post natal depression and anxiety

[lilabeth85]

Hi everyone, Im 27 yrs old and have a 14 week old baby girl. The pnd all started 11 weeks ago but was manageable at first, it has since got progressively worse and Ive gone from scoring 4 to 20 on the pnd questionnaire. Ive got to a point where I feel like Im going insane, the bond between my baby and I hasnt suffered but I feel so lowsy, Im having a panick attack virtually every day and just going to tescos is a mission, the anxiety is constant as are the obsessive thoughts, Im always worrying bout having a terminal illness or my baby geting seriously ill (swine flu is the latest obsession) the physical symptoms are also getting me really down, I have dizziness and blurred/double vision a lot of the time and also feel faint. Are these regular symptoms of pndand anxiety? If anyone could offer any advice I would be very grateful.
Email

[rachlouclarke]

im new here but u can email me rachlouclarke@yahoo.co.uk. i am the same! need support

[mumof4]

i have had that aswelll after my birth of my son 4 years ago alot had happend in that time my mum had died and i was really ill with panic attacks so that hadnt helped.

i had panic attacks apon attacks all day and night i was a mess.

then i joined here in 2005 and it has been my life saver im not any way better but coming here i know there is people like me and if i need to talk or vent i come here.

i do wish u all the best

good luck

[scaredycat26]

Hi Lilabeth,

I am a 26 year old mom of 3. My eldest son is 5, my daughter will be 4 next month and I have a baby boy who will be 6mos on Wednesday.

I always had slight Health Anxiety, but I was very good at controlling it. However after the birth of my 3rd baby my health anxiety has skyrocketed. I'm not sure what triggered it exactly. I do remember my anxiety was starting in the third trimester, then after I gave birth, they left part of my placenta inside which scared the crap out of me (another reason) then I started hemeorraging (sp?) and I almost needed a blood transfusion.

So slowly slowly my Health anxiety just started taking over my logical thinking. Sometime during my baby's second month that's when I was fully under the control of my anxiety and I've been struggling with it since then.

I am so blessed with my family that have been a great support. I'm an Orthodox Christian so faith and prayer, and first GOD has seen me through the most difficult of parts during these 4 months.

My doctor on many occasions was pushing meds, but I'm still trying to work through this without them.

I know how scary the thoughts can be, and the fear can sometimes be paralyzing. Have you done any testing, like blood work to check your thyroid levels, your vitamin levels? Also get a good physical from your doc.You need to go get this done,firstly, because our hormones fluctuate so much during prenancy and birth. Secondly it helps with the crazy thoughts lol,

So when you think you have a terminal illness, you can just tell yourself STOP!!, I am fine, my doctor said I am healthy blood work was fine, I am fine.

I promise you will be fine. Just try to take some time to relax, read a book, read one to your baby. Do you have any help? I don't know if you are religious, but praying is my number one thing that has helped me.

If you ever need anyone to talk to I am here!!

Bia

[serendipity]

Hi
I had a baby seven months back and started to develop anxiety gradually after the birth. At first I didn't know what it was as I hadn't felt right since about a week after the birth. I suddenly developed an overwhelming urge to cry for few days around 12 weeks down line, followed by chest tightness, pains, light headedness, nausea and stomach flipping. Everybody thought I had postnatal depression but I felt that I was happy with everything and everyone but unhappy with my health. It continued with me obsessing about my health and was convinced everyday I was going to die and still have days like that.

I picked up viruses and colds all the time and felt so rotten everyday. I was put on citalopram and that helped the anxiety in the end but had to stop it after four months as it raised my prolactin levels.

I continued to feel ill and found seven months later I had postnatal autoimmune thyroiditis, something that can be mistaken for pnd as symptoms can be similar with anxiety, depression etc. I am now on levothyroxine and have been told it can take months to get better. I feel my maternity leave has been ruined and am very anxious that I am never going to be right again.

I have been given clamipromine to try today as my anxiety has got worse again and hope they are easier than citalopram to get used to.

I have been backwards and forwards to the docs non stop since baby born and feel like they are sick of me. The trouble I have is believing that all my symptoms are anxiety and thyroid related not something more serious as they can frighten me so much. Its been one hell of a year I hope it gets no worse.

It may be worth getting thyroid levels checked as this can be quite common apparently.

Also it is nice to hear stories from other new mums that have suffered anxiety :-) hopefully we'll all get there in end.

[mummy4]

hello all im 26 and a mum to 4 daughters. i first started having panic attacks when i was 17 then when i had my first daughter when i was 18 it hit me bad. i could not even leave the house to go to the shop it was awful. i have tried several meds since and am currently on 5mg cipralex and have been so for past 4 years. i did have the panic under control up til i got pregnant with my youngest whos now 9 months and i have no clue why. it really is horrid and my life is very restricted because of it. i even dread the school run. im sorry i cant offer any advice but you are not alone and any time you need a chat ill be happy to talk xx

[julieliverpool]

hi imm 26 a mum of 2 and i am going throu exactly the same i have a 10 year old and and a 2month old since ive had the baby ive had no luck i got a bad kidney infection then now for 2 weeks ive been really bad with panick attacks from the moment i wake up till i go to bed cant move out the house cos it just triggers them ive been back my doc today and ive just got to wait for my meds to work id advise u to go to ur gp and talk they help alot i no how u feel ive been like this for 2 weeks this site will help u to pm if u need to talk xxx ur not alone

[jen2503]

Hiya im 26 and had my 3rd child ten months ago. my anxiety started the day after my youngest was born. she is now ten months old and the anxuety is getting a lot better than it was. i wont take over this thread, i'll start one of my own to tell my story but i just wanted to say how glad i am that im not alone. and also its very odd how we are all the same age give or take a year and with our 3rd or 4th child. says alot fr hormones doesnt it, as thats what ive been told triggered it for me.

x

[emm]

Heya, I had pnd after both my children. I can def say that I had extreme anxiety both times. The physical symptoms are def anxiety symptoms and should ease when you start to feel better, try to ignore them as much as possible they won't hurt you. I found meeting other mums helped the most. Also breathing exercises, sounds silly but practice and they help. Are you on any meds? Take one day at a time and it will go .

[carla g]

hi evry1 i have justbeen told 2day that i have pnd at first i thought it wos just anxiety but looking back i can see how depressed i wos, i wos just wondering does our anxiety go as the depression does?x