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Advice please

Hi all

If anyone who reads this "knows me" (LOL via BE / facebook etc.) it might surprise you. It has surprised me and my hubby! Hence I'm asking for advice...

I went to see the Dr on Friday. Ever since I have given birth, I feel like I am always ill with one thing or another. Since Toby was born I've had 2 bouts of gastroenteritis, a very bad viral infection, tonnes of coughs and colds and random bouts of sickness and quite regularly a stomach upset. I also had gall-stones and my gall-bladder removed last November.

I tried to rule out certain foods (thinking the tummy issues were IBS) but nothing has made a difference. Toby has been in nursery since January which explains a lot too.

However, after a bad day Friday (I was treated very rudely by the Dr's receptionist and then kept waiting an HOUR for my appointment - I even saw my Dr saunter in 20-mins PAST my appointment time with a huge bag of shopping and then she saw someone with an appointment before me!!! so you can imagine what mood I was in), I walked into the Dr's room and burst into tears.

She told me I have post natal depression and also anxiety issues. I argued that she's caught me on a bad day (and explained why) and that how would PND explain gall-stones and the random bouts of sickness and tummy ache I constantly get. Her explanation - the depression is making me run down, so my immune system is weaker and I am picking up things very easily. She did agree to send me for blood tests to rule out other things (coeliacs, crohn's, thyroid, diabetes etc...) but would not budge and was actually rather forceful in telling me that's what's wrong with me.

I have had very low points since having Toby - I myself even thought I was suffering from mild PND. But it never lasted long and I have bounced back quickly after talking it all through with hubby.

She prescibed me Sertraline and wants to see me in 3-weeks to see how I'm doing. She was quite insistant that I take the drugs.

I am horrified by this. The thought of taking anti-depressants scares me very very much (I don't mean to offend anyone taking them) - I guess because of a lot of the potential side effects. The Dr said I have to take them for a YEAR!

Hubby and I agreed we will wait for the blood test results to come back before I even consider taking them. I am definitely not convinced I have PND (don't tell me denial is one of the symptoms!!!!!!!!!) BUT I do agree I have anxiety issues - I always have.

Does anyone have any thoughts for me!!! Could I have it but just don't realise it???

Edited to add... I am a very sensitive and emotional person. It does not take a lot for me to cry! I have ALWAYS been like this. Way before I had Toby. So the experience at the Dr's before my appointment making me cry doesn't surprise me in the least!!! I am loving being a Mummy so much. Yeah its hard - but it is for everyone. We have been blessed with a very good baby and a very happy and contented baby - but he's still hard work! Just keeping an eye on him now he's crawling is exhausting enough!!! LOL

Joo xxx

[Modified by: MummyJoo on 15 March 2010 11:26:57 ]

Replies

  • I'm no expert, but it does sound a bit like your doctor is jumping to conclusions - you have a baby and you're run down therefore it must be PND. That's not to say that it can't be, but if I was in your position I too would be reluctant to start taking any medication after a brief consultation like that (and on a bad day, like you say) - and to say at this stage you should take them for a year, without waiting to see how you get on, seems a bit extreme.

    Is your HV good? If so, I'd probably have a chat with her, explain what you went to the docs with and that they've 'suggested' PND - I think HV's are generally more experienced with PND than GPs are and she might be able to give you some more realistic advice.

    I also think it's a bit pointless (and bad practice) doing the other blood tests if she's so sure it's PND, which makes me wonder whether she really is.

    Just to add, PND is nothing to be ashamed of, and if that is what the problem is, I hope you get the help you need - but tbh I think that should be more than just drugs, and I think she's been very quick to prescribe drugs.
  • The HVs I've seen have been OK... but since returning to work in January I haven't been to any clinics as my only day off is Friday and there aren't any clinics in my area on a Friday. I have left messages about various things and never got replies. Funnily enough that's what caused the Dr's receptionist to be rude. I was asking about speaking to a HV as I've not had Toby weighed since mid-December and want to see how he's doing. When I explained this to the Dr - she ranted about it not being important to get Toby weighed. She said if he's well and going up in clothes sizes regularly I have nothing to worry about. Fair point, but I still like taking him to be weighed.

    I have some leave to take so will try and take a day off and get along to see my HV. Will also keep trying them by phone!!!

    Thanks for your comments - its really useful and I appreciate it.

    Joo xxx
  • it is true that if you are feeling run down emotionally you will more easily get ill physically. i think your dr was rude though. ask to see another doctor. it really annoyes me when people are late for appojntments! like 11am means there abouts. i think that's conditioning due to my job. as a teacher when i have to be somewhere at 11am it means on the dot, not a minute later, or 30 screaming children will be running riot!

    i am an emotional person too. i cried for ages after seeing a cat that had been run over on sunday, then again everytime i thought about it, then yesterday when we drove past that point and the cat had been taken away. i have 3 cats and i just panic about their safety all the time.

    however, in both my early pregnancies i ended up in the dept heads office in tears about situations at work (a year between them), that usually wouldnt have made me cry so hormones to have a big affect on us (the first time was in my 2ww so i didnt know i was pg at that point either).

    so i'd go and see someone else.
  • Didn't want to R&R but I agree with what's been said. If you disagree with the diagnosis definitely try and get a second opinion, either from another GP or your HV. I understood that drugs were just one of several approaches to treating PND and usually the last to be used (after counselling etc) so it does seem odd that your GP has jumped straight to that.

    re weighing - why are they being so rude to you about it? You do actually need to know how much he weighs from time to time as there are weigh limits on things like car seats, bouncers etc. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to want to find out! I also like taking my Toby to get weighed - just seeing the increases encourages me to keep BFing and it's really nice to have evidence that he's thriving. I think your Dr is being totally unreasonable - sure it's not essential, but there's no need to rant about it!

    I'm sure you will already be doing this but you can always weigh your LO at home - weigh yourself and then weigh yourself again while holding your LO - the difference will obviously be his weight. It's not totally accurate but will at least give you a rough guide.

    Good luck image
  • Oh hun - I have to agree with the others - I think your gp has been a bit quick top rule PND. I would definitely wait for the bloods to come back.

    I also thought I had PND before xmas (we are all surprising each other lol) but after a couple of good nights sleep and a couple of lay-ins I realised I was just bloody knackered! I was really ratty all the time and argumentative and crying sooooo easily! I do cry easily anyway but this was even worse! I still feel a bit like it when I have not had a lot of sleep xx

    I am not saying you haven't got it, and it could be a mild version, but I wouldn't assume you had as you are sensitive anyway! from the OP I assume it hadn't crossed hubby's mind either? I think he would be the best judge as surely he would realise if you were acting any different to normal.

    Definitely wait hun and see what comes back xx

    Big jugs xx

  • I can totally understand why you don't want to take medication if you're not absolutely convinced you need to. I had real anxiety issues for a period at uni and was prescribed medication for depression, but like you the thought of taking it horrified me - not because of any kind of stigma, but because literally all I'd done was confess to being very tired and having anxious feelings (DOH I was doing my finals) and quick as a flash I was being told I was depressed and here was how I should fix it, thank you, goodbye. I didn't have faith in the GP's diagnosis and I couldn't bring myself to even pick up the prescription.

    I am no expert and I don't presume to know you inside out or anything, but you seem to me to be a sensitive person, not a neurotic or depressed one. You say yourself that you know you are an anxious person at the best of times - couple this with juggling work and a baby and the worries associated with these, plus the lack of sleep you've had lately - it's no wonder you're feeling run-down and keep being poorly. You wear your heart on your sleeve, I think, and are honest about your emotions, and never have I seen a post from you or heard you say anything that suggested to me you're depressed - just very caring and as you say, sometimes anxious.

    Immense has a real point about hubby's surprise speaking volumes - surely he would be the best judge as to whether your anxiety and run of illness were anything more ominous.

    You definitely shouldn't feel under any pressure to take the meds. Your doc can advise you but at the end of the day has absolutely no say in your decision.

    Jugs. xx
  • I can;t add much to what everyone else has said BUT if the doc is really sure you have PND then there are other routes than just medication - so if you do NOT want meds discuss the option of counselling or other routes!

    best of luck with the decisions and hope you feel better soon!
  • Just seen this hun.

    You know my history - I do have PND which was diagnosed right from the start. I think it's one of those things that is pretty obvious to you really. It's all consuming and you just know something's wrong. Other people I've spoken to with it have all felt similar and people have talked about it kind of feeling like being in a constant darkness.

    DO NOT feel pressured to take anti d's just because she says so. I was prescribed them 6 months ago now and I haven't taken them as I don't want to. Every time I see GP or HV I get told they think I should start them but I don't want to. I have been referred for counselling and am waiting for that to come through. If she does think you have PND then she should offer you other things than just medication. And to say you should take it for a year - that seems mad to me. I was told 3 months and then they reassess. And to basically TELL you you have it when you are arguing that you don't seems v odd!

    Also - PND/depression can't really be blamed as the reason you are getting ill. Seems like she's just grabbed onto the first thing that's come into her head. Being a Mum is exhausting and makes you so run down. Esp as you've had problems with reflux, sleeping etc. Plus as you say T is now at nursery, you are out and about around other babies so there's generally more exposure to these things. And once you come down with one things, your immune system is lowered making it more likely you get something else and it kind of becomes a vicious circle I suppose.

    I do honestly think that if you had PND you would know about it. OR that once someone said that's what it sounded like that you would recognise it. But the fact that you are pretty convinced you don't have it (and are having highs and lows like every mummy out there has at some point) then do't let someone who hardly knows you tell you it's PND if you don't think it is. You know yourself better than anyone else.

    If you want to talk more about my experience then feel free to email me.

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