Postpartum Depression

Severe insomnia

I'm not sure if this post belongs here but I was hoping someone else might be going through something similar or had some advice for me. I'm currently 37.5 weeks pregnant so I could have my baby any day now. I developed bad insomnia when I was 23 weeks pregnant. It lasted for a long time but I started to see some improvement in December. Unfortunately, for the past month or so, it has been back in full force and is actually much, much worse. I am to the point where I can't even tell if I'm sleeping and if I am I wake up constantly! I am having what seem like constant dreams/delirious thoughts when I'm in bed and I get out of bed feeling like absolute death every day now. The insomnia is severe. If I could just lay down and sleep for several hours and wake up feeling refreshed then I think this would all be OVER. But now I'm starting to lose it and even worrying about things like fatal familial insomnia. And I know that might sound ridiculous but when you're so sleep deprived and feel like you're only getting the absolute bare minimum of light sleep, it actually seems possible. I don't know how I will have the energy to give birth and I am terrified I'm going to have bad postpartum depression because of my anxiety and lack of sleep. Has anyone gone through anything like this? What else can I do? I am seeing a counselor but it hasn't been any help. I'm also taking Buspar and my doctor said he'd write me a prescription for Ambien but I'm scared of Ambien. At this point though, I just don't know what to do.

Re: Severe insomnia

  • I would get the ambien and see if after a few nights you can feel better. My sister took Ambien at 37ish weeks after her dog died and she had to stop once she gave birth, so addiction wasn't a problem.
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  • I went through this during pregnancy. I would get sleep in these ridiculous 30 minute increments, and like you, it was so light I did not even know if I had fallen asleep. I had never ever been so tired, and of course, people kept giving me the "oh, just wait til the baby" line.  I too was seeing a counselor, and I would just complain to her how tired I was ;) 

    Here's all I can say: It gets better. Those 3 hour stretches the baby sleeps? Yeah, heaven. I had no problem sleeping after I had DD. I don't know if it was a hormonal thing, or what the problem was, but it just went away. I am telling you, I really think it will get better.

    Now, I had depression and anxiety before having DD. My depression and anxiety wasn't new PP, it just got a little more severe. Do you have a history pre-pg? A friend of mine went through the same insomnia thing, but other than a little baby blues, she was completely fine after her DS was born.

    That being said, I'd seriously go for the ambien. Why suffer if you don't have to? 

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  • Thank you both for responding. I really appreciate it. 

    I seriously thought I was the only one going through it this badly.  Everybody else seems to say "Oh, I wake up at 4 am and can't get back to sleep" or "I wake up every 2 hours."  I wish that was me....

    swimiz, how long would you say you dealt with this kind of insomnia in your pregnancy?  Mine started at 23 weeks and I'm almost 38 now.  For awhile it seemed to get better but like I said, now it's worse.  Did you find your counselor helpful at all?  I'm looking forward to having my baby because at least that way I won't have to worry about him inside me.  I so hope it goes away for me too once he's born. 

    I had anxiety/depression before getting pregnant but never anywhere near this bad.  Insomnia in the past only lasted for a day or two at most and once I got some sleep it went away.  The problem now is just that I have trouble falling asleep and once I 'think' I get to sleep, I keep waking up and having continuous dreams.  It's awful. 

    I see my doctor again soon so II might just go for the Ambien. 

  • Oh jeez, I did not deal well at all! I cried a lot. I slept whenever I was able, no matter what time of day it was (I wasn't working), and DH was very patient. 

    My counselor really did help. She had a very rough pregnancy herself, so she understood. And honestly, more than anything, it was just wonderful to have a sounding board just to talk about it, and share my fears, and basically complain about my exhaustion!

    I also had the most ridiculous and vivid dreams! It was awful, because when I woke up, the dreams were so involved that I felt even more tired.

    I really, really think it will get better for you. And try not to worry about your DS in there too much- even though you are not sleeping, he is :)  

  • Before you try Ambien you might try over the counter Unisom. Many people use it during pregnancy because it helps with nausea. It's a pretty mild sleep aid but I have been using it post partum. Worth a try. Wishing you the best :)
  • Severe insomnia hit me like a mack truck at 7 months PP.  PPD/PPA was/is to blame for it.  I was miserable!!!!!!  Eventually told my DH to take me to the ER b/c I didn't want to live anymore.  I would have never really done anything to myself, but that is how I felt.  I know EXACTLY how you feel (other than the fact you are pregnant and experiencing it).  I am seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist and taking meds and they have all been a total blessing.  Ambien is pregnancy class B approved, I think.  I would take it if I were you...it is better than being miserable.  I have used Ambien several times.  I have a px for it now, but don't use it.  They have me on a mood stabalizer that helps with my racing mind (Serequel), an anti depressant/anxiety (Trazadone) and I take 1mg of Klonopin before bed to help me sleep.  Klonopin is a drug used for panic disorder, so it helps calm me down to fall asleep. 

    I HATE being on meds and pray to God that one day I can get off of them b/c I want another child, but for now I have to do what works and what can get me through my days.

     Good luck hon...and I hope everything gets better for you.  Just try the Ambien and get a few good nights of sleep and then hopefully things will improve. 

    PPD/PPA Mom...it has been super hard, but I'm making it! Slow steps...
    Mom to Carter (6), and Calianne (1).  
    Proud VBAC, natural birth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering momma!


  • I took Ambien, along with Wellbutrin, through my entire pregnancy.  For the first 30 weeks of pregnancy, I would sleep in two hour increments.  After 30 weeks, I wasn't sleeping more than 45 minutes at a time.  And this was while I was taking Ambien.  If I didn't take it, I never slept.  I had a horrible pregnancy, physically and mentally.  It feels like heaven now to sleep for 4 hours straight.
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  • Thank you so much for all your replies.  I can't tell you how much it helps to know I'm not alone in this.  The past 17 weeks have been torture for me and some days I just don't even understand how I'm still alive.  This has truly been the worst time in my life, and although I've wanted a baby more than anything, this has totally stripped the joy from it.  I feel so cheated and depressed.  My doctor tried to put me on Restoril instead of Ambien but my husband looked it up and thought I shouldn't take it due to some issues with it like the baby getting addicted.  I'm going to bring up the Ambien at my next appointment again and see what he says.  Mehlers, how did you manage labor while you were so sleep deprived?  I'm terrified about how I'm going to manage. 
  • im responding super late to this - (lurking over here bc im 31.5 weeks pg with twins and am worried that i will develop PPD)

    anyways, i had pg insomnia with my son until 20 weeks (started at 5 weeks) and i swore i wouldnt do it again.  with this pregnancy, i slept like a baby until 10.5 weeks, then it started.  i got ambien immediately.  sweetie if you are that sleep deprived get the ambien.  it's not bad. i dont know where this stigma comes from.  and it's class B.  and it doesnt make you feel weird the next day.  i took it until about 18 weeks, then the insomnia went away, and then came back about 25 weeks so im on it again.  i currently take 5mg. it's worth it.  i think ambien is amazing.  i suppose if someone has a very very addictive personality maybe they shouldnt take it, i cant speak to that.  and i will still wake up at least once or twice in the middle of the night with it but i can always fall back to sleep   i dont care if i wake up as long as i can fall back to sleep and falling asleep is my problem. 

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