Postnatal depression/anxiety/insomnia

[Katie900]

Hi, I'm just looking for a bit of support really.
As my title suggests, I have been struggling with my mental health since the birth of my son.
My main symptom has been anxiety, which has been absolutely crippling me. I did not realise I had PND as I did not feel down and bonded with my son straight away.
Since the realisation, I have been feeling completely overwhelmed and depressed. I have also been suffering from insomnia, which is absolutely terrifying me.
I have been to the doctors and have been put on medication but I honestly don't see this ever getting better.
I feel very alone and just wondered if anyone has had a similar experience?

[Katie900]

Also, just in general, how have your experiences been with antidepressants? Did they help with your depression/anxiety?

[anametouse]

How old is your son? I had awful insomnia before DS was born and worried it would never go but it did (it was hormonal for me)

I'm sorry things are so hard for you. If you don't get many replies here it might be worth trying the post natal boards?

[Katie900]

Hi, my son is almost 13 weeks old.
How did you cope with your insomnia? I suspected mine was hormonal as it began the week I started my period but has since become a 'thing'
I find it very scary as I start panicking the minute I close my eyes 🙁

[anametouse]

Oh 13 weeks is still so little, still lots of hormones in there. I was lucky and didn't get PND but I was a hormonal mess for about 6 months. I say this to say, the hormones quieten down and things can often get a bit easier then.

With the insomnia, I downloaded a sleep relaxation app (sleep well) which helped sometimes and I planned things to do in the night because the worst thing for me was the feeling that the day was too long and I couldn't fill it. Weirdly skin to skin with my DH helped me too for some reason, don't know why.

Things will get better, honestly they will. It's just tough times right now.

[Mybabystolemysanity]

I had PND and mostly anxiety, especially about my own health. It was all compounded by not sleeping. The thing that actually helped most was confiding in my health visitor, who scheduled some extra listening visits. They really kept me going in the first nine months until we were able to access some more formal counselling. I'm still going at 18 months PP and imminently about to have DC2.

I can remember three months in being sleep deprivation hell. I genuinely thought I was losing my mind. Just wanted you to know that it did get better quite soon after that point with regard to baby's sleep, so mine got better too. Talk to the HV. Mine saved my life.

[ememem84]

Ds is 8 months and I’ve just been diagnosed with high functioning pnd. Gp prescribed anti depressants and I’m on week two. Go back tomorrow and see gp for follow up appointment.

The anxiety of leaving ds with Nursery and my parents crippled me. I couldn’t handle it. But have to be back at work.

It sucks. But I will get used to it.

[EmmaJane26]

Hi there, I had exactly the same as you describe with the birth of my son 6 years ago. I went onto sertaline and was back to normal within a relatively short space of time. It’s so hard right now but know it will be fine. I sleep 8 hours straight every night now and my anxiety and insomnia were unbearable in the first few months. I’m mentally stronger now than before and wouldn’t change having gone through the experience as I learnt so much and am ultimately happier as a result. Hope that reassures you and be kind to yourself and just ride the rollercoaster for a little while as part of life’s rich tapestry of experiences xx

[jamsconeandtea]

Hi just want to reassure you it will get better too. I had the same experience and was feeling desperate but trazedone really helped me. It’s an older antidepressant and has a sedative effect. Which AD are you on?

[Katie900]

Thank you 😊
I'm on Zoloft/sertraline
The most common side effect is insomnia!

[ememem84]

I’m on citralopram. I went to my gp because I was feeling anxious not wanting to eat not sleeping. Side effects? Loss of appetite, insomnia.

I’ve been told though that they will go eventually. I’m two weeks in and while I am sleeping, I’m waking at stupid o clock and struggling to get back to sleep. So I’m going to bed earlier because I’m tired and then waking up earlier...

[Katie900]

Ridiculous isn't it! I had the insomnia before starting the AD and huge anxiety about it, so it doesn't fill me with hope.
I'm glad to hear you're able to get some sleep. Hopefully you'll get back to your normal routine soon.
Lack of appetite is the awful, I too suffered from this initially

[ememem84]

Had an appointment to see my gp this morning. To see how I was going. She was nice. And said that the sleep and appetite are always the last things to come back.

Have another months prescription before I have to check in again then hopefully 6 months then done.

I’m finding I’m able to sort things out (mentally) better now. The meds (albeit a very low dose) just take the edge off a bit. I’m focussing my energy on work when I’m at work. So am actually more productive.

Then on home and baby at home. Trying not to let my mind wander....

Have also started drinking more water and exercising. So hoping that’ll help too!

[EmmaJane26]

Hi both, I’m trying to think of the best advice to give you that I wish someone had told me at the time when I thought I’d never feel normal again. I guess the best advice is to know you will be back to normal soon - and even happier than before cause you’ve got a gorgeous baby too. The insomnia is the last thing to resolve itself but it will and your sleep will be back to normal - again mine is much better than before having my son. It took me about 3 months to be totally symptom free. Try not to over think it or worry about the side effects (hard with anxiety I know) and just accept that it’s a reaction to being preganant/giving birth/hormones. I honestly look back now and am so grateful for the insight it gave me so I can help others and empathise more. My mental health and positivity is so strong now and I feel incredibly blessed and appreciate it so much more. Be kind to yourselves, know it’s only very short term, and try to enjoy this precious time xxxx

[eggncress]

I had PND after birth of dd ... it was very insidious with me ... no obvious depression but I had an increasing urge to jump into the river / under bus and kept thinking about doing this.On the surface I was mostly putting on a brave face though so people around me didn’t notice. I took fluoxetine for 6 months and weaned myself off after 8 months after discussing with the gp and been fine since .
Medication took about a month to “kick in” but once it did it was pretty obvious to me as I felt strangely elated for a few hours one day then everything started to improve.
If one medication is not helping you could go back to the dr and see if they’ll try something else for you.
I hope you find something that works for you OP. Don’t hesitate to go back to your dr.
I had no sleep issues but can imagine this being horrendous for you on top of depression. Does the gp know about this ?

[ememem84]

@EmmaJane26 thank you for that. It helps to know that “this too shall pass”

I’m too weeks into the meds and I think they’re starting to help. That and we had a ridiculously stressful May which tipped me over the edge. I was just about holding it together I think. Then bam! Stressful work, mil visit, christening etc. Knocked me sideways. I feel better knowing it’s “something” and not just me feeling “crazy” iyswim.

I had a good chat with my gp today and am feeling positive. Am doing all the right things. Eating healthy (even though I want cheese toasties....) exercising (even though I want to couch) and drinking more water less caffeine less alcohol.

Baby steps. But it’ll be ok. And one thing I’ve realised and I wish someone had told me is “it’s ok not to be ok” I said to dr today that I feel ashamed of the pnd. I know I shouldn’t but I feel that because there’s such a stigma about it still it’s a shameful secret.

[letsallhaveanap]

I was put on Amitriptyline and it helped MASSIVELY!! I specifically asked for that however as I really thought my insomnia was making my PND so much worse that that was what I wanted dealing with primarily. I did not want to be on any drug with which insomnia was a side effect.

I was put on 10mg which is lower than the normal antidepressant dose but means you dont build up as much of a tolerance and it doesnt loose its sedative effects.... It also does not get into breastmilk and is also helpful for pain at that level(I had tearing)

Was on it for six months and it really really was a lifesaver.
It just allowed me to switch off in the evenings... I wasnt completely unconcious, would wake up easily to baby crying, but I could easily fall asleep after waking to feed baby whereas before I would be awake for days just obsessing over things like the babies breathing and having horrible intrusive thoughts.

As soon as I began sleeping better my anxiety and PND really started to get much better.

[EmmaJane26]

Hey glad it helps. Really interesting the different drugs you can use. Sertaline took away my anxiety and with that I could control my insomnia and learn to sleep assign as it was the anxiety keeping me awake. Either way you will get better xxx

[Rsand6]

Hi I have 6 kids my youngest 18 months and I have just plucked up courage to go to doctor aas I've been feeling down and have had no motivation he said I have postnatal depression I new I was depressed but didn't think u could get postnatal depression 18 month later can any one relate to this