Hi All,I have been going through a long journey with my wife since our daughter was born. She is 4 and a half now and my wife is still on all the same medication she was on when she came out of the psychiatric ward 2 and a half years ago.
Should her meds have beem reduced by now or is this normal, has anyone else been on the same medications for so long. She takes Effixor, Seroxat, Diazepam, Eurodin and Sennapor.
Thanks for the help.
Hello Duncan055,
Sorry to hear your wife has been going through this long road. Her psychiatrist and Gp will be the best people to ask questions regarding her medication. You wouldn’t want her to stop taking medication suddenly which can cause a relapse . Wishing you all the best !
Take care
Hello Duncan,
I am so sorry that your wife is still suffering the affects of Postpartum Psychosis, it does seem like a long journey. I did not suffer PP myself, my daughter did, happily she is well now. I do understand how difficult it is for you to see a much beloved suffer such an awful, distressing illness. Recovery for every brave Mummy is different, some take longer than others, medication can vary and sadly recovery can be up and down. I agree with Ramlah, perhaps ask for a review with your wife’s medical team. Your wife too must be more than disappointed if she is not yet feeling fully restored to herself, I am glad she has a supportive husband in you. I hope that you also have supportive, kind, understanding family and friends.
Take care of you too.
Wishing your wife well and you both joy in your little daughter.
Judithx
Hello Duncan055
I hope you are well. I’m sorry I didn’t reply to your earlier post due to circumstances.
During my psychosis I was taking various medications until the right ones were found which worked for me. I’m sorry to read your wife is still battling to be well. I did find on the Mind website at mind.org.uk an A-Z of psychiatric drugs which might be helpful. I found Effexor is the brand name of Venlafaxine which is on the list and also Seroxat is a brand name for Paroxetine which is also there. Diazepam is also listed. There is also other info on the website. I’m with the other mums here in that I think your wife’s doctor might be able to guide you.
It’s not easy for you trying to cope when your wife is struggling. I hope you have someone to confide in so that you are not overwhelmed yourself.
Wishing you a new year of hope and happiness with your family. Take care .... we are here for you in support.
Dear Duncan055,
Sending best wishes to you and your family as we see in the new year.
You’re so brave, supporting your wife and daughter through this. I know it has been a long journey for your wife, but also you too.
I can’t speak from experience on the medication length of time - as in my experience of PP, I was extremely lucky that the first medication worked, and I was only on it for a relatively short period.
The best thing with thoughts about medication is to talk through scenarios with medical professionals. Your wife’s GP or psychiatrist. Medication is a sensitive thing, in that even weaning off or changing needs to be done carefully with the right support.
But what you’re asking is definitely a natural question to ask after a long time. Don’t forget that medication is one of the best methods of treating PP, as you’ll have seen first hand. And that sometimes people remain on medication - and that’s just fine too. It’s a case, as you know first hand, of going with what works best for your wife.
Sending my very best wishes to you,
Rachel x
Thank you all for taking the time to reply andnyour supportive messages. Where we live has a slightly different medical system, there are not really GPs but specific doctors for specific things. I love the health system here but it is not like we build a relationship with a specific general practitioner. Her psychiatric doctor is very busy seeing around 80-100 patients in a day. I have not seen him with her for a good while, I asked him in a way that I felt obvious was to get a “no“ answer if she could drink in the meds when she got discharged from the ward. He didn't pick that up and said “yes she can drink a little bit“. She drinks a lot abd I can't take it any longer.
Hello Duncan055, oh I’m sorry I didn’t remember that you didn’t live in the UK, please forgive me.
It’s a very tough time you’re having. Are you able to get support yourself from a professional body or charity? Perhaps you have already after 4.5 years? In the UK, for example, there are a couple of charities who support people who are long term caring for a loved one, and also for relatives or friends worried about (and feeling the impacts of) a relatives drinking.
I’m sorry you’ve such a lot going on. I can’t imagine the struggle in caring for your wife. It must feel very one sided and trying at times. It’s not, I’m sure, what either of you would have imagined your life together would be. I’m sure had I endured what you have, I would be feeling a lot of feelings you are. It’s a very difficult time for you 😔.
Take care, which I know won’t help. But we’re all thinking of you. X
Hello Duncan055, thank you for using the portal. I would definitely ask for her medication to be reviewed. However, many women are diagnosed with bipolar after post partum psychosis. Some women stay on medication indefinitely once they are diagnosed with bipolar. I was diagnosed with bipolar but my medical professionals stopped my medication. Each case is different. Good luck. Thinking of you. I hope your wife is keeping well x
Hello Duncan055
Thinking of you and hope your week has not been too stressful. Take care.
Hi Lilybeth,Thank you, I am blessed to have people who care. I saw a couple of friends on Friday fir coffee, they are really supportive of me. I have so much to do now I don't know where I will find the energy.. Each night I get up at 2am to do some work, every spare 20 minutes I am trying to get to my desk. I go back to bed at around 4am and then up again at 06:30 for Clover's start to the day. She is tired too, we may get a sleep in on a weekend but her nursery had a make up day on Saturday and an event on Sunday so no chance this weekend.
My wife arrived back on Saturday night and drank a quarter bottle of vodka, came to the event on Sunday and acted like all was well while seemingly pushing me away from our daughter until our daughter got grumpy and then she needed me to help of course.
This coming Friday we have a meeting with our lawyers altogether. She is now demanding 100% custody or 0% and that I continue as full time caregiver (which is what I want) with our daughter loving with me. However she also wants to dictate where we live regardless of my work and also organised school and extra lessons for our daughter without any consideration to me at all. Her threats are that if we do not agree and it goes to court then during that time (which can be years here) I will not be able to bring our daughter to the UK to visit my family, her grandparents. This is the sort of unkind attitude we get now, she could agree that we can come back even during court proceedings so she is essentially saying she will not allow it. My parents love my daughter, they are old, my Dad won't travel (he is in his 80s) and my Mum doesn't like leaving him.
I can't agree to her having full custody like this as she can just change her mind anytime. Both my lawyer and her's understand this but it is convincing her that is the problem as she does not think clearly. For me shared custody is agreeable (I would prefer I have full custody but am not unreasonable), I have never said I would restrict access and I also have made suggestions about sensible places for my daughter and I to live which is not too far for her to visit easily and also not too far (although further than my current situation) from my client base.
I hope she listens to her lawyer and stops seeing me as an enemy.
Sorry only meant to write a short reply, I am abit lonely though to be honest.
Thank you as always and I hope you are having a good start to the new year. I know the end of this year will be so different to the way itnhas begun. I hope it has worked out best for my daughter.
With love, Duncan.
Hi Duncan
Good to hear that you have friends who are really supportive at such a stressful time for you. It sounds as though you are working really hard without much sleep, which is not good, but I appreciate that it is probably necessary at the moment
I hope the meeting on Friday is favourable and you will feel that you have been fairly represented. It’s not easy for you with such stress so, as always, please take good care of yourself and lean on your supportive friends.
We are always here too if it helps to write rather than bottling things up and making yourself ill. According to Google it’s the early hours of the morning in Taiwan so I hope you are resting!
Hoping for the best for you and your family. Stay safe.
Hi Lilybeth,Thank you for your reply. I am doing ok and just getting on with things as best I can. After nearly 2 months of this latest mess my wife has come home begging for forgiveness. It is hard for me to try anymore so I am being firm. She has to start doing everything she can to recover from her illness. I have asked her to seek and stick to therapy and also told her that of she doesn't quit drinking alcohol that will be a deal breaker.
I have realised that I do not need her to live well and raise my daughter here in Taiwan or anywhere. What she has done is given me more strength to focus on myself and Clover. My attitude now is that if my wife wants to be part of this family she has to show that with her actions. I have always daid actions speak louder than words and I have heard enough words now.
Thank you as always, I will stay in touch.
Warm regards,
Duncan.
Hi Duncan
Good to hear from you. Perhaps if you can in some way find out about your wife’s medications this might make a difference to how she is feeling. I hope continuing therapy will also help your wife focus on the future.
Take care and stay safe. I hope you will now be able to relax a little and sleep.
Best wishes to you and your family.
Hello Duncan,
such challenging times for you. Taking care of oneself, sleeping and eating, then putting out feelers for tailor made needs for everybody involved is probably a way forward. Patience and all in stepping stones. A lot of trauma and healing needs to take place.
Fighting for a cause can be so exhausting! I hope you can access help and support within your community. Finding time to improve your energy such as a Meditation group or Marshall Art...Of course I do not know what creates happiness within your heart. Nature is such a healer or finding those special moments of pleasure with your loving daughter.
My son was my therapy, we did tons of activities together throughout his toddler and primary school years.
I am pleased you found this site. It took me 5 years till I found this forum, but my healing took a different turn and improved quite drastically. It is important to talk.
Take good care x
Hello Duncan
It’s been a while but I hope you and your family are well. I’ve just heard about the super typhoon Saola and wonder if you are all safe in Taiwan? Take very good care ... thinking of you. Kind wishes
How long psychosis last 
Returning to ‘normal’…
Desperate to feel normal again
