Mary, I think you misunderstood my message regarding selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's).  I would not accuse any depressed patient of
taking them as "happy drugs," although there have been non-depressed people
who have taken them recreationally.  My own father was given Zoloft, after
disability 2ary to a stroke.  This was against the will and consent of
either of us.  We demanded that it be stopped, and he did wonderfully on
St. John's Wort, despite his doctor's dismissive and angry protests, for
the time that my father needed it.  St. John's Wort has been used widely
and successfully in Europe for decades and is much safer and better known
than SSRI's (despite recent drug company attempts to discredit an herb
which they cannot make money on). Please see the book I referred
to, "Talking Back to Prozac," an excellent, well-researched book on the
problems with SSRI's.   I would cite relevant points in it and the author's
name, but I lent my copy to someone years ago and never got it back.  And I
caution against acceptance of proclamations of drug safety by drug
companies on what has been a profitable line of products for them.  More
importantly, regarding breastfeeding with SSRI's, I am very happy that you
and your baby are doing well and would not have it any other way.  However,
the mechanism of SSRI's and cocaine is similar (inhibition of reuptake of
neurotransmitters at the synapse, leaving the neurotransmitter bathing the
synapse in higher concentration and for a longer time).  This is not a
misconception.  You can find it in the PDR.  You can find it in
pharmacology textbooks.  This does not mean I am accusing you of using
these drugs recreationally.  What it does mean is that *if there are
acceptable and effective and safer substitutes*, i.e., St. John's Wort,
acupuncture, any other non-invasive modalities, that are less likely to
interfere with the natural brain chemistry of an infant, by all means let's
seek them out and have them as alternatives for nursing moms with these
disorders.
Please don't take my last post in an offensive way.  I certainly did not
mean it that way, and I know that you have the best of intentions for your
child and others.
Colleen Huber

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