postnatal depression/anxiety positive recovery stories please

[mumcity]

hi following the birth of my second child 14 weeks ago I am suffering with post natal depression, but primarily terrible anxiety. I have experienced a number of horrible panic attacks that seemed to come from no where......I tried dealing with it alone but finally relented and have started on fluoxatine (prozac). I have taken five days worth and have not noticed much change. I would love to hear from anyone else who has come out the other side and had positive results from anti-depressants following post natal depression/anxiety. I need reassurance that I will get out of this....

@Mehripoop I think you would benefit from talk therapy to talk through everything that has made you stressy in your life and hopefully it will help bring you some peace . If I had reasons that I knew had stressed me out so much I think I’d consider talk therapy although I’ve never talked about anything as whenever I do I start crying and I hate crying so I bottle it up too! I don’t think my problems are what caused it with me though but I do know once the anti depressants kick in I’m going to try make sure I sort out my problems rather than pretend I’m ok as for all I know it could of contributed to this trigger of depression and anxiety . So I defo think you just need to make sure you talk to someone about it even if your a crying mess ! I think lots of stress and constant stress can trigger it so sorting that out should be beneficial as I think they give you methods and stuff to cope better . I’ve never tried it but I’ve heard it has been amazing help to some people so it’s only going to be beneficial if it works and definitely worth a shot! I reckon if they have now found out what has happened with your ear and they can fix it then I’d bet the ringing and sound sensitivity should go ! How long did they say it would work? Maybe your face and head could also be from your ear pains too as it’s your sinuses isn’t it and I think sometimes when ones off whack then it can cause a few problems around it you’d be surprised! I feel like I have this tension in my head but I think it’s the depression as funnily enough today I feel like it’s improved 10% like the fog has lifted ever so slightly , I did read depression can cause brain inflammation so maybe that’s the feeling but who knows!! I think just tell the truth about not taking the antidepressants I’m sure they would understand and wouldn’t judge you I’m sure they have had it happen many times before ! They are their to help you and tbh if I was a psychiatrist and someone lied about it then told me I definitely would not judge them as you know they are just scared and need help , judgement wouldn’t even cross my mind so I recon you should tell them . It’s the only way for you to get better if your honest with them and just say you were scared and felt really bad I’m sure they would get it x

@Mehripoop also the doctor yesterday told me about the website I-talk where you can self refer yourself for talk therapy - she said it takes a while but might as well do it anyway and when the time comes decide if you want to do it . X

Thanks @laurajm2601 I’m going to call the perinatal psychiatrist today and discuss everything. I do feel fed up every day and just look forward to bed time sadly. I don’t think my previous issues have caused this anxiety because I always managed to be high functioning. I’ve spoken to my employer and have requested reduced working days and he’s agreed thank god. The psychiatrist insisted that the tinnitus and sound sensitivity was actually due to my anxiety and fight or flight. I just don’t know who to trust anymore 😭. I’m scared il worsen the ringing and the sensitivity with the drugs.

Yeah share your concerns with the psychiatrist about being worried about the medication worsening it and see what they say . Tbh I almost gave up on the antidepressants on day 4 and cried when I took day 5 but I’m so glad I did take it but mine definitely did make me feel so much worse but they are supposed to make you feel worse before you feel better but it’s very scary! It made my anxiety worse where I just felt panicky all the time for no reason (how I felt anyway but this was even worse ) and that’s much better now than it was and I’m on day 6 but first 5 days were the worst so if the anxiety is causing your tinnitus and the ad’s makes anxiety worse before it gets better then maybe it will make the tinitus worse but then once the anxiety is gone then so is the tinitus perhaps? I think it’s the anxiety/depression that makes you feel like you won’t get better . I just think I can’t live how I was living and have to do something to get better and it has been very scary! . I’ve just tried my best to trust the doctors know what they are talking about x

Thanks @laurajm2601 how are you feeling now?

@Mehripoop better than I was but the tablets definitely make me feel worse before better it’s been horrible . Still horrible I still feel overwhelmingly sad for no reason and struggle with the sleep but anxiety has calmed down a bit so I’m hoping they are working . Hate how long it takes to feel better :( feel like I’m forever going to feel like this!

@laurajm2601hope youre feeling better. Thinking of you x

@Mehripoop hi, I know this is a really old thread, however I am experiencing similar symptoms as you. Tinnitus brought on by stress and anxiety I think, unexplained ear pain and pressure, I also have a condition called pppd which is chronic dizziness. I’m currently on antidepressants but I want to switch to an SSRI as it seems to help my condition according to research. Did your tinnitus go in the end? Looking for some hope as life has never been so bad and can’t see any light in the tunnel