How late can PPD develop? Update

[daisy24342]

Update:  I spoke with my OB and she referred me to a psychiatrist.  I have an appt with psych on Tuesday afternoon.  I'm nervous but relieved to have a plan going forward.  
Thanks to all who reached out and offered support.  I am so so glad I called.  2 out of the last 3 days have been rough, and just solidified that I need help.  I had anxiety all morning waiting to hear back about an appointment, and now I have one, I feel a little better.  I got really short again with my son today for something very very minor, and I lost it.  It makes me sad my kids are seeing this, but my husband has been great.  He took them all afternoon so I could run errands/wander the aisles of Target aimlessly.  It helped a lot.  
Thanks again. 





I am 10 months PP and just recently starting to think maybe I'm experiencing some Post partum depression.  Is this possible?  Am I just in a funk? Or is it just regular old depression?  


Background:  in high school and college I had mild to moderate anxiety, depression that I treated with Paxil.  Weaned off after college and have been pretty good ever since.  I have moments ( sometimes related to periods like PMDD that for years was helped with Yaz).  
I was careful to look for signs after my son and then after my daughter.  I was borderline at my 6 week after my son,  but dr and I decided to wait to see if it was lack of sleep ( which it was).  

This past year has been crazy, moving, having DD, having two under two, husband new job, gone a lot...etc.  and it bout to get crazier with DH applying for a new job and may have to be away for the next year.  

So this past week someone asked me " do you love being a mom" and I hesitated.  I eventually answered yes, but the pause made me reflect.  There are many days I feel disconnected.  Disconnected from my kids, and my husband ( who just returned from ening  overseas all summerI thought him being home would help but not really....I'm glad to not single parent again but I'm still feeling disconnected.  I'm not crying or super emotional, but I can't say I'm happy all the time. My patience with my kids is low, sometimes for good reason after a long day, sometimes for no reason at all.  I find myself playing on my phone instesd of playing on the floor with my kids.  I do crave alone time and that hasn't happened much with him gone so I have some things planned this week to get out by myself.  I also think a date night to reconnect with DH is in order.  

Thank reading this far...I totally rambled.  Do I just need to ride this out? 

[meltoine]

I think clinically the criterion is up to 1 year PP. But seriously, regardless of how long it's been, call your doctor. Even if it had been more than a year, would that mean you don't deserve to feel better?

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 8:23:01 GMT -5 meltoine said:

I think clinically the criterion is up to 1 year PP. But seriously, regardless of how long it's been, call your doctor. Even if it had been more than a year, would that mean you don't deserve to feel better?

Yeah you're right, it doesn't matter if it's one or the other, just that I feel this way. 

I have an apt with my Ob/gym in a few weeks for Mirena, and I'm wondering if I should wait till then.  I don't technically have a primary care dr ( we moved with I was PG and was under Ob/gyn care whole time since).  Would my Ob see me sooner if I called about this?  Or should I find a PCP? 

[dulcemariamar]

I would call just to see because I think that it couldn't hurt to talk to a doctor. I had PPD that I never treated. It got better but then I started to have trouble sleeping at night so I finally got around to talking with a doctor 2+ years later. Before just the idea of going sounded so overwhelming because I didn't want to add another thing to my plate. But I should have made it a priority and addressed it sooner. Feeling depressed went away but I got hit with nighttime anxiety. It sucks and it feels like I could have prevented it if I had seen someone sooner.

I think you need to be kind to yourself. It is okay not to be always on or be constantly playing with them on the floor. Take breaks even if it just means playing on your phone or reading a magazine. It is hard being the sole caretaker. Can you enroll them in a MDO program? Or have a mother' s helper come over to give you a break?

Hugs.

[lg28]

It can develop up to a year PP. it could also be "regular" depression or anxiety, of which I have both. My PPD was more severe.

Talk to your doc and consider getting a therapist. Hugs.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I believe it can be PPD up to a year after. But either way, call your doctor.

My OB was incredibly responsive when I called when DD1 was around 6 months old. The receptionist gave me the name of a therapist over the phone and offered to have the doctor see me to write a prescription for an AD.

Calling the first time is hard -- and very easy to postpone because continuing to feel awful can seem easier than taking action. Make the call and don't wait for your appointment :-)

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 8:36:12 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I would call just to see because I think that it couldn't hurt to talk to a doctor. I had PPD that I never treated. It got better but then I started to have trouble sleeping at night so I finally got around to talking with a doctor 2+ years later. Before just the idea of going sounded so overwhelming because I didn't want to add another thing to my plate. But I should have made it a priority and addressed it sooner. Feeling depressed went away but I got hit with nighttime anxiety. It sucks and it feels like I could have prevented it if I had seen someone sooner.

I think you need to be kind to yourself. It is okay not to be always on or be constantly playing with them on the floor. Take breaks even if it just means playing on your phone or reading a magazine. It is hard being the sole caretaker. Can you enroll them in a MDO program? Or have a mother' s helper come over to give you a break?

Hugs.

Thank you.  That's interesting about the sleep thing...mine has gotten worse lately but I thought nothing of it.  I did enroll in MOPS this fall so that's something.  I'll def look into s mothers helper.  Thank you for sharing your story.  

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 8:44:28 GMT -5 @marshmallows said:

I was diagnosed around 9 or 10 months PP. It can definitely strike later in the postpartum period.

Did you go to your regular dr for diagnosis?

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 8:49:12 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

I believe it can be PPD up to a year after. But either way, call your doctor.

My OB was incredibly responsive when I called when DD1 was around 6 months old. The receptionist gave me the name of a therapist over the phone and offered to have the doctor see me to write a prescription for an AD.

Calling the first time is hard -- and very easy to postpone because continuing to feel awful can seem easier than taking action. Make the call and don't wait for your appointment :-)

Thank you.....this is very encouraging.  You are right, I'm even anxious to just make the phone call. 

[DarcyLongfellow]

Aug 31, 2015 8:50:52 GMT -5 daisy24342 said:

Aug 31, 2015 8:49:12 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

I believe it can be PPD up to a year after. But either way, call your doctor.

My OB was incredibly responsive when I called when DD1 was around 6 months old. The receptionist gave me the name of a therapist over the phone and offered to have the doctor see me to write a prescription for an AD.

Calling the first time is hard -- and very easy to postpone because continuing to feel awful can seem easier than taking action. Make the call and don't wait for your appointment :-)

Thank you.....this is very encouraging.  You are right, I'm even anxious to just make the phone call. 

Hugs -- it can be so hard to take that first step. But getting the help you need is (literally) life changing.

Feel free to ask anything here! A lot of us have experience with depression and anxiety.

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 8:56:05 GMT -5 @pnkybrwstr said:

I'm not sure about your actual question, but I can really relate to a lot of your post. This is making me wonder about myself (5 month pp).

Hugs to you.  I honestly wasn't worried until recently.  This realization has hit me like a ton of bricks.  

[Deleted]

Zoloft is my patience in a pill. I didn't start it until my "baby" was nearly 2. "Post partum" isn't the only kind of depression moms get.

[Deleted]

Even if it's not PPD it can still be depression.

I had baby blues in the beginning so really took a while to realize it was lasting. I think it peaked around 9 months for me and was related to my awful sleep the first year.

[stephogirl]

It's okay not to love being a mom all the time. Some people love it. Some people hate it. I suspect most fall somewhere in the middle, depending on the day.

Please call for help. Feeling better is worth it, coming from someone who was on Celexa for three years and recently weaned off. I was so hopeless and disconnected. My outlook on life is so much more hopeful now.

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 9:06:48 GMT -5 @pnkybrwstr said:

Aug 31, 2015 9:01:53 GMT -5 daisy24342 said:

Hugs to you.  I honestly wasn't worried until recently.  This realization has hit me like a ton of bricks.  

Hugs back at you.  The other thing I've been experiencing that I'm kind of embarrassed about is feeling really angry at DH and my older son at times.  Like, they'll ask me something totally innocent and I'll internally scream "LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!".  Fortunately, I haven't said it out loud, but this isn't good.

Yes yes yes.... This resonates with me so much,  I have been so short and angry lately...more than just the end of the day tired and lack of patience.  This am my son was reading a book with me and kept asking the same question about things and I just lost it.....then I was so upset for getting upset.  Not ok....

[daisy24342]

Aug 31, 2015 9:13:01 GMT -5 @marshmallows said:

Aug 31, 2015 9:06:48 GMT -5 @pnkybrwstr said:

Hugs back at you.  The other thing I've been experiencing that I'm kind of embarrassed about is feeling really angry at DH and my older son at times.  Like, they'll ask me something totally innocent and I'll internally scream "LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!".  Fortunately, I haven't said it out loud, but this isn't good.

My depression manifested mostly as anger and irritability. My therapist said that's not uncommon at all. Don't be embarrassed. I understand, because I was embarrassed too, but it's just another way for depression to show itself, just like sadness or not wanting to get out of bed. It doesn't make you a bad person.

Thank you for writing this....This makes so much sense for me.  

[daisy24342]

Thank you all so so much for sharing your experiences. I am waiting on a call back from my OB....this was the push I needed.

Just had a talk to DH in car one way to grocery store. I let it all out and it felt better. He is being super supportive and Talking I noticed a lot of things that were flags while back. Time for a change.

[lolo]

I think you should talk with your doctor.

When I feel this way, it's because I'm 1) not getting enough sleep and 2) not getting time to recharge (BY MYSELF). So I would also encourage you to do what you can about those factors.

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2015 8:16:42 GMT -5 daisy24342 said:

So this past week someone asked me " do you love being a mom" and I hesitated. 

I still do this, and my kids are 3 and 7.  Of course I love them but I still like being ME, not just "someone's mom."

Also, my DH travels one week occasionally for work and there can be an adjustment period when he comes home, so I imagine it might be hard for you after a long absence.  That is normal, in my opinion.  Sometimes my DH is like a third kid to take care of! 

It looks like you are scheduling some time for you, where is imperative, and also date nights with DH like you mentioned.  Good job calling your doc!

[patches31709]

Aug 31, 2015 11:20:35 GMT -5 daisy24342 said:

Thank you all so so much for sharing your experiences. I am waiting on a call back from my OB....this was the push I needed.

Just had a talk to DH in car one way to grocery store. I let it all out and it felt better. He is being super supportive and Talking I noticed a lot of things that were flags while back. Time for a change.

Good for you for calling. I was crying on the phone to my mom last week after a rough night, when she asked if maybe I had ppd and should call my doctor. She was 100% right - I had been super irritable, not sleeping, not eating a lot, and really frustrated with the baby. The baby would cry and I just could not deal with it. I called my doctor and got put on medicine that day - that was last week, and I feel SO much better.

[sillygoosegirl]

I've heard any time in the first year, or longer if you are still breastfeeding, with it being particularly common when weaning.

[daisy24342]

Thanks ladies for all your support. I updated above.

[pinotgrig]

Big hugs to you. I'm glad you reached out and glad you have a plan. You deserve to feel better.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I'm so, so happy your OB was responsive!! And I think it's great that she wants you to see a psychiatrist. OB's can prescribe antidepressants, but psychiatrists know more about how to get the exact right combination/dosage for you. I love my psychiatrist -- she's awesome.

I hope you feel better soon!

[Deleted]

You just did the hardest part. I hope you feel better soon.

[daisy24342]

Sept 3, 2015 19:29:15 GMT -5 luckydog said:

I'm so glad you're beginning a plan. I found a mom group and it was my favorite part until I didn't need it anymore. I found it through the children's hospital. A huge relief for me was reaching out for 

That's a really good idea, I'm going to look into that!  

[daisy24342]

Sept 3, 2015 19:37:27 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

I'm so, so happy your OB was responsive!! And I think it's great that she wants you to see a psychiatrist. OB's can prescribe antidepressants, but psychiatrists know more about how to get the exact right combination/dosage for you. I love my psychiatrist -- she's awesome.

I hope you feel better soon!

This actually makes me feel better.  I was at first annoyed she referred me instead of seeing me herself which for me would have been "easier" but you are totally right.