Those with PND, what are you taking for it?

[littleboyblue]

My gp prescribed me Fluoxetine, 20mg, one tab a day.
Is this a low dose?
I ask because my hv got ne the appointment with the gp, I went in, he told me how I felt and didn't give me much time to tell him how I'm feeling, he first tried to give me sleeping pills because I'm clearly just tired and frustrated. I said no way and he then just sort of tossed me the slip for anti-d's and said go back and see him next week.
I don't really want to take them, but kind of feel like I don't have the physical or emotional strength to keep pulling myself out of these difficult days, so maybe I do need something to help me through it.
Anyone else taking this?

Cranberry You ok???????

Hi LBB - sorry I haven't been online for days!

How are you doing? Are feeling any better?

The party was great at the weekend, everyone had a fab time, I was shattered yesterday.

I finally went back to the Dr's today, although I'm starting to feel better emotionally I still feel really unwell so I've got a weeks worth of penicillin. She said it was still early days to hopefully I'll keep improving, I've got to go back again next week.

DH is waiting for me so we can watch the last episode of Damages, I'll check in again tomorrow

Ok. Just pleased you're ok. Glad the party went well. Everyone have a good time then?
I'm loads better. Almost like a different person tbh, should have done this years ago. I haven't cried for nearly 2 weeks, and I don't even remember the last time I had a mood swing!
ds1 is being alot nicer to ds2, although I still have to watch him because he can be quite rough with hi kisses and cuddles! A bear hug and a headbutt normally. Ds2 also seems to be coming out of the colic which is fab. He's now ack to feeding pretty much 3 hourly (5/6oz) but it isn't making much of a difference through the night so might try to stretch him out, don't know yet.
This is going to sound awful, but in the past week or so, I've found out that all these (well 3) 'super-mums' are taking AD's too and tbh, I'm a bit relieved. I think that's helped me overcome some of the guilt too. I've been looking round at all these mum's and wondering how the hell they cope with 2 and 3 and sometimes with ones alot more demanding and clingy than mine, so I concluded I must be doing something very wrong and must actually be one of the worst mothers in the world, but one 'super-mum' left the room crying one day, so I went to see if she was ok and she said how things were getting on top of her again and how she'd been on AD's for a while but she didn't think they were working and so on. She said she'd been looking at me with the same view I'd been looking at her! So I told her I was also on them and we had a good old laugh. I know it sounds mean, but I found out a few of the other mum's are medicated too and it made me feel so much better
I saw my hv today at weighing clinic, she told me I looked really well and maybe I'd be ready to reduce the dose now, which makes me feel a bit nervous tbh. I don't want to be on these any longer than I have to, am very aware how addictive they can become, but I also don't want to ever feel how I was feeling ever again.
I have a check with the gp on monday, so will just see what happens.
I'm pleased they have helped me through a difficult phase, and think in the last week or so, they have helped numb me enough emotionally that I have actually een able to concentrate my thoughts and energies on learning how to deal with 2 iyswim.

I'm pleased you're improving emotionally too. Great news. Sorry your feeling physically rubbish though. Hopefully the AB's will help. I'm also on AB's for recurring UTI. Doc says he thinks it's because I'm so run down, so hopefully that'll get better too.

These super-mums btw, are mums at our play group.

I'm sorry to poke my nose in on this thread but hope you don't mind me asking CRANBERRY (or anyone else)about "late onset PND" and how this is diagnosed as opposed to general depresssion.(How late after a birth could symptoms of PND emerge IYKWIM)I only ask because I wonder if this is what happened to me twice (although I've been med-free for 2 months almost)and find the more I understand about it all the easier it is to "get my head round" and recognise quicker if it happened again. I also had many physical symptoms as well as the anxiety/depression/"fogginess"and was also diagnosed at the start as having Post Viral Fatigue (although I'd not had a significant virus immediately previous to the onset).Sending you all hugs on this thread because depression/anxiety in any form is the pits,I've been there . There IS light at the end of the tunnel.

Hi parsley All are welcome, so don't worry about 'poking your nose in'
My mw in my 2nd pregnancy thought I was suffering PND from when ds1 was born. He was 13 months at the time.
My HV says that although most cases of PND surface within the first 3 months, it can also start anywhere in the first 2 years.

I haven't done too much research or anything on it, so can't really answer your question. Hopefully Cranberry will be along a bit later and will know more. x

Good morning, parsley you are very welcome I'll help if I can.

LBB So pleased things are looking up for you, I must admit it feels better when you know your not the only one struggling. You must still look after yourself though and don't be too quick to reduce your meds, give yourself time to breath It's good you've met some other Mum's in the same boat you can help each other then.
Sorry I've not been around much things are just very hectic at the mo, I'm being allergy tested in oxford this week!!

parsley I was diagnosed with PND with DS1 when he was 20mths, I was very bad by then and think I'd been struggling for at least a year, this time DS2 is 2 now but I've been stuggling since he was 3 mths old just hoping I'd get through it on my own. I've had my hormones tested a few time in the last year and they suggest I'm in the the peri-menopause but this could also suggest that my body is struggling to level out after having a baby. I was on AD's for 9 mths last time and felt back to normal afterwards so am confident they will do the trick again this time, hopefully my hormones will settle again too. Both times my PND has manifested itself as physical symptoms, very scary.

Right, off to the hospital, will try and check better later, have a good day xx

How did the allergy tests go? How are you doin today?
Tbh, if the doc does suggest reducing the meds this quick, I think I'll say no. It makes me feel a bit nervous! I might ask for another month or 2 before reducing. Get ds1's 2nd birthday in August out of the way first.

The allergy testing wasn't very helpful, I reacted to some creams I was given but not when they tested them this week, I think I'm just falling apart
I've never been to the hospital so much as I have this month, I've got a mammogram next week, not sure how they are going to get my little bee stings in the machine, thankfully nothing is wrong I've just joined an early screening programme as my Mum sadly died when she ws 38 and now I've got sore gums too, the dentist/Dr's don't have a clue so I'm being referred for that .......put me down now!!! and I still feel like shit...aaarrrgh!!!
Moan over, how are you? Have you had a good week?

Oh Cranberry Not having much luck at the moment are you?
Sorry about your mum That must be quite a worry for you. Hope it all goes well, and also that your gums get better.

I'm doing really well actually. I suprise myself sometimes with how calm I can manage to remain these days, but everything is feeling right again.
I'm with the doc on monday for a check up re the AD's.

Please can I join this thread?

I took my first ever AD an hour ago (prozac), prescribed for AND but I think actually I have PND from DD (20 months old). I'm 23 weeks pregnant.

My mood has been low for a while, and I have been depressed before, and have a family history of depression, however this is the first time I've considered medication.

I've not been enjoying this pregnancy at all, compared with the last time, and I suppose was worried that this vague feeling of ambivalence towards the baby would translate to PND after the birth.

Reading your stories has made me feel much less alone.

I hate the idea of taking medication when pregnant, I haven't taken so much as a paracetamol or drunk a drop of alcohol, but I realised last week that things just weren't getting better and in fact for my partner and DD it was unfair for me not to do something.

I'm hoping that taking prozac will lift my mood enough for me to take proactive steps to being happier (exercising, eating well, taking time for myself, being interested in my old hobbies etc).

Right now I'm just waiting for possible side effects...

naturelover Sorry, been one of those days!! Welcome to our thread. The more the merrier (lol).
So sorry you are feeling like this.
FWIW, I was a bit like that with my 2nd pregnancy too. Ds1 is 21 months old and I think I had PND after he was born but was able to kind of live in denial and hope it'd go away.
I didn't really expect it to come back as thought I'd dealt with lots of my control issues, and I'm not nearly as selfish as I was before ds1 was born iykwim.
The first few weeks were great and my life felt complete, like this was how it was always meant to be you know?
Then, I'm not sure what happened really, one day I was fine, the next felt like I was standing a the bottom of a landslide and didn't know how to get back up.
Luckily, I haven't had any bad physical symptoms or side effects like poor Cranberry has. We're both on prozac. I think they started kicking in after about 2 weeks, and although today has been a very bad day, and I've told dp it's over and me and ds's are moving out tomorrow, I do feel more positive, more calm, more able to deal with everything.
Sorry, ds1 awake crying. Again.Must dash

hi folks, didn't know you were here!
Been on sertraline 100mg since dd was 10 days old, now 3.5yo every time I almost get off them, something jumps up and knocks me back and I end up going back on the full dose again. Ahh well.
Off to read the whole thread, I've only read the last couple of pages. Glad to have found you

Hi gigglewitch Hard isn't it? I've only been on them for a month, and am oping I won't have to take them for long, but me and dp are having a rough patch too. I've just asked him if it's me or our ds's he wants, because they will always be his children and he doesn't have to have me to keep them in his life. He hasn't answered

LBB so sorry honey things aren't going well with DP, he certainly doesn't seem to give you the help or support you need and deserve but maybe he just needs a kick up the arse to see what he's got, either way am here to help if I can.

Welcome gigglewitch and naturelover I too am on Sertraline, been on 50mg for just over 3 weeks now. I definately don't feel panicky any more but since Wed have felt really dizzy/giddy and sick even when I'm just sitting still so have a Dr's appointment tomorrow. It could just be part of the meds kicking in but I was hoping I'd feel much better by now, ho hum

It's always a comfort to talk to others who are going through the same experiences.

hi i hope you can help i've had pnd for 3 month i've had CBT and that helped for a little while but now i feel like crab again and i'm considering ADs, did they help anyone? thank you for talkin so openly about pnd its nice to know i'm not the only one struggling

Hi fairykty
What's CBT? Sorry if I'm being a bit thick
I'm sorry you are feeling crap too. It's awful isn't it?

Someone on my post-natal thread asked me if AD's helped because she is thinking she might be suffering with PND. I told her the reason I decided to take them was because I asked myself, "do I have the physical and emotional strength to pull myself out of these dark days?" The answer was no.
The turning point, also, was that I fell over holding ds2, he hit his head on the floor and was ok, but my first thought wasn't to go to the hospital. I realised I wasn't thinking or acting like a normal person and that scared the crap out of me.
When I first started taking them, (prozac) I felt really good because I'd taken a step to make myself better. I also felt alot of guilt, like I was a complete failure and a terrible mother that I couldn't function day to day, but I have since realised that it's all ok. I'm doing what I have to do to get through and I think if my ds's ever knew, they'd thank me for it.
I've been on prozac for just over 3 weeks, and am alot calmer, feel more in control, I feel like my old self and am able to cope with most things they day throws at me. I still have the odd bad day, but I don't feel useless. I don't feel I'm not cut out for this, so yes, they have helped a great deal.
Have you spoken to your hv or gp? What do they think? Is there an OH at home?

cbt is threpy where they try to teach u how to pull yourself out of the dark. i have spoken to my gp and hv and have another checkup on wednesday and i'm goin to discuss ADs with them then

Oh right. Not heard of that before. So that isn't working anymore then or are things getting worse? Soory, very nosey!

the treatment finished and things have just got worse from there

I'm sorry.
The prozac, I think has worked wonders for me. I feel human again.
Let us know how it goes on weds, but in the meantime, feel free to rant and say whatever you need to. I find it quite theraputic to write things down.
I am just about to write my dp a letter explaining my shocking behaviour towards him over the weekend. Not sure how much it'll help, but I find it quite hard to talk to him face to face as he isn't very good at feelings and emotions.

Can I jump in here? DS is nearly 3 and I had PND with him after an em cs...was prescribed 20mg of Citalopram and felt so good last summer, that I came off of them.

However, since I came off of them, my MIL was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died, there are job losses in the company I work in. I started to have panic attacks and went back on the Citalopram at 20mgs

I thought they were working but my anxiety wasn't going and after a 4 day break at Easter with my mums, it just caught up with me big time - bad tummy, feeling ill and I was having huge panic attacks to the stage where I would call DH and ask him to come home from work - not an ideal situation at all.

The Dr has increased the citalopram to 40mgs and it will be about 5 weeks this week that I've had the increased dosage. Felt awful the first week -very tired. Have combated that to some extent by taking my tablets earlier in the evening so I'm not suffering any side effects. Feel a bit brighter than I did but still very emotional.

I do have friends and go out but I find, when DH leaves for work, that the thought of coping alone on my own all day is one of the things that triggers my panic attacks (no family close by) -does anyone else have this? I feel like a totally crap mum for feeling like this

I want to feel ooh, I have time to spend with DS, not get stressed with it! I do keep busy with DS and plan things to help the day go and that helps, but don't like feeling so blue when DH leaves. DS and I have a great relationship and we do loads of things together so he's not suffering at all as a result of my PND...I'm the one that's suffering the most and beating myself up that I'm a crap mum - when I know I'm not iyswim...fecking depression is a bitch!

I agree PND is a bitch, especially for me having it a 2nd time around.
~I really fought it this time and resisted the AD's but I had to give in in the end as I know these are the only things that will get me over it. Saying that I've not felt great since starting them over 3 weeks ago and since last Wed feel bloody dreadful, I'm back at the Dr's tomorrow so we'll see, I took Sertraline last time and had no problems (that I can remember).
I think we all feel like we're not being good Mum's at times, I feel guilty at the mo because I don't want to go any where and DS2 is at home most of the time entertaining himself which I know isn't right and DS1 ramble's on and I don't listen to him because selfishly I'm just thinking how crap I'm feeling.
Today I'm just so frustrated,fed up and pissed off that I'm not feeling better I felt like I lost out enjoying DS1 when is was little I don't want it to happen again.

Welcome PJC We've had a few new people join us today and yesterday. I started to think no one wanted to talk to me and Cranberry.
I was opposite from Cranberry and really fought PND the first time round, but didn't have the energy this time.
I'm quite lucky, I have had no negative side-effects from the meds and am now feeling ok. I still have the odd bad day, but it's normally for a valid reason, like yesterday ds1 having temp of 105, and dp not being what I think suitably concerned, but in all I've improved a great deal. This time, I caught it quite close to the start within a number of days of the constant crapness.
Cranberry Good luck at doc's tomoz. Let us know how you get on.

I'm very pleased to find this thread on a Monday night after a tricky afternoon with the children.

DD is now 5 and I had it terribly after she was born, but was advised by my GP that swimming might help . Anyway, four and half yrs and one baby later I am feeling better after going on citalopram 20mg. It is such a relief for me as it seems to work so well.

I now, though, have the fear that they might make me come off it sooner rather than later which panics me.

Anyway. Hurray for having this thread. Will read it all later. SOrry that we all find ourselves in need of it, but at least its here.