Hi

I'm 13 weeks pregnant with my first child and I am panicking.
I have suffered from depression and anxiety all of my life and now I am pregnant my MW and GP are monitoring me for PND and more importantly puerperal psyhchosis.
I am terrfied. Women who suffer from PP have often killed themselves or their babies.
I don't want that to happen to me and I am getting in a right state about it.

Has any one out there suffered from PP? I would love some advice.

xx:\(

I haven't so can't really offer any advice, but st least ur being monitored for it so it can be spotted early on and help can be given to you. Try not to worry and enjoy ur pregnancy as much as you can (although I know it's easier said than done) x

Oh honey that must be so scary. I'm glad they're monitoring you, though. If its treated immediately then it doesn't take long to recover from.

I think the women who have killed themselves or babies probably didn't realise they were unwell - often women don't.
Maybe you should look at it like any other pregnancy illness, such as pre eclampsia or placenta praevia; if left untreated they can be serious but with the correct treatment are usually not much of a problem.
I know its difficult but try not to worry too much. I'm sure everything will be OK xxxxxxxx Hope you have a great pregnancy, its a wonderful time xxxxx
*****big hug*****

Hi hon,

My best friend was diagnosed with PP after the birth of her daughter 4 years ago.

Since then she has been diagnosed as a manic depressive and with other non-pregnancy related depression that the medics think she has suffered with undiagnosed for the past 10 years or so.

So prior to her daughter being born there were no signs she was going to have any problems.

My friend had an emergency c-section after a spontaneous labour and then didn't sleep at all for days after. When she went home she was manic and kept ringing for ambulances because she was frightened her daughter was going to die.

After a week or so she was voluntarily admitted to a mother and baby psychiatric unit.

Since that time she has been on a lot of medication and has been sectioned, for her own safety, twice but she is doing fantastically well now.

She still has a lot of medication to take but she is coming off the pills slowly. She sees her CPN regularly and has a lot of faith in the professor who was in charge of her care.

Her daughter is lovely and has not been affected in any way badly by her mums illness (she can't remember the really bad times and, now shes older, she has an understanding that mummy was poorly and is still getting better).

If you are being monitored for this condition then that is good as they will be able to help you at the earliest opportunity.

I hope I've offered you some reassurance that this illness doesn't beat everyone (we nearly always hear the horror stories more than the successful ones) and that even if you do suffer from the condition in the end there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Take care hon, and trust in your doctor/midwife as they are there to help you and your baby...xxx

hi there,well i suffered from puerperal psychosis for 4-5 yrs....after having my 3rd baby,severe depression came along with it.
im now just getting better,its a horrible and hard illness to get through,i was hearing ,seeing things that werent there,i was sectioned for 6 weeks,no mother and baby unit.i thought godly thoughts and ungodly thoughts....it was so hard even now to try and understand it,i dont even think what my husband went through,one min i hated him the next he was my life...it affected my other kids even though they were still young they remember ...i didnt even know i had kids i was that bad....i still suffer slightly from depression,mostly when im due my period,which is normal for me,but listen anybody thats had it or going through it,just remember to keep your chin up,ive been through it,its a tough road,im recovering well and im doing a online course in psychology now,so there is light at the end of the tunnel....eventually you get there,but it can be a long road.....

wow. it is great to read these comments and realise i am not alone. i had very very severe post natal depression with my son who is now 3. found it very hard to bond with him. had a daughter who is now 5 and was a total super mum to her and very superior. i understand what tigerlashes said when she said she didn't know she had kids she was that bad. it is an awful illness. i am through it now but it has taken a very long time. anyone who is suffering you will get through it but it may take a while..........

[Modified by: gorgeous on December 16, 2008 02:15 PM]

Like gorgeous, I'm very relieved to come on here and see other people who understand! I've just spent 6 months in a psych hospital (not a mother and baby unit) and am facing the task of properly getting to know my baby who is now 8 months old. It's an illness I would not wish on my worst enemy...:cry:

hi

replying to kangarooby. i actually feel very jealous when i hear of people who have been in hospital. i went for my 6 week check and was literally begging on the floor and in hysterics and wanted to be put in hospital, but they didn't.......... something should be done......

[Modified by: gorgeous on December 31, 2008 06:22 PM]

[Modified by: gorgeous on December 31, 2008 10:20 PM]

(((gorgeous))) I'm sorry you didn't get the help you deserved:(

hi

so am i and all my family. just trying to re build everything now. help was terrible....

It must be so hard:( I know I'm struggling to cope again and that's with the supports in place. Have you thought about persuing a complaint to get some answers about why they failed in your care?

i have thought about it. but it has been so horrendous i basically just want to look forward. i was so bad i didn't have periods for two years. i just want to look forward now and enjoy the rest of my childrens lives. but it should have been sorted out at the beginning.

[Modified by: gorgeous on January 08, 2009 12:24 AM]

hi ladies, im sorry to hear of your experiences. i have been diagnosed with pnd and just when i think things are improving then get rubbish again. although i also work as a mental health nurse and have nursed women with pp and it is an awful illness to see any woman go through but i do think that it is very impressive they are monitoring you from the start of your pg. the awful stories of women harming them selves or their babies is when they are left and no1 listens until they become too ill to see clearly so please dont panic, they wiill spot it before it gets to that point.
hugs to the ladies who had bad care, its just not on.xxx

I

[Modified by: gorgeous on February 04, 2009 10:16 AM]

[Modified by: gorgeous on February 04, 2009 01:40 PM]

Hi

I was borderline after the birth of my son 5 years ago. I knew something wasn't right shortly after his birth. Was diagnosed with PND first and then things led onto psychosis. It was hallucinations that I had, I was terrified. It took time before things improved but there is light at the end of the tunnel!!! I am currently ttc baby no 3 but also worried what I'll be like after it. I have also suffered episodes of depression since then for the past 5 years so I know the chances are pretty high for me. I currently see a CPN every week at the moment so I know that they would keep an eye on me. I feel I have learned more about this illness since then where as before i honestly thought I was going off my head because I didn't understand and had never suffered from anything like this before.

xx