Please talk to me about PND, CBT and anti depressants?

[batterylow]

I have had a rough year, rough ten years if I am honest. But since dd2 was ten weeks old it felt like I was living in some kind of ground hog day when every day was impossible and her poor sleep meant I couldn't look forward to evenings either or ever get more than a tiny amount of sleep.

Our family life is really stressful, older child has sn and I knew I didn't feel right but kept thinking its circumstantial, couldn't face the gp due to anxiety about kids being removed, being out on anti depressants making me overweight (I know these two are not equal worries but have not been myself for a while!!)

Dh then had an affair which has been horrible to deal with but on the other hand has forced us both to look at our problems rather than carry on living separate lives in the same house. All sorts of things have been going on and I am not sure what the outcome of my relationship will be but am not making a final decision just yet for various reasons. I am due to start CBT in jan but still haven't been to the gp (self referred to CBT) but feel I am not managing very well and having panic attacks, horrible obsessive thoughts, feel hopeless about at least the immediate future. I know all this is normal considering my dh has betrayed me so badly but I felt so out of it and low before that that I think I could have PND but would the gp say its too late to diagnose this now(baby is 17months)? Would taking anti depressants help with cbt or would it make it less effective? I don't feel like my gp is particularly clued up with MH issues and my anxiety is that they will say as both dh and I are depressed, the children are unsafe?

That sounds exactly how I am , social anxiety loads better, more laid back (in the day time but hoping the evenings will improve as it kicks in more) but a bit hot and cope less well withy he tiredness. I am finding though that say for example I have to write the Christmas cards or some other task, ring the bank or whatever, I can actually do it rather than worrying about it and knowing I should do it. I sort of wish I had had the tablets a year ago.

I do find that I am so laid back that I keep putting things off till tomorrow.
How is your sleep? Mine is better than it has been for years except the night sweats (yuck)
The only down side of the tablets is that it has affected my ability to have an orgasm (whispers)
Trying to get things back on track with DH but this won't help. Not sure what to do about it. Have read that Viagra has been used to help women on SSRI's with about a 50% success rate. GP won't prescribe it though

Battery that's fab news I am so pleased for you - so great to be feeling better before Christmas. Hope you and yours have a lovely one

A friend of mine said the same about orgasm newname but so far I am unaffected so hopefully it will stay that way. It's a shame there have to be so many side effects.

My sleep is worse . I take my tablet in the morning then take Kalms at night but they no longer work. And yes, the night sweats are horrible.

Thanks bigarea, you too! And thanks for all your kind words it really does help.

Not a great evening but relationship stuff caused it , I also know I will be more rational tomorrow even if I don't feel it tonight.