Anyone else achey w/PPD?

[ekblad9]

I called my m/w today because I'm SO achey all the time. My whole body, as if I have the flu but I don't. I top out on motrin everyday. Anyway - she said it sounded like a sign of PPD to her. I have started with the anxiety attacks and just general unhappiness and anger. So, has anyone else been achey with PPD?

[Metasequoia]

I posted a similar question not too many weeks ago, got quite a few responses.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=592580

I've since found a doctor who specializes in Adrenal Fatigue - muscle pain/weakness is a very common symptom, as is anxiety. I don't think I suffer from depression, but anxiety, definitely. In my case, my adrenal dysfunction prohibits my body from handling stress like it should, therefore; I make mountains out of molehills, so to speak.

[Blue Dragonfly]

Could you have a breast infection? That made me really achey - just like the flu.

Hugs about the PPD, I hope you can find help with that.

And congratulations on your new baby.

[Nisupulla]

OK, I'll preface this post with a disclaimor that I have less than mainstream opinions on depression.

But first, physical symptoms are a normal symptoms of depression, so anyone should agree that the achiness could be depression.

So here's the controversial part. I for one believe that depression is more of a physiological disorder than a "mental" one. I believe, rightly or wrongly, that the brain changes before mood and negative thinking start. It's relatively common still to think that stress and negative thinking "cause" depression. I think it's the other way around.

Newer research is showing that depressed people have high levels of "cytokines". Cytokines are the proteins that cause achiness when you have the flu. So if cytokine levels go up you might feel both depressed and achy.

Finally,yes, I was achy during my PPD.

[maybemom05]

FWIW, I think that aches are definitely associated with depression.

Also, I don't know if you are BFeeding, but aches can sometimes be associated with nursing - or more specifically nursing posture. Some women - like me!! - tend to curl over the baby during feedings, contorting into uncomfortable positions. Also, the hormones can sometimes loosen ligaments, which may become sore over time. By the time my little one was 8 weeks old, I was like a pretzel, it wasn't good. He's over a year now and I'm still wearing wrist braces on both arms

Congrats on your new little one. I hope you feel better soon!!

[Nisupulla]

Originally Posted by maybemom05

but aches can sometimes be associated with nursing - or more specifically nursing posture.

I forgot about that! It's so important in the early days of nursing to make yourself comfortable first and bring the baby's little body to you, rather than leaning into the baby!!

[Nathan1097]

Yes. Any kind of depression can give you that whole-body achey feeling.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by Nisupulla

So here's the controversial part. I for one believe that depression is more of a physiological disorder than a "mental" one. I believe, rightly or wrongly, that the brain changes before mood and negative thinking start. It's relatively common still to think that stress and negative thinking "cause" depression. I think it's the other way around.

Newer research is showing that depressed people have high levels of "cytokines". Cytokines are the proteins that cause achiness when you have the flu. So if cytokine levels go up you might feel both depressed and achy.

Finally,yes, I was achy during my PPD.

It is a fact that low levels of seratonin can make you feel depressed/anxious. If you are dealing with a lot of stress, you're damaging your adrenals. If your adrenals aren't working properly, your cortisol spikes when it shouldn't & drops when it shouldn't. If you're getting spikes of cortisol at night (like people with adrenal fatifue do) you're not getting long stretches of deep sleep, therefore; you're not making seratonin.

As if waking to feed a baby during the night isn't enough to cause your seratonin level to drop, having chronic stress AND lack of sleep does a number on your adrenals.

The adrenal glands are really key to proper immune fuction. If they're not functioning properly, neither is anything else in your body.