So anxious after having my first baby

[Notebook30]

My Daughter is 10 weeks old and I’ve just started taking sertraline. I really didn’t want to but it’s got to the point I feel I have to to try and help myself. The doctor has reassured me it is safe to take whilst breastfeeding but I still worry.

I’ve had non stop worry every day for weeks and feel sick to my stomach and so panicky. I keep thinking the worst!

My dad passed away suddenly the start of this year when I was 6 months pregnant (not covid related but unknown/silent heart disease) I feel I’ve had no time to grieve and everything has got on top of me.

I’ve had anxiety disorder in the past and it went away but since giving birth it’s all come back and worse with panick attacks. I’m getting scary symptoms and worrying I am going to die.

I need help so have come on here to hopefully be able to get some reassurance and hear from like minded kind people. Thank you.

[Hidden]

I’m so sorry about your dad. Sending you a virtual hug but give yourself time to grieve and also give the meds some time to work. How long have you been on them?

You are not going to die! Anxiety cannot kill or hurt you

[Notebook30 in reply to Hidden]

I started taking them today

[Hidden in reply to Notebook30]

I would say give the meds time 6-8 weeks is when they start working. Keep us posted though we are here for you.

Headspace app helped me a lot it’s a meditation app.

[Sprinkle1]

Hello, I feel for you, what a stressful year you are having, so sorry about your Dad. Do go ahead and grieve, look up loss and grief on your computer, there are 5/6 stages to go thru. I have been thru them, it is needed to heal.

As far as your afterbirth,, it is quite common to go into post part-um depression, I know it happened to me 58 a years ago!!! There was not the help there is now. Prozac is a great drug, I suffer from depression/anxiety, my Dr. put me on it, it started to work in 2 weeks, the side affects to me were funny, I found myself craving milk, I was born allergic to milk!!! I found myself craving chocolate and going to the store to buy it. That passed and the depression went away, it worked very well for me for 10 years, then I built up a tolerance to it!? I then went on Zoloft and it did the same thing.

But yours will probably go away in a few months, talk to your gynecologist, s/he should be able to help you. I know you are hurting, your need help, support and love. Can you talk to your husband? Go on line and look up post partum depression, there should be info for you there.

Write to us, we offer support and love. I send you peace, energy, strength, love n big hugs.....

[Notebook30 in reply to Sprinkle1]

Thank you for your kind and helpful reply. I’ve mainly been worried about the scary symptoms and panicking thinking the worst and worrying I won’t see my daughter grow up. The physical symptoms are so real how can anxiety do this to my body? I’m scared as it’s worse than the anxiety I had before and so many what ifs. I’ve told my husband everything and he’s been great but I feel guilty as this is spoiling what should be a happy time. I literally feel sick to my stomach