To go to gp about my mood?

[Lelophants]

It's so hard when you're up and down. I'm not terrible at all, I could be a lot lower. I struggle to enjoy my toddler and feel dysphoric about pretty much everything. But this is the result of lockdown and young parenting right?

When I work I feel better, but it's only a few hours a week and it's not everything. It's just good as feels like I'm doing something. I get lost in my head making things up as feel like it's better than real life, which is a ridiculous thing to say.

I'm not sure what I would get out of a gp? I'm not sure I'm feeling low enough for antidepressants or if it'll really do anything for my experience, plus I've got to think about all the side effects and coming off later on down the line (I do breastfeed sometimes and don't necessarilywant to stop that). I'm on a waiting list for private cbt anyway. So although things aren't good and I am weepy about it all, is there really any point booking an appointment?

If you're weepy about it you could easily have clinical depression. I had PND and antidepressants were life-changing for me. Ask for help, that's what the GP is there for. Please don't suffer as I did for too long.

@MissConductUS

If you're weepy about it you could easily have clinical depression. I had PND and antidepressants were life-changing for me. Ask for help, that's what the GP is there for. Please don't suffer as I did for too long.

How often did you feel this way? It's so hard for me to know if I'm feeling 'okay' enough or not

Depression comes and goes with the level of serotonin in your brain, which can vary from day to day. It can take a very long time after pregnancy and giving birth for your hormones to stabilize. It's the fluctuation of them that's thought to cause depression.

I felt depressed for a year after my first was born, then finally went on antidepressants. I went back on them when my second was born.

If you think it's a problem, it's a problem. Your GP will have a standard screening tool to assess depression. Please go, it's just a GP appointment and you're not at your best now for your child or your partner.

Feel free to DM me if you'd rather.

@MissConductUS

Depression comes and goes with the level of serotonin in your brain, which can vary from day to day. It can take a very long time after pregnancy and giving birth for your hormones to stabilize. It's the fluctuation of them that's thought to cause depression.

I felt depressed for a year after my first was born, then finally went on antidepressants. I went back on them when my second was born.

If you think it's a problem, it's a problem. Your GP will have a standard screening tool to assess depression. Please go, it's just a GP appointment and you're not at your best now for your child or your partner.

Feel free to DM me if you'd rather.

Thank you

You're certainly welcome. See a woman GP if possible and don't let them fob you off. There are many good antidepressants that can be taken while breastfeeding.

Good luck.

I felt like this and it was v low levels of vitamin D. I was shocked that it could cause me to feel so bad. Once my levels were back up to normal I felt much better. So it’s worth getting a full blood panel done.

The toddler years are really fucking boring. There’s some brilliant times in there definitely, and it’s amazing watching them grow etc, but my god it’s mind numbing and some days I’m left feeling so completely drained and at the end of my tether emotionally and physically. I love my toddler to bits and pieces but I’m never more glad when nursery time comes around and I can get a break and feel like something other than a mindless drone there to raise the kids.

If you’re genuinely worried that you’re depressed speaking to a GP is always a good idea, but if you’re wondering whether you’re abnormal for feeling like parenthood isn’t as wonderful and fulfilling as you thought it would be - you’re not. It’s hard and exhausting and you’re left trying to figure out if you’re still a person in your own right or not (and if it’s even ok to be someone other than mum!)