The Pill?

[LynnC]

I have not been myself lately and trying to figure out why I've been so low. My d is now 9mths. I started taking the pill about 5 months ago and probably about 3 months ago I have been getting very depressed for no reason. I take things out on my partner all the time and have absolutely no sex drive and thinking of just coming off it altogether. Has anyone ever had this...or is this just what happens to new mums or am I just clutching at straws to blame something?

could be pnd?

could also be the pill imo - I used to get very down on it (but NOT all the time though - just much more frequently than usual)

have you been back to your gp?

I would come off it and see if it eases, if not I think SP is most probably rght and it could be PND

go back and chat to him/her, they dont bite usually

Is is not bit late on for pnd? Have though going to gp but feel silly & dont like to waste her time. Thanks for replying - dont like bothering friends they all seem to have real problems just now and dont want to worry family. Just seem to be happiest just me and DD is that just selfish?

LynneC - Its not a bit late for PND I'm afraid. I think its quite common for the onset to happen 6-12months after the birth.

I suffered with PND for 18mths after ds (now 4) was born. Total nightmare..... but an experience which I have learned so much from about myself and how other new Mums feel.

I refused to go back on the pill after I'd had PND. Not because I thought it had caused it, but because PND is hormonal and the LAST thing I needed was more hormones floating around. I was never the best on the pill anyway. It seemed to exaggerate my PMT to the point where I just felt so incredibly hostile for 8 days out of the month. I hated that feeling.

You should make an appointment with your GP. Your feelings are not unusual and don't feel like you are being selfish!! You don't feel great just now, and thats ok. The important thing is to realise that you can get help and your GP won't feel as though you're bothering him/her.

Fangache - Thank you for kind words and I know everyone is right I should go to docs. I will try make an appointment to see if there is anything she can do for me. Its just nice knowing someone understands what I'm feeling and doesnt think I'm just being silly.

MMMe, well let me tell you my story. I was on the pill for about a year and at some point (not sure when) I started to go weird (you'll understand why I can't remember when in a mo). Moody (very unlike me), tearful, angry, huge rows with DP (again totaly unlike me). I was also getting headaches, began to realise this wasn't normal (thing is you really think at the time its all real, ie I'm justifed to be down/upset becasue this happened, not realising of course that normaly that situation would never get you down/upset). Mentioned it to family planning (mainly 'cause of headaches) and they dismissed pill as reason. Few months later DP was desperate and issued ultimatum, went to GP's and told them I was going mad, they were v good and took full history, didn't dismiss idea of pill being a factor but didn't really could be that. Referred me to counselling and also said I could stop taking pill if wanted. Stopped taking pill and within a week (hadn't even had counselling session so it wasn't that) started to feel better. Month later still feeling good but had to take morning after pill, which once again sent me nuts. Conclusion, me and oestrogen don't mix! Also have similar goinf mad/depressed story from friend who all she did was change the brand of her pill. So defo worth investigating

I think you might want to talk to your GP, but don't expect them to know that this might be a side effect (and don't forget it might well be something else altoghether). Thing is there is an easy way to rule it out isn't there?
Good luck, hope you're feeling brighter soon,
H

I have 3 children and I have always suffered PND. After my third baby, someone said they'd heard that the mini pill can help with PND. I was doubtful, but gave it a try. My partner could see the difference after only a week, and even my mother who lives 100 miles away noticed the difference! After about 6 months when they ran out, I went to the clinic to get some more, and it was suggested to me that I should try another pill as I had stopped breast feeding. Stupidly I aggreed, not thinking about the affects to the depression. Almost straight away, I noticed the difference. I was so down I didn't want to talk to anybody, I felt like crap. I gave it a month and went back to my clinic and explained that I initially went on the mini pill to help the depression and went back on it.

I know that different pills affect women in different ways and maybe I'm just one of those unlucky people who suffers depression anyway, but I would never come of the mini pill again, if not for the contraceptive reasons but for the depression.
My GP had never heard of the mini pill helping with depression, it was my health visitor!
Seeing your GP is a good idea, but you should also talk to your health visitor. Mine was my life saver! Hope I've helped in some way!

Thank you patjoseb and hettie its amazing how comforting to read other people having same feelings and not just going mad thinking the pill could be to blame. I only thought of the pill as I havent been on it for years and it just seemed coincidence my moods started not long after starting again. And hettie your definately right its not till a lot later on I look back at somethings and think why was I so upset over nothing but at the time it seems like you have every right to shout and cause a fight. Still to contact docs but for some reason dont want to pick up the phone. The health visitor is an idea and might try take time off and go see her next week. Thanks again everyone it really has helped.....well actually made me cry but thats just way I am just now.