Think it's coming back...

[granola_mom]

I had PPD when DD was a newborn... crying all the time, not going out or doing anything, feeling hopeless, etc. I didn't live with DP then and it was hard on me. I moved in with him in May when DD was 5 mo and my PPD got better. But now I really feel like it's coming back, and today I got mastitis which for some reason brought it on strong. Is it possible I am having a relapse of PPD? I feel terrible... like curling up in bed with the lights off and not talking to anyone terrible and I don't feel like I can talk to anyone about it. I really think my PPD might have to do with no having any social support... I'm only 20 to begin with, am shy, just moved to a new town and being depressed doesn't help.

[timneh_mom]

Have you felt this way for a couple of weeks, do you think? Or do you think you're feeling bad emotionally right now because you're feeling bad physically? I had strep throat twice in May, followed by a few months of mono and I know I was feeling pretty depressed during that time, only because physically I felt so awful and even though I was horribly tired, I was not able to get nearly enough sleep.

But, if you feel your PPD might be coming back, is there someone you can talk to who can help you? It is hard to be so isolated... too bad you don't live near me, we've got a really nice playgroup going and you'd be more than welcome...

[FitMOmmyOf2]

I feel your pain, mama!
Not only having had mastitis myself when DS was just a few wks old but re the PDD... I'm still (again?) dealing with it after having taken Zoloft for ~ 1 year and then I thought I was good.. In 2 wks I'm having an appointment to see my doctor and I'll actually talk to her about it as I feel I might need to get back on it..

Do you have a doc you'd talk to? Not saying that meds help.. but sometimes they improve your feelings at least to where you're able to deal with daily life better, kwim?

[granola_mom]

No it's been a couple of weeks of feeling more down than normal... I think feeling crappy just intensifies it. To make matters worse, DD is sick and I didn't get to sleep until 6 in the morning last night.

As for the meds... my doc prescribed effexor for me at a really low point when DD was three months old. I was only on it for two months until I decided to quit them. I never wanted to be on them in the first place, since I don't like the idea of antidepressants. They did help me get through that really hard time, though. After that (quit cold turkey) I went on a b vitamin routine, which helped a lot. I'm thinking I'm goign to start with that again.

The sucky thing about depression is that it's a vicious circle... not eating well makes it worse, and when it's bad, you don't feel like eating well. And not going out and getting some social support makes it worse, yet when I am depressed, that is the last thing I feel like doing. And so it gets worse.