Conference moira::parenting_v3

Sheryl,

I can sympathize with you. I've experienced anxiety attacks before, and unless
you've ever experienced one, you can't possibly know what they're like.  It's
like a complete panic sweeps over you, for no obvious reason.  Mine have only
lasted a few minutes, though, never hours!

Have you gone to childbirth classes?  (Maybe not, since you're having a planned
C-section.)  I've found that the breathing exercises they teach you are very 
helpful in getting over the attacks.

About 8 years ago I read a book called "Stop Running Scared" that dealt with
anxiety and phobias. I don't remember the authors, but they were Boston
psychiatrists.  One thing I remember they said about panick attacks is to 
think "What's the worst thing that will happen during one of them?  At worst,
you feel physically uncomfortable for awhile, but you always survive, and they
always go away."  They claimed that peoples fear of the attacks was worse than
the attacks themselves.  Keeping that in mind, if you start to experience an
attack, don't fight it.  Just say to yourself "Here comes an attack, I will 
just sit here and wait X minutes (or in your case hours) until it is over".

Good luck!

	My sister has allergies and before they were diagnosed, she suffered 
from extreme depression and anxiety when she was all congested.  So I would
say that it is not out of the realm of possiblity that the colds are 
responsible.

	Add to that the hormones and the fact that the last trimester is a 
time when is is normal to be anxious and it might account for the severity.

	Bear in mind also that while decongestants/antihisitmines generally
have a sedateing affect on people, a few people have the opposite reaction.
(A few parents in here can tell you about these kids flipping out on cold 
medicine. :-) )

	In any case, you might want to check with EAP.  They may be able to 
suggest some coping strategies.  

	Hang in there!

Tracey 

    There are some other good books you can reference as well. Dr. Claire
    Weeks has at least 2 books in paperback, one called "Help and Hope for
    Nervous Suffering", that address anxiety attacks.
    
    Interesting enough, I also saw a paperback at the bookstore about
    anxiety attacks and sinus conditions. Although I don't remember the
    name, I thought it was a pretty interesting connection.... I'm sure you
    could find it at any bookstore.
    
    Best of luck - you could also try some soothing music, swimming, or
    massage to help calm you.
    
    

    
    Sleeplessness during the third trimester is pretty normal too.  Maybe
    its nature's way of getting you ready for all those "special moments"
    at 2am.  I had a lot of trouble sleeping the last 3 months of my first
    pregnancy.  Some of the things I worried about all night were:
    
      How can I function at work on so little sleep?
    
      What if I'm a rotten mother or he's a rotten father?
    
      Will this fat ever go away?
    
      What if my water breaks at work?
    
      What is this doing to my career?
    
      What will happen to our marriage?
    
      What if something is wrong with the baby?
    
    I know you have your own list of stuff to worry about.  Like a previous
    noter said, try to put it in perspective and concentrate on the things
    that you have control over.  
    
    I was awake in the middle of the night so much, I insisted that we
    get the cable channels reinstalled on our t.v..  HBO at 3am really 
    helped me take my mind off all the other problems.
    
    I've had anxiety attacks - mine come after the baby when I'm feeling
    overwhelmed and out of control.  I found that a warm bath or shower helps 
    with relaxing. My favorite relaxation image is of holding my sleeping 
    newborn in the rocking chair and feeling drowsy. 
    
    The end result was worth all the anxiety though.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Rochelle
    
     

    
    It sounds from your note as though you are *very* scared and extremely
    restless--due to anxiety attacks.  Frankly, I don't think you should
    just wait and let them pass and hope they go away after the baby is
    born.  I think you should find someone to talk to (whether it be a
    friend or professional counselor)--someone you can call during the
    attacks--someone who can assure you that everything's alright and that
    you're not going crazy.
    
    It sounds like you are becomming more frightened of the attacks and
    what will happen during them--each time you get one.  By all means, buy
    the books suggested in the previous notes (especially the one
    correlating sinus and anxiety)--but do make sure you have someone "on
    call" for you should you need to talk, walk, yell, or cry should you
    have another attack.
    
    Bonnie
    
    

    Something that helped me get through anxiety attacks was my
    *doctor's advice not to lie awake worrying about not being able to
    sleep -- if I couldn't get back to sleep in about 10-15 minutes,
    go ahead and get up and do something until I felt sleepy again.
    
    I found that helped a lot.  I'd get up and read, write letters, or
    do needlework until I felt drowsy, and then I'd usually have no
    trouble going back to sleep.  
    
    --bonnie
    
    * this was my family doctor who saw me through my first pregnancy,
    not an OB.

    I am in week 37 and I am not having anxiety attacks as you describe,
    but I do cry all the time at anything and am having so many "false
    labor" pains that I am worried that I will not know when the real thing
    comes ( this is my second pregnancy ). I had a few sleepless nights and
    found that if I stayed awake another hour or so like until 11:30 then I
    slept through the night. If I was tired at 10:00 - I just lay on the
    couch and watched TV until later.  I have been passing the time lately
    crocheting baby afghans for my little girl-to-be and that has helped
    keep my mind occupied.
    
    I have had severe sinus congestion through the whole pregnancy and my
    doctor said I could take Benadryl, which makes me drowsy and allows me
    to breathe at night. I just take one pill, not the full dosage. Check
    with your doctor anyway.  Hot baths, and taking a walk, if the
    weather's decent may help too.
    
    Can't wait til it's over !!!!!!!
    
    Anne

    Well, it's me again.  It's been a couple of weeks since I wrote the
    base note and I thought I'd give you an update on how I've been feeling
    lately.
    
    The past 2 weeks have been wonderful.  I've really tried to examine
    what could have caused my eariler feelings, and I've figured it out. 
    During the Christmas and New Years Holidays, I was eating a tremendous
    amount of food that had tons of processed sugar in it.  Once I stopped
    eating ALL foods with processed sugar, I started to settle down.  It's
    really interesting tho that when I eat something that I think is OK,
    but that perhaps must have some quantity of surgar in it, I go on a 2
    hour "body/brain buzz" so to speak and then I slowly start to settle
    down to a normal mode of behavior.  I do just fine with fruits and 100%
    pure juices but anything else is bad.
    
    I mentioned this to my doctor and he said that it was quite possible
    but would not really elaborate on the subject much further.  He just
    said that it was good that I've identified something that I could
    control and feel better from.  Not the best response IMO but...
    
    Later I was talking to a nurse in my child care class and she said that
    many women in their last stages of pregnancy have difficulties with the
    pancreas asimulating sugar.  Some women tend to get very sluggish and
    others go in the opposite direction.  She described my symptoms to a
    tee!!  
    
    So anyway...I am so happy I've been able to pin-point this.  I'm able
    to come home from work, fix dinner, sitdown with my husband and watch TV
    and sleep through the night without any incidents.  I think my last 5
    weeks will be a much more enjoyable experience now!!!
    
    Thank you all for your comments and well wishes.  It's always
    comforting to know that people care and are there to help with
    suggestions and just a friendly "take care...you'll get through it!"
    comment.
    
    Thank you!!
    Sherryl