Genuinely think I'm going mad help please

[echops]

I had my little girl 4 months ago and coped great. However I've since developed very bad eye floaters (dozens of dots and hairs in each eye) which has completely freaked me out. Looks like looking at the world through dirty water. I've been obsessed with them 24/7 and can't sleep. Now terrified of everything. Husband us scared fir me as I spend my nights shaking talking of how I don't want to live with all this fear. I'm going to doctors tomorrrow. Anyone else had similar feelings and got over them?

echops I would be terrified and not sleep at all if I had that - I would wake up in the night every five minutes to see if it was still there. I hope the doctor is able to help so it goes away. I don't think you're going mad at all.

I think the optician would be the best person to see rather than a GP. Opticians have all the equipment to test for eye problems and are usually very good at it too. Sounds to me like a kind of anxiety/depression problem - I think PND can come on several months after the birth of a child - worth seeing a GP/HV to check that out first. Either way I am sure this will pass eventually and that you will find there is nothing seriously wrong with your eyes or your mental health, but you may need some help for the latter if that is what is wrong.

Anxiety and depression is a very deceitful illness and can give rise to all sorts of strange feelings, but there is help available which almost always copes with the symptoms. In the long run you may need some therapy but one step at a time.

Hope things are better soon

You are definitely not going mad.

I had an anxious time after the birth of my DD. Not PND, but just found the responsibility a bigger deal than I expected: she seemed so very tiny, and all the more so on the back of a really traumatic birth. The fear did pass though as she got bigger and I'm sure it will pass for you really soon too.

But your eye sounds like a different thing from the anxiety - although it is triggering the fear - entirely understandably so. Have you been to the optician? It could very easily be a problem with your eye physically which can be sorted out. My mother had exactly the same problem. I am now regularly checked for bad eye floaters when I have an eye test as a result as it can be genetic. It is really important to get it checked - but I guess the doc will be able to advise.

Hope you feel on the up soon.

I had the same problem with the eyes. The optician said it was damage done during childbirth, all that pushing. Can't remember the exact details. I think the anxiety is a seperate issue see your DR and Optician.
Hope you feel better soon.

echops, you have seen an optician already, haven't you?

Do you think it would help if you saw an ophthalmologist? Would you find it reassuring if you were told all was OK?

I do find that people notice their floaters more when anxious and upset so probably no harm to see your GP.

You poor thing, you are going through the mill with this, aren't you?

Hi chipmonkey. yes, have seen an opthamologist who said eyes were fine except for floaters. I don't think I'm going blind, I'm just totally devestated by floaters being there. I wake every morning terrified I've got more. I've dark cobwebs, dots in both eyes and 1 quite large dark one that whizzs around and is noticable even in dark rooms. Saw Gp who was lovely ands prescribed ADs. Now have sore eyes and painful bridge of nose / cheeks which I think is tension.

Just can't believe I'll ever get to a state where I can ignore these swirling floaters. I'm even getting scared to wake up. How nuts is that. Why do other people not get so distressed by their floaters and manage to ignore them? I know my behaviour isn't helping one bit. Really am crazy.

A lot of people do get very distressed about it, though. You are not crazy at all. You are having to live with something you find distressing so of course you are upset about it.

In your experience do most people manage to ignore their floaters given time ( even if the have lots in both eyes)?

Honestly echops, most people do learn to ignore them.

I have more than once had someone in my office in tears over new ones which they can't ignore but I have rarely seen anyone very upset about the same floaters a year later, IYKWIM.

How are you getting on now echops? X