Experiencing postpartum psychosis.

[Emjb100]

I thought I'd post here about my experience with postpartum psychosis. In 2012 I had a miscarriage and subsequently found out I had uterus didelphys. This is two wings and the septum continued down into my vagina. I had already suffered with depression for ten years and was very depressed at this time as I thought I wouldn't be able to have a baby. In 2013 I had surgery and got pregnant a few months later. The baby was in my right uterus. They said he would be born early and I managed to carry for 37 weeks. The birth was traumatic I was rushed for a spinal and a forceps delivery. I lost slot of blood and had to have 4 blood transfusions. The first few months I was very isolated: my mother visited once and the babies dad every two weeks. At about 5 months I moved to a new flat and started having delusions. I thought the neighbours were going to kill me. I was took to the GP by my sister and her friend and was taken to the local mother and baby unit where I stayed for two months. They discharged me on anti psychotics and sent me home but I was still ill. I phoned 999 again saying the neighbours were going to kill me and ended back in the mother and baby unit over Christmas and New year. I was discharged again and had another psychotic episode. My now 1 year old was taken off me for two months. This time my antipsychotic medication was changed to olanzipine and I felt better. I was under the care of the early intervention in psychosis team for three years and I have recently been discharged to the local community mental health team. I'm am still on antipsychotic medications and anti depressants but my life is more stable and my son has recently started school.

[Emjb100]

''wombs" not wings

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Emjb100

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your experience. I'm so sorry you had a miscarriage and suffered with depression for so long. Your PP sounds very frightening as with similar posts here. I experienced delusions during my episodes which were all very real and frightening at the time. After my second PP I had what seemed like an endless depression, lasting for over a year, so I can't imagine how much you suffered for ten years.

I'm pleased for you that life is more stable now and I think your post will give hope to mums recovering from such a traumatic illness. You must be so proud that your son has recently started school. I hope you have good support from the local community team and your health continues to improve.

Take care.

[Hannah_at_APP Administrator]

Hello Emjb100 and welcome, I hope that finding the forum and reading shared experiences here has been helpful to you. I experienced PP when my eldest son was born, 9 years ago now. It was such a frightening time and the experiences you describe, from a miscarriage to a traumatic birth and then your PP episode, sound very scarey too. It's good to hear that you are feeling that life is more stable now for you; I found that olanzapine worked well for me too and also had an Early Intervention Team supporting me when I came home from the MBU. I also wanted to share this link with APP's Insider Guides, including one on Recovery: app-network.org/what-is-pp/... They have been written collaboratively by women and families with lived experience, together with world-leading academics and clinicians, so I hope that they might be useful to you too. Take care, xx