Breakthrough!

[evelyn]

After the longest, darkest most miserable year of my life, I suddenly feel as if PND has finally released it's grip on me. I've has ups and downs all the way, but this past month I've had the distinct feeling that I'm getting stronger every day and that I've at last woken up from the nightmare.
The only things that have changed in the last month are that I've gone back on the pill (trinordiol- I asked the doc to go back on it to try to combat very bad PMT and painful, heavy periods ) and I've cut right down on caffeine. I reckon the reduction in caffeine ( from 8 plus strong coffees to one or two a day ) has definitely made me feel a lot calmer. But could it really be that regulating my hormone levels by going back on the pill has made this amazing difference ??
Who knows?? I'm just so very, very grateful that I'm feeling alive again. It's as if I've been resuscitated- brought back from the brink.
If anyone else has experienced anything similar I'd love to know. And for anyone else who is still in the throes of the misery and agony of PND- I feel for you and hope your unhappiness will end soon too. Hang on in !
Ev.

[anna]

Evelyn,
I am 14 months post-partum, on all kinds of meds, and still not well. I never thought of the pill! How wonderful for you. I am very happy for you. It is always encouraging to hear a positive story and outcome. I so wish the same for me. I feel like this will never end. Its not as bad as it was in the beginning but I have no good days everyone talks about the ups and downs I have no ups, just the downs. I can't wait for the day I feel alive again. Thanks for posting your message.
Anna

[Veritee]

Hi
I must admit that for me PND seemed to be mainly hormonal. I was not the pill in my case which put an end to PND but stopping breastfeeding!

Social and personal factors certainly played a part but I did not really begin to get better until I stopped breastfeeding her - and as she was nearly 3 when I stopped, PND lasted quite a long time.
Having said this I am not advocating not breastfeeding at all, if I had the time all over again knowing what happened I would still breastfeed her as I still feel it was the best thing for us in other ways, but maybe for not as long.

Some women (and experts/professionals etc) do not like PND to be put down to hormones in any way as they feel this marginalizes and trivializes the problem - makes people 'say oh well its just her hormones,' as it is also said for PMS and other very distressing hormonal problems and no one feels it is important enough to treat properly or research the cause.

However in my opinion, due to the very fact that it usually only occurs when someone has just had a baby and many of the symptoms are common to other hormonal conditions, I feel it must have a hormonal causation in part. I do not think this is the only factor as research has shown that women who get good support at the right time recover quicker - and maybe do not get it at all- but in my case at least hormones had a lot to do with my PND.

Regards Veritee

[Andy and Sue]

If PND goes on for 5 years is it still PND or plain old depression. Looking for some help in understanding the side effects of Prozac and how to reduce without the big downers? Any ideas?
Andy/Sue