Any of you suffering from PPD?

[Lacrymosa]

I started medicating for PPD last week, it was just getting so bad. I had insomnia, depressed thoughts all the time, feeling like I will be a horrible mother to my baby (this is the biggest one), feeling guilty all the time for being depressed especially when I have such a beautiful, healthy baby girl who is such a joy to me and db.. obsessively worrying about her health to an INSANE degree. Not to mention it was causing quite a strain on me and db's relationship The medication had some bad side effects for the first few days but now it's working and I'm already starting to feel better. Doctor says I'll probably be on it 3-4 months.

Just wondering if any of you had/have any problems with PPD and what did you/are you doing about it? Am I the only one medicating? How are you all coping with it?

[slimkins]

I'm not having any, mama... but I just wanted to send you a and say, I hope everything gets better for you.

[Spring Sun]

I am not having ppd, but I do suffer a lot from anxiety. It was SO bad the first few days, that I did not know how to handle it. I was going to go on zoloft, but my midwife suggested 5-htp and it has changed EVERYTHING.

Even pregnant, the anxiety was so bad it was hard to get things done. I felt paralized. I am in disbelief on how much something over the counter can just take it away.

Depression and axniety are treated the same, so you might want to try taking the 5-htp.

[Spring Sun]

Oh, and I am also taking 3000mg of fish oil a day, prentals, and placenta pills. And some herbs from my acupunturist. I have read that all those things are really supposed to help with ppd. I am also getting more sleep than I did when I was pregnant, and that helps a ton too.

[Mamatoabunch]

I had PP last time, pretty bad, but took nothing other than fish oils, continuing Floradix. Getting pregnant cured it, LOL. I am fine this time, weepy stuff still, but dh is helping alot.

[Pernillep]

I am feeling that it might be creeping up on me as much as I had hoped to avoid it. I am becoming secluded and don't really want to talk to anyone.
On top of it I made the mistake of researching the risks involved in having an other child after a classical c-section and it terrifies me. One of the reasons for having an other child would be to get a final go at the birth I truly desire but that is simply not possible. My MW confirmed that today at our 2 week appointment. I am having a really hard time dealing with what happened to me and it is manifesting itself in a pretty bad case of depression and withdrawal. I am also getting angry and resentful at people who did have the birth that should have been mine. I actually wish I was one of those people for who the birth and the birth experience didn't matter as long as they had a healthy baby but I am just not.

I am however not ready to medicate just yet but will definitely look into some of the herbal etc. things mentioned here.

[mama*pisces]

Originally Posted by Pernillep

One of the reasons for having an other child would be to get a final go at the birth I truly desire but that is simply not possible. My MW confirmed that today at our 2 week appointment. I am having a really hard time dealing with what happened to me and it is manifesting itself in a pretty bad case of depression and withdrawal. I am also getting angry and resentful at people who did have the birth that should have been mine. I actually wish I was one of those people for who the birth and the birth experience didn't matter as long as they had a healthy baby but I am just not.

I don't think I had a classical incision, but aside from that I am so right there with you mama. I wouldn't say I have PPD but I am pretty severely depressed about my birth experience. DH and I have agreed to only have two kids, and he is pretty adamant about that, so my prospects for getting my VBAC are pretty slim as well.

If you ever need to talk or vent please don't hesitate to PM me or message me on FB. I know that it has helped me at least some to talk about my experience to people that KNOW where I'm coming from...

[Talula Fairie]

Yeah. Started meds weeks ago.

[Talula Fairie]

And, responding to a comment about depression and anxiety being treated the same: that is NOT true. Severe anxiety is often treated with benzodiazapenes, not anti depressants. There are two anti depressants that work well for anxiety, Lexapro and Celexa, but those are not always what's used to treat anxiety. Benzos (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, ect) are more commonly used for acute anxiety. Even therapy techniques are different. I don't think people use exposure therapy for depression.

Natural cures are nice, and they often work for mild to moderate symptoms. But severe symptoms need the sledgehammer of western medicine, imo.

[Koalamom]

I don't think I would say that I am having ppd, but I have some really bad days. I did go through depression several years ago and I never took medication for it, but saw a counselor EVERY DAY. I lived in her office basically. It was the only way to get through it. We did alot of hypnotism type things and homeopathy, and I never had those exact depression feeling come back, but I do get time where I am down, just not the step further. When I was really depressd, I noticed that I was eating a low fat vegetarian diet (not saying anything down about it to others, but just for myself personally), and I started eating more good fats and things like fish, and that helped too. They do say that fish is brain food.

I have to keep myself very busy I find, and on the other hand totally feel good about just getting takeout and watching TV all day. I have to feel good about my life and decisions. I really like the idea if having the "pregnancy rewards" still as "post partum rewards". We deserve it!

[minimunklemama]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

And, responding to a comment about depression and anxiety being treated the same: that is NOT true. Severe anxiety is often treated with benzodiazapenes, not anti depressants. There are two anti depressants that work well for anxiety, Lexapro and Celexa, but those are not always what's used to treat anxiety. Benzos (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, ect) are more commonly used for acute anxiety. Even therapy techniques are different. I don't think people use exposure therapy for depression.

Natural cures are nice, and they often work for mild to moderate symptoms. But severe symptoms need the sledgehammer of western medicine, imo.

I am on 150 zoloft and xanax.I wish natural remedies helped me but the times i tried to do it natural I wanted to drive myself into a tree(literally!)
Also don't come off it too soon,stay on it as long as you need.

[Spring Sun]

Originally Posted by minimunklemama

I am on 150 zoloft and xanax.I wish natural remedies helped me but the times i tried to do it natural I wanted to drive myself into a tree(literally!)
Also don't come off it too soon,stay on it as long as you need.

Are you bfing on the Xanax? I know Zoloft is ok, but is xanax?

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by Spring Sun

Are you bfing on the Xanax? I know Zoloft is ok, but is xanax?

It's not as bad as you'd think. It has a fairly low milk transfer rate, which is good. Hales says the neonatal dose that they'd get from the milk would likely be "too low to create a clinical effect." To further back the one study he cites up, it seems that mothers who take it regularly in pregnancy and then breastfeed can have infants experiencing withdrawal symptoms, so clearly the dose in milk is pretty low.

Pediatric concerns literally say "Rarely, withdrawal symptoms reported in one infant. Observe for sedation, poor feeding, irritability, crying, insomnia or withdrawal. Use on an acute or short term basis is not contraindicated."

It's an L-3.

[Talula Fairie]

Btw, I'm on 75mg Wellbutrin (started it for the PPD) in addition to .05 mg Haldol twice a day. I'm bipolar, so I'm always on meds. Don't feel bad about having to take psych meds, and I would be concerned about stopping the meds 4 weeks into treatment. It takes about that long for them to reach a steady state (between 2 and 6 weeks for most people). That's way too soon to go off them, imo. But do what's best for you. I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on tv

[minimunklemama]

Originally Posted by Spring Sun

Are you bfing on the Xanax? I know Zoloft is ok, but is xanax?

Yes,it is a low dose.I was taking it occasionally in my last tri too.Under the guidance of my ob obviously

wellbutrin was not good for me and my anxiety.I practically self combusted!!

[Lacrymosa]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

Btw, I'm on 75mg Wellbutrin (started it for the PPD) in addition to .05 mg Haldol twice a day. I'm bipolar, so I'm always on meds. Don't feel bad about having to take psych meds, and I would be concerned about stopping the meds 4 weeks into treatment. It takes about that long for them to reach a steady state (between 2 and 6 weeks for most people). That's way too soon to go off them, imo. But do what's best for you. I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on tv

I'm on 150mg of Wellbutrin. I thought it was working really well until yesterday and today. My anxiety is out of control. It kind of seems like the wellbutrin is heightening my anxiety too.. I don't know what to do about it. Other than that the wellbutrin helps it's just the anxiety thats a problem..

[Spring Sun]

Originally Posted by Lacrymosa

I'm on 150mg of Wellbutrin. I thought it was working really well until yesterday and today. My anxiety is out of control. It kind of seems like the wellbutrin is heightening my anxiety too.. I don't know what to do about it. Other than that the wellbutrin helps it's just the anxiety thats a problem..

I was put on wellbutrin so that I could get off a benzo right before I conceived. It made me more anxious, too. In fact, I made sure I weaned off of it mid pregnancy, and I have NEVER, EVER been depressed and for the first time I understood what depression felt like. I would be sitting at the bus stop just casually thinking how nice it would be if a big bus came and hit me. SO strange. I would only have those thoughts when I was weaning adn they would last a day or two.


I was really aware of them but still, I just felt hopeless. I will NEVER go on a drug like that again.

I can not believe how much the 5-htp is helping me. If you have an anxiety disorder, you know how much the anxiety just pushed through your whole body all day long, and then I would also get big surges of it when I thought about certain things. That is almost gone now, and I can not believe how different life is. I am actually getting stuff done. It is amazing for something that is just bought over the counter.

[Spring Sun]

Oh, and I would love to go on xanax, it is such an easy way to feel good again, but isn't it addictive? My gastro dr gave me a prescription for it years ago (it is supposed to really help crohn's disease) but I threw it out bc dh said it would be way too addictive and I would never be able to come off of it. Is it more addictive than valium or clonazapam?

[minimunklemama]

Originally Posted by Spring Sun

Oh, and I would love to go on xanax, it is such an easy way to feel good again, but isn't it addictive? My gastro dr gave me a prescription for it years ago (it is supposed to really help crohn's disease) but I threw it out bc dh said it would be way too addictive and I would never be able to come off of it. Is it more addictive than valium or clonazapam?

It is supposed to be addictive but I don't find it so.I came of it without any withdrawl when I got pregnant.I don't feel that i must take it to feel good.I don't take it everyday,most days at the moment though as I am still leveling out after Annie's birth

[GradysMom]

My script for Zoloft is in the bathroom waiting for me to decide if it is just baby blues.

I'm starting to think this is how I get kinda clinical - no get up and go, afraid to start or try leaving the house. I definately have experienced the same dark thoughts and feelings I had after ds. Back then I was on STJOHNW thorughout pregnancy and PP. I upped the amount and I'm not sure it was terribly effective, that first year I had alot of trouble getting out. I was kinda hold up all day, and low functioning.

This time last year I had a MC and went on Zoloft because I couldn't handle the hormonal crash on top of not being on stJW anymore ( I had gone off it maybe 6 mo before... after about 8 yrs on it, I tought break was ok) anyway... I weaned myself off of zoloft and went back on St john wort in Jan because I was more comfortable with that. Now I'm kinda off St J W again and afraid to get back on it since it doesn't mix with zoloft supposedly... and I might be headed that direction

all this to say - I'm not sure if I'm full blown PPD. It was a different birth experience to process so it hard to compare the two from that angle

How much of being afraid to leave the house is normal ya know?