Lavender oil thoughts??

[BrookeLynnnn]

For those who don't know my story.. Back in February my anxiety & panic attacks got out of control. I couldn't do anything. Couldn't be left alone. Couldn't drive alone. Couldn't leave the house. Couldn't work. It was awful & I caved & got on Paxil. I swear it saved my life.. Well I just found out 3 weeks ago that I'm pregnant & had to stop the paxil. The withdrawal symptoms are gone & now I can feel the anxiety creeping in.. I almost had a panic attack yesterday & I haven't had that feeling since before the Paxil. I'm scared, I'm lost & I just wanna cry. How am I gonna make it through this pregnancy??

I bought some lavender oil because I've been told yhat just sniffing it it about as effective as Valium or Ativan. Anyone have positive feedback about this?? Thank you

[Tranquil]

Did you get my private messages? Why aren't you able to stay on the medication. I have a friend who was on Paxil her entire pregnancy and both she and the baby were fine. Completely healthy. Did you talk to your doctor about this? Is there a different medication that you can switch to?

I don't know if it was your doctor's decision of if you wanted to be off the meds for the pregnancy but keep an
open mind and don't be afraid to talk with someone if you need to consider starting to take them again. The
most important thing is that you are healthy.

[BrookeLynnnn]

Yea I did! Sorry I thought I replied.. But I don't want to stay on the Paxil. It's considered grade D for birth defects & I just can't chance that. I really don't want to take any SSRI while I'm pregnant. I wanna find something natural. I can't talk to my dr til Monday :(

[PanicCured]

Just do this the next time you feel the anxiety come on: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?9512-The-Quick-Guide-to-Stopping-Panic-Attacks

[Ponder]

That's really encouraging to hear Brooke! Nice to hear some ladies looking out for the kids and taking no chances.

[Goomba]

I don't know about lavender oil, but lavender in tea has always helped me.

[danielhermanson]

You should know that lavender has been used, both internally and by olfaction, for centuries as a treatment for anxiety and depression, as well as for mood imbalances such as anxiety, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress. Taken orally, lavender extract can be as effective as low-dose benzodiazepines for attenuating anxiety. It has a high concentration of volatile oils, which impart its distinctive pleasing fragrance.

Many doctors are recommending the treatment with lavender for anxiety and depression because a lot of recent studies have revealed to true benefits of lavender oil. Is has no side effects and you should try it and see how you feel. But remember that you need to take it for a while to feel any real changes because like all natural treatments the effects are not as fast as with pills.

Take care!

[JohnC]

Hi Brook, i do not have a good answer for you on this one but i just wanted to let you know that i am here for you and wishing you the best. Keep it up :)

[BrookeLynnnn]

Just do this the next time you feel the anxiety come on: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?9512-The-Quick-Guide-to-Stopping-Panic-Attacks

Thank you!! I really want to try this. It just seems so hard for me to think at all when I'm panicking. & I usually make it go away before a full on attack occurs.. I need to learn to ride it out.

[BrookeLynnnn]

That's really encouraging to hear Brooke! Nice to hear some ladies looking out for the kids and taking no chances.

Thank you! It's my first baby & I just wanna be as careful as possible with what i take.

[BrookeLynnnn]

I don't know about lavender oil, but lavender in tea has always helped me.

I'll have to try that!

[BrookeLynnnn]

You should know that lavender has been used, both internally and by olfaction, for centuries as a treatment for anxiety and depression, as well as for mood imbalances such as anxiety, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress. Taken orally, lavender extract can be as effective as low-dose benzodiazepines for attenuating anxiety. It has a high concentration of volatile oils, which impart its distinctive pleasing fragrance.

Many doctors are recommending the treatment with lavender for anxiety and depression because a lot of recent studies have revealed to true benefits of lavender oil. Is has no side effects and you should try it and see how you feel. But remember that you need to take it for a while to feel any real changes because like all natural treatments the effects are not as fast as with pills.

Take care!

Oh good! That's great to hear & very reassuring!! Thank you :)

[BrookeLynnnn]

Hi Brook, i do not have a good answer for you on this one but i just wanted to let you know that i am here for you and wishing you the best. Keep it up :)

Thank you John!

[Dahila]

brooke are you talking about Lavender Essential oil? If yes you do not take it without diluting in oil. If anyone tells you different, they have no idea what they are talking about. Do not listen. Whatever you do it is the safest to dilute with sunflower, or olive oil or almond oil, then take it or put on skin. In pregnancy, I would use it carefully. You can have lavender tea, sleep on lavender pillow (very effective for anxiety) Put some of diluted Essential oil on your forehead and neck to calm down. Lavender is the only Essential oil that you can put a drop of undiluted on your skin but I would not do it while pregnant.
I know some or few of smart people will tell me that
FOOD GRADE essential oil is safe. No, there is not food grade or therapeutic grade of Essential oil. It is a marketing tool, to make people believe that there are different grades of essential oils..
Brooke you could make cold infusion and use the oil to do some massage:)) smelling lavender calm people down too:)
Lemon balm tea is pretty effective and does not cause any danger to the fetus :)

[jadelm31]

I used to sell doTerra and have many of their oils left. How do you take lavender internally? Any risks? You always hear conflicting info on the use and safety of essential oils. I've tried lavender topically and aromatically but not enough "punch"......

[Dahila]

Don't use the following essential oils while you are pregnant:

Nutmeg, which may have hallucinogenic effects and react with pain-relieving drugs in labour.
Rosemary, which is thought to increase blood pressure, and may cause contractions.
Basil, which is thought to contribute to abnormal cell development.
Jasmine and clary sage, which may trigger contractions.
Sage and rose, which may cause bleeding in your uterus (womb).
Juniper berry, which may affect your kidneys.


Laurel, angelica, thyme, cumin, aniseed, citronella and cinnamon leaf should also be avoided as they could stimulate contractions.

There is a lot of confusion over the safety of lavender essential oil in pregnancy. That's because lavender can be used to regulate periods. Rest assured that this does not mean using it in pregnancy raises the risk of miscarriage. However, for ease of mind, you may want to wait until your second trimester before using it.

Clary sage can be a great way to get labour started if used by a trained midwife for a mum who is overdue. However, don't use this oil yourself, as overuse can make your contractions too powerful.

In some circumstances, it's best to steer clear of essential oils altogether. Don't use any oils if:

you have a history of miscarriage
you have had any vaginal bleeding in this pregnancy
you have epilepsy
you have heart problems
you have diabetes, blood clotting problems, or have thyroid, liver or kidney disease

Do not take essential oils internally, do not, it is too potent and too dangerous. It is not meant to for consumption. Imagine Jdemlm drinking 10 cups of lavender tea................one drop of Lavender Essential oil can contain that much elements. Answer yourself : It is safe to take something which is not approved for consumption? I work with essential oils for years and I am extra careful not to burn my skin............

[PanicCured]

For those who don't know my story.. Back in February my anxiety & panic attacks got out of control. I couldn't do anything. Couldn't be left alone. Couldn't drive alone. Couldn't leave the house. Couldn't work. It was awful & I caved & got on Paxil. I swear it saved my life.. Well I just found out 3 weeks ago that I'm pregnant & had to stop the paxil. The withdrawal symptoms are gone & now I can feel the anxiety creeping in.. I almost had a panic attack yesterday & I haven't had that feeling since before the Paxil. I'm scared, I'm lost & I just wanna cry. How am I gonna make it through this pregnancy??

I bought some lavender oil because I've been told yhat just sniffing it it about as effective as Valium or Ativan. Anyone have positive feedback about this?? Thank you

This is one of my favorite teas ever! It is an organic Chamomile/Lavender/Lemon Balm mix. I add a little bit of organic raw honey to it. This has Lavender flowers not the oil. You can buy it at www.iherb.com

http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/products/chamomile-lavender/

[Dahila]

Panic tea is ok but people keep saying oil, so it must be essential oil. the mix you have I make my own and it is working , it calms me down significantly