trapped in vicous circle please help

[Skippy]

[img]smileys/smilies_25.gif[/img]I wonder if anyone could offer me some practical advice. Have been emet for 20 years and am now pregnant. Had all the nausea of morning sickness for first twelve weeks and somehow managed to get through it without v. Now I seem to have 'set up' a panic attack around breakfast time which takes me over and I sweat, shake, breath quickly and then worst of all retch! You will understand that this is hideous to me. Normally if I have had panic attacks I have managed to control this but not now. I'm so scared this is going to happen regularly. Worst thing is I'm over my morning sickness, I normally feel fine, just apart from these panic attacks. Can anyone offer me some advice about how to stop it leading to the dreaded retching?


Be grateful for any advice and good wishes to all on forum.


Gemma

[SullyMel]

Was it morning when you would mostly get the morning sickness? Could that be why you're panicking at that time?

[Jenneh]

first off - give urself a HUGE pat on the back for gettting thru the mornig sickness stage! thats AMAZING. if you can get thru that, you can get thru NETHING.


maybe as was already mentioned - u are panicking because u used to feel sick in the morning -- maybe psychologically ur EXPECTING urself to be ill or smthing - and so are panicking.


maybe try just telling urself that ur thru the sickness part and nothing bad is going to happen to you now. or if u feel one coming on, suddenly turn on some loud music or smthing and try and BASH it out of ur mind.


Jen xxxxxxxxxx

[SullyMel]

I know this may sound silly, but I have trouble eating sometimes when I'm stressed. So, to take my mind off of the phobia, I will watch TV, talk on the phone, read a magazine, or talk to my husband, and it usually works. [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]

[mbs730]

I had n when I was pregnant with my daughter in the
first trimester and I had a few close calls as well but what I did was
take a walk. That DID help me and I NEVER v'ed once. You will be okay



Miriam

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[Skippy]

Thank you for your replies. This phobia is really the hughest pain in the backside and it is a comfort to know there are people out there who understand, although you almost wish there were'nt because you know how bad it is to have it!


Would appreciate any more helpful tips on distracting myself.





Thanks all


Gemma

[Scampi]

I would suggest changing your morning routine. If you normally do things in a certain order, change it round. The important thing is to break the trigger pattern that seems to have got itself imprinted on your sub-conscious. As an example of changed habits, do you normally shower, then have breakfast? If so, could you eat first? Do you have a morning paper delivered? Can you go to the shop to collect it yourself (on foot, preferably) before you eat? Anything different may help. Also, try to distract yourself - I knownutrition expertsmake a big thing of NOT doing anything else while you are eating, but maybe breaking that rule would help you - maybe read the newspaper or watch TV while you are eating, so that you are thinking of other things and not anticipating the panic attack.


If, despite all your efforts, the panic strikes, learn to breathe through it. It is important to consciously slow your breathing down to control the panic. In dealing with students suffering panic attacks at the school I used to work at, and with my own (admittedly rare) attacks, I have found this method works: sit on an upright chair with your back straight and force yourself to sit tall with your shoulders back and down (this will help you to breath properly). Now put your hands flat on your tummy (below you ribs) and breath in slowly through your nose for the count of 5. Aim to make your hands move outwards - the idea is to breath using your diaphragm as this results in deeper, more controlled breaths. Now hold the breath for a count of 5, the exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of 5. Count to five again before you breath in, again a controlled breath through your nose. Keep this up until you feel more relaxed, and start the controlled breathing again if the panic starts to return.Most of the yucky feeling during a panic attack (the light-headedness, nausea, breathlessness, cold sweats, etc ...) is a result of the effects of hyperventilating- the idea of controlling your breathing like this is to stop hyperventilating and return the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood to normal. With practice, you may be able to control your breathing without having to sit down and feel your diaphragm working, so that you can control panic as it starts, anywhere, anytime - you will feel so in control when you reach that point, trust me.


I really hope you feel better soon - you should be able to enjoy your pregnancy, not suffer like this. But remember that it's all worth it in the end - my daughter is 12 years old and is my life - hang on to the fact that you will soon hold your own baby. And I'm sorry this post went on a bit, but I really wanted to explain how to control your breathing and it can't be done in two lines!


Best wishes, Jill xxx

[Skippy]

Thank you Jill - I have sent you an email to say thanks because it was really useful information but don't know if the email thing worked ! If not I am really grateful for the hope.





Gemma xx

[Scampi]

Thank you for the message Gemma - you can e-mail me any time you like if you need a little support - I am an emet mum and I've coped so far! My e-mail is Scampi9 followedby at AOL dot com if you aren't a spam trawler!!!


Best wishes, Jill xxx

[jbw26]

You have email Jill x

[Skippy]

Where did you send it Jill it doesn't seem to have arrived in my inbox.

[sage]

I think there's a great piece of info on the top of the Treatments thread about panic attacks and what to do - it's a website link, I think. Really solid, practical advice.


If you possibly can, go and talk to a counsellor. Even 6 or 8 visits will help with panic attacks - and this will really help the baby too (you dealing with them I mean - not the counsellor!)