blip blippity blip

[natsyloo]

I feel a bit like it's groundhog day. I've had PND for 6 months and am being treated with ADs and in the middle of CBT therapy.

I've posted before and only a week or so ago I was saying how good I was feeling since xmas and the good days were outweighing the bad....then a blip came along and I find it really hard to weather the wobbles without thinking I'm back at the starting blocks.

I know rationally I just need to keep practising my CBT and trying to go easy on myself but I find it really hard to remember the good days when I'm feeling blue.

Has anyone got any advice?

natsyloo - its great that youve done this. I think it DOES really help to read about other people x

Natsyloo sending you lots of love and good luck for tomorrow xxxxxxxx

Please let us know how it went LOve Maddie x x x x x x

Hi Natsy - good for you - putting yourself forward as a "case study" should help others to feelthat they can be honest about how they are feeling. It doesn't sound "worthy" to me in the sense you are using the word. It's so horrible that there is still so much stigma about mental health, and that stops a lot of people coming out into the open and sometimes prevents them getting the help they need.

Has the group actually started yet - if so where is the meeting place (no it's ok I wasn't thinking of coming!!) I just wondered if your were holding it at your house.

I think this might spur other women on to start a group and support each other - brilliant idea.

Hope all is well with you.

Sorry to bring the Blippity blip thread down - but not sure where else good place to post this.

Ive been trying to deny this for a few days - and know lots of people here are struggling so dont want to affect anyone else.

Anyway - Going through bit of a horrible blip. Very nervous that this is going to lead to 'crash'.

Basically I slowly reduced to 35mg to 50mg over 3 months because my driving was being very affected by that dose. Significant drowsiness no matter what time of day I took the dose and 3 days a week I do a 120 mile round trip for work.

Its a month now since Ive been on 35mg. This is a very low dose of this partic ad (its a tricyclic) but I was ok on this dose and lower in 2007/08 and 09.

Im swinging between thinking that i should really try and give it longer - and throw everything i can think of at it. (cbt, relaxation exercises, gentle exercise etc)

But then being worried that if I dont do something more radical (change to another ad) then I'll inevitably go downhill and end up in much worse position.

Sorry i know this sounds melodramatic. But when I have 'crashed' in the past I go from good mum, successful career, all good at home, confident etc. To being in a complete state. not able to work etc.

My 'kind of' plan is to try and give it another month - and see how things go over that time....

Hi Kizzy,

you're not in any way bringing the thread down - I have to say, although good days are really very pleasing, I still have downer days when I can feel horrible feelings rising again so recovery is not always a bed of roses.

I think it's great that you have a good handle on your situation - you know yourself and what 'feels' right for you so trust your instinct. Try not to worry that you will 'crash' - it's very tempting to think you can be back at square one with a few wobbles but you're still on the ascent remember and you're v much in touch with how you feel by the sounds of it.

I would give yourself a plan - psychologically it's good to write down a way of handling this situation as it will make you feel less helpless and out of control. My CBT therapist has really tried to reiterate the worry tree to me - showing the left hand side as my worrying spiral, which is one means of handling uncertainty (and a false way of trying to 'control' the future). The other option is to problem solve (ie pull together a plan of action) or simply challenge the worries and let them pass (this is the bit I find particularly difficult having spent more than 30 years of my life worrying!!)

Anyway, please continue to post - managing the blips is a huge element of recovery and we're all here to support each other.

NN - I've talked to the centre manager at my local children's centre and they've agreed to host the group there every Friday. We've done posters and leaflets for HVs to give to new mums as I personally felt that HVs weren't armed with enough support info for vulnerable mums with PND so that's a start.

Take care all xxx

ps. thx for your lovely message Maddie. Hope you are doing ok xxx

Thanks natsy - i like the idea of the tree. Will try that. And good luck with your group.

(I started a new thread as didnt want to hijack this one) x

Yay - nice big piece in the local press today and radio interview on the local breakfast show.

Let's hope it encourages other mums with PND to join our group and feel a lot less isolated. Just had lovely chat with the children's centre manager who is supporting our group and she said my honesty about PND is positively infectious and will really help other mums :) that's made my day xx