Hallucination and delusion

[Naima_233]

My name is Naima, a first time Mom, I developed postpartum psychosis since my 5th month of pregnancy then after birth it got worse and started having serious hallucinations and delusions which I still have up to now. I was given some antidepressants but I haven't fully recovered yet I'm told the meds I have taken is enough. It's now 5 months since I gave birth. What do I do and how long will this thing take? I'm worried.

[hgallo Volunteer]

Hi naima_233, welcome to the forum. I had pp after my twin girls in 2016. If you're still having hallucinations and delusions could you talk to your Dr about prescribing you an anti psychotic maybe? Do you have support at home? Well done for being so open about it.I'm sure some of the ladies here will think of some other useful ideas too. Hang in there. I'm just about to take my girls to school, so yes things get better after pp. Take care xx

[Jenny_at_APP Partner]

Hello Naima,

Welcome to the forum where I hope you’ll find lots of information and support 😊

I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been unwell since your pregnancy and are still experiencing delusions and hallucinations. Postpartum psychosis usually needs to be treated with antipsychotic medication so I would also suggest asking your doctor about this. I hope you have support around you – it’s such a frightening thing to go through.

It looks like you’re in Kenya so I also wanted to share some links to Postpartum Support International (PSI). Hopefully the link below will work – it should take you to some contacts of coordinators based in Kenya, who will hopefully be able to offer further information and support locally to you: postpartum.net/get-help/int...

(If this link doesn’t take you to the right place, go to postpartum.net/ - ‘get help’ – ‘PSI services’ – ‘find local support’ – ‘international’ and then select from the drop down list of countries.)

There is helpful information about postpartum psychosis on APP’s website if it’s at all helpful to share with your doctors - app-network.org/what-is-pp/

I do hope you’re able to access some further support to help with the symptoms you’re experiencing. We’re all here to listen and share experiences whenever it helps. You can absolutely get through this.

Sending very best wishes,

Jenny

[auntstacy in reply to Jenny_at_APP]

Jenny, I joined this group for my niece. She had her baby January 2022 in September of 2022 she went into a post partum psychosis. She was put into a inpatient treatment center for about 10 days. She came out on some medications but was weaned. She had a episode in November of 2022 where she left her husband and children almost like a manic episode. Just last week she started hearing voices again and thoughts of suicide. Her anxiety was through the roof. We have her in a different inpatient facility. She has been there a week and missed her baby’s 1 year bday. So hard to believe a year later we are still dealing with this. I want to help her as best I can. I live in Florida and she lives in Ohio. The healthcare in the states is so overwhelmed. Covid really did a number on the healthcare system as a whole as well as in the mental community. The doctors don’t call back when she calls them to get medication changes etc. she struggles with wanting to take the medications because she doesn’t like the way she feels. We hope being in this facility they get the right balance before she leaves because it’s not an option to not take it as she will be right back in a facility. It’s so sad because there is this person we all knew before the incident and this person now. We hope we get our girl back ❤️. I am going to share the links w her when she gets out.

[Jenny_at_APP Partner in reply to auntstacy]

Hello auntstacy

I’m so very sorry to hear about your niece and the episodes she’s experienced since having her baby last January. I’m sorry she’s recently missed her baby’s first baby due to currently being back in an inpatient facility. It’s so heart breaking that there are no mother and baby units in the United States, I know we’re so lucky here (though there are parts of the UK without these units as well). My sister lives in the United States so I’m aware how different things are in terms of healthcare and mental health support. And the pressures on health systems everywhere are just so difficult at the moment – I’m sorry your niece has been struggling to access the support she needs.

If you would like to start your own thread here on the forum, please do and I'm sure you'll receive some supportive replies - I hope you find it a helpful space to connect and find information and support from others who have been affected by this awful illness.

I hope the links shared above are helpful to you too – Postpartum Support International has lots of great resources and information, online support groups etc. and a form to complete in order to make contact with a local PSI volunteer - postpartum.net/ (to find local help go to postpartum.net/get-help/loc... and select ‘United States/Canada’ to take you to the form). I hope the links to the APP website are helpful too – if you have any specific questions do please just ask.

With the right support, women who experience PP do go on to make a full recovery – it’s a frightening and traumatic experience for everyone involved and recovery can be very up and down and take time but hopefully reading other stories and experiences here and on our website will give you hope.

It must be so hard watching your niece suffer from such a distance, I do hope the current facility finds a good balance of medication and support for her and please do share our resources with her when it feels appropriate.

Sending you very best wishes,

Jenny

[auntstacy in reply to Jenny_at_APP]

thank you so much ❤️

[Naima_233 in reply to Jenny_at_APP]

Hi Jenny, thank you so much for the contacts I was given some meds which were then stopped and have been advised to try remain positive the delusions will end with time. Though it's not easy.

[Pikorua Volunteer]

Hello Naima_233,

I am so sorry for your struggles. I am pleased you found this forum. It is safe and none judgmental where women can share their lived experiences of PPP.

Despite being very poorly in 2010 I recovered from this traumatising illness. Maybe you could write down your experiences and use this as evidence when talking to your doctor.

It is important to receive appropriate medication as already mentioned by hgallo and Jenny. I have had to have traditional antipsychotics. Despite being sectioned and still very poorly when returning home after 2 months and being looked after by my partner I gradually improved with the appropriate after care including care plan and support by health professionals.

We are all different in our recovery and it is difficult to set a timer or deadline on the recovery process. I hope you have support from your family and your doctor can help you further with appropriate medication plan and/or care plan.

The APP website is very informative.

You will get better in time, all in stepping stones. Mums on here have recovered.

x

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

Hi Naima_233,

I am so sorry to read how you have experienced delusions and hallucinations since pregnancy up till now 5 months postpartum.

As others have said, my own episode of pp was treated with anti psychotic medication, this was 4 years ago. The anti psychotic medication I took, olanzapine, also helped with my sleep that was severely affected at the time. How are you sleeping and eating at the moment? Sleep is so difficult when they are so little, but not getting enough sleep seriously affects our ability to function.

If you can ask for a medication review with your doctor and bring up the possibility of taking anti psychotic medication it could help you start feeling better. Jenny has shared some useful links that have great information on postpartum psychosis, perhaps it may be useful to show them to the team following you? If you think its OK to do so?

Take really good care, it takes an enormous amount of courage to post here as you have done, really massively well done. Will be thinking of you.

[Naima_233 in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Thank you so much EmiMum.

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to Naima_233]

Hi Naima_233, hope you have been recovering this past month, you have us here for whatever you need

[auntstacy]

Naima, as a family member of someone going through this I will pray for you and all the woman struggling. I hope you have family that can help you. Be brave and talk to them so they can help you. Most important…..take care of yourself so you can be healthy again.

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Naima_233

Congratulations on the birth of your baby. So happy that you have reached out to the forum and all the support here. I hope you have found the replies and links helpful.

I’m so sorry you are suffering delusions and hallucinations. I had PP many years ago including delusions and hallucinations which were all very real and frightening to me at the time. I was treated under general psychiatric care with antipsychotic medication and other interventions. I responded well to a medication which helped the delusions to fade eventually, so I wonder if your doctor could review your care and needs?

It does take time to recover from such a traumatic illness but with good medical care and support you will slowly feel better. For now, be good to yourself and rest as much as you can. We are all here to lean on across the miles. 🌻

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Naima

Just wondering how you are and hope you have been able to have a review with your doctor. Take good care and be kind to yourself. 🌻

[Naima_233]

Hi Lily, i'm still in the process of healing though they told me I can't take any more meds I am just trying to be okay

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hi Naima_233

Lovely to hear from you. You have so much courage and healing as you say is a process. There are times when it’s okay not to be okay so don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

Being a mum for the first time isn’t easy and to be hit with PP can be overwhelming, so I hope you have support around you. Be kind to yourself .. PP mums are amazing 🌹