Could I be depressed? advice appreciated because I havent a clue!

[emily05]

This is a bit embarrasing and I would not talk to anybody in rl.

SInce having my ds 3 years ago I have changed as a person. I am not confident, my self esteem is even lower, I have trouble sleeping, over eat, worry about EVERYTHING and am paranoid.

I have noticed that my PMT is alot worse and I find simple tasks very hard to deal with. I take everything to heart and I just cant seem to shake it off.

I havent had a great life, but realise that there are people a lot worse off than me - but I still cant shake these feelings off. I have a lovely dh and a wonderful son (even if he is sometimes a little bugger!) but I cant seem to just be happy.

It has come to the stage where I dread seeing our friends and family and want to shut my self away in the house. I feel unwell and very tired, but there doesnt seem to be anything wrong with me medically.

I am wondering if this could be a depression. I am frightened to go to my doctors because they are not great and will probably send me away with a bottle of prozac!
DH is not keen on the idea of ADs, but I am worried that I cant shake the feelings off without them iyswim.

The other side of me thinks could this be a rough patch and I will click out of it.

Thanks if you have read this far! Please can anybody give me any advice? Or just an opinion on what might be wrong/ DOes this ring bells with anybody.
thanks

Yes really sounds like depression, you should ask your gp for some help, there very friendly with these sort of things

Well it could just be a low patch, as opposed to actual depression, but it has been going on so long you should certainly go to your GP. Make sure you tell him/her everything you've put here - write it all down before you go - will your surgery let you make a double appointment so you have plenty of time to talk?

Lots of people on here are on ADs so can advise you on how different ones can affect you.

Good luck, I hope this is the start of life getting much easier for you

think you should go to gp ad's may be what you need to kick start you out of it - have you felt this way for a long time for all of teh 3 years - I am wondering if it could be hormone based prob . I thinkbest to go to GP for a diagnosis - write down how you feel when syptoms worse then go so you feel prepared. . Why is your dh not keen on ad's used correctly they can help

Emily - yes, it sounds as though you may be depressed. Do go and see your GP and be honest with him. You may find he asks you to try anti-depressants, which you may find help you. There may also be other therapies that you could try if you don't want ads but don't write them off, because they can be very helpful.

With all due respect, it doesn't matter that your dh is not keen on ads. It's not him who is depressed, and it's your feelings about the treatment that matters.

Please see your GP and take the first step towards feeling well again.

Have you tried the Edinburgh test emily? Hang on, I'll see if I can find it.

old thread here with a link to test in it but also the test is here HTH

Thanks so much for replying. I did the test and I scored high and it gave me some links. I think that I will go to the doctors next week. There is a really nice woman doctor at my surgery who I will try and see.

Thanks again, I really mean that. I was worried that nobody would reply! x

Emily05, how awful for you to feel so low for so long. When you described how you were feeling I could identify with a lot of what you were saying...I have recently been diagnosed with PND and have been taking ADs for almost a month. Like your dh, my dp was also a bit scared about me being prescribed prozac (I was also a bit daunted) BUT it is a medicine for a medical condition like any other and I know that it's beginning to work for me. So, don't be put off if your GP suggests ADs, and remember there are lots of very supportive mumsnetters to help you as you recover

Thanks babynovice. I am glad that you are starting to feel better. AD sound scary dont they? Glad that they are working for you. I think that is the route that I will end up on to be honest.
At the moment though as long as they make me feel better then I will take them. I just feel like I have a black cloud over me a lot of the time so will just be pleased for some progress!

Thanks for replying. I cant talk to my rl friends about this - so appreciate mumsnet a lot.

I have made an appointment to see a lady doctor at my surgery on Wednesday.

Can I just ask - if she does prescribe AD's - can you take them when you are pregnant (I am not by the way but am thinking of another baby in the future).
Also - I pay for my prescriptions so does anybody have an idea of how much it would cost me?

I hope this makes sense. Also - are there side effects?

thanks

I was prescribed ad's last October. My doctor told me not to get pregnant while on them, but this, I think, was more to do with getting me better first, than potential damage to a baby, IYSWIM.

I only needed the ad's for 6 months; just enough to haul me out of the black hole. Well, actually, I felt much better after not very long at all, but if you take them for 6 months the likelihood of relapse is much lower.

I'm now off them altogether, and life is great again. (PMT is still a killer though )

Hi Emily

When I was on ADs a couple of years ago my GP prescribed me a month's lot at a time, so I paid the price of a prescription (which is now £6.80) once a month. It may be however that your GP prescribes you more than a month's supply at a time which obviously means you'll pay less. Good luck.