depression discussion

[dbc23]

I could've sweetie this topic once had quite a few threads, not sure what happened. Wanted to breathe some life back in so it's not a black hole anymore. 

Long and short - depression sucks

Thankfully I've found a combination of medication and behavior mod that helps quite a bit. 

 

[timothy329131]

What medications have helped you? SSRIs help me a bit but make me more anxious and apathetic as well, not good. Wondering if anything worked for you?

 

[headbanger]

I'm taking 150mg of zoloft daily and it helps with both anxiety and depression. It does not make my symptoms disappears but allows me to function.

I've tried others but Z seems to work best for me.

Therapy is definitely a help too if you can afford it. Along with SSRI's it can really make a difference.

 

[2earls]

Yes, DBC, it would be interesting to know what works for you.

 

[Suzie]

My pain management doctor wanted me to take anti-depressant and I said I was not depressed I was in pain.  Then she said that it is a vicious circle and depression can cause pain but I just wrote it off as b.s. thinking she just didn't want to prescribe pain meds.  Then recently someone told me that when she took anti-depressant years ago it made her pain go away so now I don't know what to think.

 

[PTFC]

I went through all the SSRI 's years ago during a difficult time, found them all unhelpful to say the least, eventually got put on mirtazipine and it was the one that helped me back to normality.  You're right dbc, it does suck.

 

[dbc23]

Escitalopram and vitamin d seem to be the best baseline combo for me. My vitamin d level is in the basement though. I've tried several other ssri/snri meds and that's the over that feels the best. 

In years past tramadol was my only med besides my blood pressure pills and that worked well too, but not worth the side effects. 

Problematically opioids work really well for picking me up too, that's a rub when combined with a few other physical pain issues I have and my goal to avoid dependance (see tram above).

There is some research I've seen equating mental/emotional pain and distress as equally responsive to pain medication as physical pain and i'd agree there's something there. 

 

[headbanger]

My pain management doctor wanted me to take anti-depressant and I said I was not depressed I was in pain.  Then she said that it is a vicious circle and depression can cause pain but I just wrote it off as b.s. thinking she just didn't want to prescribe pain meds.  Then recently someone told me that when she took anti-depressant years ago it made her pain go away so now I don't know what to think.

​Occasional SSRI's can help with pain but I think that doesn't happen very often. I think you're right about your Doc not wanting to prescribe pain meds.

 

[PTFC]

Escitalopram and vitamin d seem to be the best baseline combo for me. My vitamin d level is in the basement though. I've tried several other ssri/snri meds and that's the over that feels the best. 

In years past tramadol was my only med besides my blood pressure pills and that worked well too, but not worth the side effects. 

Problematically opioids work really well for picking me up too, that's a rub when combined with a few other physical pain issues I have and my goal to avoid dependance (see tram above).

There is some research I've seen equating mental/emotional pain and distress as equally responsive to pain medication as physical pain and i'd agree there's something there. 

I'm reducing my tr@m intake myself, down to 3x 2 caps a day. I notice the drop though, just fighting through staying busy etc. It helps me, but I am with you on the dependence issue big time. 

 

[headbanger]

Escitalopram and vitamin d seem to be the best baseline combo for me. My vitamin d level is in the basement though. I've tried several other ssri/snri meds and that's the over that feels the best. 

In years past tramadol was my only med besides my blood pressure pills and that worked well too, but not worth the side effects. 

Problematically opioids work really well for picking me up too, that's a rub when combined with a few other physical pain issues I have and my goal to avoid dependance (see tram above).

There is some research I've seen equating mental/emotional pain and distress as equally responsive to pain medication as physical pain and i'd agree there's something there. 

I'm reducing my tr@m intake myself, down to 3x 2 caps a day. I notice the drop though, just fighting through staying busy etc. It helps me, but I am with you on the dependence issue big time. 

​

I know it's easy for me to suggest this since I'm not in your shoes but try and continue slowly tapering down. If you have an adequate supply you could probably get down to 1 or 2 a day in month.

Keep the board updated and let us know if we can help. Talking and sharing with people can really help. Gets a person out of their own thoughts and can be comforting knowing there are people who want to help and support you.

 

[dbc23]

Duplicate post, sorry. 

 

[PTFC]

Escitalopram and vitamin d seem to be the best baseline combo for me. My vitamin d level is in the basement though. I've tried several other ssri/snri meds and that's the over that feels the best. 

In years past tramadol was my only med besides my blood pressure pills and that worked well too, but not worth the side effects. 

Problematically opioids work really well for picking me up too, that's a rub when combined with a few other physical pain issues I have and my goal to avoid dependance (see tram above).

There is some research I've seen equating mental/emotional pain and distress as equally responsive to pain medication as physical pain and i'd agree there's something there. 

I'm reducing my tr@m intake myself, down to 3x 2 caps a day. I notice the drop though, just fighting through staying busy etc. It helps me, but I am with you on the dependence issue big time. 

​

I know it's easy for me to suggest this since I'm not in your shoes but try and continue slowly tapering down. If you have an adequate supply you could probably get down to 1 or 2 a day in month.

Keep the board updated and let us know if we can help. Talking and sharing with people can really help. Gets a person out of their own thoughts and can be comforting knowing there are people who want to help and support you.

Yeah, thanks HB! I am feeling okay generally , and yeah, just dropping a bit at a time, pretty pleased with myself anyway. I do notice a prescription of glums every dose drop, but I can handle it with keeping busy. Or tolerate at least. A month is my target too coincidentally, let's do it! Cheers HB. 

 

[headbanger]

Way to go!. You are headed in the right direction so try to stay the course. Think of where you were a few weeks back to give you some inspiration of what you can accomplish.

The DBG community is here for you.

 

[PTFC]

Way to go!. You are headed in the right direction so try to stay the course. Think of where you were a few weeks back to give you some inspiration of what you can accomplish.

The DBG community is here for you.

Appreciated big time HB, and I genuinely love this place. Will shout out when I'm at my target or if i need a boot in the arse..... ☺

 

[2earls]

I'm blessed to no longer suffer from depression. In the past I've been to the lowest low, and can sympathize with anyone going through that.

I'm always here to talk or listen or anything at all. There were times I just needed someone who understood and didn't tell me to "snap out of it".

 

[TommyRoxx]

Depression is the worst. Until it happens to a person I don't think non suffered get it. You " know, oh, you'll snap out of it, etc.". They all mean well. My gosh here is a list of all the meds I have tried (from memory so may forgetting some):

prestique-nightmare-suicidal thoughts big time

wellabutrin-made anxiety issues a lot worse

zolft -slept continuously, when waking had major anxiety

prozac-severe stomach problems requiring hospital visits

valoric acid-no effect other than hair loss and weight gain

trazadone-sort of worked but tons of weight gain-not worth it

st. johns wort-nothing really-sort of tweaked me out a bit though-in a bad way

5-htp-same as above

SAMe-same as above

paxil- slept all the time, lost complete interest in life

depakote-hair loss

effexor xr-worst of the bunch, gained a pound a day, slept all the time, had no interesest in family, sex or music (I'm a lifelong musician)

remeron-usless

elavil- you wont poop for weeks. and migraines 

I went through all of these in about a year. Granted, I didn't wait for that 4-6 week sh!t when I started having bad side effects, just kept telling my docs they weren't options. From reading around the we thhough, I know that some people are helped.

Ilke I said, the average Joe doesn't get depression, its a brain chemissty thing. Things can be going great on ther face but it stll doesn't matter. Also, thee is a lot of research to be done as to how diet impacts mental moods. Like it or not, everything you ingest sets of a chemical reaction in your brain, regardless if its an apple or an oxy. Obviously the differences are extreme. My poinnt is if someone suffers  froma food allergy they are unaware off, that can greatly affect their mood (gluten is a big one). For me, benzos help when I don't abuse them because my probs are more anxiety based. One time I got into a big argument with my doc who warned me of the side effects of prolonged benzos (namely dependence, as wee all know). I said at least they help, but all of these other drugs not deemed as evil controlled side effects come with a litny of side effects and people who take them for years go through hell coming off and many can not. An this is all without at least having the "fun" that you get to have with a speedball habit.

I understand no one knows me here but my post is filled with jokes and sarcasm but I with everyone the best and if someone is interested I have lots of opened bottles of the crap listed above. One mans crap is another's, not so crap...lol.

Counseling and support groups help in my experience to see that you're not alone.

Also, as a former abuser of just about everything you can think of, there is  good chance that I just sort of "broke" myself and it won't ever be like its used to.

By the way, that year when I went through ll those meds listed, I wend from a sexy (as can be for 44) hunk of a man around 160 ilbs to a  200 lb winded softy-took about 4 months. after I stopped the anti d's I lost 20 right off the ba in a little over a month with no exercise or dietary change. the remaining 20 still linger. Probably going to look on here for a med to help with that which wont hurt anxiety

any way, this post kinda rambles-sorry. I should have selected "Midnight Rambler" as my user name although I'm much nicer than the fellow depicted in the stones tune.

peace and love to all (unless you rip me off-the f you!!!--just kidding sort of)

Tommy Roxx

 

[Smoka90]

Depression is a modern day plague, I think I've had it all my life. Even when I was kid, maybe 7 or 8, I used to say to my mum 'I've got that sad feeling again'. heh. Sometimes it's slow and suffocating and you want to curl up into a ball and slowly dissolve and erode, sometimes it's imploding in my head and makes me want to blow my brains out to relieve the pressure, it's a horrible thing.

For me, the best cure is being around people I love. I don't care if it sounds soppy, it's worked for me. Even just being around friends, it makes me feel better. It's when I shut the door to the world, literally, that I get very low.

I sympathise hugely with anyone else suffering from it, and I'd like to emphasise that if anyone is going through the lowest point, it will pass, you have to be stoic and be at your strongest when life throws s**t at you.

The best form of defence is to attack, and that's the thinking I use when I'm very low. *Fight* it.

Drug wise, haha, 45mg of Mirtazapine daily for the last two years helped. It's an effective antidepressant. SSRIs are useless to me fluoxetine sent me into a suicidal rage and citalopram was good for motivation, but I still felt low.

Opiates are a good anti depressant, this is why I started taking them and why they have their teeth in me.

Anyway, someone mentions depression, I ramble. But if anyone wants to talk I'm always here.

Stay safe everyone and fight it.

 

[headbanger]

I'm blessed to no longer suffer from depression. In the past I've been to the lowest low, and can sympathize with anyone going through that.

I'm always here to talk or listen or anything at all. There were times I just needed someone who understood and didn't tell me to "snap out of it".

​You're lucky 2e. Most depression issues are heredity and life long. I can attest to that. And as I get older it's seems to get worst. But I take my meds and try to engage in behavior that can help my condition. I have anxiety too which sometimes is way worst than the depression.

I'm completely functioning even though this mental illness has prevented me from reaching my full potential personally and professionally but I'm I not going to complain. My condition is small potatoes compared to what millions and millions of other people in the world have to endure daily with most not even being able to get medical care. So thinking about that helps me put things in perspective. I never felt sorry for myself, just a little frustrated talking with people who don't have these symptoms and trying to relate to them why I have difficulties dealing with certain situations.

And TommyRoxx like most people dealing with depression, I have gone through a bunch of different meds usually stopping because of the side effects. I feel fortunate to have found a med that works pretty good for me - Zoloft which does not have too many side effects. But the one thing that really helped to get me back on track was therapy. I know it's too expensive for some and that's because it is really only beneficial when seeing a therapist for a considerable amount of time - 6-12 months to really reinforce coping skills for daily living.

I too self medicated for years(I have the gene) but I am almost completely sober but I do take vikings from time to time but I really could take them or leave them. And at these prices It's easy to leave 'em. But I wanted to be honest about the pk's.

Well I'm done sharing for now. Probably more to come later.

HB

 

[2earls]

I'm blessed to no longer suffer from depression. In the past I've been to the lowest low, and can sympathize with anyone going through that.

I'm always here to talk or listen or anything at all. There were times I just needed someone who understood and didn't tell me to "snap out of it".

​You're lucky 2e. Most depression issues are heredity and life long. I can attest to that. And as I get older it's seems to get worst. But I take my meds and try to engage in behavior that can help my condition. I have anxiety too which sometimes is way worst than the depression.

I'm completely functioning even though this mental illness has prevented me from reaching my full potential personally and professionally but I'm I not going to complain. My condition is small potatoes compared to what millions and millions of other people in the world have to endure daily with most not even being able to get medical care. So thinking about that helps me put things in perspective. I never felt sorry for myself, just a little frustrated talking with people who don't have these symptoms and trying to relate to them why I have difficulties dealing with certain situations.

And TommyRoxx like most people dealing with depression, I have gone through a bunch of different meds usually stopping because of the side effects. I feel fortunate to have found a med that works pretty good for me - Zoloft which does not have too many side effects. But the one thing that really helped to get me back on track was therapy. I know it's too expensive for some and that's because it is really only beneficial when seeing a therapist for a considerable amount of time - 6-12 months to really reinforce coping skills for daily living.

I too self medicated for years(I have the gene) but I am almost completely sober but I do take vikings from time to time but I really could take them or leave them. And at these prices It's easy to leave 'em. But I wanted to be honest about the pk's.

Well I'm done sharing for now. Probably more to come later.

HB

Believe me, I know how lucky I am. My depression was brought on by a series of events that caused me to lose everything. My home, my health, my job, my relationship, my credit, my savings.

I won't go into the details, but my life, as I knew it, just ceased to exist. I didn't think I could start over again and instead of facing the challenge, I locked myself away from this new, unfriendly world and contemplated putting an end to it all.

It took time, a long time, to reinvent myself. Although I wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone, it turned into a blessing for me.

Every day is a good day now. I now know not to take anything for granted and appreciate all I have so much more. I'm so grateful to have had another chance to start over and learn from my mistakes. You're right HB, that gratitude is healing. Training your mind to see all that is right instead of all that is wrong. I know it's not easy.