Medication : Hi ladies, I was just... - Action on Postpar...

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Medication

kellyandbabykyle profile image

Hi ladies,

I was just wondering what dose of quitipine anyone was on? as I am on 100mg at night and I feel I've taken a step back. It's not blocking out intrusive thoughts at all, I'm really struggling to ignore these horrible thoughts. I just wanna be me again and enjoy life with my boy xx

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kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle
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20 Replies
Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer

Hello Kellyandbabykyle

Thanks for your post. I did notice your supportive reply to Riham's first post when you mentioned your medication and that professionals were not helping. Intrusive thoughts are very worrying aren't they? Although I'm sure your little boy keeps you well occupied, such thoughts are very hard to cope with.

What did the professionals say when you asked for help? They're not being very supportive if they are ignoring you. It's very hard to cope with routine, a baby and recovery so you are doing really well.

As you probably know from your previous post I replied to, my PP episodes and recovery were a long time ago so medication has changed and I don't think I took quetiapine.

I think you should make an appointment to see your G.P as intrusive thoughts are very frightening for you. He / she can even re-refer you to your care team for the support you need. You're doing really well to distract yourself but you really need and deserve better care in your recovery.

Take care ...... I'm sure there will be more helpful replies here for you.

Ellie_at_APP profile image
Ellie_at_APPPartner

Hi

I'm really sorry to hear that you are struggling with intrusive thoughts. They can be really scary. I promise you, you will get better and recover. It is just sometimes a bit of an up and down road, you will be you again and will enjoy your boy. I thought I would never be myself again, and enjoy being a mum, but I really did, and have a fantastic relationship and time with my son.

If you are struggling, and really feel the medication isn't having an effect, I'd really encourage you to talk to whoever is supporting you. Do you have a mental health team who supports you? or a psychiatrist? Don't hesitate to ring them and ask for an appointment and let them know how you feel, they can look at and adjust your meds if they need to. I would recommend writing down how you are feeling, a kind if mood diary, and being very specific with what thoughts you're having and how often. It gives you 'evidence' to show the psychiatrist / mental health team exactly how you are feeling.

Take care

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle in reply to Ellie_at_APP

Hi Ellie,

Aww I'm glad it gets better, just taking a long time to recover. Yeah I have a mental health team but they aren't that great I've been really struggling for a long time and they haven't done anything about it, it was me who put my meds up. That's a great idea just be really scary to write those intrusive thoughts down on paper, but il give it a try thank you x

Ellie_at_APP profile image
Ellie_at_APPPartner in reply to kellyandbabykyle

Hi I'm really sorry to hear your mental health team aren't that helpful. I would definitely go to your GP again, and tell him/her how you're feeling, or you could ask your mental health team specifically that you want to see a psychiatrist. It's really important you don't change your dose without professional input first. Take care, I hope you can get the support you need. X

JaneHW profile image
JaneHWVolunteer

Dear Kellyand baby Kyle,

I would just like to reiterate that if you're suffering from intrusive thoughts, be really specific with your GP, who can hopefully refer you upwards to the psychiatrist again. Write down what you're thinking and when and how often. Boring, but important if your mood is shifting significantly too. With the quetiapine, from my own experience I would say that when you get the right level it works really well, but you are in for s long haul. It has to go up gradually and each time it goes up I felt very tired, heavy-- difficult when you have a small child to look after, but worth pursuing. But the first step is to get that referral to a psychiatrist who can monitor what's going on and advise if it is the right drug for you. Really good luck and let us know how you get on, xxx

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle in reply to JaneHW

Hi JaneHW,

Yeah I get so tired and have no energy after I take 100mg, it's hard to work and look after my boy when I'm soo sleepy. Thank you I will do xxx

bluestarlady profile image
bluestarlady

Hi, in relation to your dose 100mg is really quite low. I have been told that 300mg is the lowest therapeutic dose that Quetiapine is licenced for in the UK. I was on 200mg as a maintenance dose but needed up to 600mg when I was ill. I hope you get some professional help to control your symptoms soon. X

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle in reply to bluestarlady

Hi bluestarlady,

I was on 400mg but I was soo sleepy I had to lower the dose, but I'm hoping to increase dose a lot higher to get rid of these intrusive thoughts, as id rather be tired than struggle with these thoughts. Thank you me too x

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle

Hi lilybeth,

Thank you for the reply, yes they are extremely terrifying. I had a cpn until Kyle turned 1 and then I got handed over to a mental health team, which If I'm completely honest, they aren't much help at all. When I have an app it seems like the lady is in a rush and she doesn't understand what I'm going through or does nothing to help.

Thank you I will try get an app with my gp about how I'm feeling xx

Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer

Hello kellyandbabykyle

How have you been since your last post?  Have you been back to your GP about the intrusive thoughts?  It's really important that you take care of yourself .... I know we are all busy mums but you deserve better input from your care team and they need to listen to how you feel.  Can you take someone with you for support to speak up for you?  I remember feeling awkward trying to explain thoughts in my head but you must get help ........

Take very good care.  We are all here for you.

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle in reply to Lilybeth

Hi lilybeth,

I've not been so great, tried getting an app with gp but can't seem to as always fully booked when I call up(it's on the day app). Feeling that the quietipine 100mg is not doing anything to help, maybe the dose is too little?. I've really took a step back as my partner moved out and I've lost my job in beauty as the owner is selling salon, I'm so depressed at the moment and don't even get me started on the tireness:( 

Xx

Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer

Hello kellyandbabykyle

I'm so sorry to hear your reply that you're not feeling great.  That's a problem with GP appointments, so few and far between.  Does your surgery have a call back system at the end of the Clinic where the Dr can ring you?  Or is there an out of hours service (like today as this is Bank Holiday in the UK) where if you ring the Surgery you will be able to speak to a Dr about your medication and how low you are?  Otherwise just call your Dr in the morning and say you need an emergency appointment or a home visit .... you can't function without the right support.

I hope your partner will come home to you.  Sometimes there is so much stress for both of you that he just might need to clear his head.  It's not surprising you're so depressed with all that's happening.  Is there someone in your family you can turn to, even your mother-in-law?  You really need support right now.  The Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 just to talk things over if that helps.

I know your care team have not been that helpful but is it possible you can ring them?  They might reassess you and let the CPN call on you again?  It's so hard to lift yourself out of depression with the tiredness it brings and you need the right level of medication to help you.    

Thinking of you ....... take care.  Please keep in touch if you can.

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle in reply to Lilybeth

Hi lilybeth,

I'm feeling a little better me and my partner sorted things out its just hard for him too. I also got a self employed position in a beauty salon beside where i live so less travelling, I'm soo happy I found somewhere, hope it all works out :). I know I tried calling early for an app but the receptionist says there is no psychiatrist In the surgery and I didn't see it as an emergency as such. I've got my mum who has been through the same illness when I was born, but she doesn't give great advice, tells me she threw away her meds and just got on with it, I'd be too scared to do that, I feel like I rely on them atm. 

I rung my mental health team and I just got told to take 200mg instead of 100mg - but it makes me soo exhausted. 

Thank you hopefully I will get over this soon and be back to my usual self xx

Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer in reply to kellyandbabykyle

Hello Kelly

Thank you for taking the time to reply.  I'm glad you have sorted things out with your partner.  I'm sure all the ups and downs of the illness are a strain for both of you.  Well done for finding a more suitable position for yourself ......beauty is a thriving market so I'm sure you'll do well.

I hope you will be able to have a review with your care team soon to find the right balance of medication to suit you.  I think you're right about taking the medication to keep you stable even though it zaps your energy .......

Thinking of you.

Ellie_at_APP profile image
Ellie_at_APPPartner

Hi I'm so sorry to hear that things are tough at the moment, that your partner has moved out and that there are problems at work, I think anyone would be struggling now even if they hadn't had pp. I'd really echo everything lilybeth said, keep trying your gp. I tend to find you need to ring first thing at 8.30am. Also, I know you said your mental health team aren't good helpful but I would contact them too. Maybe write a mood diary and record everything you're feeling, to help them see that you need more support. 

As lilybeth said I also wondered if you have friends and family who are supporting you, so you don't feel alone in it all and have some support? We are here whenever you want to write. I'll be thinking of you x 

kellyandbabykyle profile image
kellyandbabykyle in reply to Ellie_at_APP

Hi Ellie,

Thank you for your reply, I'm just trying to get up every morning, even though I wanna lie in bed all day, I wanna enjoy spending time with the little guy. I have an app on mon with the mental health team and hopefully she won't try to rush me out, coz I really do feel I need a lot more support. That's a gd idea with the mood diary il try that, suppose it helps to get things out of ur head. I don't really have close enough friends I can talk to about something soo personal. My partner listens and supports me but he's no idea some of the intrusive thoughts I think or the paranoia that comes with it, and some days I just feel numb and don't wanna be with him, but I know it's not how I really feel and if I keep pushing him away il lose him. 

Thank you Ellie x

Ellie_at_APP profile image
Ellie_at_APPPartner in reply to kellyandbabykyle

Hi Kellyandbabykyle

Sorry it's taken me a day or so to reply.

I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling so down, not wanting to get out of bed. I had that too after PP and it was so awful, some days I wondered if I'd ever get better, everything was a struggle. But slowly you will get better. I found I just had more good days than worse days.

I hope you don't mind but I read your reply to Lilybeth too. It's good you have sorted out with your partner, and that you have found another job near you. Really good news. Me and my partner had a rough time too, I'm sure he's been struggling also. It's good you keep talking to him and telling him how you feel, so he can know and support you.

I'm sorry that you don't feel you have friends you can really talk to about it. It is hard isn't it, often I wouldn't feel up to seeing people, and it's hard to put into words as well. That's why this forum is so good!

Definitely don't take your mum's advice about meds - they're so important to making a recovery, often with other things though such as talking therapy etc. Have you been offered anything like CBT?

I really hope the appointment on Monday is helpful. Is your partner able to come with you perhaps and say how he feels you've been?

Take care, we're here whenever you want to chat X

Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer

Hello Kelly

I've been thinking of you over the weekend and wonder how you are.  Have you managed to get any friend or family support?  Perhaps you can ring your Dr for the appointment you really need?  Ask for a home visit if you can't manage to go out to the Surgery.  You are entitled to medical care and support.

I hope you are ok.  Take care.

Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer

Hello Kelly

I've read your update to Ellie and I'm sorry to hear how starting every day is hard for you.  I was also the same, having to push myself to get out of bed but as Ellie said it will get easier in time.  Hopefully when you have your appointment on Monday the care team will listen ....... it's not easy is it?  I've read from my notes when the psychiatrist visited me at home she wrote that it took me a long time to get to the point! 

I think it must have been very hard for my partner to know how to support me.  Again, reading my notes, I must have seemed a complete stranger as I didn't recognise myself ...... although I felt very sorry for this woman battling on.

In spite of how you feel, you are doing really well, finding a job and being up and about for your family.  I hope you have a good weekend.

All the best for Monday!

Lilybeth profile image
LilybethVolunteer

Hello Kelly

Just wondering how your appointment with the care team went?  Did they manage to strike a balance with your medication so you're not so sedated?  I hope the mood diary was helpful so that you didn't have much explaining to do.  I think the main thing from such meetings is that we feel that someone has taken the time to listen.  Did you discuss your intrusive thoughts and paranoia?  It's difficult isn't it .... we want to get everything 'out there' but sometimes hold back because we worry what professionals would think of all the strange thoughts we have in our heads!

I think everything is heightened when we are ill.  At times we don't appreciate how much our partners have supported us and the stress they are under too.  I hope you are not feeling so depressed.   Some days will be better than others but eventually you will fully recover and have so much to look forward to.

Take very good care of yourself.

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