Post partum depression?

[fashionlover]

Hello Ladies,
I am awaiting the arrival of my baby girl, but wanted to get some advice or any stories of any women suffering from PPD. I have been extremely depressed throughout my entire pregnancy. I have never struggled with depression so I really don't know how to go about treating it. I spoke with my doctor and he told me that depression is normal during pregnancy but if it persists, there is a good chance I may suffer from Post Partum Depression. I guess my question is, if anyone is currently going through it, what were your previous symptoms, thoughts? And how are you coping with it?

 

[hellohefalump]

Hi I had severe prenatal depression that got so bad I went into psychosis. Think, suicidal but too depressed to get out of bed and actually do it! It got so bad I literally went mad and had a psychotic episode. They put me on meds when I was 24 weeks or thereabouts and that helped. But then after the birth my depression came back and quickly turned into psychosis again. I didn't get any help for the depression because everyone was more concerned about the psychosis and it eventually came to a head when my son was about nine months old when the suicidal thoughts came back and I couldn't get out of bed again.

It didn't help that the antipsychotic I was on had side effects that made me gain a lot of weight and made me so sleepy I couldn't look after my baby. My husband had to leave his job to look after us.

After two years of this I refused to take my meds anymore because of the side effects and I went back into psychosis. This time I saw a lovely doctor and she changed my antipsychotic to aripirazole and my goodness it was like I'd woken from a deep sleep!

Because the psychotic episodes and depression are still an issue I have now been diognosed with schizoaffective disorder. I had another episode in November where I ended up being hospitalised for two weeks while they put me on even more meds. I'm now on two antipsychotics, an antidepressant, and a sleeping tablet (because side effects make me sleep wAlk and have nightmares) and i seem to have gone back to normality.

It's taken me three years since I had my son.

My advice would be to keep on at the health visitor, doctors etc until they give you the right help. If you're too depressed to do that then you need someone close to you to do it on your behalf, and you need to sign something so that their allowed to tell them stuff about your health. These three years I don't know what would have happened if my OH hasn't taken charge.

OH keeps my meds in a locked box (because last psychotic episode involved an overdose -long story!) he gives them to me every day so I can't stop taking them without him knowing. I try to be as stress free as possible because stress triggers my illness. I'm slowly getting back to work on my own terms, I'm currently doing voluntary work but looking for paid jobs. I'm a theatre painter and mural artist so I can choose my own hours and how much I take on. Life is pretty good at the moment.

Amazing what those pregnancy hormones do isn't it?!

 

[fashionlover]

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry you went through all of that. I have been in and out of a depressed state since I became pregnant, but am able to manage to get out of bed and function as much as my energy allows. Before, I was pregnant, I could never wrap my head around the idea of Post Partum depression, I now understand and can completly sympathise with women that go through it. It truly is amazing how hormones during pregnancy completely overtake your mind and body.
That is so cool that you are a painter! What a great way to express your emotion. I would like to thank you so very much for sharing your story with me.
xoxo