Postpartum Depression Treatment Des Moines IA
Anxiety Disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety, phobia, panic or obsessive-compulsive disorder), Adjustment Disorder (e.g., bereavement, acad, job, mar, or fam prob), Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder), Stress Management or Pain Management
Ages Served
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: University of Southern Mississippi
Credentialed Since: 1992-01-02
Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder), Anxiety Disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety, phobia, panic or obsessive-compulsive disorder), Stress Management or Pain Management
Ages Served
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: University of Kansas
Credentialed Since: 1989-03-30
Anxiety Disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety, phobia, panic or obsessive-compulsive disorder), Clinical Neuropsychological Intervention, Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy, Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder), Schizophrenia or other Psychotic Disorder
Ages Served
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Languages Spoken
German,Spanish
Education Info
Doctoral Program: University of Iowa
Credentialed Since: 1976-12-09
Anxiety Disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety, phobia, panic or obsessive-compulsive disorder), Adjustment Disorder (e.g., bereavement, acad, job, mar, or fam prob), Couples Psychotherapy, Eating Disorder (e.g., compulsive eating, anorexia, bulimia), Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder)
Ages Served
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: Wheaton College
Credentialed Since: 2004-06-30
Individual Psychotherapy, Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder), Adjustment Disorder (e.g., bereavement, acad, job, mar, or fam prob), PostTraumatic Stress Disorder or Acute Trauma Reaction, Anxiety Disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety, phobia, panic or obsessive-compulsive disorder)
Ages Served
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: University of Iowa
Credentialed Since: 1995-03-21
Substance-Related Disorder (e.g., abuse or dependency involving drug/alcohol), Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder), Psychological Assessment
Ages Served
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Children (3-12 yrs.)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: Iowa State University
Credentialed Since: 1985-05-29
Waypoint Counseling & Consultation
Des Moines, IA
Credentials: LISW
Licensed in Iowa
20 Years of Experience
Problems Served
Adoption/Foster Care, Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder, Behavioral Problems, Depression, Grief/Loss, Interpersonal Relationships, Parenting Issues, Sexual Abuse/Rape, Stress, Trauma/PTSD, Education/Personal Development, Women's Issues
Populations Served
Children of Divorce, Disabled, Step Families, Grandparents
Membership Organizations
HelpPro.com
Age Groups Served
Preschool (Under 6), Children (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Young Adults (18-25)
Substance-Related Disorder (e.g., abuse or dependency involving drug/alcohol), Stress Management or Pain Management, Psychological Assessment, Personality Disorder (e.g., borderline, antisocial), Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder)
Ages Served
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Older adults (65 yrs. or older)
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: Iowa State University
Credentialed Since: 1993-04-02
PostTraumatic Stress Disorder or Acute Trauma Reaction, Play Therapy, Anxiety Disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety, phobia, panic or obsessive-compulsive disorder), Mood Disorder (e.g., depression, manic-depressive disorder), Disorder Diagnosed in Infancy-Adolescence (e.g., ADHD, LD, MR, or Pervasive Devel Disorder)
Ages Served
Children (3-12 yrs.)
Adolescents (13-17 yrs.)
Adults (18-64 yrs.)
Education Info
Doctoral Program: Argosy University - Twin Cities
Credentialed Since: 1996-04-08
Des Moines, IA
Self Esteem, Depression, Relationship Issues, Bipolar Disorder
Qualification
School: University of Illinois
Year of Graduation: 1975
Years In Practice: 20+ Years
Patient Info
Ethnicity: Any
Gender: All
Age: Adolescents / Teenagers (14 to 19),Adults,Elders (65+)
Average Cost
$70 - $190
Payment Methods
Sliding Scale: No
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepted Insurance Plans: Aetna
Postpartum Depression
Provided by: 
By Robert Rountree, MD
Q.
Three months ago I gave birth to my first child, a beautiful baby girl. Ever since, I’ve felt extremely tired all the time, plus I frequently get very moody, depressed, and irritable. My ob-gyn wants me to take an antidepressant, but I would rather avoid medication. Suggestions?
A. Rather than rushing to treat your symptoms with medication, it would be more appropriate to first do some testing to make sure no underlying nutritional or endocrine problems need correcting. If you haven’t already done so, you should start with a blood test for anemia. Anemia after childbirth can be caused by deficiencies of iron and/or B vitamins, especially folic acid, B12, and B6. These deficiencies are usually corrected by taking a standard prenatal vitamin-mineral supplement. However, at least 25 percent of women have a genetic condition that increases their need for folic acid. For that reason, I recommend measuring your blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that increases when there is a deficiency of folic acid. A test for levels of methylmalonic acid, which increases with vitamin B12 deficiency, may also prove useful. Studies have shown that people with depression tend to have elevated levels of homocysteine along with low levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6.
I also recommend having your blood sugar tested to make sure you don’t have diabetes or reactive hypoglycemia. You can test your blood sugar at home by using one of the handheld glucometers available at most drug stores. If your blood sugar is bouncing up and down, that can certainly drain your energy and make you feel irritable, even if the levels aren’t high or low enough to qualify as an official disease. The best way to stabilize blood sugar is to eat frequent small meals with lots of fiber and protein.
You should definitely get a complete test for thyroid hormone levels, including anti-thyroid antibodies. Thyroid disorders (both hyper- and hypo-) from autoimmune thyroiditis are very common in the postpartum period, affecting up to 10 percent of new mothers. If these are normal, I would recommend an adrenal hormone analysis, which measures salivary levels of cortisol throughout the day and evening. The cumulative physical and emotional stress of pregnancy and childbirth, followed by the 24-hour job of caring for a helpless infant is enough to strain anyone’s adrenal glands, so it’s not unusual to find problems with cortisol production.
In addition to correcting any abnormalities that might turn up with this testing, I strongly recommend taking a fish oil supplement that is high in DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Studies have shown that pregnant and postpartum women tend to be depleted of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, especially DHA. Restoring DHA to normal levels can improve mood and—via breast milk—enhance brain function in the baby. A good target dose is 1,200 to 2,400 mg of DHA and 250 to 500 mg EPA a day.
I find two herbs—eleuthero (E...
Author: Robert Rountree, MD
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