PS> Sorry for the multiple posts, my doc actually suggested that my mom got a dog but she didn't want the lifetime responsibility and I really wanted one and it was a good thing for my sis who has PTSD and social/general anxiety so that was basically why I moved back home. Now I have a whole support network around me instead of a lonely cold apartment (as do they) and we have a dog that my mom and sis can enjoy but she is mine and so will be my long-term commitment when I move out.

D-

Hi,
My name is Brenda.. and I have depression. I am on Cymbalta. I have been on it for about 7 months now. I never ever thought I had depression. As some knows on YT , I have been thru alot the last two years. I lost my mother and two brothers in 15mths. I have very serious Back problems, Fibromyalgia, I have had my right knee replaced twice.. my left knee 8 surgeries in 3 years. Broke my left foot, 5th metarsal, I had to have a bone graft an screw put in. So many back Rhizotomies, spinal blocks, you name it.. too many to even count, carpal tunnel surgery on both hands, cyst removed on both wrist, sinus surgeries.. I have had breast cancer and Uterine cancer. A year ago I had both ovaries removed, so that put me in surgical menapause, (hot flashes every hour), night sweats, I have Osteoarthritis really bad, degenerative Arthritis in the spine.. really bad, my back is collasping. you name it.. lol.. I have or had it. AS of today.. Wednesday the 30th, I will have a Spinal Stimulator Implant Surgery. I will be in the hospital for a couple of days.. Now to get to How I found out I have depression. I have been going to the pain clinic for over 3 years. I am so tired of doctors, pills, appts, pain.. and not sleeping. I finally broke down in the doctors office crying. I just screamed I couldn't take anymore.. I was tired of it all. The doctor took it wrong and thought I was thinking Suicide. So thats when they sent me to a Psychiatrist. I didn't want to go. My husband made me. All I did was cry.. I cried at everything. Well the psych made me come to realize I was depressed. There is 9 points of depression. I have 7. Honestly, I never thought I was depressed. I just thought I felt the way I did because I hurt and couldn't sleep because I was in pain so much. Well, I found out different. I AM Depressed, an there is nothing that you should be ashamed of. I knew there was something wrong with me. I didn't want to leave the house.. I felt crappy, and cried all the time. Not sleeping.. and didn't care about my house.. (NOW that is really a big thing with me) my friends and family says they can eat off my floors. Well I didn't care anymore. Thank God My husband made me go. Otherwise I wouldn't be here today. I still have my crying times sometimes. If it wasn't for my Furbabies.. I don't think I would even get out of bed.. They are my life. they keep me going. There are days I hurt so bad.. All over, I don't want to even wake up.. But.. my babies make me move an take them out for potty etc. So people.. I know what it is also.. if anyone want to talk.. pm me. I won't be online for a bit after tuesday because of my back surgery.. so Thanks for YT and all the wonderful people here. They are so understanding and caring.
Sorry for the rambling but I wanted to join in and let people know I care also.


YT... and members.. you are ALL lifesavers!:D

Wow, this is a very good post. It helps to vent. I also suffer from depression. My ongoing problems don't help in my recovery. Aside from meds I also see a therapist. I take Zoloft and Tranxene for anxiety. I have a 16 yr old son with autism who can't be in school because they mistreated him and he gets aggressive. I have had colon cancer and liver cancer in the last 4 years. My husband has multiple heart problems and an ongoing one right now. They just found a tumor in his aorta valve (heart), he might he having open heart surgery. Please pray for him. My Nikki passed n 8/23/07 which was also a big blow to me. My other furballs help a lot in distracting me. Good luck to ALL of you.:cry: :goodpost:

I mentioned to my doctor that my weight gain was one of the biggest things I worried about and probably was caused by stress and depression, etc. So, he said that Wellbutrin would help with apptetite, etc. So I don't know. There are different "levels" of Wellbutrin and I am on the lowest, but I have heard from another person that Wellbutrin caused weight gain and anger...so I am hoping that is the other forms of it! :eek: :(

I am thinking, that I don't want to take this long term...I go back in mid-Feb. and I am thinking I will already get off it of...I just started taking it a few weeks ago and I have had an upset stomach for about that long...and I eat it w/ food and a full glass of water, like the doctor said.....

I think if I take some supplements (there are different ones, vitamin D, selenium (sp), etc are said to help), get moving/exercise (maybe I can find the energy to do this more, therefore getting more energy) and find a healthy lifestyle (I don't smoke/drink/drugs/etc...just need to eat right)....I am thinking this will help greatly! Maybe....:(

SamE....I will have to look into that...it might be something good to try...is this at the healthfood stores or given from doctors.

That is what I am afraid of....being on them long term and/or hard to get off of them.......I am thinking I am going to try to do this naturally....I know my doctor will not like that, but I would rather try for something that is not a long term drug and that doesn't have any side effects (or atleast too bad of negative ones).

I worry too much too....I have always been that way...even when I was little, I would wake my mom crying because I would worry about something...war, weather, homeless, etc...it was crazy...things most little kids don't even pay attention to or know about. I am still the same way...plus other things too....

THANKS! I will look that up!

That was wonderful....I second that! :wub:

Thank you for that! :love-hug1
And I am sorry for all that has happened and you are a strong person to make it thru it!

I have been told that exercise is one of the best things, so I am working on that...and getting outside (fresh air/sun)...but not much of that here it has been cold, dark and icy....so I read that vitamin D would be a good supplement.

Not letting things bother me......whew...that will be hard, but I am they type of person who holds on to these things and constantly replays them in my head...although, I have to say...I am working on that...I pray every night that the good Lord replaces those thoughts and worries w/ thoughts of the lovely and wonderful things in my life......I'm working......AND I am with you, I am not a fan of most meds on the market...and I am not thrilled w/ a long term use either...so I am working on things to get by w/o taking this....AND hoping that they will work!

i just saw this post of yours also...i think i might have mentioned it to you before, but fish oils is what i used for my depression. that in combination with a healthy diet and i am a completely different person! i use krill oil and take it with every meal. i think of it as the miricle "food" because it seemed to help in so many ways for me. not only was i no longer depressed, but my sex drive returned, and it helped me to loose weight! my fiance never wants me to stop taking it! there was a point where we went about 4 months with no sex...within 4 days of taking fish oils he couldnt keep me off of him! :embarasse :p

Yes, you did mention this in the other post....and it is great to know! :thumbup: Really...I LOVE all this information...and believe me, I am using it and I am VERY grateful for it all!

One question....Krill Oil should be used instead of Fish Oil? I have Fish Oil now, but should I be looking for Krill Oil? And I was told that Magnesium would help too....but don't you get that from Fish Oil? Sorry, I am just worried about overdosing on too many supplements! :biggrin:

Whoa! I am sorry to hear that, but GLAD that you are doing better! :wub:
Good luck w/ your weight loss...

No, I never thought I would get so much great advice on this topic...but I am glad I have! AND I love and appreciate you all for it! :wub:

St. John's Wort....isn't that an aspirin like product or am I thinking of something else.

I will have to look up St. John's Wort....I heard about that it is good for this type of thing...but I haven't looked it up and see the side effects, etc.

I am on an antiboitic right now...so I wonder if I can take that and St. John's Wort...and other supplements too???

OH MY!! I am so sorry to hear this! Please take care of yourself and now that you have tons of friends and a great support team here on YT! :love-hug1

Glad to hear that things are better for you...and thanks for that information!!!

krill is a type of fish...so it IS a fish oil! :D the reason i choose krill is because it is supposed to be more beneficial for women and there is less chance of the oil having traces of murcury. i cant remember the reasoning for this at the moment though! :rolleyes:

i was taking magnesium before also, but that was to help me sleep. i dont think that fish oil has magnesim in it, but if you need more vitamin D, i would recoment cod liver oil. i take it in the winter instead of krill because it does have a higher content of vitamin D

OH MY....:wub: I am sending thoughts and prayers and big hugs to you! :love-hug1 You have been thru so much...and look how strong you are!

THANKS!!! I will look for Krill, as I think that would be more beneficial for me.
AND thanks for the Vitamin D/Cod Liver Oil...that is great to know too...and much needed!!!
I will look back thru my LONG list of notes and see exactly why I needed the magnesium....:rolleyes:

Is there such a thing as taking too many supplements daily? I know both my parents take several...but I am thinking I will need a lot.........:confused:

OH GOSH!!! You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers! :love-hug1 And I am sorry for your loss of your beloved Nikki! :cry8:

i think all of that would be a good question to talk to the nauropath about when you go to see them! i now think it would be a good idea to go see them since before i thought you were just looking for diet help...but a naturopath would be able to talk to you about aaaaallllll of this information and figure out what suppliments are really needed and what dose to take too. a really good naturopath is hard to find though. i went to 3 different ones before i found the woman i see now. she is a miricle worker! lol

Okay, I know I am posting a lot, but I just want to THANK EVERYONE for talking about this and supporting each other and passing out good advice and tips. I just love you all for it :love-hug1 and I love YT for this family of support!

Thanks......and I do need help for the other too (the other post - which thank you for your advice)...but I think once I tackle one or a few problems, the rest will naturally fall into place!:thumbup:

Carefull with natural products they can interact with medicines or other things you take. Ask your doctor before you take it.

St. John's Wort is a herbal preparation, used widely in Europe (it's a prescription in germany) but it isn't really regulated in North America, so it might be a good idea to talk to your GP or a reputable naturopath/herbalist to make sure you're getting the right quality and it won't interact with other meds.

Like SSRI's (Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, etc.) it can make you more photosensitive and you need to be careful in taking it with antidepressants (either taking smaller dosages or not taking any at all while on SSRI's). It can help replace SSRI's in individuals with mild-moderate depression, especially when weaning off of them but be careful in mixing it with antidepressants. Definately talk to your doc. Also, I can't remember but it may interact somewhat with birth control so if you're on bc double check that.

I'm not a doctor or anything so this is just my 2 cents and what I can recall from researching it for myself. It did help me through a few rough weeks when my symptoms were the worst.

Best of luck, and thank you for starting this thread Jenn! It's important to talk about stuff like this and get past the stigma and ignorance surrounding these issues, and this conversation may help people talk about "mental health" issues who otherwise wouldn't have.

D-

No Problem... I hope you find the right balance and what works best for you..;) best wishes..:)

It's so unreal how everyone has different reactions to the meds! my doctor put me on prozac last year for pmdd & it helped alot for that but after I had been on it awhile I turned into a zombie & packed on ALOT of pounds so I quit taking it... I didn't take anything for a couple of months & then started taking wellbutrin xl & it has been great, I had lost a couple of my own but then the wlbtrn helped get rid of the rest plus I have been quit smoking. Though for some reason I could not tolerate the generic in the wellbutrin I had to change back to the brand but thank goodness I have my energy back!

I think dogs are a great medicine for depression:)

I have to take Lamictal and Effexor for my depression. If you need to talk to someone I'm here.