Men and women who experience depression have a series of treatment options: if the depression is mild, they may start an exercise plan, improve their nutrition, find ways to manage their stress and look at other lifestyle strategies. If this depression is mild to moderate, they may visit a psychotherapist and start a cognitive-behavioral plan that will hopefully help them bounce back as soon as possible. If the depression is moderate to severe, the next step is to consider all the previous strategies and to add medication therapy.
How about being depressed and pregnant? This recent article from the Wall Street Journal addresses this issue. While many women – and men – may be apprehensive about seeking for medication treatment, the same standards prevail: if you are pregnant and feel moderately or severely depressed, chances are, you will have trouble taking good care of yourself and taking good care of your pregnancy. While there may be safety concerns regarding a small risk for miscarriage (early in the pregnancy), heart problems (first twenty weeks), neurological depression (during the delivery) or some potential withdrawal symptoms for the baby (after the baby is born), discussing the advantages and disadvantages of being on medication therapy – or not being on medication therapy – is a must-talk about topic with your partner, your obstetrician, and your psychiatrist.
For more information about depression, visit: National Institutes of Mental Health and American Psychiatric Association
By Dr. Corá on August 24th, 2009 in Dr. Corá.
What would you prefer? To go to your doctor for fifteen minutes once a month, receive a prescription and go to a separate therapist twice a week with a total monthly co-payment of $100 and still feel anxious, down and depressed or would you, instead, prefer to go to one doctor one hour a month with full payment of $300 and notice the difference as your problem resolves and you feel well again?
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By Dr. Corá on June 17th, 2009 in Dr. Corá.
By Dr. Gaby Cora
Forbes recently published The World’s Happiest Places. Denmark followed by Finland and the Netherlands rated at the top of the list.
While economic health defined as high gross domestic product per capita and low unemployment rates were common factors in people experiencing well-being, other countries that were in the top ten did not match this trait. Instead, other lifestyle characteristics prompted people to feel satisfied with their lives.
Although there are nature-related factors that impact on our ability to experience happiness and joy, a favorable environment with people who enjoy their lives will prompt others to have a positive experience.
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By Dr. Corá on May 11th, 2009 in Dr. Corá.
In regular times, many argue they can’t “afford” to get sick. More so in a recession, many will rather go to work sick than miss their pay even if this means that they may get sicker at the job or that they may get other people sick at work.
Sometimes, parents send their sick children to school as they can’t “afford” missing work for the same reasons: the children feel miserable at school, febrile and unable to concentrate while the parent worries about their child’s well-being while at work. Read the rest of this entry »
By Dr. Corá on May 1st, 2009 in Dr. Corá.
By Dr. Locatelli
A new drug named Banzel™ (rufinamide) has recently been approved as an adjunct treatment for a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS).
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By Dr. Locatelli on May 1st, 2009 in Dr. Locatelli.
By Dr. Locatelli
For years, doctors have known that when pregnant women took the antiseizure medication valproate, which is the second-most-popular antiseizure medication, their unborn children face an increased risk of developmental delays and major malformations.
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By Dr. Locatelli on April 23rd, 2009 in Dr. Locatelli.
By Dr. Locatelli
Living with the uncertainty of where and when the next seizure might occur is overwhelming. Seeking proper diagnosis and treatment are key to living a quality lifestyle. At Florida Neuroscience Center, we strive to educate the public about new treatments and medications to help benefit those people suffering from seizures. Please take a few minutes to read the newly published cover story, “In the Grip of the Unknown,” that appeared in the April 13, 2009 edition of Newsweek Magazine and was written by Jerry Adler and Eliza Gray.
By Dr. Locatelli on April 13th, 2009 in Dr. Locatelli.
By Dr. Locatelli
In the wake of the tragic death of Jett Travolta, many of my patients have come to me with overwhelming concern over their own mortalities. This is a topic that people are uncomfortable talking about but one that is necessary for peace of mind.
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By Dr. Locatelli on February 12th, 2009 in Dr. Locatelli.
By Dr. Locatelli
This week, we celebrated the epilepsy monitoring unit’s (EMU) one-year anniversary, and we could not be more pleased with its success. We designed the unit and operate it in conjunction with Holy Cross Hospital.
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By Dr. Locatelli on January 23rd, 2009 in Dr. Locatelli.
By Eduardo Locatelli, MD
People who experience epileptic seizures usually speak about memory loss. Since seizures create electrical impulses in the brain, the brain function in the affected area can be disrupted or even destroyed. If seizures originate from the temporal lobe of the brain, for example, memory can potentially be affected. If seizures happen frequently, memory difficulties can happen more often. Read the rest of this entry »
By Dr. Locatelli on December 29th, 2008 in Dr. Locatelli.
