Ok, so let's talk medication. First off, like I have said before, I know medicine isn't for everybody, BUT it saved me. There are lots of different treatment options and really I think it depends on how bad you are suffering, what you are suffering with, and how long you have been suffering.
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| This was taken when I had been on the anti-depressant for a few days. I was doing better, but when I look in my eyes, I still see a panicked look! |
ANTI-DEPRESSANTS
I was pretty anti-antidepressants before my experience with PPA. If I had not been in a dire circumstance, I am not sure my sister and doctor would have been able to convince me to try them. I always thought I was "strong" and could handle it on my own. Shesh!
I feel so blessed to have had a doctor who was up on PPS and prescribed me an antidepressant that worked so well on anxiety. (At first I was on Lexapro 10 mg, I then switched to Prozac (it was cheaper), but didn't like it nearly as much as Lexapro.) At first it made me feel a little sick to my stomach and a little headachy, but those symptoms disappeared after a few weeks. I am also grateful that my doctor started me out on a fairly low dose. I tried upping my dose at one point, but it made me feel loopy and out of it and I did not like it.
So what does an antidepressant make you feel like? I don't know how to describe it. It made my overall anxiety calm down. It made me feel normal-ish. It brought up my lows and kind of put me on an even playing field. After I have been on the medicine for a few days, life seems happy, I feel blessed, and I sleep peacefully.
Does it have terrible side effects? I think this is different for everybody. If I take too high of a dose, it makes it hard for me to concentrate. At first, it made my stomach a little upset and my head hurt a little, but that goes away. The only noticeable lasting side effect for me is the (sorry if this is TMI!) lowered sexual desire. ha ha. But the truth is, if you are depressed/anxiety, you probably already have a lowered libido, ya know? ha ha (insert red embarrassed face here!) That side effect wasn't that big of a deal. Turns out my sanity was more important.
Do you get addicted to it? Absolutely not. It is not addicting. You do need to be careful while stopping it and not stop could turkey because you could send yourself into flashbacks, but it is not addicting.
How long do you need to stay on it? I was told to just plan to take it for at LEAST 6 months. For me, both times I have used it for about a year. After a year I can feel myself coming back and have been able to come off symptom free. But really, some people stay on it much longer than that.
Can I breastfeed on it? Yes. Talk with your doctor. They will know which ones are safe.
I will always be grateful for the blessing of anti-depressants. It allowed my brain to rest so that it could heal. And it did heal.
There are many different types of anti-depressants and one may be more effective than another for you.
Anti-Anxiety Medication:
I have never tried these. These act as a depressant. They lower your mood/heart rate to bring down panic attacks and high anxiety moments. These are usually "take as needed" and prescribed in short amounts of times. They can be addicting. They are more monitored while nursing. I have not found very many who like these. (If you do, please tell us your experience!) I have heard some describe it like a band aid that smooth the problem temporarily, but do not help long term.
Anti-psychosis Medication:
There is a whole realm of medications for those suffering more severe postpartum problems. I have no clue/experience on these. Talk with your doctor If you are suffering from any psychosis issues.
Final Statement: Medicine might not be for you, but how will you know that if you won't try? If you had diabetes, would you refuse insulin? Medicine can be a blessing for you and your family. Discuss it with your doctor. Pray about it. Whatever you do, do it with pride. There is no need to be embarrassed. If you hear someone say a negative comment about using medicine to treat depression, just look at them with sympathy...they obviously have no idea about anything :)
