My Zoloft saga

[zeldabee]

I've posted here about the fact that I've been seeking some kind of help
for PPD (or maybe just depression, whether it's necessarily post-partum or
not). I was on a medication that wasn't compatible with BF (Doxepin) until
I was about 7.5 months pregnant, and stopped taking it specifically so that
I could BF.

The reason I'd taken that AD, as opposed to one of the newer ones, is
because it addressed some really severe insomnia of which I'd had several
episodes years ago, where I wouldn't sleep at all for a week or more at a
time. I worried that the insomnia would come back once I stopped the
Doxepin, as it had before, but this time I'd stopped it much more
gradually, and so far it hasn't returned. The psychiatrist I'd been seeing
was against my stopping it, and thought I should just FF.

After I gave birth nearly 6 weeks ago, the depression hit me like a freight
train, and I started calling my insurance company and doctors to try to get
treatment. It took until week 3 to see a psychiatrist, because Dr's offices
either wouldn't call me back, or couldn't give me an appointment sooner.
The first psychiatrist wouldn't prescribe because I was BFing, in spite of
the fact that my LC forwarded the relevant info to him regarding Zoloft's
relative safety. I then spoke to another psychiatrist who told me that he
also wouldn't prescribe to me unless I weaned to formula.

I called my former psychiatrist to ask him if he'd work with me, and told
him what I'd found out about antidepressants for BFing mothers, and he said
he would consider it, if he thought it was warranted...so I made an
appointment, but he was booked for over 3 weeks.

*Then*, I went to my GP, because I needed a flu shot anyway, and thought,
WTH, I'll ask him. At first he said, sure, and then, "Wait a minute--are
you BFing? Oh, I don't know..." and he called a colleague, who basically
told him that I should ask my OB, and that *she* could decide if it was
worth the risk. My GP did, strangely enough, give me 3 weeks worth of
samples, but no Rx.

By now I'm really frustrated, and I'm considering just ordering the Zoloft
from overseas. I've got enough for 3 weeks, and it takes about that long to
have drugs shipped. I see my OB on Monday, and my shrink on Friday...but
what if both of them say, Oh, no way, it's too dangerous... It seems to me
that all these docs are reading the manufacturer's CYA warnings, and not
looking any further, even rejecting information from Hale's, etc.
(Actually, none of them had ever heard of Hale's.)

I'm otherwise healthy...and I'm sick of being miserable. It's hard enough
to care for a young baby without having to deal with depression. Should I
just go ahead and take the stuff on my own?

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

[KC]

I research things and then do what I want all the time. It is
entirely up to you if you want to go against doctors orders, and I
know nothing about Zoloft. For me I have lied to get meds that fix my
endocrine system so I could get pg at all. The drug is Metformin,
which is pretty commonly given to women ttc now, but 5 years ago when
I had to lie to take it my doctor refused to give it to me if I was
ttc. Since then I have sometimes ordered meds from outside of the
country simply to avoid having to ask a doctor for them when I knew I
needed them. I have alot of health problems and I really get sick to
death of seeing doctors. Meds are cheaper that way too. It
ultimately is me who will have to live with any decisions, and not
doctors. I also have a physicicians desk reference manual. Research
is key to doing the right thing. People shouldn't willy, nilly take
meds without researching them well.

I personally wish that people could act as doctors for themselves
rather than having to ask doctors for meds all the time, but I am the
total well-rounded do-it-yourselfer type. Doctors would still be
there, but then people could treat the things they have already been
treated for for years. I am not holding my breath for the world to
change to my way though :-)

KC



zeldabee > wrote in message >...
> I've posted here about the fact that I've been seeking some kind of help
> for PPD (or maybe just depression, whether it's necessarily post-partum or
> not). I was on a medication that wasn't compatible with BF (Doxepin) until
> I was about 7.5 months pregnant, and stopped taking it specifically so that
> I could BF.
>
> The reason I'd taken that AD, as opposed to one of the newer ones, is
> because it addressed some really severe insomnia of which I'd had several
> episodes years ago, where I wouldn't sleep at all for a week or more at a
> time. I worried that the insomnia would come back once I stopped the
> Doxepin, as it had before, but this time I'd stopped it much more
> gradually, and so far it hasn't returned. The psychiatrist I'd been seeing
> was against my stopping it, and thought I should just FF.
>
> After I gave birth nearly 6 weeks ago, the depression hit me like a freight
> train, and I started calling my insurance company and doctors to try to get
> treatment. It took until week 3 to see a psychiatrist, because Dr's offices
> either wouldn't call me back, or couldn't give me an appointment sooner.
> The first psychiatrist wouldn't prescribe because I was BFing, in spite of
> the fact that my LC forwarded the relevant info to him regarding Zoloft's
> relative safety. I then spoke to another psychiatrist who told me that he
> also wouldn't prescribe to me unless I weaned to formula.
>
> I called my former psychiatrist to ask him if he'd work with me, and told
> him what I'd found out about antidepressants for BFing mothers, and he said
> he would consider it, if he thought it was warranted...so I made an
> appointment, but he was booked for over 3 weeks.
>
> *Then*, I went to my GP, because I needed a flu shot anyway, and thought,
> WTH, I'll ask him. At first he said, sure, and then, "Wait a minute--are
> you BFing? Oh, I don't know..." and he called a colleague, who basically
> told him that I should ask my OB, and that *she* could decide if it was
> worth the risk. My GP did, strangely enough, give me 3 weeks worth of
> samples, but no Rx.
>
> By now I'm really frustrated, and I'm considering just ordering the Zoloft
> from overseas. I've got enough for 3 weeks, and it takes about that long to
> have drugs shipped. I see my OB on Monday, and my shrink on Friday...but
> what if both of them say, Oh, no way, it's too dangerous... It seems to me
> that all these docs are reading the manufacturer's CYA warnings, and not
> looking any further, even rejecting information from Hale's, etc.
> (Actually, none of them had ever heard of Hale's.)
>
> I'm otherwise healthy...and I'm sick of being miserable. It's hard enough
> to care for a young baby without having to deal with depression. Should I
> just go ahead and take the stuff on my own?

[New York Jen]

"zeldabee" > wrote in message
...
> I've posted here about the fact that I've been seeking some kind of help
> for PPD (or maybe just depression, whether it's necessarily post-partum or
> not). I was on a medication that wasn't compatible with BF (Doxepin) until
> I was about 7.5 months pregnant, and stopped taking it specifically so
that
> I could BF.
>
> The reason I'd taken that AD, as opposed to one of the newer ones, is
> because it addressed some really severe insomnia of which I'd had several
> episodes years ago, where I wouldn't sleep at all for a week or more at a
> time. I worried that the insomnia would come back once I stopped the
> Doxepin, as it had before, but this time I'd stopped it much more
> gradually, and so far it hasn't returned. The psychiatrist I'd been seeing
> was against my stopping it, and thought I should just FF.
>
> After I gave birth nearly 6 weeks ago, the depression hit me like a
freight
> train, and I started calling my insurance company and doctors to try to
get
> treatment. It took until week 3 to see a psychiatrist, because Dr's
offices
> either wouldn't call me back, or couldn't give me an appointment sooner.
> The first psychiatrist wouldn't prescribe because I was BFing, in spite of
> the fact that my LC forwarded the relevant info to him regarding Zoloft's
> relative safety. I then spoke to another psychiatrist who told me that he
> also wouldn't prescribe to me unless I weaned to formula.
>
> I called my former psychiatrist to ask him if he'd work with me, and told
> him what I'd found out about antidepressants for BFing mothers, and he
said
> he would consider it, if he thought it was warranted...so I made an
> appointment, but he was booked for over 3 weeks.
>
> *Then*, I went to my GP, because I needed a flu shot anyway, and thought,
> WTH, I'll ask him. At first he said, sure, and then, "Wait a minute--are
> you BFing? Oh, I don't know..." and he called a colleague, who basically
> told him that I should ask my OB, and that *she* could decide if it was
> worth the risk. My GP did, strangely enough, give me 3 weeks worth of
> samples, but no Rx.
>
> By now I'm really frustrated, and I'm considering just ordering the Zoloft
> from overseas. I've got enough for 3 weeks, and it takes about that long
to
> have drugs shipped. I see my OB on Monday, and my shrink on Friday...but
> what if both of them say, Oh, no way, it's too dangerous... It seems to me
> that all these docs are reading the manufacturer's CYA warnings, and not
> looking any further, even rejecting information from Hale's, etc.
> (Actually, none of them had ever heard of Hale's.)
>
> I'm otherwise healthy...and I'm sick of being miserable. It's hard enough
> to care for a young baby without having to deal with depression. Should I
> just go ahead and take the stuff on my own?
>
I know that I'll probably get flamed for saying this, but just tell them
you're weaning to formula if you're totally comfortable with your decision.
There are several of us here who have been on Zoloft throughout pregnancy
and breastfeeding, myself included. I wanted to stay on my Metformin for
PCOS once I had my son, and I was still nursing him when I decided to start
taking it again...so I just left that part out when I asked my general
practitioner to fill my prescription. I told the pediatrician though.

In other words, if you know you did the research and you're comfortable,
then be your own advocate and get the meds you need.

Good luck,

Jen

[Belphoebe]

"KC" > wrote in message
om...
> I research things and then do what I want all the time. It is
> entirely up to you if you want to go against doctors orders, and I
> know nothing about Zoloft. For me I have lied to get meds that fix my
> endocrine system so I could get pg at all.

This reminds me of what I had to do last year to get a flu shot. My OB told
me to have one (I was in my second trimester when flu season began), but
their office didn't give them. So DH and I went to a flu clinic given by
the Visiting Nurses at a supermarket. And on the form we were given, there
was a box asking "are you pregnant?" If the answer was yes, they would not
administer the vaccine. I actually had to lie and say I wasn't
pregnant--both on the form and to the nurse giving the shot. Next time we
went to the OB we told her what we had to go through to get the shot, and
that it was ridiculous for them to tell their patients to get a flu shot yet
not offer them there. "Yes, we should have them, but we don't." Oh,
thanks.

This year, we had our shots at another flu clinic, and I noticed that at
least this time around, there's a note saying that they will give the
vaccine to pregnant women in the second or third trimester if they have a
doctor's prescription. That's an improvement.

Belphoebe