Sepsis after birth

[Leah90]

Hi everyone, I had my beautiful baby in August. Two days after birth I had chest pains, I thought maybe I had a blood clot due to hemorrhage after birth turned out i had sepsis I was left 7hrs in A&E due to no other symptoms but once I went back onto delivery ward I took a turn for the worse, I went into septic shock. I was on high dependancy care for 5days I was so unwell to the point I thought I was going to die. I was on oxygen, my kidneys & liver had lost some function, my heart rate was up & down. After Alot of very strong antibiotics and fluid I started getting better.I still have very bad anxiety about it reoccurring. The doctor said that they think i have PTSD due to the trauma of it all. Has anyone else been through the same. My other half tells me that I should be over it now but it plays on my mind alot. I can't sleep properly, my hair is falling out quite a lot and I'm still quite weak from it. Currently got a chest infection & it is taking its toll on me massively I'm so tired but unable to sleep then I struggle getting up in the morning.

[Seb9]

Hey, I had my baby in August also, I was very lucky I did not have any complications.

Birth and having a young baby is probably the hardest thing I've ever done so I can't even imagine how tough it's been for you.

Have you been referred for some help with the PTSD? You could even maybe have a bit of post natel depression. With what you've been through you may need a bit of help.

Your husband maybe needs some information about PTSD and past natel depression so he offer you better support.

Do you go to any baby groups yet? I've found it's really helpful to talk with other mums about what you've been through.

I really hope you're feeling better soon and can get all the support you need xx

[Leah90 in reply to Seb9]

Hi congratulations. No help given to me by my doctors I am trying to cope with it myself. No I haven't been to a baby group yet but I am going too look locally & join us up. Thank you I am quite a tough one I am sure i will get there soon x

[Hidden]

Oh Leah90 that’s a lot to deal with on top of having a new baby!

I’m frustrated for you that the doctors didn’t make sure a request was made for you to have support after your experience. I’m a therapist by profession, working in the nhs, and I would say it’s very important that you have a space to help process what happened to you as it’s very hard to move on from PTSD without support, especially if you have people around you who don’t fully understand.

It’s not about toughing it out, I know some super strong people who’ve had PTSD and who needed and benefitted greatly from some short term support. Your body went through a lot and now your mind needs to have the chance to catch up. Whilst you might be fine day to day, you’ve been quite clear that you feel the effects still. Trying to ignore it doesn’t make it go away, it might just go underground for a bit and pop up later as anxiety or panic attacks.

It’s up to you of course, but I’d encourage you to discuss this with your GP and request a referral to a psychologist as you’ll want something more than the bog standard 6 sessions with a counsellor that you’ll probably be offered otherwise. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need more than 6 sessions, just that you want them with someone who knows how to work with trauma so you can overcome this and move on with your life and enjoying your little one.

Just to add, anyone who says you should be ‘over it’ by now has never been affected by trauma. And until you’ve been able to make sense of it other things, like having a chest infection, can serve as a trigger back to your difficult experience. Tackling the PTSD with help now means you take control of it rather than it having control of you.

Wishing you the best x

[Leah90 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your advice. I'm going to see about getting help with it.

[Hidden in reply to Leah90]

Good for you. Seeking help takes strength x