Postpartum depression/ anxiety- who did you talk to?

[Anonymous]

Monica Callahan in downtown Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to see Dr. Nicole Paras at Washington Hospital Center (covered by insurance), but--idk--the environment wan't calming, reassuring or, ultimately, helpful (to me).

She basically just referred me to some therapists for talk therapy and wrote a script for Zoloft.

I saw her and feel the same way. Pushed hard on the antidepressants.

[Anonymous]

Dr. Joan Liebermann in Forest Hills DC.

[Anonymous]

I talked to a really nice NP at my GP's office. TBH, I *wanted* a course of meds right away and she prescribed them immediately. I didn't feel like talking through it would help me - for me it's situational and related to hormones. I had already talked about it with family and friends and was still having heart palpitations and insomnia.

[Anonymous]

I’m dealing with this too right this moment. I’ve called about 8 offices and they either have a waitlist or not taking new patients. So glad I’m not alone. I’m feeling really defeated and not wanting to power through this because I’m having such a hard time finding someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m dealing with this too right this moment. I’ve called about 8 offices and they either have a waitlist or not taking new patients. So glad I’m not alone. I’m feeling really defeated and not wanting to power through this because I’m having such a hard time finding someone.

I really feel like every OB should be supplying their patients with a list right from the beginning of therapists who take insurance and are taking new patients. I hated having to find someone when I needed it-it was a very long process. They need to make it much easier.

[Anonymous]

If you don't want to go straight to meds, consider getting a referral or finding an in-network provider who is a cognitive behavioral therapist.

Good luck! I hope you feel better very, very soon.

[Anonymous]

A good resource might be your pediatrician's office. My pediatrician helped me connect with a GP who worked with me on medication at a dosage that made breastfeeding still possible.

You are not alone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m dealing with this too right this moment. I’ve called about 8 offices and they either have a waitlist or not taking new patients. So glad I’m not alone. I’m feeling really defeated and not wanting to power through this because I’m having such a hard time finding someone.

Try Sheryl Aaron. I love her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m dealing with this too right this moment. I’ve called about 8 offices and they either have a waitlist or not taking new patients. So glad I’m not alone. I’m feeling really defeated and not wanting to power through this because I’m having such a hard time finding someone.

Where are you located?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Joan Liebermann in Forest Hills DC.

Dr. Liebermann is wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m dealing with this too right this moment. I’ve called about 8 offices and they either have a waitlist or not taking new patients. So glad I’m not alone. I’m feeling really defeated and not wanting to power through this because I’m having such a hard time finding someone.

I would go to your OB first then, especially if you're having trouble finding someone. Better to see someone now while you try to find a longer term option.

[Anonymous]

As if I didn't already know but man alive our health care system is really screwed up. I'd rather go to a dr who was honest and said they couldn't help but here's a list of folks who could instead of trying to save face.

When I went to my ob appt last year, I knew I needed medication b/c after trying to conceive for so long, with many losses, my emotions were all over the place. The breaking point was me bursting into tears three times in the matter of two hours, one reason being b/c my husband put the clean clothes that had come out of the dryer and was in the hamper, ready to be folded, into the washing machine and started a load of laundry b/c he thought they hadn't been clean. My ob was fantastic and she not only prescribed zoloft but gave me a rec for a psychiatrist that specializes in infertility, Dr. Byer in Chevy Chase, MD (by Friendship Heights metro). Dr Byer gave the same recommendation, which at the time I felt like, wow I could've saved myself this money but since I was on infertility meds, I didn't want to take the chance that it would interfere with my FETs. Being on zoloft has helped a lot. Dr. Byer does not take insurance so it is costly but since I could afford it I didn't try to find someone who would take my insurance. I know that's a luxury and am grateful I could do that, but I also knew I couldn't keep going at the rate I was headed.

I agree with other posters that your pediatrician might be able to refer you to someone as well. I think you can also find referrals on resolve.org. I know finding someone who does not have a waitlist is so frustrating b/c by the time you realize you need help, waiting weeks or months feels like an eternity. Good luck and take care of yourself. Hugs.

[Anonymous]

postpartumva.org is a great resource

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Joan Liebermann in Forest Hills DC.

Dr. Liebermann is wonderful.

Couldn’t stand her. I saw her during my pregnancy and she spent most of the time telling me how hard and awful it’s going to be when the baby arrives. Lecturing me about the challenges of having a baby like I’m dumb. It turns out I’ve really enjoyed being a mom and didn’t experience any of the issues she had described. I’m not sure what I did or said to make her think I’m incompetent. I’m a normal married professional woman.

For example she told me over and over again how the baby has to eat every two hours. Yes, I get it. For what it’s worth, this was only the case for my baby for a week or two. It was hardly the ordeal she described. We dropped to one middle of the night feed with healthy weight gain during a short period of time.

At one point I told her I was concerned with my high blood pressure reading (for me) and she mentioned I should take in my blood pressure cuff to the doctor to show them the reading. I’d already mentioned to her that the reading was consistent with that of the doctor’s. But it’s like she jumped to conclusions that the doctor must think I don’t know how to take my blood pressure or doesn’t believe me.

She also kept stressing how I need to have “help.” Besides needing a cleaning lady, I’m not sure what help she is referring to. I had plenty of time off from work and didn’t find it to be a struggle. Millions of women have babies without hiring household staff.

Lastly, I told her my husband planned on staying home with the baby for a month after I went back to work at five months. Her response was asking me if I’m aware he has to be as competent of a caregiver as I am. NO SH$T. Again, insinuating I’m dumb and that I don’t realize I can’t leave my child with someone unable to care for him properly. Also, insulting to my husband that he is unable to take care of a baby.

These are just a few example of what she said. Almost every comment was unsupportive or negative.

I cringe when thinking about the fact I paid almost $1k to have someone hurt my confidence and make me doubt my ability to enjoy having a child. She made me enter the late stages of my pregnancy terrified there was something wrong with me and that having a baby would be awful.