How to bring up PPA with the doctor?
Hey again, all you wonderful parents. I'm almost certain I have PPA. I'm pretty sure I've had an anxiety problem for most of my life (undiagnosed, but I have a family history and I've always described myself as a worrier), but ever since having my daughter it's ridiculous. For the first 6 weeks or so I figured it was just normal mom hormones and it would go away, but it's getting worse. I'm having headaches and muscle pain in my neck and shoulders because I can't relax. I often get random feelings of intense dread for no reason. I can't sleep even when my daughter is asleep in her crib and I'm exhausted. My daughter goes to sleep at 9 PM and I'm usually up until 4 AM coming up with horrible scenarios. Like what if I go check on the baby and she's dead? What if my husband leaves me and I have to take care of the baby by myself? What if he's already cheating on me? What if the house is on fire and I don't notice until it's too late to get to the baby? What if a murderer breaks in the nursery window? Just nonsense. I'm so exhausted I think I'm having auditory hallucinations. I'll be sitting in the living room and suddenly it sounds like someone is talking in the other room, even though it's just me and the baby in the house. I've come to terms with the fact that this is not normal, and I need help. But my anxiety is keeping me from calling the doctor. What if I tell her all this and she says it's normal for new moms to worry? Or what if she says I'm crazy and takes the baby away? What do I even say? "hi I'm a new mom but I'm worrying a lot so give me medicine?" Can anyone with experience with a post partum mental disorder tell me how you brought it up with your doctor?
Posted Feb 22, 2016, 4:28 AM UTC