PPD/PPA how long does it last?

[Anonymous]

Not feeling like myself 2 weeks after birth. Already in talk therapy. Not ready for meds — for those who pursued talk therapy to treat mild PPD/PPA, how long until you felt like you again?

[Anonymous]

And a follow up. If you took meds, what and for how long?

[Anonymous]

While I didn’t officially have PPA/PPD, I did have some PTSD after a traumatic birth. Talk therapy helped, I didn’t take meds. It took about 3 months before I felt back to myself. But I’ll say, even my friends who weren’t facing any diagnosed mental health issues after giving birth, they all said it took several months to get back to feeling like themselves as well. Birth is such momentous thing for your body to go through, it takes some time to equalize. Plus if this is your first, you have to deal with the huge change of taking care of another human. It all feels very alien. Be gentle with yourself, OP. At two weeks, you are still very much in the post-birth thick if things. Work with your therapist. Eventually you’ll feel like you again.

[Anonymous]

My midwife told me to walk outside and get sun (no sunglasses) before 8am. Early sunlight helps reset circadian rhythms (even good for jet lag) and walking is known to be effective re: anxiety and depression. Monitor symptoms and reach out to your PCP or OB if they worsen.

https://www.sciencealert.com/half-an-hour-of-walking-a-day-can-ease-symptoms-of-depression

[Anonymous]

[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:While I didn’t officially have PPA/PPD, I did have some PTSD after a traumatic birth. Talk therapy helped, I didn’t take meds. It took about 3 months before I felt back to myself. But I’ll say, even my friends who weren’t facing any diagnosed mental health issues after giving birth, they all said it took several months to get back to feeling like themselves as well. Birth is such momentous thing for your body to go through, it takes some time to equalize. Plus if this is your first, you have to deal with the huge change of taking care of another human. It all feels very alien. Be gentle with yourself, OP. At two weeks, you are still very much in the post-birth thick if things. Work with your therapist. Eventually you’ll feel like you again.

Thank you. I needed that. This is my last baby, and I’ve never felt anything but elated after birth, so this has thrown me for a loop. I had an unmedicated birth, but endured some trauma as well. Even though I asked for local anesthesia, my provider sewed up my tear without it because “it was just scar tissue.” I felt very vulnerable and have been crying a bit, feeling really hard on myself the last 2 weeks. I notice some overly anxious intrusive thoughts about the baby’s safety, which lets me know I clearly need some professional support this time. I feel guilty that I don’t feel as happy as I have in the past and am overly in my head. This sucks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:While I didn’t officially have PPA/PPD, I did have some PTSD after a traumatic birth. Talk therapy helped, I didn’t take meds. It took about 3 months before I felt back to myself. But I’ll say, even my friends who weren’t facing any diagnosed mental health issues after giving birth, they all said it took several months to get back to feeling like themselves as well. Birth is such momentous thing for your body to go through, it takes some time to equalize. Plus if this is your first, you have to deal with the huge change of taking care of another human. It all feels very alien. Be gentle with yourself, OP. At two weeks, you are still very much in the post-birth thick if things. Work with your therapist. Eventually you’ll feel like you again.

Thank you. I needed that. This is my last baby, and I’ve never felt anything but elated after birth, so this has thrown me for a loop. I had an unmedicated birth, but endured some trauma as well. Even though I asked for local anesthesia, my provider sewed up my tear without it because “it was just scar tissue.” I felt very vulnerable and have been crying a bit, feeling really hard on myself the last 2 weeks. I notice some overly anxious intrusive thoughts about the baby’s safety, which lets me know I clearly need some professional support this time. I feel guilty that I don’t feel as happy as I have in the past and am overly in my head. This sucks!

I am so sorry your provider did that to you and that you are going through this. It makes sense you aren’t feeling like you right now, given that you are dealing with some trauma. Definitely give yourself some time. It’s really great you are already working with a professional. Try not to feel guilty that you are feeling like this (I know easier sad than done), but instead focus on the fact that only two weeks out you recognize something isn’t right and are taking steps to address it. That’s big and hopefully can help assuage some guilt.

[Anonymous]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I went on the lowest dose Zoloft and it helped. Can't remember how long it took though...

[Anonymous]

Several months for me even without a PPA/PPD diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

I hate to tell you, but do think it’s probably with sharing.

I experienced PPD with my 2nd (was totally fine after the first!), treated with talk therapy, and it lasted 16 months. I was reluctant to use meds, as I’d used anti anxiety meds about 10 years back and experienced some really bad side effects. I was just getting to the point where I was talking to a psychiatrist about meds because it was going on SO long when my symptoms lifted suddenly and completely (a very unusual path, according to both my therapist and my psychiatrist).

If I could go back in time, I would absolutely start meds earlier. Maybe not as early as you are now, but certainly by 3-6 months PP if not earlier. It was really hard for me to see just how miserable I was until it lifted.

[Anonymous]

At least message your OB letting her know that you're thinking about this

[Anonymous]

Another thing--change providers if you're still seeing the one who abused you this way. That, and report them for doing this to you. It's unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

I had PPA/PPD and for me it was really bad for about two months before I looked into getting meds (Zoloft). Talk therapy didn't do enough in my case. Finding the right dosage of meds, however, really changed everything. I'm actually still on them and have been throughout my second pregnancy over 2 years later, and I'm glad I am.

[Anonymous]

Mine didn’t lift until I started taking meds.

[Anonymous]

our ancestors would be amazed at what can be pegged as birth trauma these days. Our generation has lost all resiliency and it’s sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:our ancestors would be amazed at what can be pegged as birth trauma these days. Our generation has lost all resiliency and it’s sad.

Go away.