PND - drugs or not?

[elliederby]

I am struggling with 11wk DD and PND. Feeling very down, anxious, not sleeping, having horrible nightmares and horrible thoughts about things happening to DD. I have spoken to my GP but I am worried about taking anti-depressants. I would be interested in other mum's experience of PND and anti-depressants. I feel I have to do something to make me feel better as getting quite desperate now.

DH has been excellent and has taken time off work to support me and look after DD as much as possible so I can rest etc. but this has not helped as much as I thought it would.

Any advice welcome...

E.

I know no-one really likes taking tablets but sometimes it's whats needed. It really is worth giving them a go as you can only feel better. Drugs are not a miracle cure they will just help you start to deal with things and feels better and therefore be in a better place. there is nothing wrong with needing a bit of help and it will benefit you and your family in the long run. the tablets can take a few weekd to work so dont give up on them too early and good luck, hope you feel better soon, oh should have said I haven#t experienced P.N.D myself but one of my friends has and I'm a psychiatric nurse so I've seen the difference medication can make, the chemicals in your brain are all over the place, you just need a bit of help sorting them out. if you needed a tablet to help your physical health, eg diabetes most people wouldn't hesitate to take that, think of this as the same until your back to how you used to feel(with the bonus of a lovely baby of course!)

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I resisted for so long and when I eventually gave in, everything seemed so much easier.

If you are reluctant to take any antidepressants(& who could blame you) go back to your Gp & see if they could offer other options like counselling-sometimes just talking can make a difference. What about the herbal remedy St John's Wort- i know it's considered mild & may not work but have a chat with your GP about that-you need to make sure it's safe to take if you are BF or on any other medication.
Have you approached your Health visitor for advice?

Good luck

I went for almost a year without dealing with my pnd, when I finally went to the doctor I was offered councelling and anti-d's.

I chose the councelling as I was determined to not take pills. However the councelling list was really long and I had to wait 3 months for my sessions to start. I gave in and decided to take 20mg fluoxatine a day. They say minimum 6 months, but I went for 8 months before I was ready to come off them. The councelling was amazing, it helped me no end.

If you do start on anti-d's they can make you a bit spaced out for the first week or so and they really start to work at around 3-4weeks. Remember it's not a cop out, sometimes you need a little extra support.

If your doctor hasn't offered you councelling then try some local organisations for support. In Edinburgh I used the Post Natal Depression Project, but there are similar organisations all over the country. Or if you can afford it then you could get private councelling. I had CBT, it works well for PND and it's usually around £40 per hour private.

PND is not discussed enough in public and sometimes we view ourselves as failures because we resort to drugs. PND is an illness, we wouldn't flog ourselves for getting radiotheropy for cancer.

Good luck and remember we are here if you need a chat.

ellie in my experience anti-depressants were absolutely the right thing to do.

I resisted for eight months. I really wish I hadn't. Am now pregnant with no.2 and will take drugs straight away if I feel myself falling down the hole.

My PND manifested as acute anxiety/sleeplessness/loss of appetite. Almost like I went into shock. Anti-depressants took the edge of the anxiety and enabled me to function. And by that I mean help myself more through counselling, exercise, diet etc. I wasn't capable of adopting non-medical strategies until I had got the PND under some sort of control.

It's good that you have a supportive DH, but you know, even the rich and fantabulous with nannies coming out their arses can get PND. It is an illness that doesn't discriminate and you need to treat it so that you can enjoy your baby.

Good luck

Yes, I'd say defo. Donb't struggle. It's hard enough.

And depression can really affect the bind between you and your chiuld that can have reprecussions for years after. I am of the opinion that modern treatments for PND and depression per se, especially SSRI's are absolute life savers and definetly save families many years of trudging misery trying to cope with a depressed mum (or dad)

bond not bind, sorry

PND is an illness and drug treatment can be really effective. Don't struggle on. I took prozac (fluoxetine) for about 4 months and it made all the difference.

I started to feel better after about 3 weeks - felt more like myself again - I use the analogy of looking through a dirty window at your life instead of actually experiencing it. And I was so anxious about everything, including simple things like putting on the washing machine. The ADs made all that stuff better.

Look at it this way - it will also be better for your dd, and your dh, who must be really worried about you.

Exactly Doggie, not 'happy' pills - 'back to your old self again' pills

Drugs, Counselling, Planning your diary so that you can get through each day. Visiting or being visited by family and friends. All are important and help. This is an illness and the sooner you are rid of it the better. Also buy a couple of books on the subject on the internet and ideally an autobiography from a former sufferer. You need to know that a) you are not alone and b) things will get better.

Good luck

Thanks for all your advice and support. I am seeing HV tomorrow then back to GP. Trying to be positive and keep telling myself this time will pass but very hard when feeling so awful and also feel very sad at missing out on DD.

That'e the best thing you can do with depression. Don't fight it - swimming against the tide may make you struggle more - but bide your time, telling yourself it will pass. With help it will