Speak to others

[Anna_10]

Hi. I have just found this forum and thought I'd join so I can share my experience of pp. I got ill Christmas 2013 and ended up in hospital for a month. Would love to be able to help/support others going through the same thing. X

[CathDuff]

Hello Anna, nice to meet you. We have all shared your experience and group together to share, support and hopefully empower women going through this terrible time. You are very welcome. I had my PP May 2013, and still have blips, ups and downs, are you fully recovered, medication free? Doctors seem to think I will be taking Sertraline for another couple of years! My first bout of PP was untreated and symptoms were very prolonged. Xx

[Anna_10 in reply to CathDuff]

Hi. Sounds like you had a really rough time. I think mine started with postnatal depression that went untreated until the week before Christmas when I went rapidly down hill. So bad that I went into pp. I thought all the men in my life were dying or dead & that my mum was poisoning my baby. I thought the house was on fire & my mum was keeping me in. I don't remember much of that bad week before I was admitted to hospital. I had to have 4 lots of ect which saved me. I am still on sertraline but the lowest dose. Will be for a while too. Otherwise I feel back to normal. We're you in hospital too? How long was yours untreated. That must of been terrible. Thanks for replying and sorry I've gone on a bit! X x

[CathDuff in reply to Anna_10]

I've had it twice, eight years apart. First baby was mild pp, and untreated, resulting in very prolonged illness. The 2nd PP, was very intense, rapid, but was treated within 2 days of onset. As I was a breast feeding mum, I was treated at home by the acute team, and because of medication have had a much better post natal period. Baby is now coming up to 2, but unfortunately I am still not completely symptom free! I think though, from what our friends here have said, it really can be a long, gradual road to full recovery. X

[Ellie_at_APP Partner]

Hi Anna welcome to the forum, it's great you found us! It's good to hear a bit of your story.

For me it's been a wonderful place to both give and receive support, and to not feel so alone. I had PP in August 2011 and it took a good couple of years before I felt fully myself again, but I have to say I think it's something that will be with me forever, not necessarily in a bad way.

It's great to hear you're doing well. Take care

[andrea_at_app Volunteer]

Hi all, I agree talking about what we've been through & giving/receiving support here plays a massive part in our recovery. It really helps with our understanding & acceptance of it all at all stages of PP, even many years afterwards.

Just for info, you can join the APP Network if you're interested in becoming a trained peer support volunteer, helping your Regional Rep, fundraising, keeping up to date with info etc. It's free & a good way of keeping in touch: app-network.org/join/

Yes it's a long, gradual road to recovery but it certainly helps being able to 'talk' to others & knowing we're not alone.

[Hannah_at_APP Administrator]

Hi Anna_10,

Good to "meet" you on here, I had PP in 2009 and whilst it's been a long road at times, I'm back to normal (whatever that is!) and perhaps stronger for the experience. I know it's been really good for me to be involved in APP and "meet" (some of them in real life, others on here) ladies who have been there as well. Whilst we all have our own family and friend support networks, there really is nothing like someone who has also been through the hell of PP and out of the other side. Hope you're continuing to do well and glad you've found the site. As Andrea suggests, you can check out the main APP website for more info, I know it's been really good for me. Take care, xx