FDA Approves Drug that Acts on GABA-A Receptors for Postpartum Depression

[[Li...]]

Title and link for August 5, 2023 article:

FDA Approves Biogen, Sage’s Zurzuvae as First Pill for Postpartum Depression | BioSpace
https://www.biospace.com/article/fda-approves-biogen-sage-s-fast-acting-treatment-for-depression-/

Quotes from the article …

“… the [US] FDA approved the fast-acting therapy zuranolone Friday as the first pill for postpartum depression—but rejected the treatment for major depressive disorder.”

“Zurzuvae is a neuroactive steroid that works as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA-A receptors.”

[[Ho...]]

Thanks for posting this! Steroids have so many uses it's amazing to see one that can help postpartum depression. Don't you wish the FDA would require evidence of withdrawal ease? I'd hate to see a new mom get hit with a nasty withdrawal.

Yet this seems to be a temporary med for a temporary disorder. Works so, so fast! IDK but it seems to act positively on the GABA receptors  I wonder if it helps up-regulate them, or if it runs interference and could actually down-regulate them over time. Just thinking out loud! Usually doctors are more careful with steroids than they are with AD's, and get peeps off steroids as soon as the job is done, or sooner. Anyway, interesting development!

[[he...]]

I saw this one too in the news. It might help some but i am guessing it will mess up some too. Add to that, that new moms with post partum issues often get benzos thrown at them... its gonna cause a mess for some.

Yet another thing that they try to give a quick fix with pills... post partum can ofcourse be a devastating thing but i really wonder if these women cant be helped by giving them love and care and time to recover naturally if possible.

That being said i had my kid with ivf which involves hormones like utrogestan which i took for quite a while and i had no problems whatsoever... but that was pre benzos... after benzos coming off the birth control pills gave me a nasty long wave while before i could quit and i would be fine.