It’s been about five weeks now since I went to the doctor’s for my first appointment to talk about Post Natal Depression. I had a follow up appointment two weeks later but both the doctor and I decided that it’s a good idea for me to carry on taking anti-depressants for the time being.
I don’t really think I knew what to expect when I first started taking the anti-depressants. I know the doctor I saw originally warned me that life would be hell for probably 4-6 weeks. I’m not sure I really believed her though and I certainly wasn’t prepared for the side effects.
The first month has definitely not been smooth sailing. The first couple of weeks weren’t too bad at all and I didn’t really feel any side effects. However, I did slowly start to feel a bit better within myself and a bit more relaxed about certain things. It’s only been the last 2 wees or so that things have gone downhill.
I’m struggling at the minute because I’m not sleeping very well. I seem to be unable to nap during the day like I used to so I’m shattered by 4 or 5pm. This is messing with how I feel when I’m at work because I work from 5:30 to 9:30 a few nights a week. If I have a nap when I actually feel tired it messes up everything else. There have been some nights where I’m still wide awake at 2 or 3am but I feel tired at the same time. I try to go to bed at a normalish time but I end up laying there staring into space for such a long time!
I’ve also had really bad stomach problems. The less said about that the better! There was a very rough few days and a lot of pain to be felt!
Although there have been some really rubbish side effect so far, I do still feel better overall. I’m calmer in general. If there is a situation that could be quite stressful I don’t freak out about it like I did before. If Erin is having a bad day I don’t get upset or cry or panic like I was doing before. I’m also not going insane about tiny little things that aren’t right or that have annoyed me.
My doctor and I have agreed to a 6 months trial on this medication and go from there. Do you have any experience with anti-depressants?
PIN IT FOR LATER
All I can say is stay strong. My sister suffers from depression and is pregnant. I know I just have to be there and support her. ??
Thank you!
Although everyone responds differently, for me the side effects abated after about a month and for the past several years I’ve been much more even-tempered, still down sometimes but not so intensely so. Hang in there.
They’re slowly starting to calm down now I think!
Sorry to hear about this. I hope the side effects go away.
Thanks!
I’m sorry you’ve been having such a rotten time. I hope you feel better and stronger soon.
I’m sorry you have had such a difficult time. I hope things will start to get better soon, just take each day at a time.