Conference moira::parenting

    I didn't experience that, fortunately, so I can't offer firsthand
    advice, just support!
    
    I think that if I were in your situation (and you're probably on top of
    this), I'd make sure that Drug A was completely out of my system before
    starting Drug B, or if you're taking two drugs simultaneously, talk to
    your pharmacist and/or pick up a paperback PDR-wannabe and see if the
    two drugs could be dueling in your system.  It might be worth it to
    talk to your doctor about whether trying a period (a week?) of going
    cold turkey on the medicine would push the "reset" button... :-)
    
    I've read that sleeping pills prevent dreaming, which is a really vital
    process for the ol' gray matter.  When sleeping pills are discontinued,
    the REM cycles are practically back-to-back until they catch up to
    the number of dreams you would have had by then!  (Doesn't matter if
    you *remember* dreams--they normally happen anyway and they're important.)
    
    Leslie 

    I don't have advice, except maybe this too shall pass.  With my first,
    I don't think I got more than three hours sleep/night for the first
    year.  However we had so many things happen to our family that first
    year, I wouldn't know whether to attribute the lack of sleep to PPD, or
    to the amount of stress going on with myself and my family.  Having a
    house burn down 1 week after Lolita was born, was just the beginning of
    a horrendous year for me.  I literally couldn't sleep until I saw the
    sun rise each morning and the 6:00 AM train had come through.  
    
    However, after that year had finished up, I did finally get back into a
    reasonable sleep routine, and I don't think I was too psychotic while I
    did go through the no-sleep daze.  I second making sure that the two
    drugs you are taking aren't contributing to the sleeplessness.  I have
    some pretty wierd drug idosyncracies that make some tranquilizers act
    like uppers.  
    
    Best wishes
    
    meg

    Is this your first child?  I know that I had a VERY difficult time
    adjusting to everything after my daugther was born ... even if the
    child is sleeping, you're always listening for them.  As such, you
    never fall into a really deep sleep.

    Actually it is my 2nd child. My first is 13 and now that I'm 36 the
    second came along. I have wondered if these sleeping pills are robbing
    me of REM sleep because when I do sleep on them, I don't feel rested.
    I feel like this is such a nightmare and don't feel myself. I guess
    time is the answer.
    
    thanks,
    ajs
    

    Indeed the type of antidepressant you have been prescribed might be
    affecting your sleep. The serotonin antidepressants such as Prozac and
    Zoloft often have another shorter acting antidepressant prescribed at
    the same time, to counter the sleeplessness that can occur when taking
    Prozac or Zoloft.
    
    

    Interestingly enough, I was given zoloft in the beginning and it made
    me bounce off the walls - I couldn't think clearly. I'm now taking
    effexor which is brand new and has little if no side effects, its
    especially good for people who tend towards insomnia. I was also 
    given Lithium and Xanax, and Dalmane at night. I dont like taking
    the xanax or the lithium because it makes me feel lethargic and 
    slow.
    ..my doc doesn't want me to stop it yet though. I think I'm a 
    terminal insomniac! I have started a walking program that I hope
    will help the sleep.
    
    -ajs
    

    Three months after having my first child I started to develop terrible
    sleep problems, having difficulty in actually falling asleep.  It could
    take literally hours and the more tense I became the harder it became
    to relax enough to actually fall asleep.  I was prescribed sleeping
    pills but the problem didn't right itself after a few weeks as I had
    hoped.  I never thought of myself as being depressed it was only after
    reading a magazine article about post-natal depression that I realised
    I could be.
    
    My doctor then prescribed antidepressants which I took at night and
    they helped as they made me feel very sleepy.  Over a period of six
    months the dosage was reduced until I came off them.  I still found
    that I was having some problems in falling asleep so I went back to my
    doctor and he put me back on the pills for another few months.  As they
    are not addictive doctors don't appear to worry about over-usage.  
    
    Now that my daughter is two years old I can say that I am sleeping well
    again, although I sleep much more lightly now - I guess I'm always
    subconsiously listening out for her and she does have a habit of
    wandering through to our bedroom during the night.  At the time of the
    insomnia I did feel really terrible and as though no-one really understood
    but once it was put down to post-natal depression at least I knew I wasn't
    going mad!  It does pass with treatment but unfortunately it does take a
    little time and you really have to be patient.

    Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this. I seem to have met several
    other women here that have been through this-some have the exact same
    symtoms, one had a breakdown once the postpartum kicked in. THis can
    be very serious and I hope anyone reading this note can be of help
    to someone else going through this! I have been helping another gal
    who is about 2 months behind me in this process and find that each
    day I am getting a tiny bit better, so its one day at a time.
    
    -ajs