Coming off meds?

[lah7]

I've had a long history of depression and then full-out PPD with all 3 kids. I've been medicated for most of the past 6 years. I stopped for pregnancy #1, resumed meds at 4 months PP, stopped for pregnancy #2, resumed at 5 weeks PP, stopped for #3, and then gave up and went back on meds at about 25 weeks when being pregnant with two preschoolers proved to be too much for me to take.

SO, today, I went to my doctor for a refill of Celexa, and he asked me if I wanted to come off the meds. The baby is now 13 months old, so I don't know if this even counts as PPD anymore! But he said that if I wanted to come off, spring is an ideal time to do so. Since I've never been not pregnant at a time when I would've been ready to wean off the meds, I'd never given it any thought.

How did any of the rest of you do after a while? Was the PPD 'gone' when you stopped meds? I'm so afraid to stop meds and feel like I did before. I have too much to take care of to get to that state again. My kids need me to be with it, and I've usually said I don't care if I'm medicated for the rest of my life, but I still start wondering if the grass is greener on the other side.

Maybe I just wanted to relieve my stress about it all, so thanks for letting me ramble...

[vsmom2two]

Is it a general practitioner you're seeing? Or a therapist? If you're not seeing a therapist (though I'll assume you are, with history of depression), that helped tons. Other things that helped as far as the PPD (which it can still be, even with a 13 month old), was time away from the kids, quiet time by myself. Also started yoga. Sounds cheesy, but learning some of that was quite therapeutic.
As far as the meds, I was tapered down to lower dosages once I started yoga and the talk-therapy.

[yogabear]

Hi there,

Wow, you have traveled a hard road! I went through PPD after my dd2 and after a m/c last year. I tried my best to go the "natural " route, but ended up with a prescription of Lexapro, which worked well for me.

I am no longer taking it, and I understand how you fear stopping the meds. It's hard to take that leap especially when they make you feel "right".

My suggestion is to taper off slowly. And since you have taken the meds for such a long duration by slowly I mean more than a month or two. Maybe even over the course of a few months. I would also eat foods that are great for your brain in makin seratonin. Almonds are my fave. I eat them by the handful all day. Also bananas, turkey, milk, eggs - all help your brain feel good.

I agree w/ vsmom2two, yoga is WONDERFUL for you. Any kind of exercise is great. I love yoga because it helps calm the mind and relax the body.

And if you do taper off the meds and find that you are sinking to that dark place again then listen to your body, and do what you think is best for you and your family.

Hope that helps!

[lah7]

Originally Posted by vsmom2two

Is it a general practitioner you're seeing? Or a therapist? If you're not seeing a therapist (though I'll assume you are, with history of depression), that helped tons. Other things that helped as far as the PPD (which it can still be, even with a 13 month old), was time away from the kids, quiet time by myself. Also started yoga. Sounds cheesy, but learning some of that was quite therapeutic.
As far as the meds, I was tapered down to lower dosages once I started yoga and the talk-therapy.

Sadly, no, I'm not seeing a therapist, just my GP, whom I don't even really like. I had a fantastic therapist before I moved, but the guy I saw here when I had PPD the first time was really only interested in doing med checks and he looked like Ted Kopple with a bad toupe and it was basically a HUGE waste of my time to try to get to his office to have him kind of talk to me. Now I have three kids to either take with me or find childcare for. I spent a few months seeing Dr. Ted but eventually told my GP that I felt it was a waste of my time and she was okay with that.

I LOVE the idea of doing yoga. Okay, not yoga, but something that's quiet and lets me be alone and focus on myself. It's funny, because I'd said that one of my New Year's resolutions was to spend some time for me. Now're we're well into March and gee, guess what hasn't happened! Me-time consists of going to the grocery with one child instead of three!

Now to see if my husband recognizes that I NEED something like that.

Oh, and the doctor recommended that if I DO want to come off the meds, that I do it over a period of 6 weeks. And he happily wrote the prescription for another 6 months, so at least I don't have to plea my case every time I need a refill.

[maybemom05]

You've dealt with so much! Congrats on getting this far!!

If you're looking for something "yoga-like", I have had a good experience with Jon Kabat-Zin's "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction". Kabat-Zin works in Boston, and he developed to program to help patients who were dealing with chronic pain - but I have found that it is also very helpful in terms of coping with anxiety and depression.

If you are interested, his books are available in the library. There are also tapes/CDs that walk you though his body scan - kind of a guided meditation. Classes on mindfulness based stress reduction are also frequently offered by hospitals, depending upon where you live. It can be helpful to have a group to work with in the beginning.

Good luck to you!!

[yogabear]

I remember reading in one of my 'baby books' when I first had my dd1 to always take time for me. And I thought, "What?? I don't HAVE time to take time for me!" And even it I got 'things' done, I was mentally exhausted.

Exercise is such a great boost, and I've found gives me the energy to do all my chores faster. So, even though it's hard to schedule it in I seem to manage to get more done! Go figure?!?

I'm in love with pilates (I have a library of the Winsor Pilates - not sure what others out there are reputable?) I find that it feels more like I'm exercising than just stretching and relaxing as in yoga.

MaybeMom05 - I'm going to look into the Jon Kabat-Zin's "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction". That sounds great!

But even if the whole "workout/exercise" thing isn't for you, I really believe taking some personal time each day (reading a book, journaling, taking a bath - anything that is relaxing for YOU) will benefit you and your family.

If you ever need an ear feel free to send me a pm. I'd be happy to listen. I understand how hard it is to want to be the best mom and wife you can be, and feel overwhelmed with it.

BTW - I've done the same grocery thing, taking only one child rather than two and WOW it really is less stressful! But I don't think that counts as me time. I think it's just like a Blue Light Special or something