Want to Do All I Can NOW

by Julie

First, I thank you most sincerely for a site that offers me hope. I am a 46 year old woman with two little boys and a wonderful and supportive husband. I experienced 3 "event-driven" major depressions in my past (#1 baby born with problems; died at 22 days--this after having lost twins at 16 weeks, as well as a miscarriage). Went on Effexor and Lorazepam. #2 After the birth of our first healthy son, had a miscarriage when he was about a year old. Same meds. #3 After birth of 2nd healthy son old we could not have any more children; stopped nursing him so as to take same meds. I am now in the midst of a fourth episode that came out of nowhere exactly 6 weeks ago--like boulder dropping on my head when my youngest started KG (went from 3 days preschool to 5 days KG). It has been 5 years since episode #3 and I have again been put on Effexor 300 mg and Lorazapam, as well as 1 mg Clonazapam (recently drastically reduced from 4 mg/day, which had me literally falling down).
Concise facts to share: my Mg has tested low at 3.2. Prior to the onset of the depression, I was taking progesterone cream (Dr. John Lee's product) for the previous two months, given severe perimenopause symptoms. I stopped it immediately when this depression came on. After some thought, I felt that gently balancing my hormones might be helpful, so I am now using a cream that an experienced NP had formulated for me with progesterone, estriol, and DHEA. She also wanted me to supplement with D-3, as my Vit D level tested at 45 and she wants it above 65; I'm taking 2000 IU/day. I am eating many of the foods suggested on your site (crave nuts, seeds, whole grains), as well as supplementing with 800 mg Mg Citrate (I've taken a Cal-Mg supplement for many years that is 1200:400, which is concerning), EPO (1500 IU/day), Flaxseed Oil (2T/day), and Cod Liver Oil (2t/day). Please refer me to any additional information that you think could be helpful, or perhaps even to a practitioner here in the U.S. that you respect, as I respect your approach after pouring over your website and taking in the info like a sponge. I would also be delighted to become your patient at once.