Pain meds were hiding PPD?

saisongbird · April 2014

We have been switching around my meds a lot the last couple of days. It seemed that everyone was focusing on a different aspect of my recovery and they were fighting each other. Some were more focused on my mobility, some were more focused on my appetite, some were more focused on the amount of narcotics I was on and the extreme chills I've been having. After a long discussion this morning, DH and I decided that mobility needed to take a backseat and we needed to focus on getting me off of the narcotics and trying to get some sort of an appetite back. We are also hoping that the extreme chills will disappear.

I've been on Motrin only today, and all of a sudden the waterworks are coming out of nowhere. I cry and I don't know why I'm crying. I'm taking note of everything to talk to my ob about tomorrow when I have my 2 week PP appt, but this is hard. My baby won't sleep on me/cuddle me? Crying. I'm lonely during BFing? Crying. I have to supplement with formula once a day because she's cluster feeding in the evenings and my body can't keep up yet? Crying. Is it possible that the pain meds were hiding PPD?

teaforthree · April 2014

It's pretty normal to be teary the first few weeks, I know I was. Your doctor can determine if it's PPD at your appointment, but I was told if you're still crying at the month mark to get help.

theluckiest9 · April 2014

I agree with bears. It hit me around 9 days pp and went away roughly a week or so later. I'd give it a little bit. You've had a rough recovery which is prob taking its toll emotionally. Def talk to your OB. Hope things even out for you soon!

lalaith50 · April 2014

I don't think it's necessarily ppd- the first ten days or so were like waterworks for me. I couldn't even talk to the doctor at his weight check appt without bawling. Or say my name at a bfing support group. Etc.

Pinecone21 · April 2014

I agree with PPs. My tears didn't start until a week after the birth. I'm now at 4 weeks, and I haven't cried in days. Just give it some time. Most of us have gone through this.

CruiseGirl28 · April 2014

I cried every day the first week. And every once in awhile I get sad again (she's growing up so fast!). I think being emotional is normal.

With that being said, it is good that you are paying attention and keeping note.

rockopera · April 2014

I'm with the others. I think I cried every day for 3 weeks. Happy tears. Sad tears. He's so little. He's getting so big. All the BFing challenges/failures. Commercials. News. Everything had me crying.

H is watching me for PPD because of the state my BFing challenges have put me in. Hopeless. Empty. I'm still doing okay, but felt really on the edge. And that state feels so different (and worse) than the baby blues.

I am still getting emotional at some things(songs!). But it is nowhere near as bad.

Thinking about you. I know you're having a lot of challenges. Creepy internet hugs to you.

benevolentforce · April 2014

Also sending hugs. I, too, echo what others have said. I wasn't ready for the amount of crying I did until my hormones calmed down You're right to watch carefully for PPD and talk to your OB, but know you're not alone in the extreme crying sessions! Hope you feel better soon!

Sanibel21 · April 2014

I'm sorry you're going through this. I agree it's normal to cry about virtually everything or anything at this point. Always a good idea to discuss with your doctor to make sure it doesn't develop into anything more serious.

SassyFlats · April 2014

OMG, I cried so much for weeks! Everything made me cry, nothing made me cry.... it was nuts! I still tear up much easier than I used to, but it's not as extreme as it was in the first 4 weeks or so. Definitely talk to your OB about it, but it doesn't sound abnormal to me.

KayCee85 · April 2014

I also cried like a baby over everything the first few weeks. But I also had this overwhelming feeling of sadness I never experienced before. I also felt extremely anxious and had my first panic attack. I have absolutely no appetite. Food just doesnt appeal to me, and I'm normally a foodie. So at 4 weeks pp I made an appointment with my primary doctor and she wrote me for a low dose of prozac. It's been less then a week, so it might be too soon to tell, but I do feel less on edge.

legallyginger · April 2014

I agree with everyone that it is probably the baby blues. I thought they hit sooner, but for me it was around 2w pp that I would just cry at the drop of a hat. The combination of pain/exhaustion and being overwhelmed was killer.

Around that time I also totally lost my appetite. DH had to force me to eat. I'm not sure how your system is, but for me the narcotics I was on seriously stopped me up and I'm pretty sure that is what was killing my appetite. Once I was off the serious pain killers and only taking Motrin everything gradually got back to normal.

Mobility will come in time. You're only two weeks out from major surgery! It still took me a few minutes to get out of bed on my own at that point.

I hope things get better for you soon! In a few weeks this will all be a distant memory.

SassyFlats · April 2014

I agree with @legallyginger that mobility will come. Don't push yourself too hard on that, and don't feel bad about it. DH's cousin just had a baby (vaginally) a few days ago, and she's already doing housework and chasing her toddler just fine.

I tried to go for a walk 1 week PP and I only made it a little past my driveway before I needed to turn back... and THEN I was sore the rest of the evening. The nurses were telling me I should be up walking the halls of the maternity floor the day after my c-section, but I didn't do that until my last day there. Just walking around my room was hard enough. I spent my first week home on the sofa except to go to the bathroom. I tried to sleep in my bed, but it was painful to get in and out of bed. I was so exhausted and sore and afraid to cause damage to my insides!

By 2 weeks PP I could move around the house a bit, but I still wasn't comfortable bending or reaching much so I tried to rest as much as possible and just move around a little more each day. By week 3, I was feeling much closer to "normal" and DH had to tell me to TAKE IT EASY and not do housework yet. Week 4 is when I really started feeling energetic again, and now we're in week 5 and I'm honestly feeling pretty normal! My body is weaker than I'm used to (from a lazy pregnancy), but otherwise I am feeling good and I can do pretty much anything now.

Just listen to your body. Push yourself only as far as YOU feel comfortable. Don't let someone else tell you what you SHOULD be doing right now. You are BOTH healing AND caring for a newborn. Those are two very difficult things! Physically and emotionally! I don't think every doctor and nurse takes into account that you're not JUST healing or JUST caring for a baby who needs you 24/7. You and your DH need to pay close attention to your health and progress and go from there.

wildhoney4508 · April 2014

I understand how you feel!! With my first, I too had an unplanned CS after MANY hours of an "unsuccessful" induction. Although I didn't have some of the side effects you have been experiencing, I had a few of my own that weren't too pretty. My recovery was horrendous and I didn't physically feel like myself for around 8 wks PP. I bf and had to supplement for the whole 7 mos. I bf and I pumped as well (even after returning to work). My bf struggles were numerous (painful, thrush, pressure to keep doing it without feeling like I failed her, not producing enough, pressure from family members and society (in my mind) etc...) AND only to get to 6 mo. pp to discover I DID in fact have PPD (as well as an undiagnosed hypothyroid condition). It was a "delayed reaction" that I, DH,my OB, even my therapist somehow "missed." In fact it was here on TB (PPD board) that I read about and could relate to some of the symptoms other women had been experiencing. It finally all added up and so I mentioned all of it to my regular dr and she tested my thyroid and identified what I had probably was PPD. (Both conditions have similar symptoms). I went on meds to treat both and it really, really helped.

With all that said, I always loved my baby-I just felt as though there was "something" stealing true, complete joy a mother should feel for the months leading up to my diagnosis. I just didn't feel like "me" and I thought that was "normal" because motherhood=sacrifice?!? Yes, baby blues are for first couple of weeks...but pay attention to how you feel after that time period. Motherhood is hard and it sure doesn't come with an instruction manual. I'm sorry you are going through this.

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