Post Natal Depression... Did you recover?

[Bellyrub1980]

Looking for success stories really. Feel a bit like there's no way out of feeling sad and anxious all the time.

I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow and have no idea what she can do.

If you got better, what worked?

I'm glad to hear you are feeling better today. Perhaps it has been a relief to talk to the Dr and understand what has been making you feel like you have. I felt a great relief when I first saw my GP and told her how I was feeling. I think partly it is seeing that there is light at the end of the tunnel and also just having someone understand what you are going through and suggest some steps to help. Did you decide to carry on with the cerezette? I tried it once and it made me rabid . It's great you are feeling better. Are you feeling you might not need the ADs?

It does get better...i am saying this a year down the line. It hasn't gone completely, but it is much, much better. My dark days are fewer, and I am bonded and truely in love with my dd. I tried cbt first as I was BF and didn't want to take ADs (personal choice). It didn't work out as I had expected, and I think it does depend on the counsellor.I would definitely advise trying it though. Hang on in there, maybe see if there is a PND mum support group locally- look on www.pandasfoundation.org.uk/ to find one near you. Speaking/knowing that there are were other mum's out there who felt like me really helped. Be kind to yourself x

For me, it was the relief that there was actually something wrong, rather than me just being pathetic at this mothering business that made things much better before the drugs could kick in.

Glad you're feeling better. I posted on Monday but it didn't look like my post made it from my phone to the thread!

Keep talking to people and accept help when you need it. One of my downfalls (and one that I see other new mums make) was that I thought i ought to be able to cope, so I rejected a lot of support that I actually really needed.

Good luck & congratulations on becoming a mum

Maybe admitting you're not Supermum (none of us are despite us expecting to be) has helped? My first baby was demanding and colicky, 24 hrs a day it seemed. I'd moved 400 miles away, my (now x) H was working away and I was struggling. Everyone else with babies looked like they could cope. I lied to my HV about how I felt, I burst into tears at my GPs after 3 months who put me on Prozac. I was terrified of taking it but it really helped, I didn't feel suddenly happy or amazing, I just woke up one morning and thought, 'wow, I don't want to cry'.

I was warned I may get PND again but didn't - despite having two more babies!

It's a huge shock with your first, be kind to yourself. Accept help even just half an hour's peace so you can have a bath. You will get there.

Thank you. Had a few really good properly happy days. Then tonight anxiety/sadness came on all of a sudden.

I've been given seroxat. But nervous about taking it. Side effects and withdrawal seem pretty scary.

Very common side effect: lack of orgasm :(

Its really got to be your call regarding taking the AD's or not.
Personally, I'd say PND would probably lead to a lack of sex life anyway, so the possibilities are lack of sex, or AD's, and DH having to work a bit harder.

Withdrawal can be managed - I'm on Sertaline for the second time. Last time, I was told to cut down slowly, and it wasn't too bad (and was only for a short period).

Side effects of all sorts are mentioned on the labels. Yes, they are scary, but its very rare to get all of them.

I guess you've got to weigh up the periods of anxiety/sadness v the possible side effects with a happier you.

XXX

Sorry to hear that dontrun. My mum admitted to me a few days ago that she had it for 9 years!! She was praying I wouldn't get it but looks like I didn't dodge that bullet.

Always imagined Id have 3 children but I'm not sure I could go through this again. that in itself makes me feel so sad. No brother or sister for my little girl.

Maybe we'll adopt one instead!!

It's not a given you'd get it again so don't assume that you would. Take a day at a time.

Bellyrub, sorry I asked MNHQ to remove my post--I wasn't going to add it, but hit post by accident. I was in a bit of a bad way last night.

Most people do recover from PND. In my case, it triggered bipolar disorder--that's why I said I never recovered. (I suppose, technically I did recover from the PND.) After five years of hell, I'm coming to accept the fact that I will never be like I was pre-DD2 again. So, please look upon my case as unusual. There always has to be an exception to the rule, right?! (And I didn't get this with DD1 so there's no way of knowing whether you would be affected again.)

dontrun no worries 'ask an honest question' and all that!

I'm just so surprised at how many women I thought I knew really well in RL have admitted to me that they too had PND and/or anxiety after having a baby. I had no idea.

I'm in 2 minds about taking the peroxitine my GP has prescribed or ask for a switch to sertraline.

Anyone have any experience with this?