to wonder what other people's GPs did about their PND?

[PicaK]

I keep reading advice that people should go to their Doctor if they havePND. Just wondering how useful other people's doctors were? Mine just asked if I was going to "do anything silly" and prescribed antidepressants. As I was going out the door she said as an afterthought that they'd make me nauseous for two weeks and when I got the prescription it said not suitable for breastfeeding - so I didn't take them and stayed low for about another 8 months. I think I ought to broach it with the surgery but rather than just complain would like to make some constructive suggestions about what help works.

First they should run blood tests to rule out physical causes of depression - not just hand out pills

My GP was very good. She realised just how bad things were, and admitted me to the local mother & baby unit.

I was there for about 4 months, although much of it was spent on leave, trying my wings out at home, before proper discharge.

The M&B unit was excellent - small unit - up to 6 mums. My (now) ex-dh came in with my older child every day - we took it in turns on the unit to cook for the whole unit, and we'd all sit down together with family and eat. I was very lucky, cos although I was very ill, I wasn't seperated from ds2, and they did everything humanly possible to ease things for ex-dh and ds1 too - in short they were fantastic.

Ds2 is almost 9 now - what was a very painful, shameful and frightening time of my life was made more bearable, as was the impact on my family x

Between my gp and hv i had blood tests run, tried several antidepressants, had a play worker assigned to our family, had cbt, was referred to the psych team and had a cmhn assigned to me. However. I was hospitalized with my pnd which could be why!

Nothing worked. My pnd was purely hormonal and 18 months post birth it was like a light switch was flicked and my depression lifted. I do suffer horrendous pmt though.

Good luck!

He said 'You're a bit late to be having PND, but that's what it sounds like. Try these' and gave me a prescription for anti-depressants. DS was 6 months btw

Recently went to see him to ask how to stop taking them. He peered at his computer and said 'Oh, I thought you'd stopped ages ago. If you don't want them, don't take them'.

Awesome.

I don't know anyone who got anything other than pills handed out.

Bewilderedmum - that sounds amazingly helpful. I had no idea such places existed. I knew at the time I came close to begging to be put on a psychiatric ward but was frightened I might never get out. Sounds ridiculous now but you just don't think straight.

Prescribed prozac and told me to stop breastfeeding. Oh, and told me there was no point in having counselling because it only works if the depression is caused by a specific trauma

I did take the pills and stop breastfeeding but I also paid privately for counselling (which I really couldn't afford).

I'm thinking of going to my gp about pnd. I dont think I'm that bad - dd is 9 months and I cope well most of the time. However I do get very low from time to time and dp is starting to get worried. I really don't want to be fobbed off with pills though and I don't think much of the docs at my surgery or my hv.
Sorry about the hijack but what should I be asking for if I do go?

Gp talked about ways to self help through exercise, discussed counselling, and anti depressants. I started on a very low dose of antidepressants, and was booked in for birth trauma counselling. I see her every few weeks because ds has various different problems, and she always makes sure I am looking after myself, she is amazing.

I got offered antidepressants. I asked about counselling as I knew my PND was in part caused by the birth and newborn experience. I wasn't offered counselling, it was my suggestion. I organised it myself through a local charity that has a PND counselling section and it was AMAZING. I eventually weaned myself of the tablets (after a year - once I had returned to work and moved house) and informed the Dr that I had done so. I felt they had no interest in properly solving the problem. But, I have to say, the pills did make a difference to me and helped me feel like myself again. But they just didn't look at the bigger picture.

Good luck. Be honest with them as to how you are feeling. Things will get better.

Sent me immediately to A and E, told me to take the baby and under no circumstances let on there was anyone to look after him. He then rang and told them to expect me and said I needed to be admitted, I stayed in hospital for a week then transferred to a mother and baby unit.

I tried to talk to my midwife as I was worried I was a sitting duck for depression - long family history - and she told me once I had the baby I wouldn't have time for PND. FFS

As a GP I'm interested in how you think your GPs could have helped you better. I usually have a chat to build rapport, take a history (particularly causes, risk to mum and baby, support network) then go through some options which often include tablets, councelling (3 month waiting list) and self help, and sometimes referral. I book the patient in to see me in 1-3 weeks depending on what's agrees between us and often discuss getting the health visitor to see them. Obviously if the mum needs admitting it's a different process. Is there anything else you'd be expecting?

My GP got out his medicine book and showed me how much my anti-d's were going to cost the NHS and then told me that the real problem was that i had to much time on my hands.

Ironically enough i was awarded a social worker, still don't know why, who wasn't any more use and wanted to have me sectioned, to the point that she argued with my psychiatrist.

I was given counselling, he spent the time talking about his childhood.

Nightfallsfast. I don't know... when I got to the GP I'd cried for 5 hours nonstop the evening before and I'd woken up and started crying. I felt I couldn't go any further. I told the GP if there was,an off button on her desk I'd press it now. I was half crazy with tiredness and shaking. They knew I had no help and sent me away. Would you have had me down as one to admit or not?

The first gp was terrible & just handed me drugs. When I said I didn't want to take them she just said I wasn't well & gave me a higher dose! I complained to another dr & he referred me for counselling which was the most fantastic, eye opening, life changing experience & much better than the pills. I'm so glad I went back for a 2nd opionion.

ADs and counselling.

NightFallsFast - I think some mums want the GP to care about them and not just issue a prescription.

I'm not saying that's possible or appropriate and IMO the GP cannot replace what's lacking in Society's support for new mums but I do think it's what women want.

There is obviously a huge difference in what GPs need to do to treat PND and pyschotic illness - the two are getting a bit muddled up here

The GP i saw arranged for me to have a birth debriefing with a consultant at the hospital. i had to go to the post natal ward for this (my experience there was partly reponsible for the PTSD and PND i had). Oh and she told me to go on Mumsnet - seriously!

I didn't make it to my GP. I told my HV at my 6-week check that I was feeling very anxious and didn't think I was coping. She looked at me holding dd and said 'nonsense, you are a natural' and that was that.

I went home feeling utterly dejected and suffered horribly for a year until I reached rock bottom and a friend got me to a counsellor. I lost dd1's whole first year and it has taken me five years and another baby to get back to feeling some way normal.

ah, what terrible stories. makes me mad with rage.

I struggled on (2nd child, first was fine) but you're so poorly you don't even know you're poorly iyswim. Round our way there's a PND support line and, I can't remember how it happened, the woman who ran it visited me at my house and said 'darling, you have PND' and it was a huge relief. Personally, I think I had, or also had, bad marriage depression, but that was by-the-by as from then on everyone swung into action and was very kind. I had a place at a M&B unit (organised by my lovely HV - the only one on the planet as far as my experiences go) but I couldn't take it up as I had a toddler and no-one to look after her. GP put me on anti-depressants which literally saved my life. I don't know why people think they are being 'fobbed off' when prescribed anti-depressants as they are one of the wonders of the modern age imo. From not sleeping at all , I gradually started sleeping properly, which was truly wonderful. I had counselling - for many years afterwards.

I've had some horrific experiences with GPs in the past but somehow I got the right care at the right time and I will be eternally grateful for that. I hope you do too OP.

First GP told me to go for a nice long walk and that'll make me feel much better

Saw HV the next day, broke down in tears, HV horrified and immediately booked me an emergency appt with much nicer GP.

Much nicer GP signed me off work for several months, referred me for CBT, offered me anti-d's and told me all about the pros and cons, and insisted on seeing me fortnightly to check how I was doing. I was surprised at how nice he was, made me wonder if his wife had had PND or perhaps he'd had it himself, he was so understanding.

Should add, my HV was also excellent

My HV was the first to be concerned about me - she sent me to the GP who said I just had the "baby blues" & would feel better soon. When I saw the HV a couple of days later she got a bit mad at the GP, called him then & there & sent me back, where he grudgingly gave me some tablets. 2 days later my husband caught & stopped me trying to cut my breasts off with a kitchen knife ( had breastfeeding issues). He took me straight back to the GP who advised my husband to "keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't do anything else stupid", said my tablets would take a while to kick in & sent me to the nurse to get patched up. That was it.

18 months on I realise I was suffering from PND & PTSD due to a v traumatic premature delivery.

In short, it would help if some GPs actually believed that PND & PTSD were very real, & treated patients with respect. The feeling that you are a "time-waster" compounds the issue & makes it far less likely you'll seek further help. I feel a post-birth debriefing would have been v helpful (as would some help & guidance on coping with a 34 week baby when you get sent home at 2 days old, but that's another thread). So anyway, I am championing the post-birth debrief & more than just tablets.

The GP who helped me after I had DD was brilliant. I'd been going to him since I was a child so he knew me very well and was very supportive. I did get ADs but I knew I needed them. I have no idea whether there is a mother and baby unit in the area I used to live in- I don't think there was, which is a shame.

The GP I went to see when DS was 3 months old laughed nervously when I said I was at the lowest I'd been since last time I'd had PND I'd recently moved to the area so I didn't know this doctor at all well, was the first time I'd met him. Still didn't fill me with yayness when he laughed though.