New Here and long term Postpartum mood disorders

April 25, 2005

Dear Carla;

You are most welcome here, and hopefully you will find it a warm

comfort indeed as the time goes on. You bring up many issues many

women are dealing with - long after the 6 weeks initial postpartum

window. It does however make for good foundations to look into how

those weeks as well as pregancy are best handled, from dietary point

of view is good starting place - and then compare notes. I'd like to

encourage you to also look at the www.sacredwindow.com website (where

some new files and resources have been posted, *everybody* - such

as an article on the ayurvedic milk story, a friendlier home page

intro and better organized resources such as those I call on to refer

up. (Please, any forum professional member who wants to be on there

and is not, feel free to contact me).

While you are at your homework (forgive, but I sit in my nightie when

I should be showering ... am slowly learning to delegate) discovering

the side effects of coming suddenly off an antidepressant or even

commonly taking half doses it can be regarded as suddenly as well ...

because of weeks or months down the road with heavy sudden brain

downloads of stored SSRIs, making you think you are having a relapse

.... (and the causes of the imbalances are likely still there, so that

is probably compounding the problem) anyway, take a look at Dr. Anne

Blake Tracey's site, www.drugawareness.org. She is not Ayurvedic, but

good work, safety factors and research conclusions for the most part.

For short term transitioning while many factors are wisely addressed,

my midwife/ARNurse Practitioner friend, Shawna Doran of Alachua

Integrative Medicine here who has worked with alternative measures for

18 years uses, commonly, SAM-E with excellent results. But again it

does not address cause. Many use also therapeutic grade essential oils

in this capacity and more, as discussed on the Sacred Window website;

the more lasting changes can be more easily made having this kind of

support and should not be taken as sufficient.

As AyurDoula training is a 120 hour curriculum, we can just point the

way here and answer some of your questions hopefully sharing our good

successes and knowledge. And you can get a good in depth explanation

to certain issues, one at a time, eh? We also are NOT at this level

qualified for crisis care, managing meds, or any such medical

recommendations. But we can explain what the doctors, midwives, and

western alternative docs cannot/do not much know at all. Your

symptoms are not separate, they are a package deal with the extremes

of natural postpartum imbalances. The roughness since day 1 indicates

pre-postpartum nutritional factors, even without looking at your

emotional climate.

You may be comforted with the following. What I want to say today

before I have to go is in keeping with Jeanne DRiscoll,RN, Lactation

Consultant, Psychologist, postpartum crisis private practice and

founder of the Depresion after Delivery service organization has to

say. WHich is, if someone thinks the problem is in your head, or

heart, be very wary. She says, run the other way; we cannot recommend

dramatic changes rather wisely considered and discussed ones, but this

one is significant consideration for sure!

I personally do not give much attention (beyond the fact that I can't

legally) to the psychological professionals names for mental disease,

except that they help define where the imbalances are manifesting for

you, cause is basically the same manifesting through different body

types and lifestyles. THere can be some value, in my opinoin, to

confirm the parallel physiological effects what an ayurvedic physician

would find and how they would treat, but it basically would just cost

you a little more time and money to do so. Some time maybe we can do

an example of this.

ARound childbearing, the heart is wide open naturally. THe body is

naturally so committed. IF it doesn't work right, we can correct the

emotional/mental state of affairs most effectively and most quickly by

taking care of the body, and MA Nature, your own - we believe Divinely

designed Nature - naturally takes best care of your Baby. THis is the

ayurvedic approach at this time, which of course includes time tested

and proven checks, wisdom and if needed, medicines for infant care and

colic as well.

I would like to invite the 2 vaidyas (ayurvedic physicians) who are

members, if having time to read this far, to offer any most welcome

input for this dear mother - or of course any one else who has

thoughts to share!

Wishing You Many Blessings!

Martha

Martha Oakes, Postpartum AyurDoula 13 years

Training, Care & ARomatherapy

May 2, 2005

Thank you, Martha, for your very warm welcome and long response.

Bless your heart! I am going to be looking at the info you have

offered. I'm very much interested in learning what I can. I'm

thinking of seeing a ayurvedic physician in my area. Do any of you

know of a good person to seek help from in the Seattle, WA area?

Also, is there any schooling close? Can I learn on-line?

After going through this type of thing and then trying to help others

on a post partum web site, I feel like I want to know more about why

this happens in the first place.

I agree that the body is out of balance. One of our moderators got an

herbal treatment from a Chinese Dr. up in Canada. She drank the

" potion " and felt really bad at first and then was stunned that she

was finally symptom free.

I'm also interested in acupuncture for balancing. What are your

thoughts on this? How does ayurvedic compare or work with other

alterative medicine?

It seems to me that Western medicine is only putting a band-aid on the

problem.

Carla

ayurveda , " Martha Oakes " <martha@s...>

wrote:

>

> Dear Carla;

> You are most welcome here, and hopefully you will find it a warm

> comfort indeed as the time goes on. You bring up many issues many

> women are dealing with - long after the 6 weeks initial postpartum

> window. It does however make for good foundations to look into how

> those weeks as well as pregancy are best handled, from dietary point

> of view is good starting place - and then compare notes. I'd like to

> encourage you to also look at the www.sacredwindow.com website (where

> some new files and resources have been posted, *everybody* - such

> as an article on the ayurvedic milk story, a friendlier home page

> intro and better organized resources such as those I call on to refer

> up. (Please, any forum professional member who wants to be on there

> and is not, feel free to contact me).

>

> While you are at your homework (forgive, but I sit in my nightie when

> I should be showering ... am slowly learning to delegate) discovering

> the side effects of coming suddenly off an antidepressant or even

> commonly taking half doses it can be regarded as suddenly as well ...

> because of weeks or months down the road with heavy sudden brain

> downloads of stored SSRIs, making you think you are having a relapse

> ... (and the causes of the imbalances are likely still there, so that

> is probably compounding the problem) anyway, take a look at Dr. Anne

> Blake Tracey's site, www.drugawareness.org. She is not Ayurvedic, but

> good work, safety factors and research conclusions for the most part.

>

> For short term transitioning while many factors are wisely addressed,

> my midwife/ARNurse Practitioner friend, Shawna Doran of Alachua

> Integrative Medicine here who has worked with alternative measures for

> 18 years uses, commonly, SAM-E with excellent results. But again it

> does not address cause. Many use also therapeutic grade essential oils

> in this capacity and more, as discussed on the Sacred Window website;

> the more lasting changes can be more easily made having this kind of

> support and should not be taken as sufficient.

>

> As AyurDoula training is a 120 hour curriculum, we can just point the

> way here and answer some of your questions hopefully sharing our good

> successes and knowledge. And you can get a good in depth explanation

> to certain issues, one at a time, eh? We also are NOT at this level

> qualified for crisis care, managing meds, or any such medical

> recommendations. But we can explain what the doctors, midwives, and

> western alternative docs cannot/do not much know at all. Your

> symptoms are not separate, they are a package deal with the extremes

> of natural postpartum imbalances. The roughness since day 1 indicates

> pre-postpartum nutritional factors, even without looking at your

> emotional climate.

>

> You may be comforted with the following. What I want to say today

> before I have to go is in keeping with Jeanne DRiscoll,RN, Lactation

> Consultant, Psychologist, postpartum crisis private practice and

> founder of the Depresion after Delivery service organization has to

> say. WHich is, if someone thinks the problem is in your head, or

> heart, be very wary. She says, run the other way; we cannot recommend

> dramatic changes rather wisely considered and discussed ones, but this

> one is significant consideration for sure!

>

> I personally do not give much attention (beyond the fact that I can't

> legally) to the psychological professionals names for mental disease,

> except that they help define where the imbalances are manifesting for

> you, cause is basically the same manifesting through different body

> types and lifestyles. THere can be some value, in my opinoin, to

> confirm the parallel physiological effects what an ayurvedic physician

> would find and how they would treat, but it basically would just cost

> you a little more time and money to do so. Some time maybe we can do

> an example of this.

>

> ARound childbearing, the heart is wide open naturally. THe body is

> naturally so committed. IF it doesn't work right, we can correct the

> emotional/mental state of affairs most effectively and most quickly by

> taking care of the body, and MA Nature, your own - we believe Divinely

> designed Nature - naturally takes best care of your Baby. THis is the

> ayurvedic approach at this time, which of course includes time tested

> and proven checks, wisdom and if needed, medicines for infant care and

> colic as well.

>

> I would like to invite the 2 vaidyas (ayurvedic physicians) who are

> members, if having time to read this far, to offer any most welcome

> input for this dear mother - or of course any one else who has

> thoughts to share!

>

> Wishing You Many Blessings!

> Martha

> Martha Oakes, Postpartum AyurDoula 13 years

> Training, Care & ARomatherapy

May 2, 2005

Martha,

I know you will be gone for a week but wanted to tell that I looked at

the website below and found no listing for a practitioner in

Washington. Also, I started to look at the drugawarness site and

stared to feel panicky. I do not think I can look at this site at

this time....YIKES! I never wanted to go on the Zoloft to begin with

but could not find relief and anyone to help me and I could hardly

help myself. Out of desperation I went on the anti-d and told my

husband not to look it up on the net and still never have because it

scares me. (plus I breastfed on it)

I did go off it after being on it for only 2 mths and was doing pretty

good and then...BOOM, huge relapse and back to the dark hole I went.

This was about 1 mth after quiting. I then called postpartum people

all over the world and was told to go back on the Zoloft. I did try

progesterone as I had called a lady at an opothacary in Seattle and

she claimed to have much success with it. I didn't have anyone

following me and she was unable to so I finally stopped. It mostly

just made me very sleepy, almost passing out when I broke open the

capsule and put it on my food.

I went to Bastyr naturopathic school here in Seattle and was put on a

homeopathic remedy...to no avail. I went to a naturopathic Dr. that

was big $$$$'s (he has a radio show and calls himself the " hormone

Dr. " ) so I was hopeful he could help me. He asked me if my periods

where normal and I told him I wasn't having them as I was

breastfeeding. He looked at me funny and asked " is this " normal " for

you? " (And he called himself a hormone Dr.?) He told me to quit all

sugar intake, eat beans and meditate. I was already doing the first

two and I was in a constant state of panic so it wasn't a very

practical time to learn to meditate.

I also tried an aromatherapy blend that my sister had made up special

for her anxiety. I didn't much like the smell, very strong and it

didn't seem to help. (I do use amber/orange oil after my shower

everyday still and love the smell)

I also tried flower essence " rescue remedy " but found no relief with that.

After suffering for about 2 months without success in finding relief,

I went back on the Zoloft. I still experienced some panic relapses so

I went up to 100 mgs.

I am so much better in the way I feel yet my diet is horrible again

and I have quit exercising, except to run around after my toddler!LOL!

Okay, that's enough from me. I may sound like I'm complaining, but I

do want to take responsibility in my recovery and am willing to try

hard with guidence. I just need to be led in a healthy direction and

feel confident that I will not have to keep suffering. The fear of

relapse and that I have somehow messed up my dear daughter is almost

too much to bear.