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LisaD
29 February 2008 at 11:19AM
I've just become a new mum and have been diagnosed with PND and given a 10mg prescription of Citalopram. Started taking it today, however side effects sound awful. How are you suppose to look after a young baby while taking these? Most days I find it virtually impossible as it is!
Is anyone else takin this medication who has PND? If so do you find it works? I'd give anthing to be happy again and enjoy bringing up my baby. Feel lost, anxious and desperate at the mo.
LisaD
Guest
29 February 2008 at 11:49AM
Hi Lisa
I know I'm not in the same boat as you so to speak - I have a 7 week old baby here with us. She is my grand daughter though. I find that no matter how low I am feeling seeing her beautiful face and her smiles make me forget I'm feeling low.
Obviously I'm not suffering PND so it is completely different for me and I can walk away and know the baby is being taken good care of by her mummy.
To be honest, I doubt any tablet will make any difference to your feelings just yet - they all need time to 'kick in'.
Isn't there someone that could come round for a few hours each day to help you out?
Also, whenever baby sleeps, you MUST rest too!
Sod the housework, it will still be there when you are feeling better. Just concentrate on you and your beautiful baby. That is all that matters!
Our house most days looks like a bomb has hit it! I have told my daughter not to worry about housework too! Most days I can't be bothered to get dressed never mind do housework, so it just stays a mess. It is nothing that can't be 'fixed' at a later time.
Take a look at the thread 'Newbie' Chris mentions Alpha brainwaves, Katy and I have posted some links with more information about them, there is also a link where you can buy these music cd's that help you achieve an alpha state. Give them a try!
Breathing has calmed down now so going to get dressed and carry on with my plans for today.
Keep posting here hun, everyone is so caring here and I have found this place has helped me tremendously.
Melbi x
LisaD
1 March 2008 at 14:20PM
Hi Melbi
Thank you so much for your kind reply. I have had a couple of really good days so things are looking much better. I am going to persevere with medication and see what happens.
I am very lucky because I do have lots of people around me to help. My only problem is my son doesn't sleep much during day and is very irratible and has colic! Never mind I will just have to keep fighting through.
This forum has been a great comfort to me so far and hope it will keep on being so. I hope you begin to feel better soon and that your grandaughter keeps bringing you lots of joy and smiles to your face.
Lisa xxx
Guest
1 March 2008 at 19:18PM
Hi LisaD,
you poor thing - I really sympathise. I am also on citalopram for post-natal illness. I have 2 children and post-natal depression only occured with the 2nd baby.
I ignored it for far to long hoping it would clear up on its own. My baby is a year old now and I've only been on the drug for a few weeks. I also suffered awful side effects at first - sleeplessness, even worse anxiety it was awful but things have got much better. You have done the right thing getting medication earlier on before things got even worse for you. Hang on in there with the drug - it should be effective but you need to give it time.
The other good news is the baby will get easier too. Just take it a day at a time and you will get through this difficult time and feel better and end up enjoying motherhood. Accept all offers of help, rest when you can and be kind to yourself.
Wishing you all the best from someone who knows how bad PNI can be and how tough the early weeks of this medication are too. Things will get better.
Stay strong.
Merry B
Guest
1 March 2008 at 23:34PM
[quote:0dfd7fa028=\"LisaD\"]Hi Melbi
Thank you so much for your kind reply. I have had a couple of really good days so things are looking much better. I am going to persevere with medication and see what happens.
I am very lucky because I do have lots of people around me to help. My only problem is my son doesn't sleep much during day and is very irratible and has colic! Never mind I will just have to keep fighting through.
This forum has been a great comfort to me so far and hope it will keep on being so. I hope you begin to feel better soon and that your grandaughter keeps bringing you lots of joy and smiles to your face.
Lisa xxx[/quote:0dfd7fa028]
Hi Lisa
Are you breast or bottle feeding?
If bottle feeding, have you tried different teats? Have you mentioned the colic to your health visitor, I'm quite sure she will have some tricks up her sleeve to help relieve this.
Stay strong and do accept any offers of help from your family and friends. This will give you more time to spend with your beautiful new baby and more time to rest.
Melbi x
LisaD
3 March 2008 at 17:24PM
Hi Merry B
Thank you for your post. It's good to speak to someone who has and is experiencing what I'm going through. I also tried for a couple of weeks to hide how bad things had got in my head, but in the end I gave in and had a bit of a breakdown while my parents had my son.
It's been about six days since I started taking Citalopram and I am feeling a hell of a lot more 'normal' and positive - this may be placebo affect but I don't really care. Only side affects are headaches which I can deal with but am only on 10mg. I think talking to my friends, family and health visitor have helped more than anything.
I'm glad to hear the medication works though - you here so many bad things about anti depressants and side effects.
You poor thing going through that for all that time - I know how hard it is to tell people how you feel because I was scared people would think I was a terrible mum!
I have been so lucky as I have loads of support and for first time in 2 weeks I looked after my baby alone today while his dad was in work and it was absolutely fine - am soo happy!
I hope you are doing well and enjoying being a mum. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me it really helps.
Lisa D xx
LisaD
3 March 2008 at 17:28PM
Hi Melbi
How are you feeling? Good I hope - read about your nights rest - bet that was a massive relief.
Yes we have put him on Infacol and he is a lot better now. I just panic everytime he cries and I can't comfort him! I successfully looked after him alone today and he was smiling loads and making me soo proud!
I am feeling a lot better and hope I keep staying positive like I have past few days.
Thanks for your post - this is a lovely place to talk to people and is really reassuring.
Hope to speak to you soon.
Lisa D xx
Guest
3 March 2008 at 18:23PM
That's excellent new Lisa - Well done to you :D
Babies can cry for all sorts of reasons - don't be blaming yourself if he is just having an 'off' day.
How old is he?
My granddaughter will be 8 weeks this Thursday - all day today she has cried if put down for a nap. Pick her up and she fell straight back to sleep - but no way was she going to be put down to sleep. Every time we tried even well she appeared to be absolutely flat out in our arms, within 5 mins of being put down she would wake and start crying.
I know the feeling lol.
I am definitely improving - thanks for asking 
Had a bit of a knock back this morning but I've managed to climb back up!
Going to have a relaxing evening now in front of the TV.
Melbi x
Guest
4 March 2008 at 12:58PM
Hi there
I hope you do not mind me sharing my experience.
I have also been diagnosed with PND and have been taking citalopram now for 5 weeks. Through the PND I was suffering with terrible anxiety following a tramatic birth, my daughter is now 14 weeks old!!
During the first few weeks my daughter also suffered with colic and I found changing her milk to cow and gate comfort milk and also adding colief to her milk made a big difference, she is still a \"windy\" baby but now it isn't trapped in her stomach!
As for the medication it has defiantly helped, I had two weeks of feeling fine, but I am having a \"blip\" at the moment, feeling alittle anxious but more so exhausted, I think this is a mixture of night feeding and not eating due to feeling sick... but do stick with it you will get there....
:wink:
LisaD
4 March 2008 at 20:30PM
Hi Melbi
His name is Riley and he was two months old yesterday. Had his immunisations today ( you'll have that to look forward to soon) which was a little traumatic but he has been good as gold all day!
Riley is same as your grandaughter - he will not go down for naps but will then fall asleep in my arms or on sofa! Some babies are just more strong willed then others I guess!
Glad you are doing well. What is your grandaughters name?
Enjoy your night in front of tv.
Lisa D xx
LisaD
4 March 2008 at 20:36PM
Hi Mum of 1
It is lovely to hear from people who are experiencing same things as me! I also had traumatic labour - 27 hours, was a dry labour, had a third degree tear and then was rushed off to surgery before I could spend time with my son!
Glad to hear you are doing well and medication has been working. I've found that infacol has seemed to work for my son - he is a lot happier and more relaxed now!
I hope the anxiety and exhaustion ease up a bit for you, I know how awful anxiety can make you feel - I am really anxious in morning with stomach pains and sweaty palms and like you I find it really hard to eat before about 3pm as I feel so sick! But night time feeding doesn't help - won't be for much longer now though!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Take care.
Lisa D xx
Guest
5 March 2008 at 11:41AM
Hi Lisa
Well things are a little better this morning, no sickness or running off to the loo! got up, fed the baby and went straight out for a walk, which was great! I find if I walk I can \"walk\" off the anxiety....
Like you I didn't get to hold my daughter straight away, I spent the night in intensive care, so it wasn't the best start to our relationship however when I look at her my heart melts so what else could I ask for.
One question I do have.. I do seem to be struggling with driving, I have never been a nervous driver but concentrating seems very difficult at the moment. Have you experienced this at all?
I hope things are improving your end... if we stick with it we will get there!!
xc :wink:
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