What's wrong with me???

[MGJ]

I started feeling really low about the 2nd week after my 4th child was born (now 6 months old).  I have been diagnosed with post-natal depression/depression and prescribed anti-depressants which is not really helping.  Started hearing voices about 4 weeks ago and about 2 weeks ago, I have been seeing people around me.  Very scary visions of people holding knives out to me and asking me to do it....do it...end it all.  Saying to me everything is bad and evil.  Trust no one.....listen to us.  I have also visualized people lying in a pool of blood with not an human head....sort of like an animal/alien head.  Cannot sleep as the people are constantly talking to me and around me.  What's happening to me.  Never felt like that even after I had my 2nd child, I was diagnosed with post-natal depression as well and mildly depressed with my 3rd child. Please could anyone give me some advice.

[Joy]

Hi
sorry you are feeling so bad, my heatlh visitor told me that the thoughts/visions I was having are just hallucinations and wont 'come true' but i know how scary they are xx Can you go to your GP/Health Visitor, or ring them, sometimes the medictions can cause odd side-affects like these (dont stop taking them without advice though as sudden withdrawal can be bad) but if these visions etc are a new thing it might be due to that. Give some-one a call and they can advise you better.
Really hope you feel better soon, its a carp illness but you will recover!
Sending you hugs xxxx

[MGJ]

Thank you for your advice.  Those visions are new.  If I tell my GP she will think that I am going mad.  They have increased my anti-depressant so will just wait and see what happens. 

[Kay]

Hi

Hope things are a bit better x

I would definitely go and see your GP or contact your health visitor x Not sleeping is really bad for you, in my case lack of sleep had a huge impact x They can hopefully help you stop the voices and hallucinations so that you can get some rest x

The hallucinations won't come true but as Joy said they can be really disturbing x

Thinking of you x

[MGJ]

Thank u for your reply.  I am starting to think the health professionals do not actually know how the sufferer feels.  They expect you to talk & explain but I find it very tedious. I find the voices are so LOUD that I can't even talk 'above' them!!!  Often just stay quiet as they are doing all the talking.

I think I am getting worse...losing control.

[Kay]

Hi MJG

How are you now? Have you managed to get some help? xx

I was unable to log in for some time as the page wouldn't load, just wanted to see how you are getting on.

I know it seems tedious but you need to try to explain what's happening so that they can hopefully get you on some meds hun xx

xx

[MGJ]

Hello Kay, Nice to hear from you.  The health professionals have finally decided to reduce the dose and eventually stop the med to see if that is what is making the voices and images worse.  After been reduced to single dose for about a month and completely off from med for just under 2 weeks, I have noticed an improvement although not immediately.  The voices are not as loud and frequent and so is the images which is not so distressing.  However, they are still not convinced that it was the increased dose that made the voices and images worse.  I find that I am sleeping better and less distress and upset with reduced voices and images.  I am really thinking twice about going on any form of anti-depressants again as I am pretty sure it did give me very side effects like what mentioned above.  On the other note,  I still feel depressed so probably need something different in the future. 

[Kay]

Hi hun xx

Glad you are feeling a bit better xx

The thing is with medication it is a bit of a trial an error thing sometimes xx Finding the right dosage and the right type to suit the individual xx

Keep talking to them, as tedious as it is, if you feel you could still benefit from some meds then don't be afraid to try a different one xx Just make sure that you are monitored closely and that your doc is aware of the massive side effects you suffered on others xx

It might take a while for you to find something suitable but hopefully you will find it and be able to silence the voices and images for good xx

Glad however that you are feeling a bit better xxx I really found talking about what was going on in my head helped me a great deal, have you considered counselling?

xx

[MGJ]

Yes I have considered counseling.  HOWEVER,  I cannot trust anyone with anything I say to them so I don't think it will help if I am not able to open up. xx

[miathomson73]

[quote author=MGJ link=topic=148.msg281#msg281 date=1271279360]
I started feeling really low about the 2nd week after my 4th child was born (now 6 months old).  I have been diagnosed with post-natal depression/depression and prescribed anti-depressants which is not really helping.  Started hearing voices about 4 weeks ago and about 2 weeks ago, I have been seeing people around me.  Very scary visions of people holding knives out to me and asking me to do it....do it...end it all.  Saying to me everything is bad and evil.  Trust no one.....listen to us.  I have also visualized people lying in a pool of blood with not an human head....sort of like an animal/alien head.  Cannot sleep as the people are constantly talking to me and around me.  What's happening to me.  Never felt like that even after I had my 2nd child, I was diagnosed with post-natal depression as well and mildly depressed with my 3rd child. Please could anyone give me some advice.
[/quote]

I believe that you may have experienced postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis should not be confused with the much more common postpartum depression. Some of the symptoms of postpartum depression include: sadness and crying, problems sleeping, not wanting to hold or touch the baby (not enjoying the baby), feeling extremely tired or having changes in eating patterns.

On the other hand, some general symptoms of postpartum psychosis include: hearing voices, seeing things, shutting down or withdrawing from others, confused or disorganized thoughts and having thoughts about hurting herself or her baby.

Although prevention is better than cure as they say, there are instances that we fail to hinder the path of severity of having PPD.  At this point we have to deal with the situation.

HOW TO DEAL WITH PSYCHOSIS ATTACK:

1.  Seek medical Professional help right away.  While both postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis require the care and treatment of a mental health or health care professional, postpartum psychosis should be treated as an emergency and a medical professional should be contacted immediately.

2.  Hospitalization.  A mother diagnosed with postpartum psychosis usually requires hospitalization until she is in stable condition. Hospitalization is required to protect the mother and child.

3.  Take the necessary precautions.  A mother who has postpartum psychosis should never be left alone with her child. When a mother has postpartum psychosis, it is important that people take the signs seriously and understand that help means connecting with a health care professional quickly.148.0.html

Source: [url=http://ppdsupport.com/article/2010/09/28/dealing-psychosis-attack]How to Deal With Psychosis Attack[/url]