Relapses at time of month

[Hazydays17]

I haven't posted before, but this forum has really helped give me such an insight into this horrible illness. We are all sad and devastated that this just came out of the blue 3 months after our beautiful granddaughter was born and our daughter had never had any mental problems before. My daughter is 3 months on from the first psychotic episode and although she is much better now she seems to have a relapse at the same time each month. The doctors at the Mother & Baby Unit say they're not sure it is the cause but I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this. It may just be coincidence, but I thought I would put it out there. Can I just say our MBU staff are amazing and I don't know how we would have all coped without their help.

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Hazydays17

Welcome to the forum and I'm glad it has given you insight into PP. It is sad that such an awful illness should hit your daughter at what should be such a joyful family time. For many of us here PP also came out of the blue without having any previous mental illness. My PP episodes were a long time ago but with good professional care and family support I fully recovered eventually as your daughter will.

It's good that your daughter is receiving specialist care in the MBU and you have probably read here that PP is a very treatable illness. I'm sorry that your daughter seems to have a relapse at the same time each month which must be very distressing. I was under mixed general psychiatric care (there were no MBU's at the time) and I did relapse once which was very upsetting.

Have you come across the Insider Guides, "Recovery after Postpartum Psychosis" and "Postpartum Psychosis : A Guide for Partners, the link being app-network.org/what-is-pp/... which might be helpful?

Please take care of yourself too as this is a very stressful time for everyone. Your daughter will fully recover in time and you will have many happy hours to look forward to with your beautiful grandaughter.

[JoannaBrooks]

Very sorry you all esp your daughter have all been through this horrible and traumatic time. Hormonal fluctuations can definitely be a trigger or can exacerbate symptoms. Can't say if this is the case for your daughter. And I am sure it will settle down in a few months- it is still such early days. But if you look on the APP website there is research on hormonal fluctuations. I am long recovered from PP and didn't get it after my second child (took preventative low dose anti-psychotics after birth). But have always been highly susceptible to severe mood swings premenstually (PMDD). So have stayed on a low grade antidepressant which keeps me more balanced before my cycle. Obsviously that's just my story and probably it isn't relevant to your daughters case right now. Wish you all the best. After these dark times, I promise Spring will come again and your daughter will be okay.

[Hidden]

I can sympathise with your daughter as I too take a dip a couple of days before my period and also a couple of days during. I think that has been the cause of my recent relapse which has been distressing. I wish your daughter well in her recovery and take good care of yourself too. X

[Hidden]

Hazydays 17,

happy to say hello to you on this forum. Welcome! I am pleased you found this APP forum as it has been a contributing factor to my path of recovery.

I can empathise and feel for you as mum. It must have been a scary and traumatising time for you and your family, when your daughter started to become so very poorly.

I have had PPP in 2010 and have been so lucky to be looked after by my wonderful partner (full time) and his family. My mum unfortunately could not see her child suffering in a mixed gender psychiatric unit (nor my dad). Thus, you are doing exceptionally well, but also be aware that you need some rest time in order to regain some strengths.

Yes, I agree your daughter is in good hands. Unfortunately I have had no MBU experience and belief my recovery time would have been much shorter, if those facilities had been available in our locality, or at least in the county. However, the after care was in many aspects more of a positive experience and I am thankful to those professionals, who had an interest in setting up a care plan to reassure my health and welfare at my home sanctuary and with my partner and baby, where love and kindness and primary care was guaranteed and I finally was allowed to bond with my baby.

In my opinion it is good not to set any far fetched goals, recovery for all mums is quite a unique experience,- and very much depended on learning how to self manage again in stepping stones.Yes, I have been affected by the menstrual cycle. The make-up of each mum is very different and obviously one has to allow time to heal...

Your daughter will recover from this illness, we all have...

Look after yourself,

x

[Hazydays17]

Hi and thank you for your replies. I told my daughter about this site but as it's early days (and also she has no internet anyway) I thought it might a bit much for her, so I just relay various snippets of what is said. I wish you all well and thanks for your support x

[Claire_griff Volunteer]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum, it really is such a helpful and constructive source of information and support, I hope you will find some comfort in reading posts and find the support you and your daughter need. I found it too hard to visit the forum when I was in hospital because I felt too fragile to hear other people's negative experiences so it is so good that you are sharing the positive responses with your daughter. When I was first discharged and still very much in recovery I used to get relapses of horrible intrusive thoughts around the time of my period, I definitely think there was a link between the hormones that are in your body at that time of the month and an increase in symptoms for me, possibly for your daughter too.

I wife you all the best and hope your daughter finds her way to wellness, you are being incredibly supportive and that is so helpful in such a hard time.

Kind regards,

Claire

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Hazydays

Thanks for your update. At this early stage I think just being there for your daughter will be such a comfort. For your own research there's a brilliant blog PP Soup at ppsoup.com containing clips and info which you might find helpful.

Also, some years ago there was a post written by a mum on behalf of her mother "A Granny's PP Experience - supporting your daughter" the link being healthunlocked.com/app-netw... which will hopefully reassure you that your daughter will be well again.

We are all here to support you.