Postpartum Depression: Why Am I So Angry?
Friday March 3, 2006
Lufbecky shares her concerns on the forums:
"Cody was born three weeks ago today and I've been dealing with the anxiousness and anger outbursts assocated with postpartum depression. I'm currently going to a weekly support group and taking Wellbutrin to help with this. My question/concern is this: Last night my husband woke up with a terrible migraine and I was not very sympathetic at all. In fact I was feeling like he was being a 'cry baby.'This may not seem like much, but I suffer from mirgraines on a bi-weekly basis and chronic daily headaches. I've had this as long as I can remember (my parents say I was 6). My parents admitted recently that they thought I was faking these headaches for attention and had that 'she's a cry baby'attitude.
Normally I'm very sympathetic and nurturing when my husband or my older son (who is almost 2) gets sick. So why was I feeling this way? I've been feeling really angry in general lately and my husband is trying to be there for me, but sometimes i realy lay into him and make him feel bad."
Comments
I understand what you’re going through. Ever since my second child I have felt the same way and have acted poorly toward my husband and 2 year old daughter too. I’m going to seek counseling for my anger issues because it really freaks me out and is not who I want to be. I’m sorry I don’t have any advise for you but I just thought that maybe I’d let you know you weren’t alone in your feelings.
I felt the same way when my second son was born. I also have a two year old and everything would make me so angry. Then I would cry because I felt out of control and thought I was losing my mind. I didn’t want to hold my baby, I just did it because I knew I was supposed to. I finally confessed all this to my mother, who is very knowledgeable about herbal remedies and has suffered with bouts of depression her whole life, and she suggested taking 5-HTP. This can be bought at any health food store. I took two in the morning and two at night and within two days, I started to feel better. I continued to take it for a month. All of those horrible feelings slowly went away and I felt like myself again. Now, I love holding and playing with my baby and toddler and the bonus is that I have regained control of my emotions. I keep the 5-HTP on hand so if I am feeling angry for no reason at all, I will take two and the feeling does go away. I’m not saying this will work for you, but it really helped me and I just wanted to share that with you. I wish you all the best and know that you are not alone, though it may seem that way.
Hi and WoW,
Yes I to have the same feelings as the three of you. I have a new 12/g,new 7/g,(nov babies),my son turns 2 in may and my youngest and last was born Dec 26. I am now on an anti-depressent. My problem is it is such a low dose it barely helps. See I am nursing my little one and they can’t say if it will hurt her for me to take anything. So if anyone knows of something that helps and thinks it’s also safe for nursing mom’s PLEASE post. Good Luck All. Cindy
Wow
Like all of you, I have a young baby (7 months) and a toddler (3 in march). After my second was born I was not myself. I lost alot of blood durring delivery, so needed to take some iron supplements for 2 months, after 2 months the extrem fatigue, weakness and stiffness where gone but I was still tiered or not sleeping at all, my appetite was still off and worse I was still verry impatient, irretable and just plain angry all the time. It just seemed like I was stuck in a vicius circle: I would finaly feel “better” then I would lose my temper over something stupid, feel bad, guilty and stupid, cry for a couple of days, talk myself out of it and it would start all over again. Finaly, last november I knew I could no longer “talk” myself out of it, and went to my doctor. After crying for 15 min. I was finaly able to blurt out how I was feeling. My doctor suggested eliminating the possibility of any physical problem before looking at depression. Such as another iron deffeciency or other defficiencies caused by my low appetite, and my thyroide glande… Well so far it looks like it may be my thyroid glande, wee are still trying to pin point the cause: my “tsh” levels are low but my hormone levels are normal, very unusual from what I understand. So far we have cut it down to me beeing sensitive to iodine. In january I stopped taking my “materna” vitamins (they have iodine), and in febuary my blood tests looked better, so my doctor schedualed more blood tests for march, even added some tests to explore other possible problems or causes to my problem. I see him next week. I can’t believe that something I juged important for me and my baby’s health could be the possible cause of my “caziness”. I’m also greatfull I have a doctor who is taking the time to find the exact problem instead of simply prescribing antidepressants and calling it a day.
I had a baby girl in June and have suffered with horrible post partum depression and anxiety, but didn’t really have the anger. Neither my O.B. nor my doctor would help me and I was such a mess. Finally after many many phone calls they let me see a new O.B. who didn’t have many patients yet. She understood and prescribed Lexapro. I can’t tell you how much it has helped me! I switched to her as my O.B. because she cared. I can’t believe how many doctors refuse to help because they don’t want take the time or effort. I still get anxious but nothing like what I was experiencing. I dreaded every day and was almost in a panic wonderin how I would ever make it through each day. Ask for Lexapro from your O.B. I have been discoving more and more people have been helped by Lexapro. I am not the type of person who wants to be on any medication but when you need it, you need it.
Dear Mothers
I can so empathise with you. I also suffered PND after my first child and was very angry and resentful towards my husband. Sleep deprivation and a clinical chemical imbalance leaves you VERY irritable and irrational. You know you’re not feeling yourself and don’t react to situations like you normally would.
Anger is a healthy emotion, let it out but try and talk about it with your other half later when you’re not feeling so angry or even write down how you’re feeling and show it to him. Men commonly suffer from PND as well but it’s even more underdiagnosed.
They may not be doing the feeding/nursing but they still have to get used to the huge change having a child brings into your relationship. (I probably would have despised this comment 3 yrs ago).
I went on medication too (Aropax) which only goes through in your milk approx 1%. Best thing to do if you’re not already on medication is to take the PND questionnaire, especially if you’ve felt like this for more than 2 weeks at a time and talk to your health professional about it.
I am very anti-drugs but they worked a miracle for me. I also support the natural therapies like St Johns Wort etc but be very careful with combining medicine with other supplements. There are potential interactions and additive effects which can be dangerous.
Take care and do talk about it, your admission and ability to post something on the web is great and a real positive step.
I can def relate to all of you. I just had a baby in January, and I am normally a very happy laid back person, but since I had the baby, I have been SO incredibly angry to the point that I have hit the wall. I am scheduled to see a therapist next week and I guess we will see from there. It’s just realy nice to know that I am not alone, or completely out of my mind. see on top of having a baby, my husband and I lost our house two months ago and have been living in my grandmothers somewhat renovated porch. and so many other things that added to it. we both lost our jobs…and so on and so forth. anyway. it’s just nice to know that i’m not alone. I’ve been getting so angry lately that my head just all of a sudden hurts horribly. well, thank you very much..
Carrie