Normal to feel like you’re dying after birth?

[Anonymous]

FTM. Overall good birth experience but had some tearing and bladder retention paired with pelvic floor/tailbone damage that makes me have little bowel control.

Baby is one week old and I’m sure I’m dying. Can’t sleep even when given opportunity. Nauseous, shakey and flu-like feelings. Insomnia on top of frequent wakings to feed baby.

I’m certain I’m going to die. Yes, OBGYN knows about symptoms. Everything normal.
No fever, normal blood pressure etc. I’m on anti-anxiety medication.

Didn’t expect to feel like I got hit by a bus postpartum.

Baby is doing great thank God but I am not, what is and isn’t normal? I think I get 3 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period on average. Can this kill me?

[Anonymous]

This sounds like PPD. Not to downplay the physical symptoms but the mindset part. Did you tell your OB about your mental state? This is serious and needs to be taken seriously.

Do you have help - visiting parent, DH on parental leave etc? Or otherwise paid help? I think I would have felt like this if I were alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FTM. Overall good birth experience but had some tearing and bladder retention paired with pelvic floor/tailbone damage that makes me have little bowel control.

Baby is one week old and I’m sure I’m dying. Can’t sleep even when given opportunity. Nauseous, shakey and flu-like feelings. Insomnia on top of frequent wakings to feed baby.

I’m certain I’m going to die. Yes, OBGYN knows about symptoms. Everything normal.
No fever, normal blood pressure etc. I’m on anti-anxiety medication.

Didn’t expect to feel like I got hit by a bus postpartum.

Baby is doing great thank God but I am not, what is and isn’t normal? I think I get 3 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period on average. Can this kill me?

You need support, OP.

I have experienced some of this simply due to sleep deprivation - the nauseous shaky feelings, specifically, are what sleep deprivation feels like to me. You are not going to die, but if you feel like you're being tortured, you are.

Your physical symptoms and recovery are worth further attention. Are you getting support for your pelvic floor damage and continence issues? Are you still passing any clots or has that leveled out? If you are breastfeeding, is it possible that you have some kind of infection (I'd think no due to lack of fever, but you never know)?

I am glad you are already taking anxiety medication. Consider that it may not be enough or may not be the right one and consider talking to someone about changes that can be made there.

Is it "normal"? Yes, in that a lot of people experience it, you are not going uniquely crazy. But also no, in that "this is not what is supposed to happen." I'd start with sleep, personally.

[Anonymous]

Please get a full physical asap with a primary care doc. Ob not as good once baby is out.
You will need a uro gyn for repairs when ready (down the road).
See a psychiatrist about anxiety.

Don’t wait. ER if you must.

FYI my ppd anxiety was about harming the baby, not my own health. Not sure if you have ppd but you need help asap.

[Anonymous]

Are you breastfeeding? Mastitis can present as flu like symptoms I think.

Like others said this isn’t normal and you need help. Keep calling your OB, go back to Labor and Delivery if you feel like something is urgently wrong, call your PCP. Post here for support until you can get help!

[Anonymous]

I was an older first time mother and this does not sound right at all. Agree you need a lookover.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t normal

[Anonymous]

No, this is not normal. Do you have a fever? Are you breastfeeding? I'd reach out with more urgency. Are you home alone? If so, please have someone come stay with you until you are stable. Feeling like you are going to die is not sustainable.

[Anonymous]

I had that sort of feeling you were describing after my first baby. There's a reason why sleep depravation is recognized as a form of torture.

After my second baby, I had a postpartum doula for 2 weeks who took care of my baby at night and just brought her to me when she needed to be breast fed. I could feed her and then pass her back for diaper changing/burping/soothing. That allowed me to sleep. And it allowed me to feel relieved of responsibility, which gave me the ability to sleep.

Is there someone who can do this for you? A friend or relative? Or could you have someone look into getting a postpartum doula for you?

[Anonymous]

I felt like this when I had mastitis. I was trimming a high fever but didn’t realize it. Check your temp again. But regardless, call your ob-gyn and say you may have ppd.

[Anonymous]

I would say it’s normal to feel kind of like you were a hit by a bus and your body is in disarray, not normal to feel you are dying. I think you might have an infection.

[Anonymous]

Go see primary care doctor, today, OP. Sending love. Not normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I felt like this when I had mastitis. I was trimming a high fever but didn’t realize it. Check your temp again. But regardless, call your ob-gyn and say you may have ppd.

I’ve checked my temp numerous times. No temp.

I’m so nauseous, weak and shaky. My OBGYN is convinced it’s a mix of anxiety and sleep deprivation. I was just there Wednesday and all my vitals were normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like PPD. Not to downplay the physical symptoms but the mindset part. Did you tell your OB about your mental state? This is serious and needs to be taken seriously.

Do you have help - visiting parent, DH on parental leave etc? Or otherwise paid help? I think I would have felt like this if I were alone.

Yes she knows. She’s the one who put me on anxiety meds the day he was born. She also referred me to counselor.

My wife and mom are here. My wife works from home but both are helping. Even when they have him I really struggle with sleep.

So I do have a good support system I think I’m incredibly sleep deprived.

[Anonymous]

Have you been checked for postpartum HELLP? I'd push on that too. It's normal to feel like sh**, but not this bad. You take care of you. I'm thinking about you and hoping that all you need is some good sleep.