Advice on post natal depression/Extreme PMS

[Lol4321]

Hi I'm new here but thought I would post for some advice. I am really desperate...

It's a long story....
I had my child 4 years ago. 10 days post birth I was hit by the worst anxiety and depression.
I couldn't sleep, eat, leave the house etc. Doctor put me on citalopram and sleeping pills which didn't work I then managed to get relief on mirrazapine 45mg.

Since all of this I have tried to go on contraceptives to even out my hormones, microgynon and loestrin both of which sent me spiralling back into the anxiety and depression.
Due to this I had to add venlafaxine to my mirtazapine.

This was fine for a year but since December last year I have had to increase my anti depressants every three months, the last two months have both been hell and have had to increase both months and now am at the maximum dosage.

My doctor and psychiatrist say that it is extreme PMS and once it starts I spiral. I'm talking suicidal thoughts, uncontrollable crying, I don't want to eat or drink anything in the hope I'll die, and I can't sleep.
It is unbearable and I have a lively 4 year old to look after.

My doctor has told me to start taking desogestral (cerazette) once I am over this current blip so will be the middle of my cycle next month. His idea is to stop my periods so I won't get the hormanal fluctuations.
I am PETRIFIED as I have had such extreme reactions to the other two contraceptives and I also feel that if this all go's wrong I am the end of the line with my anti depressants.
I have read some horror stories online too about cerazette.

I will also add that since having my daughter I have had a massive cervical erosion that won't go away. My periods were 5 days spotting then 6 days normal. I also have a large blood vessel in my cervical canal.
I had my cervix frozen 2 months ago and the 2 months since the procedure have been unbearable with my PMS but my periods are back to normal.

If anyone can advise me I would appreciate it so much. I am in such a dark place at the moment and can't think anything through.

[fassone]

You poor thing. you've really been through the mill.

I can relate to you, my story is slightly different but I had the same problems. Battered with depression and anxiety postnatally, I tried Sertraline and Citalopram and both sent me completely off the scale with anxiety. Much worse than before. I ended up being given Olanzapine along with the Citalopram to stop me killing myself, basically.

After two years I weaned extremely slowly off them, I took six full months to wean to zero. I was fine!
Except ..... For the week to 10 days before my period I would hit an extreme low, high agitation, insomnia. It was like the PND all over again and it was terrifying. Once my period started I'd be ok. For 18 days, and then it would all start again.
I tried Cerazette but after one month I binned the tablets, they made me worse. That's not to say it won't work for you.

I found Prof John Studd's website //www.studd.co.uk and read what seemed to be my story there - fine in pregnancy, terrible time afterwards, cyclical depression and anxiety. He treats women with oestrogen for this.

My GP was clueless so I went to see a gynae privately and showed him the print outs from Studd's website. He agreed to give me oestrogen patches to use for that fortnight of hell. They worked beautifully. This severe PMS was gone.

For me, it was oestrogen I needed, definitely not progesterone.

It might be worth having a look at that website and seeing if any of the information there relates to you.

I do know how you're feeling. It's beyond awful, I do understand. Please know that you can and will get better. I know when you're in the depths of it it's impossible to believe but things will improve for you.

[Lol4321]

Thank you thank you for answering me!
What you are describing I could have written myself.
This is what I am so frightened of with trying the cerazette.
I have no way to increase my anti depressants so if it sends me the other way I honestly believe it would be the end of me.

I did send an e-mail to prof studd's clinic as was prepared to pay to see him last December but never heard back and then I started to feel a bit better so never followed it up. Since then it has been 5 relapses this year always 10 days before my period, one was even straight after day 14 which makes me think it is the oestrogen that I need.

I guess I would be working myself up even if the doctor gave me oestrogen pills as I'm in such a horrible place at the moment.

Was your gynae recommended to you or did you just look someone up online?

Does your oestrogen patch stop your periods?

Thanks again for replying I feel so relieved to know there is someone with a similar story to mine and I'm not the only one this has happened to. Xx

[fassone]

I got a recommendation for a gynae, he was someone my friend had gone to for other reasons but she told me he would listen to me and not fob me off. Which too many doctors do when it comes to mood issues and hormonal changes.

No, oestrogen didn't stop my periods. I only used the patches for the 10 days or so before my period started. So I'd have ovulated alright by then. Once I found my mood dropping, I stuck on a patch. I removed them around day 3 of my period. I'd get sore breasts, they increased a bit in size but tbh when you're feeling that bad you don't care if your boobs fall off once something makes you feel better.

Would you ask your doc to try this? I printed out some of the info from Prof Studd's website about using oestrogen for a couple of weeks a month and the gynae was aware of this practise.

[fassone]

Forgot to add, it was the drop in oestrogen post ovulation that caused my problem. Adding oestrogen when I needed it solved it.
If I had been in that state all month long then I'd have needed something else but my severe mood issues were clearly cyclical.

[fassone]

You're not alone in this! It's more common than I realised. I did a ton of research online and the standard treatment is antidepressants, but as you know they don't always sort out a hormonal issue. If it's clearly related to your cycle then it's hormonal.
Keep me posted on how you go with the doctor. And hang in there. X

[Lol4321]

Thank you so much for this info.
Do you mind me asking where abouts the gynae was that you saw?
I'm wondering whether it is anywhere near me. I am willing to travel anywhere tbh to find someone to listen to me.
I've read about nick Panay and prof studd being the best in Harley street.

My GP is insistent that I try these cerazette pills to stop my periods altogether.

I am going to try and see my psychiatrist before this though as if these pills send me even loopier I need a plan of action with my anti depressants.

How has my life come to this. My daughter was being a horror to me today and I just burst into tears. I had my 4 year old trying to calm me down and I just thought how has it come to this.

[fassone]

Oh you poor thing please mind yourself. Have you anyone you could call on to give you a break for a bit, just for some headspace?
I'm not living in the UK so can't advise on gynaes near you. Could you call either of the gynaes in London and see if they can fit you in ASAP? Would your psych give you oestrogen if you told him what you think will help?

[fassone]

In the interim, and I know it's SO hard, but do what you have to do to get through the bad weeks. I listened to mindfulness apps a lot, I dragged myself to yoga classes, I told my DH to take our son off out for the day. Don't drink alcohol, that'll make you feel worse. Avoid googling, that always increases my anxiety. You will get this sorted. If you find yourself in a loop of worrying about 'what if' then check yourself, do something to stop those worrying thoughts taking over.

[Lol4321]

Thank you so much.

I have called my GP this morning and begged them to fax the psychiatrist so I can get an appointment and they have done so just waiting to hear now.

I'm really hoping he can come up with a solution for me. I'm even hoping he might know about hormones and could tell me what to do but I know it's a long shot.

I paid to see an endocrinologist earlier this year hoping he could help but he didn't care and did a load of expensive tests and told me I was normal.

I have since read that hormone tests do come back as normal as its not your hormone levels it's how your brain reacts to the fluctuations and which hormone your body needs etc.
I really don't think I can afford to pay to see someone and the state of mind I'm in at the mo I feel they could fob me off etc.

I'm praying that maybe the pshyc knows of someone or could refer me as I surely can't be the only person his seen with this problem as from looking online It is very common.

Thanks again for your messages xxx

[Treetops12]

@Lol4321 I know this is such an old thread, i just wondered what happened and how your feeling now? I'm in such a similar situation and it's hell x

[Lol4321]

@Treetops12 sorry to hear you are going through this.

I have been ok for the last few years. I was eventually diagnosed with PMDD. I never had this before having my daughter but it was triggered by child birth.

If you are on Facebook there is a really good group PMDD severe PMS UK.

I paid to see Nick Panay's wife up in Harley street. They honestly saved my life and it was worth every penny. They are hormone health 92 Harley street.

I now wear a constant patch for oestrogen and that stops my hormones fluctuating. I have become progesterone intolerant since giving birth so I just use it as a pessary to have a bleed for a week a month.

I would say to stay away from any artificial contraceptives on the NHS as they make it far worse.

What are your symptoms/situation? X

[PaulaD811]

Hi, my partner’s best friend is massively concerned about his partner who had a baby about 4 months ago and appears to be suffering with PND. It’s her first baby and she in mid 30’s. I have never had children but know as a nurse how serious it is. With the way the NHS is currently and lengthy waits for GP appointments and /or health visitor reviews maybe not what they were due to staffing and caseload, would anyone see any benefit to having a private appointment with an obstetrician or private GP urgently? Or present to local maternity hospital? Or should the ladies partner push for urgent own GP review? I’m a bit out of my territory but know the struggles of NHS currently and worry that she will slip through the net, any advice appreciated, thanks Paula

[Treetops12]

@PaulaD811 sorry I've just seen this.
Have they accessed help?

Call the gp and health visitor. Tell them it's urgent. And that they need to see someone from the local perinatal mental health team ASAP.

If they are concerned for her safety call 111.

They could go to a private gp but it shouldn't be necessary.