What is Post Partum Depression
Postpartum depression (also postnatal depression) is a form of major depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, after childbirth. It is widely considered to be tre...
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Disturbing Images-Can Meds Help?
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Hi, I'm new to the group. I had my baby girl in May this year. I moved a year ago to the east coast after spending my whole life on the west. I have no family or friends, and a great husband who works really long hours and doesn't have a clue about how depressed I am. I've been talking to a counselor which has helped a little, but I am trying to decide if I need to be medicated.
My problem is that all day and throughout the night I see disturbing images of horrible things happening to my baby. Everything in the house feels like a potential threat to her well being. I also have been obsessing since she was born that every day is my last day with her...like something's going to happen...shes going to quit breathing or we're going to get in a car accident....you name it, I've thought it. It makes me cry every day. The first week she was alive, she became dehydrated and we had to go to the ER and I haven't been able to shake the fear from that experience since it happened. I also had a late 1st term M/C a few years ago that I have never gotten over. I have an appointment with an MD but not until the 31st. I feel like I'm losing my mind, but I don't know if meds will help. Also, I'm breast feeding right now....willing to stop if there's medicine that will fix this but switching to formula is necessary. I'm afraid that if I tell the doctor all of this that they will take my baby away or something and she's the ONLY thing keeping me going right now. Thanks for hearing me out. Any advice would be so appreciated! Posted on 08/19/09, 05:08 pm |
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It sounds like it might be something called post partum psychosis....not as omgwtfomg as the name suggests. I had it and I understand where you're coming from. It's basically a step above the depression and exactly what you said....obsessing over the bad things that could happen.....also some women think of ways to kill their baby...not to say that you are but just know that its within the realm of possibility at this point and it doesn't make you a bad mother, you just need some help with what the crazy hormones are doing to your brain
lots of support and love, Sarah 
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and they wont take the baby away, only if you were having the obsessive thoughts on ways to kill her or were severely incapacitated and not able to take care of her
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I was diagnosed with PPD and was told that these thoughts, known as black thoughts, are part of PPD. After about 2 - 4 weeks of being medicated they go away.
In all honesty you should not have to stop bf. The doctor may want to make you, but you should push back if you want to continue to bf. The only drugs that go into breast milk in any concentration are cancer drugs - I have that from a lactation specialist. Your baby is well cared for and very much loved - They don't take babies like that away from their parents. The sad truth is that there are too many of the other kind (The not looked after and not loved kind that is.) for them to worry about. So I doubt very, very much they'd do that to you. You're a good mom. What you're suffering from is an illness. I think that medication is a very good idea. The good news about PPD is that it has a beginning AND an end. You will feel better with the right meds and either councilling or a support group. Good Luck and hugs, C. Oh, and BTW, the vast majority who suffer from PPD are in the same position as you - Not much support.
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Postpartum depression is a physiological disease that manifests itself in psychological ways. It is good to see your regular General Practitioner. You have to see if your body is deficient in something. You could be low in vitamins or minerals. Your iron could be too low or too high. You could have low thyroid or adrenals. When was your last physical? Tell her/him everything that's been going on with you before and since your baby has been born. Be certain to let us at Post partum depression support group know how you and the baby are doing.
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i had pp p and the meds didnt help me. i got worse on them. i found a natural vitamin therapy made for mood disorders and within a week or two the voices and other halucinations were gone.
if youre interested in this the book i found it in was called " a promise of hope" by autumn stringham. she was one of the first people to be on it. and it tells her story through her post partum spycosis and bipolar disorder and how it helped her be symptom free for over 10 years. Im currently on it and pregnant with my second only time will tell if it keeps working after i have baby this time. but it helped her have three more wonderful children when she was about to tie her tubes due to her symptoms and the meds she was on.
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