Post natal depression

[Full of hope!]

Hi everyone

Sorry I haven't been around much (not that you would have noticed!) but i've not been feeling too good I've just been to the doctors (again) this morning and have been diagnosed with PND.

I'm so shocked Jacob is 5 months old and it's only just developed within the last 3 weeks. I've been having real problems falling asleep and staying asleep, some nights only getting 2 hours at the most! I've started to feel really shaky, my heart has been racing and i'm having awful thoughts that something bad is going to happen to me or Jacob. It's the most awful feeling, like i've lost control!

The confusing thing is that i'm absolutely fine with Jacob! Take good care of him, shower him with love and would do anything for him. I'm able to go out and see my friends and can be happy when i'm with people. I thought that when you had PND you didn't want to be with your baby, couldn't go out and look after yourself

Anyway, my GP was lovely, i've been seeing him on and off for a few weeks and today he confirmed I have PND and anxiety. He's started me on some anti-depressants so we'll see how I go over the next few weeks. Just hope I get some sleep tonight, I feel like i'm running on empty!

 

[Snuggle]

PND comes in lots of different forms hun. Mine was that I was losing my temper about everything with absolutely anyone but particularly with Maddison. I felt bored all the time and didnt want to get out of bed. I couldnt be bothered to shower or go anywhere and couldnt see a way out of how bad I was feeling. I went on anti-depressants and they helped me out and I have recently weaned off of them and feel great about life again. If you need to chat then just PM me anytime

 

[Urchin]

Hi there

sorry to hear this I will move this to our new post pregnancy health section if that's ok? More people will see it there I think

 

[Sherlock]

Sorry to hear things are not going so well for you there.

A few things to consider when going the route of AD's

1) They take a while to work into your system. And therefore a while to wean off also. You won't get an instant result.

2) If you are having problems sleeping that in itself can cause you to feel depressed. It may be worth looking at trying to solve the sleep problem before going the path of AD's.

I have experience of sleep problems and after weeks of not being able to get off to sleep, unable to stay asleep and then fretting about not sleeping I was a wreck. I felt ill from it. Like you my heart started behaving oddly, I had awful thoughts, all doom and gloom but was fine with others. Didn't eat, cried a lot. You name it, I went through it. It was a vicious circle.

I went to see my GP and he was keen to put me on AD's (prescribed Prozac only it had a different name on the box) rather than sleeping meds. I got the pills, went home, read up on it all and thought bollocks to taking those things, lets sort out the sleep problem before taking the pills.

And I did. Took a week off work, slept when I felt tired, be it 10am or 3pm or 2am. Didn't stress about not being able to sleep. Just relaxed. Got out for some long walks, talked about how I was feeling, ate well, warm bath at bedtime, unplugged the TV and just used my bedroom for sleeping. Within 2 weeks I was so much better.

I'm not saying its what you should do, but just that its worth looking at what is causing you to feel depressed. And if there are other ways of possibly solving it before taking pills.

I have PND now. I am dealing with it, again without meds. I believe it was caused by my health problems and demanding baby. So am addressing those things and trying to fix them before fixing me. And its working.

Just all things to consider If you feel meds are the best way for you, then take them Just wanted to let you know other ways of approaching and finding a solution if you are inclined



What put me off taking pills is that I hate putting any of that crap in my body and how I would be on it and that coming off them may be hard work and also a long time away. Also that I really did believe there was a better way of solving my problem.

 

[debecca]

I'm going to argue with Sherlock now

I found taking the antidepressants actually CURED the sleep problems within a day or two. The lackof sleep and the anxiety all stem from the depression, so once you treat the depression they go away too. I am now getting 9 hours a night (even allowing for Conifold feed) and am much less stressy.

I know some people are anti taking them but they really were the wonder cure for me. Without them I was crying all the time, not sleeping and a real wreck. Now I am coping just fine most of the time (I still have 'down days' but I can deal with them now and they're few and far between) and I'm actually happy a lot of the time.

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face is what I say. If the tablets work why not take them? Saves a lot of stress and heartache.

Mine are Prozac I think too Sherry they're Fluoxetine!

 

[Full of hope!]

Thanks you so much for your replies

Snuggle.... i'm so pleased that you are feel better, it's good to hear that the anti-depressants worked for you. Your right about PND coming in different forms, I have a read of some posts on here earlier and the difference in symptoms is amazing!

Sherlock I do understand what you are saying but i've had depression in the past (after being really ill with Pancreatitis secondary to Gall Stones!) and tried everything before AD's but I ended up in such a state I had no option but to try them if I wanted to get better and they really worked for me I was only on them 6 months before I weaned myself off.

Debecca, that is soooo good to hear about the AD's curing your sleep problem so quickly!!! I hope mine have the same effect I was reading your story in the support thread and your symptoms sounded just like mine I'm so pleased you are feeling much better now! I definitely think that taking the AD's is the right option for me after what I went through last time. After all, I have a gorgeous baby boy to care for now and don't want him to grow up with an unhappy mammy! The tablets i've been given are called Citalopram, I had them before and they worked wonders so i'm hoping the do the trick again!

Thanks again for your replies, it means a lot

 

[Sherlock]

If you've taken the AD's before and are happy to take them again then thats fine. They take at least a week to get into your system I was told by my friend who is a pharmacist. And a lot longer to wean off. But you know all that and how to so I hope they work for you this time also

Sometimes people take them without really realising what they may be getting in to or what they are actually taking (I was horrified to find my AD's were Prozac by another name and that my GP had prescribed them so easily to me without encouraging me about other options first)

 

[BabyMagic]

Hope you feel better soon and get some rest.

 

[cez8457]

Hi

Pnd does come in different symtoms, i was told i had it but never believed it as my daughter seemed to be the one good thing in my life at the time. My OH made it worst, he thought id changed and i thought he had changed (still think it was him lol). I didnt go on anti depressants at the time coz i was breastfeeding. I stopped breastfeeding when kyla was about 7 and a half months and started to gain abit more control of my life again, whether that was because i resented my OH for not helping with my LO. He also changed when i started to get back to normal.

Just remember, you will feel yourself again, and keeping talking to someone, i didnt tell anyone how i was feeling until after about 6 weeks i even went to the docs wanting to say something and when i got infront of the doc and she asked what was wrong i just said i needed the pill, i couldnt get the words out. I finally snapped while on the phone to my OH's mother and brust into tears, felt better after having a good cry and letting it out.

We are all her for you. So keep us informed on how your feeling. Will be thinking of you.