history of depression lead to increased risk of PPD?

MrsTucker07

I have been struggling with depression and anxiety for several years, for which I took Effexor. I am not currently taking any medication since we are TTC. I'm doing OK for the most part, but I still have bad days. Has anyone else had similar experiences? Did you find that your depression/anxiety worsened after giving birth?

mistyhookie

Hey there, I thought we were going to be cycle buddies. I guess we will just have to wait and see. Its so crazy that we are having the same problems.

I have suffered with depression and panic attacks for 7 yrs.  It was very sudden when I had the first panic attack, it lasted 3 months no joke. I stayed in my bedroom for those months breathing in a bag, couldnt sleep. I was so scared but not sure what the hell scared me. I think sometimes life hit me hard. All of a sudden I was married at 19, just had a miscarriage and was just freaked out I guess. I got help fast, I was put on several medications and all of them made me crazier I think.lol  I finally tried paxil and it helped put me back together. I was on paxil for 2 yrs and said to myself one day (I dont want to take a pill for the rest of my life) So I bought that program Attacking anxiety and depression program. That set of tapes and dvds gave me a lot of knowledge on anxiety and depression. So I kicked the pills and have been pretty good since then. I have had a few panic attacks over the years, but I am able to control them by positive talking (yep I talk to myself) lol only when I panic.

I havent giving birth yet, so I cant anwser that question, but I think we will always have anxiety, we just have to learn how to control it and not let it control us. It seems like you may be doing a good job so far if you have a few bad days every now and then. You will get better at controling it as time goes by. I will have to admit, the thought of having a baby and going threw birth still scares me a bit, but this is what I want so badly. Ill do anything to get a child, if it takes me having to go threw a few panic attacks to get that chance to hold my baby, so be it.

I wish you the best. I am so happy to meet someone else out there trying to beat there anxiety. Sorry so long.

 

KrystalD7

I was on effexor for 2 years for depression and severe anxiety, so my Dr said I was at a higher risk for PPD. I was immediately referred to a PPD clinic at my hospital and they kept an eye on me for the first 2-3 months. I was doing great, but I started to develop symptoms around 5 months PP. The anxiety came back and I lost interest in everything. I am back at the clinic for therapy and am currently taking Lexapro. So far so good, I have noticed a big change since starting the meds.

My advice would be to keep an eye on it and be honest with yourself and your DH about how you are feeling. I think I was in denial about my feelings for a bit before I finally broke down and called my Dr. Also, make sure your DH knows what to look for and is educated in it as well, that way he will be able to help you out as much as possible.

GL!

jax_mom

I stopped Effexor as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I felt great until I was about 25 weeks along. I ended up very depressed & anxious while pregnant, & saw a specialist in reproductive psychiatry. I ended up back on Effexor for the remainder of my pregnancy. For my first 3 months PP, I was blissfully happy, but once I had to start back at work, PPD/A hit me hard, despite being medicated. My meds have been increased twice & they still aren't quite right. My dosages are double what they were pre-pregnancy.

In my experinece, my anxiety/depression did worsen after birth, but maintaining a close relationship with my psychiatrist has made it bearable. I can't imagine what I'd be like unmedicated.

Craylo

Yes! I decided to go off of my meds when I got pregnant, but had to restart them at 7 months because of the anxiety and mood swings I was having. I've experienced episodes of PPD since giving birth and I definitely believe that it puts you at higher risk. Talk to you doc about meds that are considered safe during pregnancy. GL!

snickerdoodle27

Yes you are at increased risk for PPD. I stopped taking meds before I got pg with my ds, but after he was born I was feeling very anxious/depressed, and my dr put me on zoloft which helped tremendously.

lovebug630

I also have a history of depression and anxiety, and I've read that this does lead to an increased chance of experiencing PPD. I was diagnosed with it yesterday. I was on a small dose of Prozac during pregnancy (10 mg), but I felt wonderful. After having DD, everything came crashing down. A lot of mine is due to family problems, though, so I wonder if it would have been this way otherwise.

I would just ask your DH or someone close to you to help you watch for signs of depression. And like a pp said, be honest with yourself about your feelings. If you do experience PPD, you'll probably feel guilty because you think you should be happy with a new baby. Admitting it to my DH was a huge relief.