Part 3: Treatment and prevention
Two previous articles presented the causes and consequences of postpartum depression; people who are prone to postpartum depression and early diagnosis. This article discusses the treatment and prevention of postpartum depression.
1. Treatment for postnatal depression
Support from relatives
Family and friends should make sure that the depressed mother is provided with prescription by the doctor. If the prescription is not appropriate, encourage the patient come back to the doctor and ask for a prescription change. Families should understand that the illness is in a temporary state and their support can help the mother recover quickly. Do not forget that the mother is not healthy and do not disturb. Try to treat her illness as a normal one. When she is not well, let her have more rest, and when she is well, she can do whatever she likes.
It’s common that a depressed mother does not like loneliness, so try to make sure there is always someone she can trust with her.
Drug therapy
When a mother thinks she has postnatal depression, she should see a doctor as soon as possible, and if possible, invite doctor to come. Try to tell your doctor about all the symptoms that occur. This will help the physician diagnose the disease more accurately. In general, medications are either tranquilizers or antidepressants. Many women find tranquilizers ineffective and go back to the doctor asking for a change of medicine. With antidepressants, patients more likely feel dry in the mouth and sleepy. If the drug makes patients feel more uncomfortable should go to the doctor to change medicine. If the medicine taken for a few weeks do not make difference, it should also be changed more potent or to increase the dose. In addition to medication, it is important to maintain good nutrition, vitamin B6 or multivitamins should be used. If the drug is suitable for you then do not shorten treatment duration, because depression requires prolonged treatment to be fully restored. If after stopping the drug the symptoms recur, do not despair but consult a doctor. Often doctors continue to treat with medication before. Then, if effective, reduce the dose gradually, and this will prevent recurrence.
Consultation
A consultant can help. If you are depressed, consultation alone can help. If severe depression is treated with medication, consultation can also be helpful to the patient. Consultation may take place once a week or more.
Role of the patients themselves
The most important thing is to believe that you’re getting better, you need patience and realize that recovery will come soon. You should know that pain and aches occur quite a lot in women with postpartum depression, and that is not a sign of a severe illness. Many women think that headache is a sign of brain cancer, chest pain due to heart disease, so it makes depression more severe. Relax and forget the pain, depression will gradually fade away.
Get plenty of rest because fatigue will aggravate the disease. Avoid staying up late and have someone else fed the child at night. Do not forget to eat well because lowering blood sugar will make the disease worse. Eat more fruits and vegetables when you are hungry and take multivitamin daily. Do not force yourself to do what you do not like or offensive things.
2. Prophylaxis
- Be close with, encourage and talk with the mother about labor and postnatal care.
- Guide the mother breastfeeding.
- Apply Progresterone with high and gradually decreasing dose during 8 days for postpartum women. The mother then uses the Progresterone ring until menstruation returns.
- Administer the antidepressant medicine during the last 3 weeks of pregnancy. However, many doctors feel that it is dangerous to take this medicine for a pregnant woman. But some find the mother's benefit more important.
Blogger Comment
Facebook Comment