During my postpartum depression a Naturopathic physician gave me a homeopathic remedy called sepia. I also used naturally compounded hormone replacement therapy. The book "Screaming to be heard" by Gillian Ford was a helpful explanation to this therapy. The hormones I took were in the form of cremes applied on the forearm several times a day. I think it was estrodiol, progestin, and some kind of low dose testosterone. I didn't stay on the low doses of testosterone for more than a week though because it didn't work for me. I took low doses (25mg 3x a day) of 5HTP, Low doses of inositol (50mg 3x a day), naturally compounded cortisol in a creme (see book "The safe use of Cortisol by William Jeffries"). I had my Thyroid checked (see book, "The Thyroid Connection"). My doctor was savvy enough to put me on a trial of Armour Thyroid even though I was just borderline low on the test. The theory was that during the hemmorrage after my childbirth, or for some women after childbirth in general, the endocrine system gets "shocked", and stops producing key hormones. A short time on this therapy reminds the body what it needs to do.
It is the same treatment idea if for some reason you could have a hormonal imbalance for other reasons besides childbirth, a short time on this kind of therapy might train your body the correct amount of hormones to put out. Some menopausal or perimenopausal women continue on hormones to replace what their body stops making on a continual basis.
I have also used accupunture. The purpose of accupunture, although it is famous for relieving pain, is to restore balance to the body. During times when my periods were irregular, I have used accupunture to restore balance and lose weight. We used accupunture to have my husband avoid a surgery. We have used it for our daughter to help raise her chi and to control inflammation in her body. Accupunture can be used for things like acne, infertility, and depression.
For anxiety, I have used deep breathing exercises and relaxation.
To go off all natural supplements for depression, which I actually did while on a DisneyWorld vacation the week after Sept 11th, when my postpartum anxiety levels doubled after watching the towers collapse. It was at Sept 11th that I realized if my symptoms could double from stress while on supplements, then the possibility could exist that I could go off all supplements by eliminating stress.
I spoke with a famous retired midwife about my symptoms. She told me to keep two words in mind with everything I did and get everything out of my life that didn't embody the two words. Simple and Sacred. She said that when I did this and dealt with the stress and trauma of my past I would not need the hormones and supplements for depression and anxiety any more.
Where better place to try this out than disneyworld, so we took our first trip to disneyworld and I went cold turkey off of my supplements, which were expensive. I did what the midwife told me to do, remembering simple and sacred, and dealing with the past, and I was able to go off all supplements easily, and my anxiety was under control, and still is today.
Even with the stress of yesterday which would have knocked over an elephant. What happened is I ate a 4 year resident for breakfast after she presented herself as a doctor and proclaimed my daughter was having a relapse when we are 6 months into the 2 years where she would be considered in remission. She said dd needed steroids and immunosuppressants. Nice. When the head of opthomology said she made the wrong diagnosis, the four year resident got out tissue and was pretty devistated to be called on it in front of me and another 1st year resident. i Basically got to tell her that if carried out, her treatment plan could have caused my daughter to lose her vision. I got to tell her what a big deal it was for me for my dd to go on immunosuppressors, even though she didn't think it was a big deal. I think she learned a lot from the experience though, and all of the residents did. My daughter spent three hours being examined by six opthomologists, four in training, and was able to educate several doctors of the future about the technical nature of the disease and what treatment plan NOT to do. So I am a proud mama right now.
