Postpartum anxiety

[Ljohnson02]

Has anyone ever experinced postpartum anxiety to entremes of panic?  After I had my daughter I didn't sleep for like four days.  I had heart palp. And believed that I would die from lack of sleep.  Finally doc.presribed me a lunesta and some xanax.  Knocked me out for 12 hours.  Then I was fine.  Nine months later the anxiety slowly creeped back and I started to lose sleep little by little, till I wad so panicky at bedime that I couldnt sleep at all.  Mind you during the time that i wasnt having panic or extreme anxiety, i was constantly over worrying about my daughter, and stessing alot, which probably contributed to the anxiety returning.  Iam curently on lexapro and xanax which has helped alot.  I think alot of it has to do with hormones.  Anyone have a similar experience?

[icicledrops]

From my personal experience and watching my fiance...I think lack of sleep has a lot to do with certain anxieties. My fiance has a sleeping disorder, and while I was pregnant his sleeping disorder got worse and he started being suspicious and acusatory of me (for NO reason). He got his sleeping problems in line and since then, he hasnt had any of the same thoughts (and if he has they are minimal). After our daughter was born, lack of sleep for me kicked in and I became very emotional and anxious. After getting more sleep daily, my anxieties lessened and I returned to normal (for the most part). However I am having different anxieties now, and I believe it is due to too many thins going on in life (fiance returning from deployment and everything that entails, moving back to where we were, leaving my family, my daughters 1st birthday, on top of numerous other things). So, anxiety has many causes...and I believe your hormones can contribute, but I also think that lack of sleep and everyday stressors are a big contributor as well.

[lilymoon]

Yes sounds like hormone related issues you had after the birth of your daughter,not uncommon at all.Lily