Hi, I'm new here but am looking for others to provide some insight.... I'm positive that I have PPA, which I believe evolved from PPD. My LO is 9 weeks old. The first couple of weeks I was running on adrenaline. The next couple of weeks the adrenaline crashed and I was a mess, experiencing horrific feelings of regretting having the baby, resenting LO and DH, and self-pity. Then it evolved to PPA, where I started to have literal panic attacks when I would hear my baby cry in the MOTN. Now, I believe the frequency of the panic attacks has subsided (but still there once in a while), but I do still have anxiety when he refuses to nap. Which happens often.
I sought counseling (ok, i've only gone once but I have another appt tomorrow) and didn't find it too helpful. I did get a prescription for Ativan to help with my anxiety, which I've found useful a handful of times so far.
I guess I want to know if others who have had PPD and/orPPA have found Zoloft to be helpful in addition to Ativan or Xanax? The thing about Zoloft is that it takes 4-6 weeks to kick in? I'm wondering if I need it because I don't really feel depressed, and I feel that in 4-6 weeks, I might be feeling better since that will be when my baby should theoretically be sleeping more (and mommy will be, too!)........
I don't have a history of depression or anxiety, so this is all new to me. I just feel bad that it has to be about my baby, who's innocent in all this. But I am truly, really miserable......
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I took Zoloft and felt better within a week.
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I don't have specific experience with PPA but I do have panic disorder so I understand. I'm sorry you are going through this and I would encourage you to continue to see a therapist. For me, I had to try several before I found one that helped me. We focused on hypnotherapy (relaxed state not a trance), breathing techniques and thought patterns. It helped me greatly but it isn't an instant fix. It takes a while... I never liked the feeling from meds so I can't help you there.
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I don't have any advice but I hope you feel better soon!
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I'm so sorry you're having a rough time.
A combination of Zoloft and Xanax has worked wonders for me. I barely need the Xanax anymore but am not ready to wean off the Zoloft. I'm not going to lie to you, the first week of the Zoloft was probably the worst I've felt since LO's been born. My body had a difficult time adjusting to it and my emotions were all over the place. It was brutal. That being said, once it kicked in it was like a fog lifted. I was able to sleep again, my anxiety subsided, and I finally started feeling like myself again. My husband told me he thought he had lost me prior to the Zoloft (I didn't start until LO was 7-8 months old). The difference in my demeanor and my ability to handle stress has been pretty drastic.
I also did some cognitive therapy and it really did help me learn to control my negative thoughts.
Good luck!
I hope you feel better soon!
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i took zoloft and noticed a difference within two weeks. i put it off for weeks thinking if i could just get more sleep i would feel better, then decided i couldn't wait any longer. i'm so happy that i feel so much better. i'm a much better mom now that i feel better.
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I am so sorry you are going through this. I experienced PPD myself and it was awful. Awful. I wasn't suicidal, but I felt like I truly didn't know how I would survive. Panic attacks when he cried, anxiety when he didn't sleep, really scary thoughts. Unlike you, I do have a history of depression and continued taking Lexapro throughout pregnancy and after DS was born (my doctor and I determined going off the antidepressant outweighed the slight risks of staying on it while pregnant/BFing). However the Lexapro alone wasn't helping for PPD. I couldn't find a good therapist, either. What helped me was Ativan and time. Ativan helped, but my midwife prescribed it and I don't think she really knew what she was doing because she had me taking 2 mg/day. It did take awhile to go into effect, though. And after I'd been on it for 4 months I accidentally missed a day's worth of doses and went into terrible withdrawal. The withdrawal was a hundred times worse than the PPD. I saw a psychiatrist who told me that Ativan is not to be used long term like I was using it and helping me sloooowly wean off it over the course of several months.
I think an antidepressant would be useful in addition to anti-anxiety medication. I eventually found a good therapist and talking to him helped. And after DS got out of the "fourth trimester" stage, life got better, which helped my PPD. PPD/PPA is horrible: it robs you of this special time with your LO. I know now that my feelings weren't DS's fault and that even though I felt severe anxiety about motherhood, I loved him dearly. I wish I could go back and relieve myself of the extreme guilt I felt.
Sorry for the novel, and I'm not sure if any of it was even useful information! DS is 18 months and PPD has been a distant memory for over a year. Feel free to wall me with any questions you have or if you just want someone to talk to.
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I started taking Zoloft for PPA and within a week, I noticed a difference. Within 2-3 weeks, I almost felt like myself again. Good luck
Hope you find something that helps. PPA can be really rough, but it's so much more manageable when you find the right tools to help you.
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Just want to say good luck! I had some bad anxiety for the first few months of my LO's life, and I found that talking really helped. The dark thoughts I had had a lot more power over me before I voiced them, and I was happy that no one judged me. No specific advice about medication, but you're doing the right thing reaching out, and it does get better! Hugs!
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Hi there. So sorry you're dealing with this- it's tough enough having a new baby without having to deal with PPD/PPA on too of it.
I am on Prozac for my PPD, and I have a standing prescription for Ativan if I need it. I also see a naturopath for PPD/PPA, because the medication alone wasn't helping enough. I found that Medications helped the PPA part of it, but I was left with a lot of depression.
My anxiety is still a big part of my life (especially as things start to change), but there are definitely things that help. I'm here to chat if you need someone!
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I was prescribed Zoloft for my PPD (which was also PPA -- I think they typically come hand in hand). It worked wonderfully and worked quickly, and I was essentially on a sub-clinical dose. I have since learned that my aunt who has very severe bi-polar disorder also responds very well to sub-clinical doses of Zoloft, so it might be genetic.
I think it's a great idea to find a good therapist who has experience with PPD. I fully attribute my fast recovery to being part of an intensive PPD treatment program where I talked to my therapist individually once per week and had group therapy with other moms every day. -
I started a low dose of Zoloft for PPD/PPA at around 5 mos PP. I second what rahlyrah said. The first week was the worst. I could barely get through a work day and was extremely nauseous. I stuck it out and I really started to feel myself after two weeks. It is still working well and I plan to try and wean off it a little after the year mark of taking it.
Good for you for getting help--and doing it so early. If I regret anything, it's not seeking advice from my doctor sooner.
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thanks for the encouragement everyone! it helps knowing i'm not alone.
@rahlyrah: what type of cognitive therapy did you do? did you find certain exercises/techniques particularly helpful?
@oscarthegoon: i'm so glad you felt better so quickly. I'm hoping the same for myself!
@katrocap: thanks for sharing! i'm so glad it's over for you now. I'm only taking 0.5mg ativan, as needed, which has only been about 4 times so far..... i think i will wall you soon.
@skibobrown, @bisous: what dosage did your doc start you off on for zoloft? i have to say, if i do start it, i'm scared about what you and @rahlyrah said about the first week! i feel so bad as it is, do i want to feel worse?? even if it's to ultimately feel better? i'm terrified of that.... -
@BabyTsMom: I started (and stayed) on just 25 mg. Based on what the internet says (
)...I think that is a normal dose for PPA, but kind of a low dose for PPD. I was shocked that such a teeny pill could make me feel so bad. I forgot until just now that I did cut the pills in half from day 4 to probably around day 10. That worked well for me.
I hope you feel better soon!
)...I think that is a normal dose for PPA, but kind of a low dose for PPD. I was shocked that such a teeny pill could make me feel so bad. I forgot until just now that I did cut the pills in half from day 4 to probably around day 10. That worked well for me.
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