T O P I C R E V I E W
TooShallPass
Member # 102503
posted 01-29-2013 08:24 PM
I read in your guidelines about you assisting individuals who are anxious over pregnancy risks, and I would like to know where I could find online support for this. A little backstory, I am currently on Azurette BCP, using condoms always as a backup. Having diagnosed general anxiety disorder with OCD tendencies, I consider myself to be a bit neurotic. I take my bcp to the minute, never missing a pill (I hope I don't jinx myself!), and ensuring that all drugs/supplements that I take to not interact. Three months ago, I found myself having my withdrawal bleed in the middle of the month. At the end of my pill pack, the placebo week, I did not have a withdrawal bleed. This was completely uncharacteristic of me, especially with my consistent pill use and years being on the same pill. Yet, this event set off a panic trigger and has made me completely terrified, obsessed, and anxious over a possible unplanned pregnancy. Each month since, I have convinced myself that I am pregnant, only to get my withdrawal bleed on time or a little earlier due to massive stress. I have chosen to obstain from sex with my monogamous partner of 8 years until I can mentally stabilize myself. I am also weaning off my AD Paxil, so the anxiety is PUMPING. I am just looking for some resources to help with this very specific pregnancy phobia. I am newly meeting with a therapist and working on some CBT techniques. Anything specific, though, to this would be so helpful. Thank you again for making such a wonderful site that provides informative and reliable information to women of all ages.
Robin Lee
Member # 90293
posted 01-29-2013 09:54 PM
HI TooShallPass and welcome to Scarleteen, You've described waiting for your withdrawal bleeds to assure you that you're not pregnant. Have you also utilized pregnancy tests? pregnancy tests, whether taken at home or administered by a healthcare provider, are tools that can accurately tell someone if they're pregnant or not. What we can generally assist with here are pregnancy risks, or helping someone sort out whether or not they've had a pregnancy risk. So, let's start there. If i understand you correctly, you know logically that your risks are as low as you can make them (risks are never nonexistent if engaging in sexual activities that could lead to pregnancy). Do you feel like you have a good sense for how your birth control methods work, how pregnancy happens specifically, etc? You're already doing much of what we would suggest to start with: taking a break from the sexual activity that fuels your anxiety and seeking professional help. You've said you're weaning off the Paxil. Will that be replaced by another medication? Are you weaning off under a doctor's supervision? What kind of support do you have from your partner, family, or friends, around this fear? Have you been able to tell people in your life what is going on with you right now? When do you start the therapy.
TooShallPass
Member # 102503
posted 01-30-2013 06:04 PM
Thanks Robin Lee for your response. I am sorry if I have posted in the wrong area. I have utilized HPT and have recently gotten a HCG Blood Serum test. Both were negative. I am weaning off Paxil with doctor's supervision. I am also surrounded by loving family who, in the incident of a pregnancy, would be completely 100% supportive. My partner is also the same, 100% supportive. I am more concerned with how others would see me, as an unmarried pregnant woman. I started therapy last week. Tomorrow will be my second day addressing these fears.
Robin Lee
Member # 90293
posted 01-30-2013 06:56 PM
Posting here is fine. So, it sounds like you have all the factual information you need in order to know that you're not pregnant, and it's going to take time, as well as the work you do both in and out of therapy, to help you with these fears. So it sounds like a lot of these fears revolve around how you would be perceived by others. Does that sound about right? Have you been able to share this with your therapist?