Family Forum / Pregnancy / Breastfeeding / January 2006

Ok, now I'm annoyed. I saw a new Dr. today because mine hasn't been helpful
with treating my PPD. I told the new Dr. that despite my history of having
tried many antidepressants in the past, and being against the idea of using
them while pg or bf, I'd finally resolved my issues with this and wanted to
try Zoloft.
Dr. was very sceptical. Asked if I'd tried other treatment, told me all
antidepressants crossed into the breastmilk, and suggested I consider
weaning at DD's age if I wanted to try antidepressant treatment. I said I
had looked into it, and would like a low dose of Zoloft, thankyou. She said
she'd never heard of Zoloft, and asked if I'd been reading an American
website. She then gave me a prescription for Aropax, or Paxil

I went home and Googled it, came up with the New Zealand Ministry of Health
website which said Zoloft was available in New Zealand! I rang the Dr. back,
and again asked for a script for Zoloft, so she asked for the generic name
and told me it may not be subsidised or suitable for PND and she'd look into
it, sounded very doubtful. I told her I believed it was suitable for PND,
and could she call me back.

In the meantime, I was in town and spoke with the pharmacy who told me that
while Zoloft was not automatically subsidised, a GP could request a code for
it to be subsidised for certain circumstances - i.e. a breastfeeding mother
with PPD you would think! Sure enough though, I came home to an answerphone
message telling me that Zoloft was not a subsidised medication and would
cost me $90 a month, which I can't afford on my changed personal
circumstances. I rang back and left a message with what I found out, and
requesting that she contact me, so I've yet to hear back.

I am sick to death of GP's who think they are lactation specialists,
psychiatrists, paediatricians, etc, etc. FFS, why does no-one have the
confidence in themselves to admit they don't know a lot in a particular area
but will refer or find the information out? It's not a competition and we
can't all be f'ing specialists in every field. Is this a Kiwi thing? I have
yet to meet a GP who doesn't think like this. They are all so freaking
defensive. I don't want someone who pretends to be the damned Delphic
oracle, I want someone who is confident in their ability, can admit areas of
weakness, and is prepared to have open communication with a patient who is
interested in her own health and the health of her child. I don't care if
they have a difference of opinion, I'm adult enough to handle that.

It just makes me wonder how many mothers with PPD, especially those on lower
incomes, are scared into either weaning early or compromising their own
health, and are not told of their options. How many mothers in New Zealand
who were 'unable to make enough milk' were really closet PPD sufferers who
weren't properly helped or informed by their GP's, and were afraid of
harming their babies? F*ck. I can see I'm going to have to lobby Pharmac
until Zoloft is a fully funded medication.