How to treat PPD? - Page 2

[mama2girls]

JesseMommy,

Isn't it amazing what the human brain can put us through? Even though I was bfing dd#1, I felt totally worthless. I actually got in the car one afternoon and drove around by myself crying for an hour (after dh got home from work and took dd, of course) before I could finally admit that something was wrong with me. And of course I always blame myself.

Jenni

[Envision]

Hi girls,
Thanks for the positive thoughts, I didn't mean to throw a hissy fit...
I have stopped posting my ideas and suggestions due to others on other threads being bullies...so when I posted here I was on guard...sorry to freak out!!!

In the quest for good health,
Oils

[Kirsten]

I think ALL suggestions are helpful to someone. It is hard to say something that you haven't tried wouldn't work for you. A friend once said that "that breathing" wouldn't have worked anyway (regarding childbirth classes - which she never took) during her labor. I know she believed it to be true but she didn't give it a shot so how do you really know?
I had PPD with dd2. It was not as bad as some but it was pretty bad for me. A friend who was in al-anon for families (her dh was a heroin addict) once told me (when I was apologizing for complaining about something) that just because she had two broken legs didn't mean my one broken leg didn't hurt. I thought that was a good analogy.
No, getting out for a walk will not cure PPD but a little fresh air couldn't hurt and maybe you'll run into a friend down the block who will tell you something funny and make you laugh for the first time in weeks.
I understand those who have posted about not feeling comfortable taking drugs for their PPD. I did not either. Dh tried to get me to, begged me really. But I just couldn't. Variety of reasons. So for those of us who have/had PPD that was awful but maybe not dangerous (if you KWIM), trying non-med options can work. If PPD comes back with baby #3 (due in May) I will try the lavender oil! If nothing else, I bet it smells good!
Kirsten

[mamamoo]

I wanted to thank all of you wonderful mamas for posting what worked for you. I still don't know what I'm going to do. I am so thankful for these boards(and cloth diapers-I know I'm weird, but it's where I get some enjoyment lately), and for you great moms!!!
Debi

[JesseMomme]

Hey Mamamoo I was going to respond to you in the other thread in Diapering :LOL

I made the switch to cloth when my second son was about two months old and that was when the PPD was kicking in full gear. What started out as reasons being health concerns and cost and then environmental concerns soon became something really fun to look forward to during the day, whether it was picking a diaper out for ds, hunting down bargains on auctions (Mothersnature was really hopping back then, but isns't so much anymore) or "windows98shopping" :LOL (Would now be WindowsXPshopping) it really became a fun hobby that I could integrate wtih my still new mommying job, (Was my second baby in less than 2 years) when I coudln't really figure out how to find time for other things I used to enjoy. Whereas otherwise it was way too easy to nurse at the keyboard

Jesse who had too much

[Eosine]

I found meds really helped me to look into why alternatives work! Relaxing (with lavender), sleep, positive thinking, etc. really help to change a cycle of stress on the body around and help it "heal" so you can start making good drugs for your brain again!

Anxiety and stress bring on a cycle of bad feelings and tight muscles that are neverending! I learned some deep breathing methods and other relaxation-coping skills, etc. for when I start to "get up there" with anxiety and tightness. Constant stress wears on you, and you have to learn to stop the cycle.

I see Envision has figured that out, and I eventually have to...

Right now I feel like I'm falling back into it...seasonal. With a baby it is hard to find the time for the exercise my body requires, and it's hard to get out in the snow and cold to "get out of the house". Reading other peoples' stories helps, but I get afraid I will fall too far down again. Then I might need meds again. I just have to get through baby's first months and winter, and I know I'll be fine...sighgh!

[clover]

Wow it has been along time since I have posted on Mothering, but here I am. Reading all of these posts gave me such mixed feelings- comfort in knowing I am not the only one, affirmation that yes your brain chemicals can do these things to your body, sympathy for those who are having to deal with it, and heart palpitations remembering just how bad it was. Jbcjmom my story sounds so much like yours, ER visits, many heart tests living in constant fear that I was dying of something and my son would be with out me. If I even heard the word cancer I would have instant diareah(sp?). I bounced between super intense anxiety-super sensitive eyes, ticking, headaches, feeling like I needed to jump out of my skin with no relief, to feeling so drained I could barely walk around my house I'd bend down to look under the bed for something and then just lay there for 15 minutes cause I just couldn't get back up, I get really car sick now too. There were so many more symptoms it would take alot of typing but you get the picture. It all started when I had my son almost 3 years ago. It has been a long road. I did not go on meds. although they were prescribed for me. I tried homeopathy, motherwort, rescue remedy, yoga...... I still suffer from it but it is much much milder. One thing that really helped me was just gathering info about it once I convinced myself that No I am not dying and yes your brain chemistry can do this and yes I have a low stress tolerence and have reached the limit and then fallen over the edge. Some people have a low stress tolerence and just get frazzled over simple everyday things. I think I had a lot going on and I was pushed into this state.Somethings that were going on-Being a new mother, My son did not sleep through the night until after his second birthday and so I averaged 3 hours of sleep a night for 2yrs(this was the biggsest trigger) Then when he did sleep I had insomnia so bad I couldn't. My partner and I had just purchased a house that ended up needing to be torn down and rebuilt ,so after work he went there-had to, so we could move in. It took 2yrs. He was gone from 7am til 11pm. I had just opened a new tea shop with a friend(plus I have 2 other business all that I can do with my son) and more, there was so much going on and Iwas way stressed out. When I look back I don't know how I did all that stuff while I was so sick. We are now in our house, I am no longer doing the tea shop, things are settling down and I feel some relief. I am still not who I was pre Baby. I wonder if I ever will be. I do believe my brain chemicals are screwy now, but I am gonna keep on trying to conquere with out meds(I am not knocking those who use them at all!!! I have a pack of zoloft in my cabinet just sitting there because I can't seem to throw them away. So many times I have cried"I just want to be normal again, I just to want feel like myself again!" I haved reached the point of "I can't live like this anymore(not suicidal, just desperate for something to give)I was all about the meds at those times but got scared reading things about hem online). It is funny I started this reply to be helpful to others but instead I am helping myself by letting this out to others who can really understand. Because although my friends and family have been so very supportive, they still don't know just how intense it can be and how you so don't have control over it, you can't just talk yourself out of it(I have really tried though). So once again Mothering mamas Thanks for listening, and bless you all, I wish you all the power to get over this crazy thing, and I firmly bleieve it is possible. Clover

[Sherricp]

I'm another one who had to go for the drugs, although I am hoping if I do some of the alternative stuff in advance, especially diet, then it might prevent it next time. Oh, besides drugs, the most helpful thing was to stop working, LOL. I was just too stressed and tired. Thinking about what may lower the stress level for you may help. Getting out of the house, being with other Moms. Sleep is oh so important. If you're nursing stay as close to sleep as possible when you wake at night. If you're not bfing, get someone else to get up with the baby.

Take people's help, especially people willing to come over and clean!

_Potatoes Not Prozac_ is probably the best diet book I've seen. She also has a website www.radiantrecovery.com but it is kind of a slow program. You could, however, do protein for breakfast at least and add the potato snack and multivitamin and get some result from that. I also think that soy may help me since low estrogen is really a trigger for me. There's also some kind of self-help book for PMS/PMDD that would probably be helpful for other hormonal depressions.

One of the best alternatives for me was, in fact, essential oils. I used lavender at night and citrus oils during the day, especially grapefruit eo.

Also one herbal thing I learned too late was that herbs that promote milk production will often make your depression worse, so watch the fenugreek, blessed thistle, etc.

Sherri

[Eosine]

Some good information, thank you! I've been getting worse this past week, lack of exercise in the cold snap. My diet could be better too, I'm appreciating all these reminders.

[Jish]

Glad to have you back, Clover. Anxiety is a killer, isn't it.

To everyone, I just read a really interesting article about depression in the Jan 20th issue of TIME mag. It talked about how depression is linked to so many different illnesses, including heart attacks, cancer, parkinsons, diabetes, epilepsy, among others. While I dislike having to rely on meds to feel normal, I feel better after having read that article. I have felt totally normal this past month and it has been wonderful. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.