post partum psychosis-urgent suggestions requested please

[ZeeGee75]

Relative just diagnosed with Post partum psychosis. Urgently looking for suggestions on best course of treatment or support.

Local hospital initial suggestion was to section in psych unit which family refused as seemed too severe.

Mother totally exhausted from 3months of virtually no sleep - would night nurse help for couple weeks just to enable proper rest ?

Newborn baby is only a few weeks old

Any suggestions on decent therapist/psych in london area would be appreciated please . The symptoms are completely out of character very concerning for mother and rest of family!

[PNI-Admin Partner Volunteer PNI ORG UK]

Welcome ZeeGee75! I’m sorry to hear your relative is struggling with post partum psychosis . It’s an awful illness that robs a mum and those around her of what should be magical times of her new baby’s life.

There is a brilliant group called Action for postpartum psychosis on this site - it’s run by former sufferers and is a fantastic forum for support and advice specifically for PP. link below.

healthunlocked.com/app-network

Lack of sleep is often linked to PP. what have the professionals suggested? Often meds are needed to treat this condition and it can be very difficult for everyone concerned.

As for night nurse I tried this to self medicate as I had dreadful issues with lack of sleep . I would say the issue is Pp is a complex condition and needs professional input in terms of meds etc. I would really urge you as a family to seek out advice regarding the whole illness from professionals who are experienced in treating women with PP. The charity above are best placed to do that but I can put out some feelers and point you in the right direction.

The mother and baby units offer excellent care and mums can stay with their babies too so help with bonding etc. obviously whether your relative should be admitted to one is a decision for the family and the mum in question but my point is the care is excellent .

It’s really wonderful you are trying to help your relative . Please keep talking x

[ZeeGee75 in reply to PNI-Admin]

Thank you very much for all the suggestions. PP episodes have been occurring for a couple of weeks but I only found out last night upon receiving an odd text message and then phone call . Hardly any sleep for the past 3 months (newborn is a few weeks old) which I assume must be contributing. Jnr docs had no experience of the condition. Same story at local hospital and they were considering sectioning which we thought was too severe. Diazepam appears to be helping with sleep now but will call Winchester mother&baby unit to see whether that is a good option. The one thing we need guidance on is whether there are different levels of PP i.e. can they give comfort the mothers case is mild ornconfirm its more serious? Or is the reality that once you are diagnosed , anything can happen. In which case a secure unit might be the best and safest option.

Rest of family are hopeful and inclined to wait and see but I am worried we need to take action now. Finding the right specialist/therapist to guide us is proving to be a challenge though

[Maria_at_APP in reply to ZeeGee75]

Hi ZeeGee75,

I am sorry to read about your relative being diagnosed with postpartum psychosis.

I had postpartum psychosis 4 years ago after the birth of my eldest baby. Lack of sleep was certainly one contributing factor to me becoming unwell.

Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency and the preferred treatment is as an impatient in a mother and baby unit. I went to a mother and baby unit in London and the level of care and treatment I received made the world of difference to my recovery.

Postpartum psychosis can escalate very rapidly, it can become acute in a matter of hours, that's one of the reasons hospitalisation is so important. At the same time it is a very recoverable illness, and with the right help and treatment your relative will be back to herself.

The forum group mentioned in the thread above holds a lot of great information and support for recovering mums and partners and family, I will also recommend the insider guides which can be found on the Action on Postpartum Psychosis website:

app-network.org/what-is-pp/...

The guide for partners you may find particularly useful.

There is also a good summary of what are the symptoms and a FAQ page on the same site:

app-network.org/what-is-pp/

app-network.org/what-is-pp/...

I am glad that there are plans to talk to the MBU in Winchester and that diazepam is helping with her sleep, it is important to get her the help she needs now as quickly as possible. Will be thinking of you and your family, take good care

[PNI-Admin Partner Volunteer PNI ORG UK in reply to ZeeGee75]

Hi

EmiMum gives great advice. It’s great you’ll be talking to the MBU and I’d be interested to hear what they advise, but only if you feel comfortable sharing.

Do you have a complete overview of your relative’s symptoms? Is she aware of the fact she’s ill?