Looking for some help from those who have posted to me in the past and a few I've seen posting on another thread.

I'm asking for personal experiences with depression - I know I'm suffering with it, but not quite sure how to handle it.

With advice I've seen, I'm looking into setting up an appointment with a psychiatrist instead of my regular doctor. However, can I even use ADs or natural remedies while nursing?

Anyway...just asking to see if natural means helped some and what those supplements/means were. Also asking for experiences with ADs, as my past experiences with them were rather negative.

Thanks!

PS. Really broke down last night, so I'm going to try to make the appointment soon. Flew off the handle horribly last night...but, my WS/FWS (don't know quite what he is) really doesn't understand, even though his second wife committed adultery while married to him. He is absolutely and totally oblivious to my feelings. Guess the situations were different, so what I'm feeling is different.

this should help you some.

http://www.4woman.gov/faq/postpartum.htm

One of the absolute best things you can do concerning this, is to have you ob/gyn speak to your psychiatrist. Together they can develop a plan of action to best suit your needs. If exercise is advised for your pregnancy, that is always the first and healthiest option.

I hope you feel better and find the link helpful.

Thank you!

I have been to that site many times. It is helpful. I've had PPD before and always counted on my regular doctor to know how to help me. I'm going to go further this time, as there is much more going on than just "hormones".

There are very few psychiatrists on my health plan, but I will talk to my doctor to see if he would recommend one above the others.

I have dealt with depression, fought it by myself by exercise, herbal supplements, making time for hobbies, etc - and when I realized I was standing in the shower everyday crying and had been for more than a year I figured it was time to do something about it.

I did a massive amount of research on medical sites as well as reading other people's experiences with different meds. I ended up using Welbutrin, I chose it for the minimal side effects associated with it.

ADs (at least in my experience) didn't suddenly cause me to wake up with bluebirds singing and sun shining - it did take the edge off the black emptiness. I researched my options, I went through my GP to discuss it with her.

I'll pass on some of what I discovered during my research.

It takes some time before you can tell whether or not the AD is going to help. If it doesn't after a couple of weeks, contact your physician and tell them and see about looking into alternative options. Some ADs are weight neutral and other ADs contribute to weight gain. Some ADs have sexual side effects. I would suggest that the initial prescription be filled with the brand-name AD rather than a generic. Once you have determined that the AD is helping you, then you try the generic. If you notice an increase in your symptoms, switch back to the brand name. I know generics are supposed to be identical medically, but they are not always so. Some medical research has shown that on some generic meds, the pharmaceutical/blood level ratio of patients using generics can be 20% less than those using brands (impacting their efficacy). (I do not own any stock or have any interest in pharmaceuticals.)

Herbal supplements such as St. John's Wort have been helpful to some. However, there are no FDA guidelines controlling herbal supplements so there is no way for the consumer to know what percentage of herb they are ingesting - whether it's stronger than the recommended dosage or whether it has so little that it's useless.

I no longer stand in the shower and cry and my life no longer consists of just the things I *have* to do - I have the mental and emotional energy to actually live rather than just survive.

That's been my experience - I hope some of it might be helpful to you.

Do I dare post this??? I sure don't want a debate about alternative medicine!

Our family has been under the care of a homeopathic DO for over 13 years and have much success treating many illnesses. My dr. always prescribed a homeopathic remedy called Ignatia for emotional upset and grief. It is what I used to finally get me past my depression.

Here is a link that discusses homeopathy and depression. Notice that it is the remedy recommend for depression caused from heartbreak or betrayal.

http://members.tripod.com/LMhomeopathy/depression.html

Homeopathy is safe while nursing. The only caution is when using a remedy that might affect milk supply. For instance, when I had a miscarriage, my dr. prescribed a remedy to dry up my milk. Some remedies are used to help establish a sufficient milk supply. I am pretty sure Ignatia does not affect milk supply because I think it is sometimes used for post-partum. I will double check this right away and post if I find otherwise.

Be aware that homeopathy and herbal medicine is NOT the same thing. Some herbs can have serious side affects. So if you want to take that route, check with an herbalist or someone who is knowledgeable.

I would also recommend exercising 3 or more times a week not matter how hard it is to get started. It is proven to help with depression. If I remember correctly, it stimulates the brain to produce certain chemicals (endorphins). I would also recommend eating as healthy as possible, taking vitamins, and drinking lots of water (especially since you are nursing). Nursing also causes your body to release endorphins (which in nursing circles are referred to as the "natural happy drugs". So...nurse away. Just be sure you are eating enough and getting enough water. My dr. always told me to take calcium no matter how healthy I ate, because having been pregnant and nursing for so long, chances were high that my body's calcium was being depleted.

RU,

Would you please give more info on your situation. If I remember correctly, you have deleted most of the info, and I really don't know the status of your situation (I will go back and check this thread).

How long was the A? Emotional/physical? When did it end? How did it end? NC letter? Do you have the books SAA and His Needs Her Needs? Are you two in counseling? Is it MB friendly? What is your WS doing to ensure no contact, transparency, and accountability? What are you both doing to restore your love for each other?

{{{{{{RU}}}}}}

I have lived with depression for 20 years, and my wife has for 10 years. She had PPD with the first baby, and was deemed a high risk for PPD with the second...so she started lexapro when she was about 6 months pregnant. She's still taking it while nursing.

Absolutely consult your OB/GYN for what meds are safe to take while nursing. Most will express in the breast milk to some degree, but some are safer than others. A psychiatrist is obviously your first choice if you want to go the AD route, but in a pinch your OB/GYN could prescribe them.

If you go the homeopathic/herbal route, make sure there are reputable studies on the meds, and make sure you see a reputable DO.

I'm not an advocate or opponent of either method of treating depression. I agree that it's a natural response to your situation and that it needs to be addressed somehow. How you address it is up to you.

I was suicidal when I was in college and went on meds for about 4 months. They did little else beyond making me sleep 12+ hours a day. In retrospect I think I was mis-dosed. I spent a number of years trying willpower alone, and eventually found a way to live with it and be mostly functional. I went back on meds a few years ago, went back off, and have recently started cymbalta to help me cope with work and financial stresses.

Exercising 3x a week and eating healthy foods is a must. Make sure you get outside at least a half hour a day - fresh air and sunshine are good for you. Are you subject to seasonal affected disorder? You may need to invest in a sun lamp and do some light therapy every day.

I'm happy to elaborate on any of these points if you like.

Thanks to all!

BB - I live in an area that doesn't really have "seasons". Yes, it gets colder, but it is almost always sunny.

Hopefully I'll get the referral to the psychiatrist today.

I am all in favor of using whatever works to relieve depression, but will share my experience about going the natural route. I suffered from mild to severe depression most of my life. I have had no depression now for 9 years, despite enduring major tragedies in my life.

Initially, I started out on Paxil.It helped the depression but in addition to killing depression, it killed everything else. I just felt DEAD. I felt NOTHING and remember almost nothing for the year I was on Paxil. It is blacked out.

The one horrible thing I do remember about that year is that my personal standards of cleanliness declined. I no longer CARED. I will never forget how a friend of my son's came to me and asked for "clean sheets" for my son's guest bed when spending the night. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> I hadn't even bothered to strip the beds. That is pretty bad when your housekeeping standards are not even up to that of a teenage boy. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I am normally a very clean, meticulous person who keeps a clean home. I cringe at that memory.

I lasted a year on Paxil and gave it up.

The next year, I quit smoking and made dramatic changes in my lifestyle. I began exercising, cleaned up my diet and began taking supplements. This made an amazing difference that has continued to this day. Through a process of elimination, I discovered that the most potent change of all was my supplements, namely Omega 3 fishoil. I knew nothing about it at the time, but over the years research has been done that indicates it alleviates depression. I can slack on exercising temporarily, or cheat on my diet and not experience feelings of depression. But if I slack off on these fish oil pills I feel it coming back very quickly.

So, for me, all of these things were a dramatic improvement over anti-D's. I feel JOY in my life and I remember each and every year. That is not to say that some benefit GREATLY from anti-d's. They DO, so don't discount them. Just find what works best for you.

When I was pregnant (not that long ago!) and all this was going on I was on zoloft and my ob told me it was okay to continue taking it while nursing. Of course, because of the way my insurance was, I had to wean myself off it because no more would be covered. There's an awesome website out there which I'll have to find for you that is kind of like a drug book, but it's made specifically for lactating mommies and that way you can do a little research on the side effects and things before you talk to your ob. That Paxil, Melody, sounds like a mess, that's for sure.

Oh, and I can also look up drug categories from you in a regular drug manual. Basically if it's a category that you couldn't take in pregnancy, you shouldn't take it while nursing either. For most cases, anyway.

I am starting to feel the depression sink on me again, too, so I'll be reading that homeopathic article.

Here's the website for the medications: http://neonatal.ttuhsc.edu/lact/
They have a nice, shiny forum on anti-depressants, too.

Exercise is the number one cure for you, IMO. I also am a big believer in Eastern medicine. They've been doing it for thousands of years longer than the Western way of prescribing meds for everything. The herbal way has not worked for me, but that's just me. Homeopathic, as has been said, is something akin to Eastern medicine, so it's worth a look. If you're so far gone that you're not functioning, however, I highly recommend Wellbutrin. It can come in very mild doses and in my experience, just gave me a little kick in the rear, to kickstart my lack of energy to get up and do the exercising and cleaning and 'caring.'

Melody,

How many fish oil pills do you take a day? How soon did you feel a difference , if you remember?
Also, how did you quit smoking?

Thanks in advance for your response!

NOW

I only take ONE 1000mg pill a day. I read a study that said that more is not better with Omega 3, in fact, taking more diminishes its effectiveness.

If I don't take them, I can feel a difference in 2-3 days. My brother and sister, who have fought minor depression, both claim to have felt a difference within 2 days.


I slapped on a patch and just did it. I thought I was going to DIE! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> I quickly realized it wasnt' the nicotine that was the problem but the PSYCHOLOGICAL addiction, though. I tossed the patch in 3 days but it took me several months to get over the psychological addiction. I have come to the conclusion that it might be helpful to get something to do with your HANDS, such as a squeezee ball or a cigarette shaped object. My DH quit with one of those nicotine inhaler things. He didn't inhale the nicotine, but just holding it in his hands was a great help!

One thing I learned is that something like 90% quit with no aide at all and that as many ppl that smoke today have QUIT smoking. So, while it is hard to do, it is not as hard as I had feared. And i smoked - gulp - four packs a day! ugh!

I figure if I can do it, anyone can! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Fish pills just made me think of something else. I know people who eat totally natural diets - no preservatives, no processed food, basically they eat the way people did 100 years ago, and are much the better for it! I really believe a lot of our medical issues are due to the food we eat. Maybe this would be a good time, while you're nursing, to research into starting your family on healthier eating, and see if that contributes to better mental and physical health all around.

I found this article about it: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

another site:http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/Omega-3.htm

My best friend from high school had 8 kids. As soon as she found out she was pregnant with the first, she quit smoking; when she was done nursing, she started again. Second pregnancy, quit and started up again after nursing. Third, quit, but never started up again. Just like that. It was her simple determination that her baby would not suffer. By the time she realized she could quit the 3rd time, it just wasn't an issue any more.

ML,

Thanks so much, just hearing that other people have quit gives me hope....I am making that my New Year's resolution....thanks for the encouragement and the info on the fish oil pills....I found myself depressed around mid-december then read something about the fish oil helping to ease depression, so I tried it. I didn't remember to take one every day, but after less than a week I felt better anyway....I just wasn't sure if it was the pills or just my mom LEAVING after a NINE DAY VISIT! LOL!
I think I'll keep taking them....it's supposed to help cholesterol levels, too.

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

NOW

4 packs a day, Mel? Wow, that's almost as much as John Wayne.

I take fish oil too, and exorcise, and yoga, and practice deep breathing exercises so my body get enough oxygen...but do you know that the one thing that makes the biggest difference for me lately as I get older, is the SUN.

You said you get enough sun roaduntraveled, so thank goodness for that. One less thing to have to worry about.

Oh one more thing I practice is I am very careful what I allow myself to dwell on. I am very careful of where I allow my thoughts to go.

NOW, I wish you success in your quitting smoking! Don' give up if you fail, just keep right on trying.

He can't shoot as good as me, though! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />