Pregnancy Sucks - But It Helped Me Find A Natural Cure for Joint Pa...

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As a newly pregnant woman, I'm cautious about anything I consume because it's not just about me anymore. Prior to peeing out a plus sign on that $13 stick, my body was less a temple and like more this:

I indulged in various feel good substances from time to time, probably didn't eat nearly enough, and definitely didn't consider how my diet was affecting my health. I mean, I've always been more drawn to 'healthy' foods than junk foods, but as a reformed vegetarian who more or less forces myself to eat meat 2-3x a week because I need the nutrients...I know I had quite a few deficiencies.

While low energy, low mood, and aches and pains (degenerative disk disease) have always been periodic issues I've learned to cope with - I'm not exaggerating when I say they increased by 100 fold upon getting knocked up. Maybe more.

I've struggled to get out of bed, to groom, to get basic shit done - I'd say I have gorilla legs, but don't want to insult those beautiful primates.

Let's just say, even though it's 85 outside, I wear long skirts or sarongs every day, because I’m too damn exhausted to shave. I've never been the overly girly-girl type - but I can tell you, my gams were smooth as a baby's bottom and hair free before I became an incubator. Now? I’m constantly in pain (and did I mention hairy?), and I just don't have the energy for anything (my boyfriend deserves sainthood right now). Or I didn’t until a few days ago.

I know this all sounds super negative – and don’t get me wrong, my boyfriend and I very much want this little critter...but as an adult orphan with very few living family members left...I've been so clueless about this having a baby process - and never expected to feel so shitty! These are things moms, or in my case, my recently deceased dear, kind deacon dad would have shared with me.

No one wants to talk about depression during such a happy time...it gets swept under the rug. But as I started searching online, I discovered antenatal depression isn’t exactly rare, and it’s estimated that 7% to 20% of women go through it.

The problem is that treatment options for pain and depression during pregnancy are extremely limited. Even natural options, like Saint John’s Wort, are off the table due to lack of research during pregnancy and/or animal studies indicating fetal deformities.

I was going to kill someone if I came across another feel good ‘all natural’ pregnancy article suggesting going for a walk, doing yoga, talking to a therapist, or writing.

Yes, these things can help – but if you’re too exhausted and depressed to get out of bed, how the FCK do you find the motivation to do yoga? I know it’s all well meaning information – but clearly written by people who don’t understand the definition of depression.

If I COULD think HAPPY THOUGHTS and twist my self into a pretzel – YA THINK I WOULDN’T? ;-)

After days of Googling, I finally stumbled on a website by an actual doctor and midwife https://avivaromm.com/depression-in-pregnancy/ suggesting a supplement called SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine).

What exactly is SAMe? It’s hard to explain, so I’m borrowing the definition from VeryWell.Com: SAMe is the synthetic form of a compound that is produced naturally in the body from methionine (an essential amino acid) and adenosine triphosphate (an energy-producing compound). Your body makes it from folate and b12 – kind of. Since I’m not a biologist, I’ve included a link at the end if you want more information on how it works.

Of course, when I researched it Sam-e, most sites said : ‘do not take while pregnant or breastfeeding’ – the standard disclaimer you find on just about everything.

Don’t do this while preggo, don’t do that. Did you know recent studies found that too much folic acid during pregnancy is linked to autism? Folic Fking Acid – the first thing docs tell you to take to prevent neural defects during pregnancy…(folate, however, the natural version our body gets from food, does not pose those risks…that’s another post for another day!) The more I learn, the more I think no one has any damn clue what’s safe to take and what isn’t. And don’t get my started on the ethics of pharmaceutical and natural-ceutical companies putting cheap, and often dangerous fillers in their products…

Anyway, I spoke with my doctor, and he said it was fine for me to take Sam-E – and that it’s actually used during pregnancy in the third trimester to treat bile flow problems. The only reason all the literature online says not to take it is because there have been limited official studies.

However- in the few animal studies that have been done, they turned out just fine with no deformities. (and same in human studies of women who were injected with it in the third trimester).

So – I began taking about 400 milligrams a day in hopes of improving energy levels and lifting my mood. What I didn’t expect what pain relief.

The stuff was a miracle worker – within 30 minutes of taking it, all the pain in my body dissipated – for the first time in over a decade, I had no back pain whatsoever. I’ve taken a lot of medicines in my day, prescribed and otherwise, and believe me when I tell you – none of it touched the nerve pain caused by a herniated disk.

The mood brightening properties took a bit longer, but by day three I had a noticeable improvement in mood, motivation, and energy levels. Today, I’ve been on it for just over a week – and have finally started getting out of bed right when I wake up. While first trimester hormones still make me moody and sleepy, I’m able to accomplish at least a few things now instead of just staring at the wall.

What pisses me off is that here’s an all natural treatment for pain and depression – and the FDA refuses to approve it. Probably because big pharma can’t patent a chemical your body makes.

Eyebrows raise when you say you’re taking anything with pregnant – yet, millions of doctors would still rather see a woman take Wellbutrin – an anti depressant KNOWN to cause birth defects, specifically heart defects - yet, if you Google “Wellbutrin and birth defects”, these studies are buried. But here’s more info: http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(10)00220-6/abstract

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-risks-antidepressants-pregnancy-idUSTRE75N3WO20110624

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20417496

There’s evidence that the company that makes Wellbutrin also knew their poison wasn’t safe for pregnant women to take - yet their website still claims it is.

I think they pay Google to bury results – but this Forbe’s article https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwaters/2012/07/12/glaxosmithklines-3-billion-hit-deterrent-or-business-expense/#1d91343a28ef highlights the history of dishonesty from GSK (makers of Wellbutrin) – and discusses the company’s $3 billion settlement do to false advertising and misleading claims (and paying off doctors – the list goes on!).

Here’s another scumbag pharmaceutical company that promoted a dangerous drug to pregnant women : http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/05/zofran-morning-sickness-pill-lawsuits/

I could go on and on – but this is already practically a book. I’m not a doctor, scientist, herbalist or nutritionist, so before you try Sam-e, do your own research.

It is contraindicated in people who suffer from bipolar disorder, as it can cause mania.

All I know is that my experience has been positive – and it sounds like Sam-e has helped millions of other people manage everything from depression to fibromyalgia to rheumatoid arthritis pain.

For me, it’s the closest thing to a cure I’ve ever had. And a happy mama makes a healthy baby :-)