I had horrid blues after my first was born & had to struggle through it on my own. Here's hoping that you get the help you need for this space of time.

The reason I asked about nursing is that the hormone oxytocin, released during nursing, functions as a relaxent and mood enhancer. It can help during this time.

Interesting article from "Research and Markets", a trade magazine, explaining the strategy of marketing postpartum depression as a condition which requires pharmaceutical intervention:

Their advice to the pharmaceutical pimps:
"Enhance your ability to drive the growth of this market by targeting the appropriate medical specialists. Discover what steps competing players have taken to break into the
market.Evaluate the clear opportunities that exist in the postpartum depression market."

More advice on how to make a killing:

"Postpartum depression represents a significant commercial opportunity for smaller
players in the antidepressant market as opposed to the major players.

"Despite the fact that [postpartum] has the potential to become a chronic, recurring disorder, it is still treated as a transitory illness, which not only raises the cost to society over the long-term but also impacts pharmaceutical revenues.

"Outline of the need to develop specific marketing campaigns for
postpartum depression as it is treated by numerous secondary-care specialistsAn illustration of the
value of the current postpartum depression market, including an outline of how the revenue
potential can be increased.

"Antidepressant manufacturers need to illustrate the range of problems caused by postpartum depression, from the impact on the
development of the infant to the overall cost of depression to society, and lobby for enhanced
screening programs.

"[C]oncerns are held by physicians and patients about the potential transfer of antidepressant medication through breast milk."

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reportinfo.asp?cat_id...520&q=postpartum&p=1

Oh alaskan! I am soooo proud of you for recognizing this and taking action. The pain and frustration you are feeling are valid, not imagined, and will become manageable as you work your way through. When we rise from our dark pits of pain and sadness, it is victorious, and I know you will be too. My own struggles come and go, bounce between depression and anxiety, so I know that of which I speak.

Well, I have now had 2 nights of pretty decent sleep and feel as if I can manage this chemical imbalance better.

I have had blues before in my life, but nothing like this. I can be feeling 'manageable' and then I see this giant wave of sadness coming and it crashes over me.

I am still breastfeeding, and I like it. It gives me a concrete thing I can do mothering wise.

My mom is still here (but she leaves Sunday), and she and DH have taken over most of the care of the older kids. That has been such a help! DH has been doing night duty for the older kids, and I have been sleeping with just the baby. Pretty funny actually, since he is so tired in the morning. I am kinda like "uhuh, it is rough isn't it?"

Actually, there are many anti-depressants that are fine with breastfeeding. The one I have started actually has such big molecules that almost none manages to make it into the milk.

And as to drugs or no drugs...I can SO VERY MUCH tell that there is a major chemical imbalance going on. Strong drugs are definitely what I need. Maybe when things start settling down in a month or so I will try some natural/homeopathic things.

There is no such thing as a "chemical imbalance". It is a myth made up by the drug companies. Easy to understand. Psychiatrists can make the same amount of $ spending 15 min dispensing drugs as they used to get spending 50 min on "talk therapy". [which didn't work so well either.]

But the baffling part is how did this myth get enshrined as part of the cultural baggage, so everyone "knows" that depression, anxiety, postpartum, bipolar are "caused" by a chemical imbalance.

Read many books on the subject, Alaskan, that you so confidently parrot "chemical imbalance"? Or are these words of wisdom from your doctor? And where did your doctor get his/or her version of the myth. If he is like 90% of the medical professions he got it from the pharmaceutical companies, you know, those cutesy representatives that crowd the waiting room and even enter patient exam rooms.

Even over 2000 Prozac-induced gruesome suicides and homicides has not taken the glow off of this myth. Even every school shooter who is taking a pharmaceutical and suffering from a "chemical imbalance" has not taken the glow off of this myth.

I certainly don't think my words alone are going to debunk this myth, altho I keep adding my voice to the many voices for sanity.

Someday the myth of "chemical imbalance" will take its place along the flat earth theory.

Do you know that the amount of serotonin in the brain can not be measured? Nobody knows what is the correct "balance" of serotonin in the brain, one of hundreds of transmitters, all of which act in concert with each other.

When asked by an author why the ads show a little Pac man gobbling up molecules of "serotonin" the drug rep said, Oh, our ads are geared to an average of fifth-grade education.

indeed.

Depression is a monster that can interfere with your daily life. Whether its caused by chemical imbalance, hormone levels, stress or physical or psychological injury, it is very real and should be treated. One thing to remember is that depression is a symptom and only the person suffering has the true picture of the need for medication. Most mature adults know when something needs to be done. Doctors can only go by what you tell them and if you feel your doctor is just a prescription writing fool, you need a new doctor.
Teenagers are a difficult group to treat for depression because they feel they have a reason to be depressed and some medication may increase the symptoms. For most people being happy is a simple choice, but sometimes even when you want to be happy, your body or mind just doesn't cooperate.
If medication helps then why spend another minute living with a monster?

Ellen, I'm going to have to disagree with you. We have 2 family members and a dear friend with depression, and I've been through it too many times with them to believe it isn't brain based. Post Partum depression can be dangerous. If Alaskan has found something that's working for her, at this time with a vulnerable baby and young children, let's let it go. Much safer to have the discussion with someone without very young kids.

Alaskan, I'm glad you have a supportive husband.

As to drugs or no drugs: sometimes it is an unattainable luxury to have time and space to recover, chemically unassisted. There is enough of a stigma attached to seeking help of any kind with mental illness - and it is an ILLNESS THAT HAS PHYSICAL CAUSES - without throwing fire onto fuel.

Everything that isn't physical damage is chemistry in the human body. And much physical damage results in chemical issues.

What varies is our understanding of the extremely complex chemistry going on.

Whatever the reason, SRIs are powerful and very effective medications. I've been on them three times in the past (knock on wood it's been five years since the last time), and there is only one reason I resort to them. My doc's don't entirely like it because I refuse to stay on as long as they like, but I respond very quickly to very low doses, and they have significant side effects which I really don't like once I'm stable again. At least the side effects prove to me God has one hell of a sense of humor.

2,000 suicides attributed to Paxil? I'll take it. The U.S. suicide rate dropped by 1 per 100,000 after 1995. That's 3,000 fewer suicides per year, for 12 years now. Is it all Paxil? Probably not, but I'm certain SRI drugs regardless of whether we understand the specific way they function have been responsible for a large portion of that decline. http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html#death-rates

SRIs, whatever they do, for most people who take them buy precious time to allow pyschotherapy to work to heal the brain and get things back on an even keel. The analogy I use is towards steroids like cortisone -- used wisely and appropriately they can heal an injury just enough that you can then start to exercise to strengthen it and encourage the body's on natural reconstructive processes to take over.

Jennifer,
It's not a matter of disagreeing with me.
I am not offering an opinion.
The facts have been established. It is possible to research and find out the facts. One does not need to lean on a story.

There is no such a thing as a "chemical balance" or imbalance in the brain causing depression or any other mood.

This is not my opinion. Ask yourself what evidence has been offered for the myth of chemical imbalance. Anyone who examines the evidence will come to the same conclusion I have.

It takes decades for myths to be undone. Especially myths which have been as well enshrined as this one has.

Most people don't look at the evidence. Most people don't read books. They prefer to keep their opinion. Fine.
I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I rarely post in response to a particular post or poster. But for every poster there may be 10 or 20 or 40 readers. That is who I post for.

One hopes there are receptive minds out there which have not been taken over by the pharmaceutical fix. These open minds may read something in my words that will inspire them to do some research, and they will discover the same facts I have. That is all I can hope for. Thus I can contribute to the truth emerging.

There is the saying, "You are entitled to your own opinion, not to your own facts."

I wouldn't argue opinions and I wouldn't argue with anyone who is not sufficiently intellectual to seek out the facts. The facts are not in Newsweek or in your Doctor's mind or in a pharmaceutical advertisement.

A couple of good books are: The Cult of Pharmacology: How America Became the World's Most Troubled Drug Culture by Richard DeGrandpre
or
Blaming the Brain: The Truth About Drugs and Mental Health by Elliot Valenstein

The trouble is - besides that most people don't read, many people unfortunately feel they are not capable of discerning what is so and what isn't. So much easier to leave it to the Experts. They know what's best for me.

Another good book is "Trust Us, We're Experts" by John Stauber

I used to challenge people who disagreed with me - read a book and then tell me what evidence in the book you find not-convincing.
HAHA. Til I realized most people do not want to have their preconceptions shaken, they like the way they think, most people are scared of even entertaining new ideas that challenge their view of the world.
And in all fairness to these people, the "pharmaceutical, brainchemical, serotonin deficient" myth has been perpetuated by experts.

However, like all myths, eventually the truth will out. I am happy that there are more and more cracks in the facade of this myth. I am sorry that as long as this myth stands people will suffer.

Hi Alaskan...
I would certainly not come into your thread to debate medical facts and issues.

I do come to wish you well and hope that you find, whatever and however is most appropriate for you, the healing that you need.

One day at a time...
Be well...
We are always here for you...

Judy


p.s.
I think a good cry works wonders.
It always makes me feel better afterwards.
Except for the puffy red eyes, the Rudolph nose and the headache which always follows!

Hi, Alaskan:

Sending positive vibes your way. As someone who has lived with depression (both unmedicated and medicated) for nearly 30 years, I believe that it is up to the individual to decide what is best for them. Here's hoping that you are able to climb out of the pit of depression very very soon.

Hugs,
C

Alaskan, I don't think you need drugs. I think all you need is DH to tell you how much he LOVE'S YOU, and for you to trust him. I think that would be the best medicine for you. Just remember he does love you.

I think everyone should stop offering their "opinions" and let Alaskan get on with her life in the best way she has chosen to follow. Too many Chiefs as they say.

Each of us must do what our conscience, heart, mind and body (not easy to get them all on the same page) tell us to do. Live our own lives and stay out of other people's shoes. They won't fit, trust me. One size does not fit all. One path isn't the only way to one's peace of mind. I'm not blathering idly. I'm talking from my heart and my own time 'on the dark side'. The last thing I needed/need is armchair-quarterbacking about my mental health and the treatment(s) I've chosen to keep it that way. If I listened to what others (well meaning as they were) who didn't have a clue as to what I needed - and what brought the ghosts back to haunt me - told me, I'd still be...well...I'd still be in the company of 'aliens'. (If you've been on these boards long enough, you know what I'm talking about).

What people seem to forget is that when someone asks for help, they're not asking for someone's 2¢. They asking for someone to listen to them. Listen. Not just hear sounds and wait for them to stop talking/writing so they can be told what they're doing wrong, what they're doing right, what they should do or shouldn't do. Listen. Listen. And shut up till the person asks you to speak.

I'm thinking supportive, strong and courageous thoughts for you, Alaskan.