Depression, how did you deal with it?

moya_bleh

I'm currently dealing with it now and I'm not faring too well. Been on prozac since March 2013 and I'm currently on temazepam for my insomnia.

emmabanks87

This is my own personal view having suffered with stress and depression for almost 15 years.

Some people dont make enough insulin. They're diabetic and have meds (or diet) to fix it.

I do not make enough seratonin and therefore I take meds to help.

There is no shame in being ill. And its an illness. There is also no shame in seeking help for that illness.

If you have an infection, you go to the docs n get antibiotics. Same thing.

Oooh, saw you got meds, well done for being brave! Its hard to do! Will take 2 weeks to a month to kick in.

Exercise does help but its hard to get motivation when feeling poo

Good luck! xx

Completely true!!

CassieR6

Another Update: So she gave me Celexa, have any of you taking/already on this medication? I have been taking it since Sunday night (doctor said night or morning is fine). I know its only been about 3 nights but did anyone have issues with waking a lot in the evening? And I take it an hour before bed and I still can't fall asleep till about an hour after I lay down. Then in the morning I tired and groggy. Its hard to get outta bed. I feel as though I am sleeping lighter too. Should I just ride it out for a couple weeks to see if this subsides? Or should I switch it to taking it in the morning? I am just afraid of feeling all sleepy at work so that's why I picked the evening to take it. Any advice is appreciated. :flowerforyou:

s_pekz

Hey! Ive been on celexa for around 4 years (20 mg). When I got prescribed my pharmacist said that for some people it makes them sleepy and for some people it makes them hyper. You just need to figure out which you are. Also I was super groggy for like a week when I took it. And when a doc stupidly told me to double my dose I slept for like 16 hours a day.

Give it a week or so and if you are still feeling off call your pharmacist for suggestions.

Also it can take over a month to start feeling any measurable changes in your mood. Hang in there. just know the meds are working it just takes time for you to notice.

The other thing is celexa hurt my tummy at first - so i eased into it with half pills - but that isnt listed in your complaints so you may be lucky on that one.

Feel free to ask me more questions about this med. it has literally been a life saver for me.

CassieR6

Hey! Ive been on celexa for around 4 years (20 mg). When I got prescribed my pharmacist said that for some people it makes them sleepy and for some people it makes them hyper. You just need to figure out which you are. Also I was super groggy for like a week when I took it. And when a doc stupidly told me to double my dose I slept for like 16 hours a day.

Give it a week or so and if you are still feeling off call your pharmacist for suggestions.

Also it can take over a month to start feeling any measurable changes in your mood. Hang in there. just know the meds are working it just takes time for you to notice.

The other thing is celexa hurt my tummy at first - so i eased into it with half pills - but that isnt listed in your complaints so you may be lucky on that one.

Feel free to ask me more questions about this med. it has literally been a life saver for me.

Yeah, I am starting with half for the first week then up to a full pill the following week. I can't remember the mg's though.

Fuzzipeg

Somewhere I read that in cases where a patient does not respond to the usual medication for depression they will respond to thyroid medication! The reason, many people with low thyroxine levels can and do present with depression. Having a full blood test might also be advisable just to make sure though it can be a lottery how your results are interpreted.

The recommendation in the US is that patients should be tested for their thyroid levels ever year after the age of 35 and annually there after. Consequences of being undiagnosed and untreated can be life restricting in many many ways.

s_pekz

Somewhere I read that in cases where a patient does not respond to the usual medication for depression they will respond to thyroid medication! The reason, many people with low thyroxine levels can and do present with depression. Having a full blood test might also be advisable just to make sure though it can be a lottery how your results are interpreted.

The recommendation in the US is that patients should be tested for their thyroid levels ever year after the age of 35 and annually there after. Consequences of being undiagnosed and untreated can be life restricting in many many ways.

I dont know about anyone here but my thyroid was checked by my doc years before i went on anti depressants...it seems to be standard practice.
Thyroid medication cannot do anything if you do not have a thyroid problem.

CassieR6

Yes I was tested a few months before I went in for the depression and it was normal. My thyroid that is.

taryninoly

I finally just bit the bullet and talked to my doctor about my depression. She ended up diagnosing me as bi-polar. It really was hard to hear that I was 'crazy.' HOWEVER, I feel SO MUCH BETTER with my new meds. Yes I do get very drowsy when I take them, I just take them a half an hour before I want to fall asleep.

Timshel_

I had all kinds of recommendations for pills but I did not want to go that route. And the following is just what worked for me, so take it for what you will.

First thing, it was not a quick or simple fix. The things that lead me to depression did not happen over night and it has taken a few years to get past some of it.

Next important step was to read up on what exactly causes depression. I keyed in on the physiology of it all first. I resolved myself to the fact that my body chemistry was out of whack and that was what those lonely feelings and awful thoughts were (I was going to get divorced, leave my kids, quit my job...and even had thoughts of suicide). A big step for me was learning to detach a bit from that physical sensation so I could operate daily. I would actually say the word "float" to myself often, reminding myself to clear my head and try to relax, no matter what turmoil my body was in. I did study meditation and use prayer. I focused on living in the moment.

After getting better at dealing with the physical side, it got down tot the nitty-gritty of the mental side. I knew I had to address some things that happened in my life, no matter how hard or life changing they might be for myself or others. Essentially, I needed to clean up, tie up loose ends, makes mends where I could, and just get things off my chest. What is interesting is, there were so many small things that seemed like nothing when they happened, but they had built up over time. I don't think people realize how little things build up and compound over time. It's akin to holding a pencil in your hand with your arm out straight. It really isn't heavy and seems like nothing to hold it, but try doing that for an hour...a day...a week...or years. At some point, even a light pencil held like that becomes a VERY heavy weight.

I did not want to talk with friends since some issues I wanted to remain private, as well as not freaking anyone out. I opted to talk with a counselor, which gave me an outside, completely unbiased opinion. I did not have to be anyone with them, I could just lay out everything as it was and have them interject as needed. For me, just being able to vocalize many issues to someone was a HUGE relief. I was lucky enough to have a counselor that was very open-minded, understood, and good at evaluating me and my experiences. Most the time I was able to hash through issues myself with little input. If you do see a counselor DO NOT go to think they are going to have all the answers. They should make suggestions and ask questions that might help guide you to figuring out core issues, but really, deep down you KNOW what they are. A good counselor will coax them out and let you sort them out as you need to.

For me, the last part was spiritual. If that ain't you, feel free to skip this. But I had really turned away from my own soul and had been too focused on myself and the daily grind. My realizations was, the more I thought I was finding myself in this reality I built, the more I actually lost myself in the world and universe. I have always been spiritual and felt connected to something more, as well as to others around me. I very much lost that part of me and until I quieted my mind I didn't even realize its' importance. So I got back to making time to be quiet and listen. Call it what you will - meditation, thinking, reflection, prayer, whatever. I truly believe that one cannot find peace in their life until they tackle mind, body, and spirit. It was not about religion or focused on Church, though I found help in both. For me, spiritualism help bind me to everything and keep hold of myself in the grand scheme of things. It is part of my questioning nature, and I feel that spiritual inquisitiveness feeds my personal growth and need to learn.

And since this is a fitness website, the physical side ties in well. I can't even begin to explain how helpful consistent exercise is for correcting chemical imbalances that are part of depression. Same with proper eating. Suffice to say, they are critical. Along that line though I also found one thing missing in life is something that is a big part of my being, and that is competition. Not the bad kind, but like in sports. I found that being part of competition challenged me in a way nothing else does and helped me feel fulfilled.

Anyway, all that helped me keep off meds, but it was not easy and there were plenty of tough times I was ready to take ANYTHING if it would get rid of those dire feelings.

I'll just stop there.

Best of luck.

occultllama

Volunteer work will help your depression.

To someone with serious depression that is not helpful at all.

Sedna_51

Depression runs in my family, so it's not that surprising in retrospect that I started having symptoms as a young teenager. Fortunately my illness is mostly managed these days (fingers crossed). I take Paxil daily, and I've been in regular therapy over the years; I'm not going regularly now, but I have my therapists' number always available in case I want some assistance figuring things out and/or getting over a rough patch day to day. These are the main things that keep my illness in check, and I honestly would not be able to function otherwise. There are a number of smaller things I also do, though, that I find keep me stable.
1. I have a SAD light that I use during the winter- I'm not clinically diagnosed with SAD, but I've found it really helps my energy and mood during the dark months.
2. It was very, very difficult to get in the habit of exercising, but once I did I started noticing an improvement in my symptoms- less frequent and less severe. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, a 10 or 20 minute walk helps me.
Sometimes, though, all my best tricks don't work and I head back to therapy- and that's OK. I've started to think of my depression as like having a bad knee; there are things you can do to help keep yourself afloat, but sometimes it'll go south for no reason you recognize and you need to call in the pros. I'm glad you were willing to go to your doctor with your concerns- I hope the two of you working together can find the treatment that works best for you!

Timshel_

Volunteer work will help your depression.

To someone with serious depression that is not helpful at all.

For some it is.

Raynne413

I tried medications, and I didn't like them. I didn't like knowing that I HAD to take a pill every day or deal with the effects of not taking it. And I didn't like the side effects. When I tried Zoloft, it DID make my sad times not as sad, but it also kept me from feeling happy. I always felt like I was stuck in the middle just existing. And all of the ones I've tried have killed my sex drive. So now I am trying to deal with it naturally.

I exercise because that is one of the best ways to help. Even if I don't feel like it, I make sure I do SOMETHING for at least 30 minutes. I also try to make sure I eat healthy. If I eat WAY too much sugar or junk food, I feel really tired and down. Getting enough sleep is also important. And I also take 5-HTP and melatonin before bed. They help me sleep, and they are supposed to be natural mood enhancers.

I think it depends on your level of depression as to whether or not you can try to treat naturally or if you need to be on something. My grandmother NEEDED to be on something. She quit taking her medicine without telling anyone and ended up committing suicide. My mother also needs to be on something. As well as my older brother. I feel better not taking anything. Although once it hints winter and sun is limited, I have slightly more issues than during the spring and summer.

Good luck.

lorib642

I have a mental illness that is treated with medication. I do have periods of depression, they are much milder now. I wouldn't think of medication or any treatment as a permanent thing, If the doctor suggests a medication you can try it, some take up to 6 weeks to take effect, and see if it helps. Like was mentioned lifestyle: your diet, exercise, sleep all can affect your mood.

I do volunteer now. When I am deeply depressed, besides some of the more common symptoms, I have cognitive effects where I can't concentrate well. I will have to re-read the same paragraph to retain the information. I don't think I would be very helpful at that moment.

Getting informed and meeting people with the similar experiences helped. NAMI and DBSA are 2 national organizations that i found helpful.

saracantthink

I was on antidepressants for six years starting when I was 14 and tied a mini-blind cord around my neck with thoughts of suicide. Then, I went seven years without them. Now I started back on them because through my second pregnancy and after my sons birth I noticed I had no control over my emotions. I was always angry and blew up for no reason, I was constantly stressed, very nervous when I left the house, and I felt guilty for being so volatile. I told my ob-gyn about it when I had my post-partum check-up and she put me on Zoloft. I feel much happier now. I feel more bonded with my baby, I am not nearly as stressed (though the house is much messier), and I don't get angry at my husband every time I see him. Depression runs heavily in my family, and many of my relatives have been on anti-depressants for years. I am feeling much better and am willing to stay on them for awhile if that is what's needed.

CassieR6

Wow, thank you all so much for continuing to contribute to this post. I love reading each of them! :flowerforyou:

AllOutof_Bubblegum

Prozac. It did wonders, it completewly changed my whole life.

I'm currently unmedicated, I find that exercise is enough of a boost to keep endorphins high.

linauranm

I had to go the medication route right after my divorce. I crashed hard after always being the strong go getter I just couldn't get out of bed. And I hated everyone. I spent 2 years on Celexa, it changed my life almost right away. I slept, I had energy, and I wasn't a raving *****. I quite cold turkey last year and started working out. That has taken the place of the drug, but I'm not sure I would have made it out of that hole if not fr the medication.

CassieR6

I had to go the medication route right after my divorce. I crashed hard after always being the strong go getter I just couldn't get out of bed. And I hated everyone. I spent 2 years on Celexa, it changed my life almost right away. I slept, I had energy, and I wasn't a raving *****. I quite cold turkey last year and started working out. That has taken the place of the drug, but I'm not sure I would have made it out of that hole if not fr the medication.

This sounds very close to exactly what I am going through and why I went to the doctor in the first place! I hope the meds help me as much as they did you!