Postpartum Anxiety- Advice/Experiences

[Icequeen26]

Hi Everyone 👋
I'm looking for some kind words/ advice/ positive recovery stories about postpartum anxiety please!

I'm currently 7 weeks pp from my csection and now have two beautiful children (7wks and 4yrs). I'm so lucky to have them and love my little family more than anything but I feel so overwhelmed by it all and think I'm suffering from postpartum anxiety.

I had an awful high risk pregnancy with hyperemesis and pgp then hypertension after the birth. It's been a tough recovery. However I now feel like I have developed a health anxiety almost that I'm worried something is wrong with me etc. This has then developed with physical symptoms of dizziness, fuzzy head, fatigue... all symptoms of anxiety.... so now I'm anxious about being anxious geeeezzz!!!

My Dr prescribed sertraline and I finally plucked up the courage to take one and it sent me into a 3 day long panic attack where I felt terrified for no reason and couldn't be left on my own without sobbing so I didn't take anymore. My Dr has now prescribed duloxetine to try but I am absolutely petrified to try it after last time but also worried I won't get better without it!!

I've got a talking therapy assessment this week and a visit from my health visitor so I'm hoping they might help me feel better about all this.

Sorry for the long speel!
Has anybody got any advice or has been through similar? Any experience of the medications or anyone who has beat postpartum anxiety/ depression naturally without meds.

Thank you in advance!! X

I haven't got any experience @Icequeen26 but just came in to suggest ringing the Pandas Foundation. I think they open at 11am

Hi, I've just posted today. I've been suffering with similar post natal anxiety. It's so hard.
I had the same reaction to setraline and escitalopram. I've been offered duloxetine or venlafaxine. Not sure which to trymI'm too scared to touch another drug! Did you start the duloxetine? X

@Sunnyscot80 I'm sorry to hear you're having a tough time atm too. I'll be completely honest I googled duloxetine far too much and then got too scared to take it! I spoke to my doctor who then prescribed citalopram as she said this is one that people have the least side effects on and started on a small dose of 10mg. I promised myself not to Google and just started it as I knew I couldn't continue how I was. The first week was a little tough as it increased my anxiety... but nothing like on the setraline I was still in control if that makes sense? Little bit sicky and hot flushes too but it soon settled. I'm now 3 weeks in and seeing small improvements, I no longer lie awake all night, I have my appetite back and I haven't cried for two weeks. Don't get me wrong I still have hard days but I manage better now and am hopeful the longer I take them the better it will become. I know its hard but I just knew I had to do something as I was barely surviving each day waking up full of dread for the day ahead.

Have you been referred for any talking therapy? I'm currently doing some CBT for health anxiety which helps but if I'm honest I think the medication has done more to help me. That and starting to eat better/healthier and lots of long walks in the fresh air every day.