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anxiety and pregnant!!!

Hello, I was wondering if there are any women out there that have gone through or know anybody that has, having severe panic and anxiety attacks while being pregnant? I have suffered from this disorder all my life and have had 3 other children while not taking anything, just in the last 2 years have I been taking xanex .25 to .5mg a day. I am now pregnant with twins around 8-9 weeks. I am horriably afraid to stop taking these and am also afraid of the side-effects of the drug itself on the babies. I was just wondering if there's anyone out there that has gone through this and if so what advice do you have for me.
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Avatar universal
My mother took Gardenal and diazepam during her 2 pregnancies. My brother and I turned out fine. My impression is that doctors in general don't want to be blamed if something goes wrong. Once I saw a pregnant mom jump from the 18th floor since her OBgyn told her to go cold turkey on AD+benzos. Sometimes you just need the meds and since there are no human studies correlating pregnancy and risks with the use of such meds (and it'll never be!), do what's best for you and seek other specialists to take this burden off.
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I am 30 and have 3 kids already.  I am 8 weeks pregnant with my 4th. I have had anxiety in the past when i was like 18. But been ok ever since. I had a health scare and it sent my anxiety in full effect. I sometimes feel like i dont want to have the baby because i wont be able to focus and take care of it. Does or did anyone ever feel like that? And i wake up from sleep feeling like im shaking but its on the inside. Has anyone had that before?
Avatar universal
I'm 9 weeks pregnant, and I take .5mg of ativan as needed I have anxiety so badly I get these uncontrollable movements... That last for hrs longest is 24hrs it makes it hard to function through out the day and take care of my two boys.... I'm desperate for some advise for somebody who has experienced this same thing.
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Avatar universal
hi so sorry for your issues, am curious so how did your pregnancy go? I am asking because where i live doctors dont take anxiety issues seriously. Any time i speak of my anxxiety sysmptoms to my doctor he says i shd relax n will be fine, no medication or any thing. av had m.c's in the past n still ttc. am just wonding if i can carry a pregnancy to term with butterflies in my stomach always and palpitating heart and sleepless nights. I work full time too.
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I am so sorry u are going through this. I don't even know u and my heart is hurting for u.
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Oh my god. Reading this just made me almost cry. I have SEVERE anxiety disorder, depression and PTSD. I have taken xanax for 10 years and I have been trying to wean off of it because I am beyond terrified of hurting my baby or having a deformed, sick child. It is causing me so much terror and anxiety that it just compounds everything else.

To hear that your doc said the stress, no sleep and not eating is WORSE for the baby than xanax makes me feel like 1000x better. I have been in a living hell for the last 2 weeks. And its so sad because i feel like most people I know who get pregnant are SO happy and feel great. I felt like there was something so wrong with me that I was having worsening anxiety sx and horrible fears.
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Avatar universal
I am struggling with this as well. I am about 5 weeks pregnant and have been taking xanax for 10 years. I am TERRIFIED that I am going to have a baby with birth defects. I have been weaning down on it but my anxiety and depression symptoms are getting SEVERE. I feel suicidal because I am so exhausted, sleep deprived and sick to my stomach and simultaneously terrified that I am going to have a baby with birth defects. I am not in a good place. Psychiatrist put me back on an SSRI to help with the sx so I can go off of the xanax. But its the worst to take xanax during the first trimester and that is when I will have taken it. this is hard.
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Avatar universal
I have this sometimes, too. Most of the times I am having an anxiety attack, I am either driving in my car or somewhere far from home. Something about being on the road (with no one else along) causes me anxiety. And sometimes sheer panic. It's such an irrational fear but I admit I have it. Hang in there! All I can say is it helps me to call and talk to someone on the phone or take a small dose if ativan.
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Avatar universal
Ask your doctor if there is an anxiety medication that can be used as an alternative to xanax. I am going through the same exact problem.  You are not alone. I asked my doctor if it was safe to take clonzepam and she told me no bc it was a category d.  She is going to start me off on something else when I am in my second trimester. Right now you should exercise daily which releases endorphins and keep yourself busy.
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Avatar universal
I am also a long time sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks and have been on the generic brands for Zoloft and Xanax. I am trying to get pregnant but I need to know if I can take those meds during my pregnancy. I've been told not to because of birth defects so I desperately like to know if there are alternative medications that I can take while pregnant. Someone please help!!!
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Avatar universal
I am also a long time sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks and have been on the generic brands for Zoloft and Xanax. I am trying to get pregnant but I need to know if I can take those meds during my pregnancy. I've been told not to because of birth defects so I desperately like to know if there are alternative medications that I can take while pregnant. Someone please help!!!
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Avatar universal
I am 3 weeks pregnant and started crying when I saw your post.  I am going through the exact same feelings and I am freaking out. How did you do and how is life now. Please help!
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Avatar universal
I'm 19 weeks pregnant and I'm 18.
My anxiety & panic attacks were so bad that my doc had Me on 2mg a day Xanax.
Once I got pregnant a little before my 2nd trimester the anxiety got worse. My doctor said that the stress, no sleep, no eating, panic attacks etc. are worse on the baby then taking Xanax. I continue taking my dose & my baby is growing perfectly !!
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Avatar universal
I miscarried from taking xanax while pregnant but i didnt know untill it was to late i was only eight weeks any kind of benzo is not safe unless you start it later then 12 wks which its still not safe, i was on 4 mg a day and i stopped by slowly taking myself off of it going down .5mg a week, its not easy but is possible
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Avatar universal
My doctor put me on Xanax and I'm trying to get pregnant. He informed me that If i get pregnant to stop taking xanax. I was on a very low dose and it seemed to be really helping. My cycle days went from 60 days to 28 days. When I called to get a refill (30 pills in 3 months) so I don't take often and when I do I take half. He said no. He said that that is not safe while I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I asked him if there was anything safe that I could take during pregnancy that he would recommend and he said no. He said that when I get pregnant and I still have anxiety come see him and we can discuss our options. :(
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Avatar universal
I had same issues, same medication. Let me ask, are u ok on your period? I was on every medicine u can think of with aniexty and depression and panic attacks, but realized none were working so I looked into what caused what.. I realized I'm the nicest person (I ask every bf too) on my period but not the rest of the month.. Go figure I was sane when I was pregnant too! I have a hormone imbalance. :) I started a birth control pill w the extra hormone in it, go figure didn't need the other meds. I suggest you should try it. :) good luck
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Avatar universal
I can relate to a lot of what you said. My husband and I also want to start a family fairly soon. I had my first anxiety attack last March and have been on Wellbutrin (75mg/twice a day) and Xanax (.5 mg/day). I'm in my last year of dental hygiene school which I'm also concerned about because of the added stress. The reason we want to try now is that I'm 27 years old and I'm not sure how easy it will be for me to get pregnant. I'd like time to monitor my cycle, etc. I don't know what to do about my meds... I tried not taking the xanax but I just felt off the entire day. I can't imagine doing that for 9 months. I just feel so alone and I'm tired of stressing over this stuff. My husband is really encouraging and tells me to just trust God. But how can I when things like birth defects, etc is a possibility. I know I should have faith...but I don't know how. I feel guilty for not being a more "glass half full" type person. Anyways, just wanted to vent that out.
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Avatar universal
It is so good to know that I am not alone.  I am not pregnant yet, but my husband and I were going to go through artificial insemination.  But I have suffered for anxiety for 25 yrs.  I am on Paxil right now.  The thought of conceiving, being pregnant, delivering a baby has brought on severe attacks.  I cannot function, eat, sleep, work.  Now I am wondering if it is all worth it. Maybe I don't need to have a baby, maybe adoption is a better answer for me.  I have prayed for God to take this burden from me.  Everyone says just let God have your worries, or trust God more, but I don't know how to trust God more.  It is so hard when no one around you knows how you feel.  I have "pushed" through attacks before, but I can't imagine living with this feeling for 9 months, maybe longer.--I can't live with this feeling for 9 months.  I feel like I have let everyone down(husband, mother, family) if I can't have a child naturally because of my disorder, or I feel like less of a woman because I don't want a child bad enough to go through the attacks. Help please!
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Avatar universal
anxiety *****! i to am 23 pregnant and suffer from this!! WHY !? I ask myself!
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I have the exact same fears!  I feel as if I am going to have a heart attack any second and die right in front of my son.  I hate this feeling.  It is so not me.  I think everytime I turn on the news someone is dying.  
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Avatar universal
this site has helped but also scared me at the same time I am almost 28 weeks with my first child I have been taking Xanax and benzos on and off my pregnancy for depression and anxiety I know there are others that doctors can prescribe but if u are not suffering u don't understand what its like. I feel horrible and worry everyday about the help of my little girl its driving me insane can someone please give me some answers let me know if my baby will be ok or if u have had a child and took Xanax throughout ur pregnancy is your child healthy
.....thank u
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Avatar universal
You're almost there!  You're not alone. I suggest talking to your doctor about the different options that there are, wether it be counselling or baby safe medication to get you through the last few weeks of pregnancy. You won't feel this way forever!
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Avatar universal
I am 37 weeks pregnant and I have been dealing with anxiety for about 11 years I was on Zoloft and Xannax before I got pregnant but stopped once I found out. My anxiety is so bad all I think about is death and dying! I'm hoping she comes soon so I can feel myself again but in scared I won't ever feel the same! Can anyone relate to the way I feel or am I alone
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Avatar universal
My 17 year old daughter is going through the same thing,I have gotten her to go out of the house but soon as we get to the doc office she wont go in.she says she cant.we have tried everything nothing has worked so far .she is 31 weeks pregnant.
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Avatar universal
I have been suffering from anxiety since I was in my early 20's. I am 26 now and am 27 weeks pregnant. When I first learned about the pregnancy I was on 30mg/ Paxil daily. My family doctor told me to wean off of them, so I did. Worst mistake of my life..My anxiety and depression became so unbearable that I had to start taking Celexa. I am now on my 2nd day of the full 20mg dose after 5 days of 10mg. I feel absolutely hopeless and I am so scared..of everything. How am I suppose to take care of a newborn baby if I feel this way when she is born ?!  I can barely take care of myself. I am on a waiting list for some counselling and am hoping this medication will kick in sooner than later.  This site has helped me not feel so alone..
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