Topic Title: Post Natal Depression
| |  "Post Natal Depression"
, Tue 29 Apr 06:15
I had my first child nearly 8 months ago and am suffering from 'post natal' depression. I've never gone thru anything like this before and i desperately need to do something about it. i have been to docs who offered prescribed anti d's but i wanted to try something else first. i've bought the mood cure and am slowly reading my thru it but in the meantime has anyone ever tried 5htp for post natal depression or any other alternatives for that matter?
I took it for almost 2 weeks, altho after reading this page i think the dose was too low, but i got much more aggravated that normal and felt v irritated. is this normal? should i up the dose?
any replies gratefully appreciated
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Tue 29 Apr 2003 5:22 |
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| | "Re(1):Post Natal Depression" , Thu 1 May 13:54
Hi,
I actually know a good deal about post-natal depression because I have PMS and have read a number of books on hormone balancing. It's going to be hard to find a doctor who knows anything real about post-natal depression, but there are some. As I understand it, post-natal depression is usually caused by a lack of the hormone progesterone. Most likely, what you'll need is a prescription for "natural progesterone" I'm not sure what the dose is for PND but I do know that they've had increadible success. You want to make sure that you don't get proscribed synthetic "progestins" which are made to mimic the progesterone found in horse urine. "natural progesterone" is natural in that it mimics human progesterone, not because it isn't synthesized. They make it from soy I believe, but they alter the chemical structure so that it's basically a replica of human progesterone. There are a couple of great books out there on hormone balancing, which you absolutely must take a look at or buy. One is "Listening To Your Hormones" by Gillian ford which has an entire chapter on pnd, and a great number of personal accounts by women who have experienced it and overcome it. another is "Natural Hormone Balancing" by Rhida Arem (could have spelled that wrong) the author of which is a gynecologist/obstetrition who has worked with women with all kinds of hormonal imbalances for many years. I wholeheartedly reccomend either or both. Good luck finding a supportive doctor. It may be that a gynecologist would know the most about treating PND and/or would be open to letting you try natural progesterone. Feel free to ask me any questions you like. I'll try and bring a book or two to work tomorrow, so I can get more specific information such as doses etc. for you. Take care.
Sara
Posts: 11 | | Registered: Wed 23 Apr 2003 14:48 |
| | | "Re(2):Post Natal Depression" , Fri 2 May 01:59
Thanks for that. I've already ordered the Gillian Ford book. I will try anything. Altho I don't know that much about hormone replacement and i must admit I am a bit wary cos I have heard some bad press but atleast I can find out the facts now.
I'm finding it hard to find a doctor who's interested to be honest. I just get, 'here take these anti depressants'. There are supposed to be lots of support groups for new mums etc but I seem to keep drawing blanks such as, 'we don't have any groups in your area but if you want to start one...'. which as you can imagine is the last thing i want to do at the moment.
Anyway, thanks again for what you sent. If you do find any more on doses etc, do let me know. thanks
Andi
Posts: 3 | | Registered: Tue 29 Apr 2003 5:22 |
| | |  "Re(3):Post Natal Depression"
, Fri 2 May 10:58
You're very welcome Andi,
I brought Gillian Ford's book with me today, and I'm looking at the chapter on postpartum depression. It sounds like different physicians reccomend different dosages for treatment of ppd. Many of the foremost physicians who treat ppd reccomend intramuscular injections of natural progesterone at about 100mgs once a day if the ppd is very severe. But some physicians use sublingual (under the tongue) tablets of natural progesterone, while others use suppositories of about 400mgs one to three times daily. Dr Katherine Dalton has written a book on ppd called "Depression after Childbirth" which is available through PMS access in Madison Wisconsin (1-800-222-4-pms)She also has a brochure called "Guide to Progesterone for Postnatal Depression" which is available from PMS Help, PO box, 100, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4UQ, England. It does sound like some women respond better to estrogen than progesterone, so you might have to experiment with your doctor's help (once you find a receptive one)
At the end of the chapter, there's a For Further Help section, where Ford lists adresses and information. She says you can contact "Depression After Delivery" P.O. Box 1282 Morrisville, Pennsylvania 19067, USA.
Another possible book to read is "Postpartum Psychiatric Illness; a Picture Puzzle" by James Alexander Hamilton, MD.
I'm happy to be able to share the information I have, and I sincerely hope that it helps you to regain your emotional balance. Let me know how it goes.
Sara
Posts: 14 | | Registered: Wed 23 Apr 2003 14:48 |
| | | "Re(4):Post Natal Depression" , Sat 3 May 00:35
Sara, you are an angel.
Thank you so so so much.
I will let you know how I get on.
Thanks again
love
Andi
Posts: 4 | | Registered: Tue 29 Apr 2003 5:22 |
| | | "Re(5):Post Natal Depression" , Fri 9 May 09:05
Andi,
I was just peering around in Gillian Ford's book, and I noticed that Katharina Dalton, one of the pioneers in hormonal therapies for women actually has a center in London. I think they call it a pms clinic, but they deal with all sorts of hormonal needs. I wasn't sure, but are you from England? It was just the word "mums" that made me think so :) Actually, if you google serach Katharina Dalton, you get huge amounts of information on her books, and various websites and resources which might be helpful to you.
Talk to you later,
Sara
Posts: 20 | | Registered: Wed 23 Apr 2003 14:48 |
| | | "Re(2):Post Natal Depression" , Fri 2 May 01:52
Posts: 2 | | Registered: Tue 29 Apr 2003 5:22 |
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