Weaning and depression/anxiety ?
thetheisens
member
Ok, fb trolls, I have a bfucking serious question to ask here and I would like it not to get drowned in all the bs.
I know others have posted about there being a connection between weaning and depression, but has anyone experienced something closer to anxiety than depression with weaning? I think ds is starting to slowly wean, he only nurses 3 or 4 times a day, which I figure is around 16 to 18 oz of bm a day. Just a month or so ago he was getting over 30 oz a day( I come to these figured based off what I pump and what he was getting a daycare).
I don't feel like I am depressed at all, I'm actually pretty good with life right now. I find myself feeling anxious pretty often without there really being a reason why. I notice that it is the worst at night, right before I go to bed. There is really nothing specific I feel anxious about, I just start feeling very nervous, fidgety and sometimes my heart feels like it's racing. Has anyone else experienced this?
Also, I want to make an appointment to talk about this, but would I called my vag dr or my family dr or someone else? We have moved since I've last been to a family dr and it would be with someone new I didn't know. My insurance company has a mental health hotline that you can call that will help you get in connect with someone, so I wonder if that would be a better option.
I had some counseling for anxiety and other issues years ago and I have tried some of the relaxation exercise that I learned, but they really haven't helped. I have also taken Zoloft in the past and had a horrible experience with it, so I am really nervous about being prescribed anything. I do believe in the right drugs for the right person thing, but my Zoloft experience was so bad I am scared.
Sorry, this was a book. I appreciate any advice or suggestions.
Re: Weaning and depression/anxiety ?
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I might contact your vag doctor first, they might be better able than your regular doctor to recommend a therapist/psychiatrist who has good experience with post-partum issues .
You know, I've been in a pretty sh*tty mood for past couple of months, and I wouldn't be surprised if weaning has something to do with it. So thanks for the post.
edited for clarity.
You know, I second the thanks for posting. I posted earlier that E has been decreasing his feedings and I have noticed a rise in anxiety lately. I've had anxiety issues before and was prescribed something, can't remember what, and I HATED it. I was just thinking about this the other night because it got so bad, and over nothing, that I had to take a Lorazepam. I was also thinking that this happened right around this age with DD but I attributed it to residual hormone fluctuations rather than weaning.
So I guess I don't have much to offer except you're not alone.
I never got the chance to breastfeed really so I can't comment on the weaning issue. But I did want to say that I've been having lots of anxiety lately and just went to my family doc last night about it. My doc was super nice about everything and seemed comfortable helping me tackle this issue.
Im really sorry to hear you are dealing with this since I know how it feels. Would you mind sharing what was so bad about the Zoloft? My doc prescribed a different med but I'm just curious what your experience was. Ive never taken meds for my anxiety before. Hope you can get some help soon!
I recently talked to my doctor about things hitting me harder than they had before. She asked me a series of questions, which included many about anxiety (I'm not experiencing anxiety, but more the sadness/irritability).
PPD can also hit anytime up to 2 years. My doctor referred me to a counsellor at Mental Health who deals specifically with PPD. She also said that I was "in the grey zone" where they offer medication but do not necessarily feel it is necessary. If you are worried about medication, bring up that concern - I'm sure your doctor will respect your feelings and try to help you find alternatives.
I have also been recommended (by the counsellor) to start taking B100 and Omega 3's.
Hope you find something that works for you.
"God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it" 1 Corinthians 10:13I was being treated for an eating disorder as well at the time and the Zoloft decreased my appetite to being nonexistent, which cause my eating disorder to get worse. Zoloft also completely diminished my impulse control. I started making really bad, impulsive decisions. It did take away my anxiety, which at the time was a bad thing because I was making a mess of my life. I know other people who have taken Zoloft and it has helped them greatly, so it was most likely just the wrong drug and dosage for me.
I think post partum anxiety is a lot more common than we think.
If you don't want to go on meds, one thing that can help is mindfulness meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. These both get at the root of your thought process.
A friend of mine weaned at 2.5 years and STILL had major issues from it. I don't know why people don't talk about this and I'm glad you decided to do so here!
And eff this fbook noise. Seriously.
Maybe this is not related at all but I am just going to put it out there. I used to have an overactive thyroid and these are the symptoms that I had: hyper in the evening ( as in talking a LOT and fast, staying up later), palpitations when at rest, feeling warm.. and that's aside from the really bad acne, light sensitivity,etc.
We are thinking about starting weaning DD soon but didn't start yet. Hope you get better soon!