What are the merits of treating severe post partum psychosis with Olanzapine versus Risperidone
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LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
Welcome to the forum where you will find lots of help and support.
My PP was so long ago and medication has changed for the better since then, so I'm not able to comment on your question. Do you have severe post partum psychosis yourself or is it a friend or family member? In any event I hope you / they are receiving good care.
There are lots of 'newer' mums here who will be able to give you their good advice. In the meantime, take good care of yourself.
Hi Christine,
my personal experience with Risperidone was not good. I did not tolerate it well and developed tremors. I was switched to Olanzapine and was absolutely fine on it. The only downside was that I found it made me gain weight, however as soon as I recovered and came off the medication, l was able to lose weight again.
Hope this helps,
Sherbetdip
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Hi Christine,
Welcome to the forum. I hope you, or whoever you know has PP, is getting the support they need. From everything I've heard on the forum, medications have different effects on different people & sometimes it really is a bit of trial and error with meds, one medication can work for one person and not for another. The important thing is to take advice from a psychiatrist, ideally a perinatal psychiatrist.
I was on Olanzapine and I found it personally very good at taking away the psychosis. It was very sedating but I didn't find this a bad thing as I did really need to rest to recover.
I hope this is helpful, please don't hesitate to write with any further questions.
Hello Christine,
I have had a very unpleasant struggle with medication and was finally sectioned. Depending on professionals and their decision-making one can be either lucky or Like me very unfortunate. PP and the human make up is so unique and everybody reacts differently to "the cocktail of medication"...some of the old fashion drugs had a very negative effect, but I was on Risperidone for 6 months and it helped to keep PP under control. Weaning of was gradually and yes, of course side effects have been unpleasant, but here again it varies from individual to individual.
Good luck! Sabine
My daughter is on Olanzipine which doesn't seem to have touched her after 3 weeks. I am keen they try Risperidone. Are you well now? how long did the Risperidone take to relieve the psychotic symptoms? How long were you in hospital and sectioned for? How psychotic were you? My daughter is very deluded- it is desperately sad and devastatingly worrying. She was such a wonderful outgoing intelligent girl and has a marvellous husband. She is so loved by all her family and friends. How long was it before you were able to look after your baby/ Sorry about all the questions. but would value your reply/
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Dear Christine,
I'm really sorry to hear your daughter is so unwell and not responding to the medication yet. I know first hand what a traumatic and frightening experience it is for everyone. She will get better.
I know that when I was first admitted they gave me a anti psychotic that I reacted really badly to, and then they tried Olanzapine and I was lucky that I responded to that really well, but sometimes it takes a bit of time to respond, or to find the right medication.
Where is your daughter? Is she in a mother and baby unit? Does she have a perinatal psychiatrist who is monitoring her meds very regularly? Do trust the professionals, they really will know what they're doing, and know how long it may take for someone to respond to meds etc, I am sure they are monitoring your daughter carefully. Are they giving you information about how she is doing, and what the plans are for her care so you know what is happening?
Each person's recovery is different. To answer your questions: I was acutely psychotic, really unwell, very deluded. Recovery was gradual but it really is different for each person. I was in a mother and baby unit for 4 months, but others have had shorter or longer stays. My experience was that as soon as the psychosis got less, I was able to look after my baby at first with support but then independently very quickly, and I had an amazing bond with my son, and still do. I am really well now, back to how I was, and I know your daughter will too. She will get better, she will absolutely be herself again, she will be outgoing and intelligent as she was, it just may take a bit of time. I know it is hard to maybe believe that now. If she is in a mother and baby unit this is obviously ideal, as staff will be able to support your daughter to look after her baby, and help her to bond etc. I know I've said it already but she really will get better.
My son is 4 now, he is a beautiful confident and happy boy, and I feel so blessed and happy every day that I have him, and have the relationship with him that I do. Your daughter will have that too.
There are some grandma's on here, I hope they will be able to respond too. Do take a look at this post one of our peer supporter's mums wrote about her experience of a grandma, it may give you hope and help you feel relieved that others have been through something similar, and came out the other side: healthunlocked.com/app-netw...
Thinking of you and don't hesitate to write on here with any questions, or just to 'talk'.
Take care X
Dear ELlie
thank you so much for your long and supportive reply. We are finding all this mental suffering quite agonising and it is wonderful to hear that you are now completely well. My daughter is not at M&B Unit- she started off in one but wasn't well enough o cope with her baby. She is now on an acute , women's only psychiatric ward and being treated with a variety of drugs , one of which is Olanzapine. She is stable but here has been n o significant improvement regarding the delusions and psychosis in spite of now being on this drug for 3 weeks. However, she is very much aware of where she is and what is happening in her life. Are you able to remember how long it took for your symptoms to reduce/ clear on the Olanzapine? Did you still have them when you went to the M&B Unit? Have you had any further re- occurrence of the symptoms? Do you find you have to be careful about handling too much stress? I realise every case is different but some kind of timeline would help if you felt able to share this with me.
I am very grateful to you for spending the time to reply,
With best wishes
Christine
Hi Christine
Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry to hear your daughter wasn't well enough to be in a MBU, I hope she will be well enough to move to one soon. It is really good that she knows she is unwell and is aware what is happening, that is a good sign I'm sure that she is coming out of the psychosis.
I was very ill when I went to the MBU, I went within a day of the psychosis beginning, and they cared for me there. It was a private unit though, but the NHS funded my place. Perhaps they were a unit more able to handle more acute cases.
It did take me a year and a half to fully recover, and feel fully myself. But other people recover much quicker, it's important to try not to compare. But as others have said she will need a lot of support & reassurance. The statistics show that it usually takes 1-2 years to fully recover.
I have had no re-occurance of symptoms. Until very recently I had, at times, a very stressful job (Registered Manager of several care homes) and I never became unwell again. I went back to work after 9 months. I wasn't fully better but I coped ok. PP has taught me though that I do need to look after myself, which I think was a good thing to learn, to know what gives me life and to make sure I do them to stay balanced.
I hope you don't mind, I've read your reply to others as well. I remember very clearly thinking I wouldn't get better, but she will. Just keep telling her she will. If she can cope with it you could tell her you're in touch with other women who had it, and they all got better.
It's really good to hear your daughter has a wonderful husband and good friends. This will be so important as she recovers. My mum and dad, partner and my close friends were so important for me when I was ill. I have faith too, it really sustained me through the illness, and with amazing unconditional loving support from a friend who is also a spiritual director, I can honestly say the whole experience has really deepened my faith, and my whole outlook on life. I say this so you can have hope and know others understand about that aspect too. I'm happy to share more about that if you would like.
Take care Christine, write whenever you need to, and do pass on any of the guides etc to her husband and your daughter whenever you are ready. I'm so glad you are able to get so much support on here. You are all not alone. X
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
Thank you for sharing more details here. I can only reiterate the good points in the post above as well as the link given, that your daughter will fully recover in time.
I'm sorry your daughter is so unwell. I'm a grandmother and had PP twice many years ago when I was 23 and 29. Is your daughter in general psychiatric care or a mother and baby unit? How long has she been there? If your daughter is in hospital she is in a safe place and with good care she will fully recover.
I was sectioned to general psychiatric care as there were no mother and baby units in the mid 70's and early 80's so I was without my sons. After a few months in the mid 70's I was transferred to another mental health unit and waited for my son to join me. I then had treatment and interventions and spent six months in various hospital units With my second son I was mainly treated at home except in times of crisis when I was an inpatient for treatment.
At the moment your daughter is very unwell and might say and do things completely out of character, which is all part of the illness. She is fighting so hard to be well and your support will be invaluable. It is very sad but thankfully only a temporary illness ....recovery times vary and treatment has improved so much, so please don't despair.
There are APP Insider Guides "Recovery after Postpartum Psychosis" and also a guide for partners which might be helpful as well as the link above. As you have probably witnessed, PP is a very traumatic illness which strikes completely out of the blue. It is very distressing for family and friends. For a while I was 'lost' which was very upsetting for my family; I had completely 'switched off'. Thankfully with time and good care I eventually fully recovered, as your daughter will too.
Take care of yourself too as it is a worrying time for everyone. Your daughter will eventually fully recover to look after your precious grandchild.
Dear "grandma"
Thank you so much for your reply. It is heartening to know that both your instances of PP were short term in that you fully recovered after each. treatment would have been quite rudimentary in the 70's and 6 months is along time to be away from you baby- it is such a terrible shame when mothers can't experience these early days of motherhood. Our daughter is very unwell and on a acute adult, ladies only ward. She is not well enough o look after her baby yet. We have been devastated by this cruel condition. The baby( a boy0 was born 5 weeks ago, so compared with your 6 months- it is early days. W are so longing to see some improvement and receding of her disturbing delusions. Do you remember how long the psychotic aspects of the illness remained with you? Did you have to be careful to avoid stress after these episodes? Have you been entirely well since?
It will be a step forward when she can be in a M&B Home and start the process of caring for her baby. We pray that that may happen before too long.
I look forward to your reply.
Hannah_at_APPAdministrator
Hello Christine,
I just wanted to reply and share my experiences which I hope may be helpful for you. I had PP in 2009 after the birth of my 1st child, and spent 2 weeks on a general psych ward, then another couple of weeks in a different hospital (more specialised) before going into their MBU. I too was acutely unwell and don't remember at all the first few weeks, when I know from others telling me that they tried all sorts of different meds to try and bring me out of the psychosis. What did work for me was Olanzapine (and some other treatments) but I realise that this isn't the same for everyone, and I hope that you are able to see some improvements in your daughter soon. Meds affect everyone differently and I know from what I've been told that it can be tricky to get it right, especially when the illness comes "out of the blue" and no-one knows what is going on.
Due to the memory loss, I can't remember the first month or so of my son's life but I do remember spending time in the MBU which was a wonderful, supportive place that allowed me to get better and also learn how to look after my baby. Like your daughter, I was too unwell to be in a MBU initially though (and there wasn't a space) so I hope that this changes soon for you and your family. I spent 3 months or so altogether in hospital and there were times when I would seem much better (and feel it) but had overwhelming anxieties and also some delusions still, so it was a while until I was ready to go home. Once my meds had started to kick in though, the psychosis did fade after a few weeks, but the anxieties, panics, and disturbed sleep I still had were really tough. I took medication for a long time too, and that was difficult at times, as it did limit me in some ways, although it absolutely helped me to get well and remain that way. In some ways, the acutely unwell and psychotic stage is hard, but I'm afraid to say that the weeks and months following can also be tough on all concerned. I hope you are getting some support yourself, and other family members, including baby's Dad.
And when I was home, again it was a good few months of building up my confidence again and feeling that I was able to trust myself. Your daughter may well be feeling this way too, or she may in the future, and the support of those around her will be crucial. The main thing is that she can get better, and that's a really important message. I also had a 2nd child in 2013 and although I was identified as high risk due to my previous PP, I remained well. Again, an important message, and I have remained well ever since. I think I am probably more aware of stressors and absolutely limit them in my life wherever possible, and ensure I get sleep and rest where I need it. It's definitely not easy, but a recovery and happy family life is absolutely achievable, so I hope this helps you to know that you are not alone, you will all get through this.
Wishing you all the best, feel free to ask any more questions. Take care, xx
Thank you so much for this.- very, helpful to share. You were very brave to risk having another child. I know my daughter and husband had planned to have at least 2 if not more children. But I am not sure we can all go through this trauma again . I am so pleased that you were able to be brave and risk doing so and that it turned out well for you. It is also helpful to know that these symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks continue for some time afterwards- did you experience these in the last few weeks of pregnancy ?My daughter became unduly anxious as her delivery date drew near. She also wasn't sleeping well and of course after the baby was born didn't sleep at all - the mania was already beginning to happen but we all thought it was elation at the safe(albeit traumatic) delivery of her baby son.
We are a Christian family and have had wonderful support from our church and close friends as has her husband from his church, where he is a curate. Our children ( her siblings)are very loving and supportive. She and her husband have lots of genuine friends.
Is there anything that I can say to encourage her when she says to me she will never get better? I keep telling her she will and the medical staff all say she will but at the moment she doesn't believe it. Do you remember being like that?
thank you so much for your support.
Christine
Hi Christine
I'm glad the replies here have been of comfort to you. I didn't get anxious before the birth particularly but as a first baby I probably did have some worries looking back. And a difficult birth, which was tough. It's hard to know I suppose and one of the most difficult things in pp, when it can strike out of the blue, it feels so cruel doesn't it. Thinking of further children is natural but Perhaps try and "park" the idea and thoughts for now, it will come in time and your daughter will be in a better place and be able to access support I would hope.
I definitely remember thinking that I would never get better but what helped me was to notice the small things, celebrate progress, however small. I would write a diary or just a few thoughts on the day and then be able to see the difference between weeks, then months. It's hard I know, but just getting through the day can be a huge achievement. I'm glad too that you have a close family and support network.
Take care, xx
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I'm glad you have found the replies here helpful, As you can see, everyone's journey to recovery is different following such a harrowing experience. It's a very positive sign that your daughter is communicating with you. I didn't communicate at all with my family at first as I was acutely unwell.
As there was such a stigma attached to mental health in the 70's my 'illness' was a family secret as my parents felt I would be judged. So it was never discussed. I also had memory loss too but have recently had sight of my notes during my PP episodes to fill in the missing pieces. As it was so long ago I wasn't treated with Risperidone.
Unfortunately, nine days after going home with my son, PP struck and the delusions and odd behaviours began. On admission to the psychiatric unit it is recorded that I was virtually mute and when my expression was not vacant I appeared hostile and suspicious (not 'me' at all)! I was treated with Largactil and other interventions. Although I returned home after six months it took me two years or more to fully recover and regain my place and confidence. However treatment has changed so much so please don't be alarmed. We have all recovered in our own time, some quicker than others.
There is a post on this site from a few years ago entitled "Delusions of Grandeur and other experiences" to which there were a number of replies. This might give you an insight into experiences of some of the mums here.
I know it must be heart breaking to see your daughter so unwell but she will eventually recover. My faith is very important to me and has helped me in times of despair. With your loving support your daughter will recover. I did find music a comfort during my recovery, especially "Something inside so Strong" by Labbi Siffre, as the barriers of PP were so high ........ also "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers .... I get goose bumps even now if I hear them on the radio!
I hope you don't mind but I read your other replies. I'm not sure if it would be an idea to let your daughter see all the replies to you on the forum (you could even read them to her) so that she knows, although she's not in a good place at the moment, she will come through this? It was very hard to believe I would be well again when I was so lost but with your support and close family your daughter will fully recover and is not alone.
Apart from my two episodes of PP I have not had another mental illness. I am working part-time and in good health. I was fortunate a few years ago to find APP and my diagnosis was confirmed by Prof Ian Jones, which was unknown to me until then. The forum is a good 'space' where it is possible to talk openly and anonymously about our experiences. I hope your daughter will be transferred to a mother and baby unit to continue her recovery.
Make sure to look after yourself too. Seeing your daughter unwell does take the shine off being a grandmother for a little while but we are very blessed. Especially as I was able to share in the early days of my grandchildren which I had missed with my sons.
To all who have replied to me in the last week. I am so grateful for your replies and encouragement. it is really hard hanging on in there. We have not yet seen any significant improvement in my daughter's condition- we Hope every day when we visit and then get acutely disappointed. The medical staff will be reviewing her medication again tomorrow. Everyday seems interminable but it is just 5 weeks since t is might mare started. Maybe we are being unrealistic in our expectations. If any of you have any further timelines you can remember and which you think may be helpful-- I can't wait to hear. Happy Valentine's Day to you all.
Christine
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
Thanks for coming back to the forum. I'm really sorry it's so hard not being able to see any significant improvement but it is very early days in your daughter's recovery. I think when the right medication is found which works for your daughter it might make a difference.
My first PP didn't hit me until nine weeks and I became acutely unwell so I'm not sure about timelines in my recovery. Do you know how long it will be before your daughter is transferred to a mother and baby unit? Is there a perinatal psychiatrist looking after your daughter at the moment? This specialist care is very important, although in my case I didn't have access to such care but I did fully recover.
On the APP page, app.network.org there are personal experiences of PP from mums and one entitled "Husband in a Storm" which might be helpful to have a look at. Also I'm not sure if your daughter can be referred to Prof Ian Jones of APP's Second Opinion Service, (if your daughter is in the UK) offering invaluable advice regarding treatment. You will be able to find details on the same APP page, or one of the other mums here might be able to help with a link.
I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you. It's a slow process .... one day at a time. I hope your daughter can be transferred to a mother and baby unit soon. It's not easy but try and hold on to the thought that she will be well eventually.
Please take care of yourself as this is a very stressful time for everyone.
Thank you Lilybeth. I didn't leave the forum - it is such a great help to have people like yourself to email and be in touch with. We have a pretty horrendous weekend and sometimes I wonder how long I can go on witnessing such distress in my wonderful daughter's mind. The psychosis is just as bad now as 3 weeks ago when she was admitted to the M&B Home and where she was then sent off to Psychiatric care. She is not treated by a peri natal psychiatrist but the unit psychiatrist is liaising with a P.I. C.U. unit where she really needs to be but we are pleading for her to stay where she is, as it is local to us and the staff are very caring. I have corresponded with Prof Ian Jones but our daughter is too ill to be taken to Cardiff. I am wondering whether o mention him to the psychiatrist treating her in case they could do a Skype interview.
- if only we knew how long this would last and whether the medication is the right sort.
Thank you again
TraceyR72Volunteer
Hi Christine, sorry to hear that your daughter's progress seems so slow. Responses to mental health medications are so different for everybody that sometimes it takes a while for the psychiatrists to find the right one, and that's really frustrating when you're the patient or their relative. It can also be hard to notice the small subtle changes that are signs of improvement, but as these add up day by day the difference in her will become more noticeable. When I had PP 12 years ago I was treated at home with close monitoring and I think it was around 3-4 weeks after treatment started that there was significant improvement and my husband and family started to feel the relief of noticing that I was getting better. I foolishly weaned myself off medications soon after that and then came very depressed, so ultimately it was around 9 months before I felt properly like myself again. It's such a frustrating traumatic time, but one day soon you'll start to see signs that your daughter, as you know her, is coming back, and ultimately she will recover from this and be a great Mum. Hopefully she'll soon be in the MBU where she'll have all the specialist support she needs to bond with her baby and make up for the Mummy time she is losing at the moment.
Best wishes
Tracey
Tracey- thank you so much- my daughter could not be treated at home- she is far too physically distressed. She has been on meds for three and a half weeks- the weekend has been pretty harrowing. maybe this week may show signs of improvement. Each week is a lifetime to us- or so it seems. I am glad you are now well and enjoying motherhood. With best wishes
Christine
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
Sorry I didn't mean to imply that you had left the forum. I'm sorry you have had a distressing weekend. It's not easy for your daughter at the moment. She is fighting very hard to be well and trying to make sense of it all. There were times when I didn't know what was real and unreal. The psychosis and delusions I had were all very real and frightening. My husband and parents worried that I would not recover.
I know it might be a distance from you but do you think the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit would be the best place for your daughter? Would she be able to take your grandson there? Perhaps the specialist care would help? I was transferred to three different units and it was quite a distance for my family to travel but I was treated very well.
I met Prof Ian Jones some years ago when he confirmed my diagnoses of PP. He is very caring and a few mums here have benefited from the Second Opinion Service. I think mums out of the area have been able to have Skype chats so perhaps it might be possible to mention this to the Psychiatrist at the medical review tomorrow? I know your daughter would not be well enough to chat but perhaps the Psychiatrist might consider it if Prof Jones agrees? I know this service has been very helpful.
Keep talking to us if we can help you. It's all very well for me to sit here and say your daughter will recover ..........we have all felt helpless and hopeless in the grip of PP. It is a big challenge and a nightmare for everyone but with good care and your family support your daughter will slowly improve.
Take good care if yourself.
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Hi Christine
I’m really sorry to hear that your daughter has had such a bad weekend and she doesn’t seem to be improving. I can only imagine how distressing this is, it is really awful.
I too thought of suggesting the psychiatrists talk with Dr Ian Jones in Cardiff for a second opinion, I’m sure she wouldn’t need to go to Cardiff, even if the psychiatrists liaised with him and shared information and sought his opinion. It is good that they are liaising with the mother and baby unit psychiatrist too. I’m sure you’ve found the page already for Dr Ian Jones: app-network.org/what-is-pp/...
Perhaps you could print it out and give to your daughter’s psychiatrist?
It is a really difficult decision whether she stays in a psychiatric ward close to you, or in a mother and baby unit further away and you just need to do what feels like the right thing for your daughter and family, but do trust what the professionals suggest as well as I’m sure that they know well the best environment for your daughter to recover in.
We faced a similar dilemma. The mother and baby unit I was in was about 2 hours 30 minutes away from us and the distance was difficult: my partner had to travel by public transport as we don’t have a car. It did take it’s toll and he could only visit at weekends, and then had to pay for somewhere to stay while he visited so there was a big financial cost. However for me it was the perfect place to recover. Specialist perinatal care, and so much reassurance to build my self esteem and confidence about being a mum. And I was so full of guilt and shame about what had happened, so to be separated from my son I’m sure would have exacerbated that whereas being with him did really help me to recover better and I felt so bonded to him, despite being ill. As Lilybeth asked, would she be able to have the baby with her for a lot of the time in the psychiatric ward, I’m sure this would help?
Take care Christine, do keep coming back here whenever you need to. She will start responding to meds, and I’m sure the professionals know what they are doing and will change the meds if that is the right thing to do. But I know, it's so hard not seeing improvement yet but she will get better. I am thinking of you and your family a lot. X
Hi Christine, I'm so sorry that your daughter is going through this. I had PP 2 years ago and was in a general psych unit for a week until I demanded to see a different psychiatrist and be released. Before I got the courage to fight for myself I definitely thought my life was over. I kept trying to work out what I'd done wrong in life to deserve to be 'locked up'. I thought I'd never get better. While I didn't have suicidal thoughts, there were times when I thought I'd rather be dead than be in there. But, the staff weren't supportive at all and nobody was telling me anything. My husband and baby weren't even 'allowed' to visit until the revolting psychiatrist said they could.
Once I got home I felt so much better, although I had another dip a week later when the paranoia came back but, a couple more weeks down the track and I felt confident with my baby and at ease. The trauma of the event weighed heavily for a while after, despite being happy and healthy I had nightmares about the events. Two years later and I feel great. I've accepted what happened and this group has helped immensely. The severe PP lasted around 6 weeks for me though it took a couple of weeks to build up before peaking, and a couple of weeks to taper off. I was on risperidone, temazapan and sertraline. I have no idea which one did what and nobody informed me but I do remember getting worse before getting better, once I started the meds. I recall not being able to string 2 words together at one point, despite my brain knowing what I wanted to say. I don't know whether that was an effect of the medication or if that was the PP.
As the other girls have said, your daughter will get better, please keep telling her that. I wish someone had told me that.
Your family is in my thoughts and I'm sending positive vibes your way, let us know how she progresses. xo
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
I hope your daughter's medication review goes well today.
We are all thinking of your daughter and family.
Thank you. Will keep in touch.
Hannah_at_APPAdministrator
Hello again Christine, I hope everything is going OK and the past week has brought some small signs of improvement. Take care, xx
Thank you so much for your concern. Yes some glimmers of hope this week- still bothered by delusional ideas but more calm and certainly more interested and engaged with us all when we visit , She even saw her beautiful little baby boy today and held him and changed him- what a joy to us all. Here brother and wife also visited with their 15month daughter which brought a smile to her face. Now hopeful we are beginning to turn a corner- albeit slowly.
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Hi Christine
This update was lovely to hear, and to hear that she spent some time with her son too. I do hope she continues to get better. Do keep us updated if you can, thinking of you all X
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
That must be such a relief to see your daughter slowly improving and engaging with her son. I think she is fighting her delusional ideas and they will eventually fade but she is doing really well.
Take good care of yourself too.
Thank you so much for your support. WE have been in today and she is much calmer and able to sit with us now for 4-6 hours without jumping up. Still anxious and not sure who to trust. She is very, very sleepy - usually goes to sleep for an hour or two while we are there. She says she feels safe when we are there. She must be on quite a heavy dose of sedatives.
Also, saw her baby again today- briefly but she smiled and cuddled him . I hope these are all good signs- just can't wait for her to back to normal but realise I must be very, very patient.
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
So pleased to hear your daughter is much calmer and you are able to sit as a family and enjoy each other's company. As the days go by she will improve and probably is medicated to keep her on an even keel.
PP is a very traumatic illness to overcome and your daughter is doing very well. I'm sure the smile and cuddle she gave her son were a great comfort.
Take good care.
thank you again for your support and kindness.
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Hi Christine
This is a good sign your daughter is calmer. it means you're through the worst of the psychosis. when I was ill my parents were a huge comfort for me too, I felt really safe with them, you know you are doing so much just by your presence.
Do not worry about her sleeping, this is a good thing I think, to help her recover. anti psychotics made me very tired too.
Have you thought anymore about mbu? it sounds like she is managing to be with her son a bit now and the specialist care if the mbu may be a good place now.
Take care do keep writing whenever you need , xx
Thank you so much. We have been heartened by her progress over the past few days and especially over the weekend. it was a huge step forward for her husband to take the baby in and for her to hold him and cuddle him. She is very sleepy but is much more with it- asking about what is going on in the family etc. There is a ward round today so we will hear what the psychiatrist says. Thank you so much for your support. x
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Hi Christine, lovely to hear more of your news, and to hear that your daughter is more herself and recovering well. Do let us know how it goes, and never hesitate to ask us any advice or questions. Take care X
Not entirely recovering...if only this were so.. She is still deluded but definitely engaging with us better and showing more interest in our lives and what is going on in the family.. She is always much calmer when she is with us but gets very unsettled when we leave and restless. Not sure how much the psychosis has improved. Still suspicious and thinking she is being tested. I go up and down hoping and looking for signs of improvement. At the ward round today which our son in law attended, psychiatrist said there were some small improvements but certainly not significant. They are considering introducing haloperidol if things do not change b y the end of the week. Looking on the web - the side effects of this drug can be pretty worrying. I am once again thrown into an anxiety state myself ,desperate for her to get better and not knowing how long these things can take. Will she ever recover? How long were you ill and how bad was your psychosis? You may not want to answer these questions, which I understand.
Ellie_at_APPPartner
Hi Christine
Sorry to hear your daughter still isn’t fully over the psychosis yet. Do take hope that there are good signs, as in she seems calmer and more settled when you are there. It’s so hard to give you an answer as to ‘how long’ it takes to recover because each of us are different, with different responses to meds etc. I think I was over the worse of the psychosis after about 3-4 weeks but then I still had quite paranoid thoughts after that for a while too (which sounds a bit like your daughter). I know I’ve said it before but I really promise you she will get better, and will be herself again. It’s just recovery is sometimes up and down.
Try not to worry too much about the side effects of drugs, the psychiatrist will know what they are doing, and I’m sure they will prescribe carefully. It is good she is being monitored carefully, and they are looking at her medication. Are they still liaising with a perinatal psychiatrist? I imagine that would be important.
Take care of yourself as well, I know it’s impossible not to feel anxious, but do try and take time out to recuperate too.
Thinking of you all loads , Ellie X
I've been on risperidone. It works for me
Hi Christine, how is your daughter going? Thinking of you all x
LilybethVolunteer
Hello Christine
It's been a while since your last post and I wondered if your daughter is feeling any better?
Take good care ......... we are thinking of you.
