My sister experienced PPP after her first pregnancy. It took around 6 months to establish a medication routine that worked for her, and she has managed her subsequent bipolar diagnosis for 17 years.
She started experiencing menopause symptoms and started HRT, and altering her meds, and then spiralled into a massive psychosis episode, with echoes of the PPP. I’m wondering if anyone has experience of this, or knows of any studies into the relationship between PPP and menopause, or had any advice that might help us with this? She is currently being treated in a unit, but are hoping she’ll be home soon! Thanks for reading. X
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Bigsister2
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Thank you for posting and welcome to the forum. I'm one of the peer support coordinators at APP, I had PP after my first son was born in 2012.
I'm sorry to read that your sister previously experienced PP and has now suffered an episode linked to menopause. There are a few other posts about PP and the menopause that you'll be able to search for here on the forum, and I'm sure others will reply with their experiences.
There is some collated information about PP and the menopause on our website which I hope is helpful: app-network.org/what-is-pp/...
This includes links to information and resources, including a Bipolar UK webinar about bipolar and the menopause, current research, and seeking further support etc.
I do hope your sister is being well supported in the unit at the moment, it must have been a very worrying time for you all. Do let me know if there's any further information we can help with and I hope your sister is back home soon.
Thank you Jenny, I have looked at all that, and watched the webinar, all of which is very interesting.
It’s good to find a forum that is familiar with this, I personally find it helpful to talk about it, but also want to be mindful of her privacy, as it’s her story to tell, not mine.
On top of all this. She has a daughter with multiple disabilities, so we have to make sure we make sure all her needs are met as well. A lot to deal with!
There is building evidence to suggest a link between PPP and subsequent psychotic episode in peri menopause. That’s not to say that everyone will be affected, but that, for some women, there does seem to be a link.
I had PPP after the birth of my son in 1999. After 6 months, of which 3 were in hospital, I made a good recovery and remained well (including after the birth of my twins in 2002) until 2016 when I had a severe and rapid descent into psychotic depression. This time I was in hospital for 6 months and only started to recover after ECT.
To become so unwell again was a massive shock to me and my family and friends, especially because I had not previously known of a possible link between PPP and menopause.
It took a while after I was discharged from hospital to feel even half better. And the support of my family and friends was essential to this.
I am happy to report that I have not had any further episodes since my recovery in 2017. I took aripriprazole, an antipsychotic, for 2 years after discharge and then gradually came off it,
Thank you for your post and raising the issue. There is a lot to do to highlight this risk and support women who do have recurrence of psychosis in peri menopause.
Hi, I'm sorry to hear this. I suffered twice with both children and then went over 15 years with good mental health. When I hit 48 it started again. It is like having an imbalance in the brain, every thought is so difficult. It was also like someone takes over your body and you are watching them say and do things that you wouldn't do. It is so hard for her to control and you to watch. I was put on hrt, but I have had to come off them as they have discovered I have cancer. I'm on olanzapine and feel able to cope with life at the moment. Give her time to come out of it. Don't tell her what to do as this makes you worse. Good luck with everything and hope she gets there soon 🙏 ❤️
Thank you for your reply, and I’m sorry that you have had such a difficult time. To have to deal with the cancer in top of all that must be very hard, so I wish you all the best for a full recovery.
Good advice on not telling her what to do, but pretty hard for a bossy big sister to manage! 😀 I’ll try my best.
hi Bigsiser2 - I have a bossy big sister and wouldn’t change her for the world. She’s been there for me through thick and thin, as indeed it sounds like you are for yours!
So keep on being the wonderful support that you clearly are. Tbh I wouldn’t worry too much about formal research into the links between PPP history and menopausal psychosis - there is SO much anecdotal evidence amongst women with lived experience that it’s only going to be a matter of time before the research base catches up.
In the meantime, I would encourage your sister to keep on working with her care team to find the hormonal treatments and other meds that work best for her, and then when she’s home from the unit to line up lots of non-stressful activities that she can get into and look forward to (holidays; new hobbies, a new project etc etc). I think the menopause can leave the best of us feeling a bit at a loss sometime - but it’s a chance to embrace something new and the freedoms that come with a new phase of life.
You have had very wise replies from the brave Mums here. I am so sorry that your sister is having such a hard time and I do understand how difficult it is to see a much beloved suffer in such traumatic way with Postpartum Psychosis and now again further down the line. My daughter suffered PP and I know how much she appreciated and gained from the support and love of her two big sisters and her whole family. Family relationships can sometimes be tricky but your sister is lucky to have you, you are doing a great job being there for her, gently as you can out of love.
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