It's been a long time since I visited good old MDC! I'm in serious need of help, commiseration, advice, ideas, whatever.
In a nutshell, I've been struggling with moderate anxiety for the past several months, with some severe flare-ups/panic attacks every month or so. After trying to rely on every self-help method I could find, I finally made the decision to seek help at the low-income local community mental health center.
I'm a research junkie, and I was reading every piece of information I could about psychiatric drugs well before I felt ready to get help. I know I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was absolutely blown away, saddened and demoralized by what the psychiatric nurse practitioner I met with had to say. Basically, it was "If you wean, we'll be here to help you." This was after looking in ONE book on his desk and declaring that all medication "goes through the milk."
Upon my return home from that meeting, I called said nurse's supervisor, with my complaints about being dismissed that way, since I know for a fact that there ARE options. An appointment for another nurse practitioner was made, and I have just come home from that.
She said the same thing--she recommends weaning for nursing mothers who are seeking medication. I asked if they were willing to look into getting a lactation consultant on staff, or at least someone with more current knowledge about medications for nursing mothers. Again, the speech about how "it all goes through the milk." I said that that may be so, but that the things to be concerned about are half-lives of medication, milk-to-plasma ratio, maternal peak serum concentration, blah blah blah. Basically got a dead stare in return. Of course none of these people have heard of Dr. Hale. The bottom line is, for every nursing mother: wean, because we will not medicate a breastfeeding woman.
Basically, it breaks my heart to think of another, less educated, more vulnerable mother going for help and getting this nonsense in return. I'm in a pretty good place right now, and I'm still totally rattled by this ignorant response. I want to DO something, MAKE them open their eyes so that other mothers can get the help they might need. I've already spoken to one of the local LLL leaders, and she is getting in contact with the regional proffesional liaison or some such....I just want to make sure that I do what I can to try and affect change for this. I thought some people around here might have ideas, or at least words of support. This hurts, it sucks, and I feel powerless and sad for other struggling low-income mamas who have no other "professional" place to turn for help.
This is jumbled and I don't have time to proofread, so please ask any questions if something needs clarification. I just want to do something, but I don't know where to start.
Thanks for reading!
