HELP Panick attack after miscarriage!!!

Hi everyone. I miscarried on Jan 7 at 17 weeks and am having a really hard time dealing with my loss. My husband and I both wanted this baby so bad. I have a genetic condition called incontinentia pigmenti and there is a 50/50 chance I will miscarry a boy. This babe was a boy and sadly what I knew was a possibility happened. I was super depressed for a round 2 weeks. Crying , moping around, almost unfunctional. My wonderful husband picked up alot of slack for me, helping with our daughter and doing things around the house. Then I experienced one of the scariest episodes I have ever had. I became very angry and it just escalated. I started to have a classic panick attack. My heart was pounding out of my chest, mind racing, flush, sweaty, feeling totally disconnected, blurred vision, I though I was going crazy and having a psychotic break or something. I did not know what to do but I had to focus on something so of all things I cleaned my bathroom! I have a history of post partum and the doc had perscribed me zoloft but that had not kicked in yet. I had an appt with her after and she then gave me a script for xanax. I am feeling better now. I have to be functional for my daughter and husband. We do want to try again and I know that I will have to stop taking these drugs. I did not want to go on them in the first place. I am very frustrated. Has anyone had any type of depression or anxiety after miscarriage? I need someone to relate so I don't feel so alone.  

[bernie40]

Hi hon, I had post partum depression after my first baby, I am just out of the hospital after a missed miscarriage and worried that my mood will escalate one way or the other as I was diagnosed bipolar after the post partum episode back in 1994.  My advice to you right now is to let your mind heal with the meds, give it time and don't be in a rush to come off them.  I may well be eating my own words in a few weeks.  I take lithium and was on depakote, and I can't help but think these were partially to blame for losing this baby.  We also want to try again asap and I've said I want to come off my lithium (I came off the depakote as soon as I found out I was pregnant and won't be going back on it).  My psych told me that there are certain anti-depressants that are perfectly safe to be on during pregnancy and I intend to take one of those for the duration of my next pregnancy and hope that they keep a lid on things until I can get back on the lithium.

Check with your Doctor which AD is the safest for you during a pregnancy so that you don't have to try and cope without anything.  You're stuck between a rock and a hard place right now.  On the one hand you need the meds to help cope with the trauma but on the other hand your wish for another baby is also causing emotional trauma because some of the meds are stopping you from beginning to ttc.

My heart really does go out to you and I know just what an emotional rollercoaster this is.  Speak to your Doctor, do not be persuaded to do anything that goes against your wishes.  Check up on the internet (net doctor is good) at some of the common anti-depressants and their advice regarding pregnancy.  My psych was on for giving me prozac but I haven't looked into that properly yet so wouldn't want to give advice.

Keep a mood diary, there is a great mood tracker on here and keep a journal, I found it an enormous help when I was going through a tough time last year and I was able to see what progress I was making.

It's still such early days for you and you are still going through the grieving process so don't be too hard on yourself.  If you ever want to talk then just message me, I'm a good listener.   xxxx