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Author
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Topic: PND following caesarean
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Emma M
Junior Member
Member # 445
Rate Member
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posted 22 October 2004 01:36 PM
I would like to begin by saying thank you to Birthrites. The information & discussions on this site & in the magazine have been a lifeline for me during the past few months. Living in an isolated rural area, this site is my link to sharing issues with empathetic women.
I had an emergency caesarean 5 months ago - leaving me with intense feelings of guilt & disappointment relating to my birth experience (1st baby). I now have PND & medication has been recommended (SSRI's) - I am hesitant as I am still breastfeeding, however don't seem to be moving towards becoming stronger by using other methods (counselling, exercise etc).
I would love to hear from other women who have dealt with PND & used medication or otherwise to overcome it.
Thanks again - even writing this (and the tears flowing) have helped.
Regards
Emma
PS: Sorry if this is not an appropriate posting for this forum.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Oct 2004
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<SM>
unregistered
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posted 25 October 2004 10:35 PM
Hi Emma
I was diagnosed with PND after the VBAC birth of my son when he was 5 months old. When I look back though I think that I was depressed after my first son’s birth, just didn’t recognise it as such. After a huge amount of thought, research and discussion with my husband and GP, I decided to take medication as I felt I needed that extra support. I have been taking zoloft for 15 months now and have certainly noticed a difference in myself. I have also been going to counselling. My son has only just recently weaned himself from me. I have had a very positive experience on medication. I know that when it comes time to come off the medication, this will be difficult and take time (I tried a few months ago, but didn’t do well and decided I needed to stay on them a bit longer). At the moment I feel comfortable continuing with medication. I certainly am a happier person, mother and wife since commencing the drug therapy. I don’t know when I’ll try to cease the medication again, but I think it will have to be when there is optimum support from my family and husband. The decision to start drug therapy was a huge one for me. I felt like a failure, a potential drug addict, weak. But I must say that for me it was the best decision, as I felt myself turn a corner from the moment I started taking the medication and I haven’t looked back. I started to enjoy life again and a huge big heavy black cloud was lifted from me. It took 2 weeks to settle into the medication, there were a few initial side effects, but these subsided quickly…
Anyway, if you’d like to chat more, give me your telephone number or email address and I acan contact you directly.
Kind regards
SM
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Emma M
Junior Member
Member # 445
Rate Member
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posted 05 November 2004 08:51 AM
Dear SM,
Thank you so much for your reply. I'm still in the dilemma that you talk of (of deciding to take the medication or not) - if you would like to continue to chat, I would love to bounce my thoughts & listen to how you made your choice. My email address is fairmac@bigpond.com.
Kind regards
Emma
Posts: 2 | Registered: Oct 2004
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<Michelle>
unregistered
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posted 15 March 2005 08:16 PM
Hi. Its been a few months since you posted this topic.
I had an emerg c section five months ago now. I was in hospital 9 days (after almost 30 hrs labour) with major bleeding, anaemia, blood transfusions. You name it I had it. COuldnt BF. When I got home I hit rock bottom and what we thought were the baby blues ended up as full blown PND. I was on Zoloft within 2 weeks, which sounds early I know. But within two weeks of taking them I started to come around. I was so down I found myself unable to stay home or get any sleep. My Obstet. was onto it straight away and a great supporft during the first few weeks at home.
I need to be constantly busy so I couldnt think or have time to think about what had happened during my labour. After I started to feel better I was able to admit that I felt I had failed at the delivery of our daughter and I was very upset at the thought that my body let me and her down.
I am now ready to slowly reduce the intake of tablets and eventually finish with them. It will take a couple of months to do this properly I guess but I am ready.
I was wondering how you are coping now and feeling? I hope you are feeling more positive ...
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