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I'm am SO excited to find this!!! I am a moderator on a post partum

website. Someone here posted on the forum I mod on.

 

It's nice to see so many members here, too! I will be looking around

at all your info.

 

A little about my story:

 

I have 3 kids, ages 15, 11 and almost 3. I decided on a home birth

for my 3rd baby.

 

At age 38 I gave birth to a 10lb, 3.5oz baby girl. She screamed the

loudest scream after delivery and basically has never stopped!! She

was my " colicy " baby, but it wasn't like colic, it was more like

something was always wrong, not just the typical colic of one time in

the evening.

 

The second night after her birth, she was crying non stop for hrs. I

was so exausted and handed the baby to my husband. Right then I had

my first panic attack. After that my whole world became a nightmare.

I had what I've come to find out is chronic derealization coupled

with panic disorder. I also have low thyroid and had for the previous

3 or more years.

 

I was in a constant state of panic, anxiety and my world looked

strange and unfamiliar. I felt like I was on bad drugs. I couldn't

eat and was constantly sweating and my hair fell out in groves.

 

I felt it was a hormonal thing, but didn't have anyone to go to for

this. I tried herbs (motherwort, skullcap, vallarian root) to no avail.

 

I ended up, out of desperation, on an antidepressant (Zoloft).

 

When I did eat, I stayed completely away from sugar and ate whole

foods. When I finally was able to get around and leave the house, I

walked daily.

 

I finally started to recover about 3 weeks post partum when I added

estrogen. I had also tried progesterone, but again nobody was

following me on this so I eventually stopped as I wasn't finding relief.

 

I was still in a " fog " for the next couple months but the panic

attacks stopped and I regained an appetite.

 

I stopped the Zoloft and did fine for about a month and then had a

huge relapse. I was determined to NOT go back on the Zoloft. I went

to BASTYR naturopathic college here in Seattle and tried a homeopathic

remody....to no avail. I finally got so sick of the anxiety and panic

attacks, I went back on Zoloft and started therapy.

 

Slowly over time, the derealization got better and things started to

look " normal " again. I've had a few relapses in symptoms, but each

time is less intense and farther apart.

 

I have finally reduced my Zoloft to half the amount I was taking. I

feel like most of the nightmare is behind me now. But I'm on a search

for " why " this happens to women and what can be done to prevent this.

 

I have been very interested in herbs for help in this area and/or any

other natural means. I looked into Michael Tierra's herb book and

found that there are many herbs for hormone difficulties. Again, not

having anyone to guide me, I haven't taken it upon myself to experiment.

 

Thank you for this site and I'm looking so forward to continuing my

education!!!

 

Carla