Canthis be PND after 15 months?

[Gail]

I have been feeling very unhappy recently and it crossed my mind that maybe I could be suffering from PND, but my baby is 15 months old now, so it couldn't be that, could it? My son is a beautiful, bright, energetic handful, but I find myself avoiding being on my own with him for more than half an hour. Also, my sleeping is appalling, especially right now as he is teething (four molars). I can't find any joy in anything, everything is just too much trouble, I have lost my (quite durable) sense of humour and I want to punch anyone who crosses me in any small way. I feel like a really good cry most of the time and have had suicidal thoughts (although I am too much of a coward to follow them through!). I just wondered if anyone could tell me if these symptoms add up tp anything or whether I should just pull myself together and stop whining! Thanks.

[Ann Marie]

Hello Gail,
I suffered with PND with my first child for 2 years and never realised, so yes I think you could be suffering with pnd. Like you I also had suicidal thoughts and couldn't bear to be alone with him. If I'm honest because of a fear that I may harm him. This still haunts me now. Lack of sleep was also a big problem for me. People don't realise what an effect sleep deprivation can have.
Good Luck

[conway]

Hi Gail,

I was almost pleased to read your message...i have been suffering from PND for ever, well thats how it feels. My son is 16 months now, and i've tried everything to feel better, but nothing seems to be working. Lately i've began to sink back into depression, and can't stand to be around anyone once again.

I find it quite hard to communicate with my husband, as i feel he must have had enough of it all by now and my other children think i;ve had a complete personality change since the baby was born.

I also suffer from a lack of empathy for anyone, and find it really difficult to have any feelings.

It was a comfort to read that after a year from birth, another mother feels the same as i do.

Thanks for having the courage to tell your story.

Conway

[Angela]

Hi Gail

Angela here, my daughter is 19 months and still have PND. I tried ignoring how I feel for so long but it keeps getting on top of me so much that I'm back in contact with my health visitor again. Can u not contact yours and see if she can help in anyway?

Angela P.s Love 2 me ol pal Conway

[jan]

Hi Gail,
yep, I think that sounds like pnd. I too suffered for over a year (see my entry for more details!!). I finally sought help from my g.p and am now on antidepressants. I feel so good! I cannot believe it took me so long to seek help but I had a health visitor who was no support whatsoever so I thought for a long time that i was just being a whinge. I wish now that someone had made me seek help last year. I am also having counselling which is painful but quite productive.
Please don't beat yourself up about feeling so low, yes it is awful but if you get help life does get better. I had all the usual worries about seeking help and ending up on medication, but now that I feel so good I really do not care how long it takes me to come off these anti-depressants!
Trying to pull yourself together will not help in the long run, it just makes you feel worse.Seeking help will not only benefit you, it will help the relationship with your son too. Since the medication has started working, my confidence and sense of humour are almost back to pre pregnancy. My husband is so glad to have his former wife back!
Go for it and get some help, and talk about it with friends. You will be surprised how supportive they wiil be.
Take care,
jan

[Karen]

I was so pleased to find this topic on here. My baby is 14 months old now and I am depressed myself. I finally plucked up the courage to see my GP today and asked for help and all she did was sign me off work for a week and to 'see how I go!' How can I get across to people that I need some help not time at home to wallow... I just thought I was going mad bursting into tears all the time and arguing with my husband over the most stupidist things. But I know I am not alone and I will get through this

[Cath]

My boy is now almost 2 years old and I still have the remnants of PND although it started when he was 6 months old and was severe. Things are definately improving but I would recommend anti depressants if your depression is severe and not feel guilty as you wouldnt expect a broken leg to get better on its own.

[Fay]

Hi there

it most certainly could be PND. I was diagnosed with it when my son was just over a year old.

Fay

[Elizabeth]

I came on this forum to ask just this very question....

My son is just over six months and for the last few weeks I've been feeling very low. It's not like me at all, I'm normally really positive. I just feel like I'm not "me" anymore - I'm just like a servant to my beloved son and my beloved husband. I'm up and down a bit and I've been trying to work out if it could be PMT - since I've had my first visit from AF about 3 weeks ago. I used to get PMT badly and it's been a long time since I was pill-less/not pregnant so it could be this.

On the other hand I was totally discounting PND because I didn't realise you could get it after so long.

Little things upset me badly, and when my baby wakes up in the night (which doesn't happen often, thank God) I find the loss of sleep very hard to take, and often I can't go back to sleep because I'm crying. It feels so silly and pointless because nothing's wrong and I've got everything I've ever wished for.... why am I wasting it feeling like this?

After reading this, I think I might well take a visit to the HV.

Thanks for being there
Elizabeth