Personal ...Is this sleep deprivation, or do I need more serious help? (Long.)

[Judegirl]

I think I need help...

Having never been an anxious person at all, I suddenly find myself profoundly and consistently worried about various -and unlikely- potential hazards. I'll spare you most of the details, but suffice it to say that I'm becoming obsessed with the toxicity of pretty much everything in the industrialized world.

I've always been concerned about chemicals in my food and other environmental hazards, but only to the point of being reasonably vigilant. I've never been a worrier, and I understand that everything changes with the birth of a child, but trust me, this is ridiculous.

A friend says that this type of anxiety can be caused by sleep deprivation. Obsessive thoughts, uncharacteristic worry...she insists that this is a product of not getting enough sleep for a prolonged period of time.

I do have other symptoms of sleep deprivation - major bouts of indecision (sometimes I walk back and forth several times because I keep changing my mind about whether to do X or Y, in two different parts of the room!) And last night I think I went through a red light...I didn't run it; I was waiting for it to change...and then I just thought it had turned green and so I went. I was all the way through when I suddenly thought it might have still been red. Thank goodness no one was hurt. (I'll not be doing the driving again until I get some sleep.)

So what I'm wondering is - has anyone had experience with anxiety as a result of sleep deprivation? Or could this be some late-onset-postpartum anxiety thing? Or might I be developing some kind of anxiety problem? Do you think this will pass? And if it IS sleep-deprivation, how much sleep to I need to get in order to help? Will a night suffice - a few days...or do I need to be sleeping regularly in order to get over this?

I never expected to completely hang on to my carefree perspective having a baby, but I just don't think I ought to be swinging from one end of the spectrum WAY over to the other...it doesn't seem right.

Thanks for anything you can offer. I'm very grateful for these boards.

Jude

[sntm]

(((Jude)))

It could be sleep deprivation (but it usually had to be pretty severe for those types of symptoms (but then again, you are talking to a surgery resident!)) and it certainly could be post-partum depression/anxiety. I think we all get a little of that. I remember becoming fixated on the idea that mice or spiders were going to get into the cradle.

Talk to your doctor, too. A lot of these things can't be diagnosed over the web. Hope things get better, hon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[Jacksonvol]

Jude,

I don't know what your symptoms indicate, but I suggest a physical from your GP. Tell him or her what is going on and see what is suggested. I have not had the anxiety to the level you describe, but I know I have dealt with the indecision and the mistakes (I think I may have driven @ 25 miles with the emergency brake on one time).

Anyway, my GP prescribed rest(hee hee, I actually went to a nice hotel downtown specifically to SLEEP!) and a multi-vitamen along with a stern lecture that mommies have to take care of themselves first. Armed with a good, uninterrupted sleep and adequate nutrition, I now remind myself that I can ask others (i.e. DH, friends, family) for help.

I am sorry you are feeling this way. I remember how I felt and it was rotten. Good luck!

Lisa

[steph2003]

This could most definitely be post partum related. What you are describing sounds like what I went through after the birth of my DS. Yes, a lot of it was also due to sleep deprivation but it got to the point that even when I had the chance to sleep I couldn't. I couldn't make my mind shut off & was anxiety ridden. It got so bad I ended up in the ER room because I needed some help (hadn't slept in 5 days!) & I needed a psychiatric evaluation. That was extreme & I'm not telling you this to scare you but I felt so alone - like none of my other friends/neighbors had experienced anything like that so it was emabarrassing for me to admit I wasn't cutting it at being a mommy. Anyway, long story short I'm now on anti-depressants (Effexor) one that also helps with anxiety & feel so much better! A good place to start is your family physician or OB. Please feel free to email me if you have any other questions or concerns. Just know you aren't alone with this!

[Joshuasmommy]

It could be either or both. I had pp anxiety bad to the point where I just could not sleep which made it worse, it is not fun at all. I would talk to your ob about it and see what he/she recommends.

[amp]

Jude - Hugs to you! I don't know what is going on with you, but I do suggest you talk to your doctor or someone about what is going on. Let a professional determine whether it is normal, postpartum induced or something else. Hope you work it out soon. Take care of yourself, please!

[californiamom]

((((Jude))))

I am not a doctor so I can't help you with your symptoms. I can, however, tell you that I, too, have been sleep deprived for a while and have experienced many of the things you described above (indecision, worries, not being able to concentrate). So you are not alone!

Also, I urge you to get some help. I am saying this because I was in a car accident a couple of weeks ago going back home from work. My reflexes were so slow because of the lack of sleep I didn't step on the brake fast enough and hit the truck in front of me. Thank goodness I was going only at 10 mph (traffic was bumper-to-bumper) and no one was hurt.

Please take care of yourself. Get some rest/sleep. Ask for help, share responsibilities. You will need to get regular (and enough) amount of sleep everyday to be over this for good -- AND to be the best you could be for your baby!

Hugs,
Ana

[Sarah1]

Jude,

I went through major bouts of indecision very much like you described after DD was born. I think lack of sleep did have something to do with it, but since it sounds like you have some other stuff going on as well, I would talk to your OB/GYN or GP about it. I'm sure you can bring your DD with you to the appt. I think the fact that you are aware of these behaviors is reassuring, but just to put your mind at ease, I'd check w/a doc about it.

Hugs :)

[sadie427]

This mostly echoes what PP's have said, but it does seem like more than garden-variety sleep deprivation. The constant worrying sounds more like anxiety and/or depression, and it definitely could be post-partum related. As a medical student, I just wanted to chime in that you should definitely see a doctor, and if you feel like they are dismissive you should see another doctor. In my experience, OB/GYN's in general aren't great with psychiatric concerns. Of course, that is a generalization--if you feel like yours really listens to you and is good with general primary care, I'd go to him/her, otherwise I'd go to an internist or family practice doctor.

I don't have a scientific answer to the question of how much sleep you need to make up for what you've lost. However, from the personal experience of a lot of rotations where I worked overnight in the hospital every fourth night and only slept a few hours or not at all, and also having a baby who didn't sleep thru the night until he was 8 months old, I feel much better after two consecutive good nights' sleep, but don't feel totally myself for a week or too. I've definitely noticed forgetfulness and trouble thinking (especially anything remotely creative like writing) after I've gone a while w/ poor sleep. In any case, a few good nights' sleep will be a good start. I don't know if you have a plan to get one, or how often your baby is waking, but when I had to take an all-day exam when Sammy was still waking several times a night to BF, I had my husband actually sleep in the baby's room for a few nights so he would wake up and I wouldn't. Otherwise, I would always wake when Sammy did and before my husband did, so even if he got up it didn't help me all that much. I gave him bottles of milk, and by then my supply was well established so I didn't have a problem.