What helps with Depression while treatment?

[trintiybella]

She was no lamictal but did not help. What can I do. Hard to see her so depresss. She only has depression while on antibiotics. I am giving lemon juice, milk thistlel. Anything else? Thanks

[MomWithOCDSon]

Do you know about her serotonin levels? Depression can be about low serotonin levels. Unfortunately, most "remedies," OTC or prescription, take a little time to manifest. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are frequently used for depression, but 1) PANDAS kids are sometimes especially sensitive to them, so any dosing has to be very low and slow, and 2) even when you find the right dose for your sensitive kid, it can take 4 to 6 weeks for an SSRI to reach full efficacy.

 

You can also try inositol, which is a B vitamin that can work like a natural SSRI; however, again, you have to start low and build up the dosage, and it can take time. Hopefully someone else will chime in, but I've also read that St. John's Wort can address depression, although I think dosage on this can be tricky, as well. Above all, I wouldn't suggest going after a "cocktail" of more than one of these interventions at a time, since you can inadvertently give your kid too much serotonin support, and then you wind up with agitation, etc. (also known as "activation".)

 

Finally, there's been some recent research posted here and elsewhere about lactobillus gg (the probiotic in Culturelle) being helpful in treating depression; my guess is that has something to do with serotonin also being released in the gut, as well as in the brain, and lactobillus gg does something that facilitates that process.

 

Good luck!

[pr40]

did you try also 5-htp? NAC? I am adding to Nancy's list

[rowingmom]

I thought of your daughter when I read this article. It links c-diff with depression and the drugs used to treat depression with c-diff.

 

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2014/02/28/your-brain-on-bugs-will-bacteria-be-the-next-treatment-for-anxiety-and-depression

 

"We know that Clostridium difficile, the nasty gut hospital-based gut infection that kills 14,000 people each year in the U.S., is associated with depression and dementia. Two antidepressants, mirtazapine (Remeron) and fluoxetine (Prozac), are linked to a nearly a 50 percent increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection."

 

I'm not sure where they found this information (there are not references listed), but it might be worth googling before you begin antidepressants.

[3bmom]

Good article! I still like the idea of fecal transplants. My friends daughter was on prozac and has C-Diff since high school. Had lunch with her the other day and she has no anxiety, depression or IBS and medication free. She follows mostly Paleo diet but will use Organic Gluten free bread for a sandwich.

[3bmom]

I should add we are on a SSRI. Our Dr. uses diet, antibiotics, anti-virals first for a couple months, when more stable adds SSRI. He shows keeping seratonin levels high increases needed sleep, but most important increased blood flow as shown by neuro-spect scans to help heal areas of the frontal lobe causing neuro issues.

[DsMom]

Dr. T Rx'd ibuprofen for my DS's depression as SSRI's natural and pharma were disasterous for him. It helped him a bit, not a lot, but you take what you can get, yes?!