GREAT NEWS! The FDA just approved a treatment for postpartum depression. If you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum depression (PPD), please contact us today at 512-554-6476. We are the only site in Austin that is FDA approved to administer this new treatment.
In recognition of the severity of postpartum symptoms and the potentially devastating effects on new moms and their families, Family Health Systems has received the certification to offer this ground-breaking, IV infusion therapy for PPD moms at our Lake Travis facility. For the Family Emergency Hospital at Lake Travis address, please visit www.familyer24.com .
Brexanolone, or Zulresso, is an injection medication developed by Sage Therapeutics to be given intravenously to patients experiencing postpartum depression. The IV infusion will be monitored and administered over a 2.5 day period at one of our hospital locations. We are proud to be recognized as a Sage Therapeutics’ “Center of Excellence” for postpartum depression treatment. Mothers will stay in a warm, home-like environment with board certified and licensed medical staff providing superior service and care.
According to Dr. Kristin Lasseter, a local psychiatrist specializing in reproductive mental health, traditional treatment methods involving the use of antidepressants could take up to 8 weeks to work. She says, “Initial Zulresso studies show moms can start experiencing relief within 60 hours of receiving the infusion.”
For moms suffering from moderate to severe postpartum depression, “This is a lifesaver.”
There is a local mom, Donna Kreuzer, who knows first-hand the devastating effects of moms suffering in silence from PPD. Her beloved daughter, Kristi Couvillon-Wise, 36, lost her battle with postpartum depression in 2010. Donna goes on to say, “Kristi never ever let on to me or to her husband that she was suffering with postpartum depression until 8 weeks later, and she could no longer hide the suffering, the torture, the heartache, the nightmare of severe postpartum depression.” Her family intervened immediately to help her navigate several treatment plans, but none of them provided significant results. For more on this heartbreaking yet enlightening story, please click here for the full news segment.
As a reminder, if you or a family member are experiencing symptoms associated with postpartum depression, we invite you to call our Postpartum Depression Infusion Information Line at 888-360-0909. Our goal at Family Health Systems is to provide innovative treatments for patients needing it the most.
While I do think medication can be part of the treatment for PPD it’s not a cure all as this posting suggests. There are so many factors that play into it. Like support systems, lack of sleep, hormonal shifts, previous history of depression. This makes it seem like a quick fix and that is misleading.