Symptom-Free During Pregnancy?

[Francesca]

I have had emetophobia, panic attacks, and agoraphobia on and off, for 25 years. The ONLY time I was COMPLETELY symptom-free was during my pregnancy. Those were the best 9 months of my life! I felt absolutely "cured".

Two months after I gave birth, it all came back full-force - around the time I started menstruating post-pregnancy. I don't think that's a coincidence.

Has anyone else experienced this spontaneous healing during pregnancy?

[sage]

That is truly remarkable. Normally the opposite is true. Perhaps you should share this with your doctor and talk about some form of birth control between babies that mimics your pregnancy hormones.

[Francesca]

I did talk to my doctor about it at the time - to many doctors in fact - none of them had any clue as to what to do to mimick what had happened because they all agreed that the symptoms should have gotten worse if anything, not better. One doctor's solution was to suggest I get pregnant AGAIN. My response was: Right - first of all there's no guarantee that any two pregnancies will be the same but even so, what was I going to do? Have a baby every 9 months? hahaha

My theory is that during pregnancy, my hormones stabilized so I didn't have that monthly roller coaster of ovulation, PMS, etc.... and I think that's what made all the difference. The other thing may have been because I really wanted the baby, and had had a difficult time becoming pregnant, so when I finally did, I was SO happy... and even though the possiblity (which I didn't have any at all) of morning sickness terrified me, I was somehow able to wrap my brain around that as bing "just pregnant" and not "sick" if that makes sense.

So who knows. Maybe it was psychological more than physical. All I know is I was completely fine - as though I had never had any kind of anxiety disorder.

[lisalulu]

I think it's partly hormonal. A way to drag it out is to breastfeed as long as you can. My period didn't come back for 9 months post partum and I felt so calm until then and made huge progress with therapy in that time because I was so relaxed. It must be the cocktail of period hormones, they do a number on me too!

[ann32]

Francesca-

I had the exact same thing...I have always had terrible stomach issues, diarrhea, constipation, blaoting, nausea and when I got pregnant both times I never felt better. No nausea, no diarrhea, no constipation, just totally normal...I love being pregnant!!! Everything went back to normal for me after I was done nurinsg which was at a year for both of my kids, then all my old symptoms came back...

Just thought i would let you know bc I have asked my dr about it and he was dumbfounded hahaha...
I have recently found though that I am lactose, and gluten intolerant, with intolerances to garlic, tomatoes, peas, carrots and sesame...so eliminating those foods, and taking probitics, l-glutamine, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes etc I have been feeling great. I have a presciption progesterone cream bio-identical and im feeling great!

[silent_sounds]

interesting!.. well mine is a little unrelated but.. I have suspected crohns disease, i also have general anxiety, but when i was pregnant my symptoms pretty much disappeared!! didn't effect my emet though sadly.. might have been nice considering the MS

[irish_grrl76]

When I was pregnant with my son, I felt more mentally stable than I ever have in my entire life. It was nice. The same thing happened to my sister when she was pregnant with her two kids.
After I had my son though, things were worse than they've ever been. I had postpartum psychosis and it was so miserable. I really wish I could go back in time and somehow make the psychosis go away and get a chance to really enjoy him as an infant.

[fedup_emet]

My bet is definately on horemonal, because one time I messed up my bc pills, and I had the worst panic attack I could have ever faced in my life, all because of horemones.