Message for toothache

[kizzie]

Hi - sorry in amongst all my difficulties I forgot to ask how things are going for you. I hope the sepia has worked again for you and things are improving.
Kizziex

bump

HI Kizzie - I've been feeling fine the past few days. I haven't even been taking my Sepia. I'm so up and down at the moment though. I have an antenatal appointment tomorrow when I'll hopefully be able discuss a prescription for a lower starting does of AD. Then the HV is giving me a home visit a week on Wednesday to talk things through with me and she also said she has a relaxation tape that might help me stay calmer too. All in all I really feel supported this time. I had no-one (FELT like I had noone) the last time and just knowing that I will not be left to fester in despair for months is really giving me confidence.

I know it could turn in a moment and I could hit rock bottom at any time, but I suppose just being prepared makes a big difference.

How are things with you?

Hi toothache - im really glad you're getting all the right support. It does make such a massive difference.

Things the same here. Ive got an appointment with psych next tuesday when we'll decide what to do. If anything deteriorates I can ring before then to bring it forward but if at all possible will try and stick it out.

Hope the last couple of weeks at work aren't too arduous!!
Kizziex

Sorry things aren't too great for you Kizzie. But, like you popinted out, the support does make a huge difference.

Last time when I finally spoke out about my PND and told my friends most of them just said "Oh that's just the baby blues, it probably wasn't as bad as you remember it"... I kept wondering what part of: "sometimes I didn't even bother looking as I crossed a busy road coz I just didn't care if a car hit me" .... sounded like I was just feeling a wee bit low!!??

Then there was a couple of friends who thought all needed were a few nights out on the piss to make me feel like me again (can you tell they are childless??) !!

This time, however, it's SO different. I spoke to one of my friends last night and she brought up the subject of the AD's and what I was going to do about them. We had a long chat and she offered allsorts of support for me even though she's pg at the moment too.
Another friend I spoke to last night who has never experienced depression begged me not to take the AD's and explore other avenues first. I almost shouted at her DON'T YOU THINK I'VE THOUGHT OF THAT ALREADY!!!?? She even added as an extra dig "Think what those tablets are doing to the baby!" I was livid! But once I explained in simple terms how serious my condition was the last time and how frightened I was that I'd feel like that again she soon changed her tune. She said she's going to come down to see me once a week and check I'm coping okay. So that was nice.
My Mum is still very much of the attitude that I'm a drama queen, don't think I'll ever win that battle.

toothy, didn't realise you had PND last time. You know that we will be here for you, anyway, this one will be a breeze, won't it??

hugs

GBxxx

Toothache, I can provied your friend with journal references to show that mothers with PND do not affact their children by taking ad, quite the reverse in fact. I know of one long term (4 year iirc) study that showed that there was no adverse effect of maternal use of ads in the behaviour or development of the children.

Here is one that looked at child development when the mother had taken AD during the pregnancy

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12411224&dopt=Abstract

No effect on IQ, behaviour or development.

Sympathy over your Mum, mine was just the same.

Thanks GB and HMB.

hmb - unfortunately this 'friend' can be a bit know-it-all and would probably just say something along the lines of "Well I don't believe all that, it MUST effect the baby somehow". She can incredibly condescending at times. I got quite ratty with her yesterday so she backed off. I told her that had I never suffered with PND I'd probably think along the same lines as she does. But when you are facing the possibility of turning into a person who can't even be arsed washing for days on end.... and who cries hysterically at least once a day, someone who can't appreciate the sheer joy of being a parent, you'll understand why I need to try to stop it happening again.

Incidentally, I didn't have MN last time.

Sorry to jump on the thread but v. curious. Is it really OK to take ADs if you want to get pregnant? I'd like to try for a third but thought that I'd have to give up the medication first. Have never asked GP about this. (Have never felt well enough until now to even think about another baby).

It depends on what you and the GP decide is best. If you can do without the ADs then the advice is usualy to quit before you start. However, lots and lots of women find themselves pg while taking AD's. I only know about the older tricyclic AD. I used to work for a company that made them. We kept a data base of all the effects reported in pg woman and there was no evidence of effects on the baby, no pattern of deformities. They company couldnt promote the use in pregnancy, but there was no adverse effect on the development of the baby.

There was some evidence that it was a good idea to reduce the dose prior to delivery, as some ads can interact with anaethetics. But in the end each case has to be decided on its own merits. Not treating someone with depression has its own risks.