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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

has anyone ever experienced depression DURING pregnancy?

20 replies

breaghsmum · 29/01/2009 20:58

i remember feeling very weepy and clingy to Oh during early stages of my 1st pregnancy, and i suffered from PND when ds was aroun 8 months old that lasted several months however i am now 24 weeks pg with dc2 and feel as though i am going through it all over again. for a few months now ive been having extremes of good moods and bad moods and unfortunately this time, ds is getting the brunt of it. im actually filling up now just thinking about how much i shouted at him today. i really need this to stop because i dont want my son to associate the baby with me being horrible to him. he is such a good boy and generally very obliging but recently i have found myself having less and less patience with him. is there such a thing as antenatal depression or am i just letting things get on top of me? any help is very much appreciated, i am at the ed of my tether and im sure ds is aswell. TIA

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makkapakkamoo · 29/01/2009 20:59

check out mind.org.uk and serch for perinatal depression. i had it too and now i have bad pnd x

kizzie · 29/01/2009 21:15

You poor thing. Yes there is definately such a thing as antenatal depression.

Try here for more info www.pni-uk.com/

They deal with any depression linked to pregnancy.

Any definately talk to your midwife so that you get as much help and support as possible.

I had PND and really feel for you - but as you know from your first time you will get better x

Good Luck with the rest of the pregnancy xx

blinks · 31/01/2009 09:55

had it with both but not PND so it doesn't necessarily follow.

Original poster

breaghsmum · 01/02/2009 21:06

thank you, i was beginning to think i was imagining it, have spent alot of time thinking over weekend and have been trying to stop myself before i explode at ds, we have had a few wee chats and i tried explaining that sometimes mummy might be angry but that it isnt with him. we made a deal that we were both gona try really hard to not shout and be good to each other. i was prepared for feeling like this after the birth but i couldnt understand why i did now. i had never heard anyone mention depression whilst pregnant , yet i knew thats what i am going through. good to know im not the only one. thanks again.

OP posts:

IdrisTheDragon · 01/02/2009 21:08

I suffered from depression while I was pregnant (although don't think it was ante-natal depression, just my depression that was worse when I was pregnant).

It was horrible but I had good support and was fine. I took ADs and breastfed and DD (3.4) is lovely .

blinks · 02/02/2009 09:45

it's apparently just as common as post natal but no-one seems to talk about it...

speak to your GP and they can arrange some extra support for you.

Kaz1967 · 02/02/2009 20:13

I had depression during my pregnancy too this was one of the sites my midwife gave me www.depression-in-pregnancy.org.uk/HomePage.php?p=ProfessionalHelp.html

HeinzSight · 02/02/2009 21:00

Yes, I'm suffering with it, I have good days and bad days, I also had bad PND. I'm 12 weeks and am currently waiting for a referral for therapy etc.

Good luck, be kind to yourself, it's tough x

Wilkiepedia · 03/02/2009 20:32

I am taking 10mg Citalopram to combat depression this time round - working well, still get odd 'down' days though

HeinzSight · 04/02/2009 13:46

How many weeks are you Wilk? This is something I want to look into.

Kaz1967 · 04/02/2009 18:33

Wilkiepedia may be your dose needs reviewing I am pretty sure 10mg is not a therapeutic dose for Citalopram it's a while since I was on it but normally they start you on 10mg for a week and then increase to 20mg maybe they use a lower dose during pregnancy.

from the BNF

Depressive illness, 20 mg once daily increased if necessary in steps of 20 mg daily at intervals of 3?4 weeks; max. 60 mg daily (elderly over 65 years, max. 40 mg daily); child under 18 years, see BNF for Children and CSM advice

Panic disorder, adult over 18 years, initially 10 mg daily increased gradually if necessary in steps of 10 mg daily, usual dose 20?30 mg daily; max. 60 mg daily (elderly over 65 years, max. 40 mg daily)

scifinerd · 04/02/2009 18:42

Hi antenatal depression is apparently more common than PND but has just not received the same publicity. So please be assured this is very common. I had it and found because I was treated for it during pregnancy my PND was much milder and better controlled. Please ask to see a specialist obstetrician at your hospital, they should have an antenatal mental health team to help you through this.

mum2b09 · 04/02/2009 18:55

Hi hun sorry to hear your feeling so down. Im 35 weeks pregnant now and from about 15 weeks i felt exteemely down. Alot of MW put it down to me being abit hormonal and seemed to fob it off but when your spending more of your day crying on your own or snapping at people you love its abit more than the weepies.

MWs didnt want to prescribe me anyhting as i hadnt been medicated for depression before, although i had suffered from what i think was depression about a year before i got pregnant but was always 2 ashamed 2 admit it.

I couldnt tell you what it was or wether it was antenetal depression but i know i felt just like you and felt i had lashed out at people i love (which made me feel 10 times worse). I found that trying to concentrate on the nice things i had to think about rather than what was anoying me around me helped alot.

I dont have a quick fix for you but i would definately mention it to yur MW as she may be able 2 help you. Talking to someone about it nomatter how silly you feel at the time will help a huge deal. it took me bursting into tears in the MWs office to get me to speak 2 anyone about how i was feeling. Dont bottle it up.

I feel a million times better now although i still have my down days which im sure we all have lets face it who wouldnt when youv got piles leaky boobs thrush and a water infection lol.

just keep your chin up hun and try to remember that the PND went after a couple of months and its just your body reacting to the preganncy. i hope your feeling better soon.

good luck hun i wish u all the best xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wilkiepedia · 04/02/2009 19:18

Kaz - I suffer with hormonal depression and my usual dosage is 20mg. I didn't want to come off completely as I did this in my first pg and completely crashed and burned.

This time, they dropped my dosage to 10mg about 2 months prior to getting pg, it took some getting used to but now it's fine and I feel 'normal' most of the time.

Citalopram is the 'recommended' AD for use during pg. My doctor has advised me to stop taking whilst BF but my MW advised me to continue as it is such a low dose that it won't adversely affect baby through breast milk. I don't think stopping Citalopram when baby is born is a good option for me as I was very very down after the birth of DS1 and had to start my ADs immediately.

Hope that helps, any more info just ask.

HeinzSight · 04/02/2009 19:46

Thanks for that info Wilk, I'm hoping I'll get some joy soon when I'm seen.

sheenaisapunkrocker · 06/02/2009 13:53

Hi, I think I have antenatal depression too. I am 14 weeks pg and have felt really low and tearful since the day I found out. My GP keeps saying its the hormones (which annoys me to death) although she has referred me to a psychologist, but I am still waiting for an appointment. Because I feel so unsupported by the NHS I am looking into hiring an independent midwife. I believe that good support is crucial (having suffered form depression in the past) and for me, taking control of the situation really helps.

I was absolutely taken by surprise by my feelings as I did not know that there was such a thing as antenatal depresion. Having turned to mumsnet a few weeks ago I found that it seems to be fairly common. I really hope that you get some support - the advice seems to be that you don't need to suffer alone - here's a big hug from me to start you off...((()))

tumtumtetum · 06/02/2009 14:10

There have been quite a lot of threads on this recently - and I started one of them!

With DD I was very peculiar for the first trimester, then fine.

This time I have been a right state - and was hoping it would pass after the 13 weeks mark but it hasn't.

There is quite a lot on the internet and it made me feel better just to see it was real and very common - they say up to 10% of women suffer which is an awful lot.

I am interested to know why people don't want to blame the hormones - as surely that is what it is - as for so many people it stops at end of 1st trimester/end of pregnancy. The thought that it is my hormones is what's keeping me going!

sheenaisapunkrocker · 08/02/2009 15:13

Hi Tumtumtetum,
I think it's cos I can't bear the thought of being no more than a product of my biochemistry! I could talk endlessly about the reasons why I feel depressed (although I'll spare everyone that) and to say it's simply hormones makes me feel as though my thoughts are meaningless. Does this explain it?

tumtumtetum · 08/02/2009 21:26

Yes Sheena thank you for that, I suppose it depends on the individual situation.

For me I'm not feeling depressed, I'm feeling very irrational and paranoid and so it's reassuring to know that it's down to the pregnancy. As if it wasn't related to the pregnancy it would mean I had very serious problems indeed which is not comforting...

bokki · 09/02/2009 11:29

yes i have suffered with depression during pregnancy (and the rest of the time!) but i also have bi polar 2 (bi polar lite really) but as well as my normal medication for the bp, i started taking fish oils (am 17 wks pregnant) and havent felt so good for YEARS! i got them from 'extend life' who also give good advice, but i would really recommend them, they have a huge effect on depression as a deficiency of dha or something is common and causes lots of probs in the brain with such stuff. i also got a great book as i found it hard to know what reactions i was having were due to pregancy/bi polar or other stuff! book is called 'understanding your moods when youre expecting - emotions, mental health and happiness before during and after pregnancy' a fair few mental health issues can be started/exacerbated due to the hormones in pregnancy (my bipolar was retriggered during my first pregnancy) so its good to know whats normal for pregnancy and what other stuff you need to watch out for. good luck though, i know its hard with another little one, esp when youre exhausted from pregnancy, but i have noticed such a difference with my patience levels and general happiness since taking fish oils, (also the baby will drain you of dha from fish oils as it needs them too and taking them during pregnancy aids your babe in intelligence and motor skills etc) and i was very depressed and had been for a very long time. good luck! x

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has anyone ever experienced depression *DURING* pregnancy?

has anyone ever experienced depression DURING pregnancy?