I totally flunked my Postnatal Depression test :o(

Andrea wrote in message
I have never treated PND with meds before, and I won't, just like I didn't
with the antenatal depression. I know people and doctors say some drugs
are
safe, but while i'm breastfeeding I refuse meds as I worry that in years
to
come they may discover that meds have bad effects on your child after all.
I have started taking my Bachs Rescue Remedy, is there anything else
homeopathic that could help?

If you don't want to take meds that the FDA (I know your not in the USA, I
just don't know what it is called where are are), why do you feel that
taking a homeopathic medication is any safer? I certainly would trust
approved medication over a homeopathic medication that isn't even approved.

I am sorry your having a hard time though. Do take care of yourself.
(((Hugs))
--
Sue
mom to three girls

"Andrea" wrote:
I have never treated PND with meds before, and I won't, just like I didn't
with the antenatal depression. I know people and doctors say some drugs
are
safe, but while i'm breastfeeding I refuse meds as I worry that in years
to
come they may discover that meds have bad effects on your child after all.

I agree with you on the meds issue...I don't want to expose my baby to any
drug that is intended to tweak brain chemistry during the very time my
baby's brain is developing most profoundly. Having drugs approved for
breastfeeding by the medical community doesn't mean that there will not be
subtle, long-term effects that simply cannot be found in a typical drug
study--effects on personality and the brain would be almost impossible to
detect years after infant exposure. (It's easier to see changes in, say,
memory retention in an adult, where you have a "before" for comparison.) Few
drug studies continue to look at the effects drug exposure had after one has
stopped taking the drug, and it's almost impossible to look at an adult and
point to childhood exposures (to anything--from drugs to environmental
chemicals to viruses) as the cause of a particular problem. Imagine if
thalidomide had had a more subtle effect, like increasing the chances of
developing schizophrenia 20 years post-exposure. It would have taken many,
many years to discover the link, if they ever did.

I managed to hold off on meds until my first nursling was 3, and then he
weaned willingly. I'm dealing with the same thing again with my
now-4-month-old. Improving your diet and getting regular exercise may help
with the depression, and has the added advantage of bettering your health
overall.

Of course, with a serious depression, the benefits of a happy mother may
outweight the risks of exposure to the medicine. For myself, I think I would
actually prefer formula (with all its nastiness) to exposing my child to
brain-chemistry-altering drugs, though I certainly respect and understand
that others may make a different choice. And, if there's any risk of hurting
the baby, helping mom out of the depression has to be the first priority.

My 2 cents.

-Joy

Sue wrote:

Sugar and water???? I don't think so.

Echinnea (sorry I don't know how to spell it) causes liver problems in
people.

Echinacea is an herbal supplement, not a homeopathic remedy.


--
iphigenia
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

In article , "Joy"
writes:

I managed to hold off on meds until my first nursling was 3, and then he
weaned willingly. I'm dealing with the same thing again with my
now-4-month-old. Improving your diet and getting regular exercise may help
with the depression, and has the added advantage of bettering your health
overall.

My PPD was so bad that I told my doctor, as I was in tears, "If you tell me
that more sleep and exercise is the best remedy, that's just not going to
happen right now so you've gotta do something more than that." At that point
my loving DH said, "If he refuses to give you a prescription, go Medival on his
ass. When he's backed into the corner of his office by an hysterical mother,
he'll rethink thing." :-P

Of course, with a serious depression, the benefits of a happy mother may
outweight the risks of exposure to the medicine. For myself, I think I would
actually prefer formula (with all its nastiness) to exposing my child to
brain-chemistry-altering drugs, though I certainly respect and understand
that others may make a different choice.

For me, pumping and giving him my milk felt like the *only* thing I could do
that was of benefit. I sure didn't like him very much at the time and felt
more like giving him formula would've been another way to disconnect with him.
I just researched and asked questions until I felt comfortable with the
decision I and my doc made.

And, if there's any risk of hurting
the baby, helping mom out of the depression has to be the first priority.

Absolutely.


koa
Still nursing James, 02/06/01
EP'ing for Joey 04/02/03 (BCP)

Sue wrote:

I am sorry,
homepathic medication does not contain just sugar and water.

You might enjoy reading this:
http://skepdic.com/homeo.html
There's a good list of references at the bottom of the page. If you're
in a rush, here's a quick debunking:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000225.html

Anyway, if that
is all it contains then it is considered a placebo and why take it?

Good question!

--
Sara, petting her peeve

I check this e-mail account infrequently

Sue wrote:

It's still touted as a homeopathic remedy by many people.
--

Not people who understand what homeopathic means.
it's a natural, or a naturopathic remedy, or a herbal supplement, but it's NOT
a homeopathic unless it's diluted many times.

As for liver problems, lots of things can cause trouble taken in large enough
doses. Tylenol springs to mind. More than 3 or 4 extra strength Tylenol (not
T3 with codeine, just the regular stuff) is enough to increase your risk of
liver problems.

Shunning all herbals because of a lack of understanding of the uses or forms
cuts out some valuable well researched options, imo.

Dawn


Sue
mom to three girls

iphigenia wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:

Sugar and water???? I don't think so.

Echinnea (sorry I don't know how to spell it) causes liver problems in
people.

Echinacea is an herbal supplement, not a homeopathic remedy.


--
iphigenia
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."



--
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤ »¥«¤»§«¤»

Sue wrote:

Sara wrote in message
You might enjoy reading this:
http://skepdic.com/homeo.html
There's a good list of references at the bottom of the page. If you're
in a rush, here's a quick debunking:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000225.html


I read it and found the following:

cinchona bark
The bark contains quinine, which helps in the treatment of malaria but also
causes fevers. Advocates of homeopathy think that concoctions with as little
as one molecule per million can stimulate the "body's healing mechanism."
Critics maintain that such minute doses are unlikely to have any significant
effect on the body.

If my BIL injested this, he would probably die. He is allergic to quinine.

Pretty unlikely, imo. It's VERY dilute. one molecule per million probably
wouldn't even register on the allergy scale.

I'm sorry Sara, but I am petting my peeve too in that people believe that
just because it's natural it's okay to take and I will never believe that.
)
--

But you misunderstand the difference between homeopathics and herbals. I agree
that herbals need to be used with care and knowledge. I disagree that all
herbals are evil horrid lifethreatening unresearched death waiting to occur.
And I highly doubt that homeopathic medicine would send anyone reeling ot the ER
in anaphalaxis.


Sue
mom to three girls

--
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤ »¥«¤»§«¤»

Sara wrote in message

Hey, it's not like there's anything in homeopathic medicine that can
harm you -- unless you're allergic to water or sugar.

Sugar and water???? I don't think so.

Echinnea (sorry I don't know how to spell it) causes liver problems in
people. If I decided to give it to my daughter like my friend wants me to, I
could probably send her in acute liver failure, especially since she has had
a liver transplant. But, they claim it builds the immune system. I am sorry,
homepathic medication does not contain just sugar and water. Anyway, if that
is all it contains then it is considered a placebo and why take it?

--
Sue
mom to three girls

"iphigenia" wrote in message ...
Andrea wrote:
but while i'm breastfeeding I refuse meds as I
worry that in years to come they may discover that meds have bad
effects on your child after all.

hm. imo, it's better to treat my depression, with the remote possibility
that it may cause some long-term problem, than to *not* treat my depression
and be an awful mother who can't do anything and wants to hurt herself.
possible problem vs. definite problem.

I very strongly agree, except I would changee the word "awful" to
"ill" or "not-fully-functional".

Andrea, I'm thinking of you and hoping you start feeling better soon.

Anonymommmy

It's still touted as a homeopathic remedy by many people.
--
Sue
mom to three girls

iphigenia wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:

Sugar and water???? I don't think so.

Echinnea (sorry I don't know how to spell it) causes liver problems in
people.

Echinacea is an herbal supplement, not a homeopathic remedy.


--
iphigenia
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."