Pre-menstral depression and prenatal depression

[dayshavoo]

I have suffered from premenstral depression and anxiety for many years now and have managed to cope with it myself without needing to seek medical help as the longest it ever lasted was for 5 days and then it lifted predictably a couple of days before my period.

I am now 8 weeks pregnant with my first and had been feeling really excited and clear headed about it.

However yesterday and today the familar smog has descended upon me, drowning me in depression, paranoia, anxiety and irrational thoughts. It is making me panic as I have no idea if it will lift. Now I am getting paranoid about it looming over the rest of my pregnancy and it even developing into PND. I have never sought medical help for it before as it has always lifted but also because it makes me paranoid of doctors and unable to communicate effectively with others. In this state of mind I cannot imagine asking for help, so I am so worried it will stay around.

I don't know if they are related but I suffered antenatal depression (and more so anxiety) from about 8 weeks in both my pregnancies. My GP and I are in agreement that there was a strong hormonal element in my depression because it lifted immediately after the births.
FWIW I suffered from mild PMS.
Try to keep an open mind - there is effective treatment for antenatal depression.
Could you confide in anyone else eg DH, your mum. Maybe they could go to GP with you if it hangs around.

Thanks you so much for replying--but it has made me cry!! I was worried it was hormaonal as it tied in with the morning sickness which has just started. I dont know how I can cope with it long term.

I have no one to confide in except DH --who I dont want to burden to much. My parents live abroad and I have no close friends who I can talk to here.

Hey, I have also had depression/mental health issues for a long time before pregnancy, which I'm mostly able to cope with very well by myself. Like you I've been finding it more and more difficult lately (I'm 17 weeks) to lift out from that depression. If you ever want to talk about it with someone "outside" of the situation then I'm here and I have a shed load of free time since I'm off work with hyperemesis just now!

Hoping you feel better soon x.

Hi Dayshavoo

I live overseas from my family too. I know its hard.

I had prenatal depression with my first pregnancy and it was 100% to do with really bad sickness , nausea and exhaustion - not what you want to hear I know. It will end though, you are justified to feel like you do and help is available.
You can get medication for morning sickness/ hyperemesis (Maxalon, Zofran etc), you can take anti-depressants during pregnancy too - although minor possible effects are always possible.
Find yourself a sympathetic family Dr, join support groups, or a buddy through mumsnet. I got myself all worked up and anxious about everything going because I read too much, try not to do that!

I'm now expecting my second baby (which I never thought I'd do and have had minor regrets about but and happy) I Have morning sickness but with the help of Zofran am coping and hoping I will not need to take antidepressants.

Good luck to you both

BTW - the sickness vanishes at birth - and you can't wait to eat!

I am really worried that it is hormonally based as it feels like a switch just turned on, coinciding with an increase in other pregnancy symtoms. I am worried that this is because of an increase in pregnnacy hormones.

I am so hoping that it balances itself out soon. I really do not want to take ADs!

I talked to by DH last night about it so he is aware of how I am feeling which helped some. My mum is on holiday at the moment (for a few weeks) but I will start calling her every day once she goes home just to try and centre myself emotionally. I really need to keep it under control becuase I know it has the capacity to spiral out of control and I can feel very disconnected from myself and everything around me (hard to explain) if this happens I will be really worried as pregnancy is such an unknown area to me, unlike pms which has a short shelf life.

Hi, just to say that there is a big hormonal change around the 12 week mark so you may find it lifts then. If not, as others have said, there will be lots of help available from your doctor or midwife.

Try to take a nap every day, if you've not been sleeping well it can have a huge effect on your mental state. Even losing just one hour's sleep a night makes a difference.

Just to offer a different perspective, I have suffered the same depression and general lack of control as I would have if I hadn't been pregnant. I was like you at 8 weeks and felt miserable and overwhelmed and worried that it would last for the whole pregnancy. It was my mam who suggested that I check the calendar and, sure enough, it happened around the time I would have expected my period. It also lifted in exactly the same way as my usual monthly depression would have. I am currently 32 weeks pregnant and this is the first month I haven't suffered.
Please don't panic! Hopefully, like me, you're just having the same hormonal cycle as before the pregnancy and it will end soon, like it always does.
HTH

Can i join in, i think i perhaps have this. I keep panicking that my babys gonna be still born and today i ended up at the hospital having a trace as i was paranoid.I pretty much cry most days (over trivial things but when i'm crying it seems like the end of the world) once i snap out of it i think "what was that all about". I do feel a bit depressed/ fed up as i'm 39 weeks on thursday.I'm also a bit stressed at the min too as tax credits are taking forever to put my claim through and i'm aware its christmas soon and i have no money etc. Do you think i do have it or perhaps i'm just at the typical end of pregnancy hormonal stage?