as I have described?

[levymaria in reply to Stevedan]

I've been on meds for around 4 months now

[Forestpirate]

Don't worry as much as you have. All of it very familiar. I didn't have it after a baby , but it feels the same. Read about meditation practice and try practicing it. For years I didn't think much of people saying it. Then I finally learned that the word practice is really the key. Find one style you kinda like and after you practice it , then it is easy to jump to doing it right when you feel the need.! It's a chore to get use to doing it at first. That's been proven to help a good bit. Then I have a list of little things I know help me. When I need to , I might lay in an eno hammock under beautiful trees. Or take a bath and add something extra nice like a candle or bubbles, music. Maybe just a drive around a pretty area is good and loud oldies playing.

Make some that are easy for you and pull them out like a band aide. If you can find a good Doc to tell it to weekly for awhile or a support group may be free. They really do improve things. It's so very nice to share and people wanting to share to you that it gives you a calmness and a smile often.

[levymaria in reply to Forestpirate]

My anxiety is so bad that I can't drive. I only drive very short distances. I've been doing daily journals since that's what my therapist recommended. I walk 30 minutes a day around my neighborhood. I'm trying my best but it becomes extremely hard when I'm feeling all of these physical symptoms and then feel the waves of anxiety come over me. I'm so afraid of living like this for the rest of my life. I just want all of the physical symptoms to go away.

[Hidden in reply to levymaria]

I am so there with you! For a while my meds were working well and then it seems like they have just stopped. I'm trying to push myself to drive or even just be in the car for longer distances. The most important thing to remember (and that I continue to tell myself) is that anxiety can't kill you it's just extremely uncomfortable. For me, I plan on talking to my doctor about different meds since I'm not happy with my current plan. I'm going to a therapist as needed and I do a lot of yoga (it's free at my gym).

Walking is great so good for you for already incorporating that! Remember, this is not permanent it's just a speed bump.

[levymaria in reply to Hidden]

I'm not really an active person but I am trying to incorporate a healthier lifestyle into my life because I know how important it is to combat against anxiety & depression. Have you had any of the physical symptoms that I described prior? Tingling, chest pain, cold & hot spots, nausea?

[Eddie83]

The stress of pregnancy (during or after) can cause thyroid dropout. Expert docs will check thyroid whenever anxiety/depression occurs. If you have access to good health-care, try to find someone who is competent to check thyroid. Most docs do only a TSH test, but to really find out what is going on (and esp. your active thyroid hormone level), you need a full panel TSH/FT3/FT4/rT3/TPOAb/TGBAb. For further info, you might want to check holtorfmed.com site for articles on "depression" and/or "anxiety".

[levymaria in reply to Eddie83]

I'm definitely going to check with my doctor in fact I'm on the way to see him right now I will definitely bring it up when he comes in to see me. I keep wanting to believe that it has to be related to my pregnancy because it all started after I gave birth to my daughter. I have had a really hard and I think that contributes to it but I've always been able to overcome things idk why now I can't control what's happening to me.

[Forestpirate]

I have noticed that just from living longer, I have gotten to have lots of health issues I use to just hear about and totally not understand how they felt.!

It's in a way nice to feel like I know much more. For me these kind of things come and go. Sometimes it's years before it happens again and you get a break and can get tons done .

I have had all the tingling and other things. Not much nausea . Just now at times one foot will feel electric a moment. I never heard my parents say they had this. But it happens.

I didn't make a weekly exercise program a habit. I've done a lot, but I think if it was really set in stone you end up fit longer and even if you have issues ..... the thoughts that you have been doing your part gives you some confidence that helps with stress and reduces panic times. When driving seems hard I pick less traffic times and spend a $ more to go to closer stores for items or a place where I know somebody recognizes me and I get to chat or they just yell Hello! After that event I often feel like getting more done and eventually forget I didn't want to leave the house earlier!

Maybe pick some fun and favorite music or book on tape that you only keep in the car and put that on as a treat to go out.

I just heard Grandma Gatewoods Walk. The first women to thru hike the Appalachian trail. Did it in her late 60's ........ after her 11 children were grown and with no tent and just sneakers on.

But 11! It lets us know we can do more than we realize.

I think your symptoms are all normal . I am having many of them . I don't expect it to stay around after I work awhile to change some of my ways. But do figure I will have trouble if I go up on tall buildings or difficult things like that. I know I can go and make though. I be already tested this and it's just better for me to expect I will panic a bit and then get there fine like others. I saw young kids panic when I was young and now I understand better the problem. You will get to help other people latter as you understand to.🙂

[levymaria in reply to Forestpirate]

Well I'm glad that there's someone else who is also having the same symptoms! I just feel bad because I keep feeling like I'm the only one who has all of these symptoms so it makes me worry as to why it's only me but as soon as I hear other people say they are going through the same things it definitely helps me cope better. I know it will take time but thank you for sharing!😊

[Forestpirate]

A few words were left out there ,

Make " it"

"I have already tested this". Sorry.

[Forestpirate]

You are welcome.

This is a very nice thing to have on the internet. It just amazed me at first how many people wrote sooo much the same problems . Then a tv special came on about anxiety where I couldn't finish looking at this and listen to that at the moment! How odd , but great.

(It was a public television channel , perhaps WSRE or one close to that area .)

[Dlalin]

Hi Maria, how are u feeling? It might be the medication your taking. Have u thought switching it? or it can be post-partum have u spoken to a Psychiatrist or Therapist? Talk to them & see what they have to say. Keep me posted; we are here for each other.

[Dlalin in reply to Dlalin]

I hope u feel better

[levymaria in reply to Dlalin]

Hi Dlalin 👋🏽,

Right at the moment I feel fine I'm laying in bed just fed my baby. I have switched my medication once before I've been taking it for a while but recently I got a higher dosage so maybe that's part of the reason why. Yes I have both I communicate very often with my therapist he's been very helpful to me. I will definitely keep you posted I'll post everyday on this website. I also think that this website has helped me a ton because just seeing that there are others who experience these exact symptoms has made me gain confidence and motivation! Thank you for asking 😊 I hope you are doing well!