Depression (major depression)

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• September 6, 2011 8:07 a.m.

  Dear Denise is changing the doses on your meds making any differance? They tryed that with me with my Lezapro.Didnt work so well .Made me very sick .Get so frustrated with messing around with meds .Seem to have the right combo for now .We all know how fast that can change .I truly hope this works for you .Hand is healing slowly .Stitches are out .Still in a cast .Thank you for asking .You are in my thoughts . Take care .

  - kam

• September 6, 2011 7:47 a.m.

  Dear Annette ,Im so sorry you are having such a hard time with your meds .I know how frustrating that can be .My hand is doing ok . Still in a cast .Thank you for asking. Hope you feel better soon ..Write when you can .Tomorrow will be a better day. You are always in my thoughts .

  - kam

• September 5, 2011 11:26 a.m.

  Dear Denise. nice to hear from you and am glad your med starts working on you. hope and pray you get better and better everyday. was so disappointed with my pysch dr. he has many patients.we luck pyschiatrists here according to my m.d. was informing and checking on the internet about CYP450 test but unfortunately is not offered here.I feel dizzy, troubled seeing, cant sleep, no appetite, headache, anxiety and hot flushes in my chest and face. tomorrow I will start with 75 mg. Thank you for talking to me, your advice ad encouraging words, and your prayers. You take care and as always your in my thoughts and prayers.

  - Annette

• September 4, 2011 6:44 p.m.

  dear annette: sorry 2 hear about ur psych. dr. coming back from vaca. & he can't help u right away-that's terrible-u should have been his 1st appt.-after having 2 wait all this time, maybe ur reg. m.d. can suggest someone else 4 u to go to?? were u able to ck. out the CYP450 test or isn't it offered in ur country?? i read up on the ref. EEG & it sounds pretty good!! good luck with that, what kind of side effects r u dealing with?? i forgot?? hang in there & you're in my prayers (as always)

  - denise

• September 4, 2011 6:35 p.m.

  dear kam: thank u 4 the kind thoughts & for thinking about me, how is ur hand doing?? i'm glad ur doing ok & that ur taking one day @ a time, sounds like that's the best medicine 4 all of us, i'm playing around w. different dosages of the lamictal-not 2 high & not 2 low-as i don't want that horrible itching to start again, today's the 1st day that i didn't sleep ALL day, maybe the meds. r "kicking in"-hopefully!! you hang in there & i'll be always thinking of you too thanx

  - denise

• September 4, 2011 6:36 a.m.

  Dear Denise. How are you? Hope you are feeling much better now. was waiting for my psych dr to return from vacation only to know he cant help me right away. have no choice except to go back to my family dr. asked him if I could go back taking effexor, thought if effexor doesn`t help me this time, then have that Ref. EEG done, it says that will determine which medicine is best for me. as of now am dealing with the sides effects, hope the sides effects will soon be gone. thanks for asking about me, means a lot to me. You are always in my thoughts and prayers. Pls. take care of yourself.

  - Annette

• September 4, 2011 6:23 a.m.

  Dear Kam, how are you. how`s your hand? sorry to hear about your pet. I have had bad weeks, my pysch dr. came back from vacation only to know that he has time for me over 3 weeks, means have to wait for 3 weeks, cant wait any longer, so went back to my family dr. and asked him if I could go back taking effexor, this my 8th day and have problem with side effects, hope the side effects will be soon gone. just like you have to to take one day at a time. thank you for your kinds thoughts. it means a lot to me. your are always in my thoughts and prayers. Pls. take care of yourself.

  - Annette

• September 1, 2011 9:50 p.m.

  Dear Denise ,I am so sorry you are having such a hard time .I wish they could find the right thing for you .Im doing ok and take one day at a time .Thats what seems to work for me right now and lots of therapy .You are in my thoughts . Please take care .Write when you feel up to it.

  - kam

• September 1, 2011 9:40 p.m.

  Dear Carol,,I have tryed so many meds in the past several years .Went on Lexapro about 18 months ago .Started out with a very low dosage .Am up to 30mg a day . Was doing ok on it .Then it just stopped working . So they highered the dosage .That made me very sick .Went back down to 30 mg and started to take Lamotrigine 25mg daily with the Lexapro .I have a very big problem with side effects .Didnt have any with this combination .Everyone is different .You have to be so careful with these kind of drugs.It took a very long time and many different meds before I found what worked for me .Wish you the best and hope you find relief.

  - kam

• September 1, 2011 1:49 p.m.

  dear carol: welcome to the blog, i'm glad u wrote in, well as far as suggesting a med. that u can take, it's a very hard thing, because everyone is different & all medicines work differently on all people, even the side effects are different for everyone sometimes, i'm not a professional, just a patient like you, but (in my opinion) i stay on a medicine for about 3 wks. & if there's no changes i ask the dr. if we can try something else, also if i'm having bad side effects i ask him to change it right away & he always does, there is a blood test called CYP450 that will tell you what drugs metabolize better in your system & what drugs to stay away from, don't be surprised if ur dr. has never heard of it or the clinic/lab either, it's not common, but i feel it's effective, it gives you a good idea of what category of drugs that will work best on u-ex. (ssri's, snri's, mood stabilizers, etc., good luck to you, i hope this helps you & write back & let me know how you're doing

  - denise

• September 1, 2011 1:36 p.m.

  hi everyone: sorry i haven't written in a long time, been on the couch sleepin' most of the time, dr. put me on the lamictal & the lowest dose (which i always need) gave me itching so bad i thought i was going to lose my mind, i increased the dose & no itching !!! i think it's finally "kicking in" (i hope)!!! gave me Concerta for energy-just started it so i don't know if it's helping yet?? dear Kam: how r u?? annette: how r u?? Peggy: how r u?? hope everyone is well, you're in my prayers & write soon if u can

  - denise

• September 1, 2011 9:36 a.m.

  Need some advice if you can help. About eight weeks ago, I was diagnosed with depression and prescribed Lexapro. I don't feel any better and was wondering if any of you can suggest a med that might have worked for you if Lexapro hasn't. Of course I will talk to my dr. but was trying to get some info from folks who have positive experience with certain drugs. Thanks.

  - carol

• September 1, 2011 9:35 a.m.

  Need some advice if you can help. About eight weeks ago, I was diagnosed with depression and prescribed Lexapro. I don't feel any better and was wondering if any of you can suggest a med that might have worked for you if Lexapro hasn't. Of course I will talk to my dr. but was trying to get some info from folks who have positive experience with certain drugs. Thanks.

  - carol

• September 1, 2011 7:51 a.m.

  Major depression, OCD, borderline personality Disorder... Wow, too confusing!

  - Teresa

• August 25, 2011 9:18 p.m.

  Dear Annette,,Miss hearing from u . Hope you are safe and taking care of yourself.

  - kam

• August 25, 2011 9:14 p.m.

  Dear Demise,Thank you very much for the kind words .Guess I was having a little pitty party. Better now .I truely hope your Dr. can find the right meds for u .Its so hard 2 try something only 2 have it make you not feel well .Very frustrating !!I have had a sleep disorder since I was a child .Have tryed so many med for it .,only to have them not work .Am hoping as I get more work done in therapy it will help .Take care of your self .Always love to hear from u .U 2 are in my thoughts .Hope the Lamictal starts to work 4 u .

  - kam

• August 24, 2011 9:55 p.m.

  dear kam: so sorry 2 hear that u had surgery on your hand & also sorry to hear about your pet, what a hard week you've had, have a dr. appt. 2 morrow, hope everything goes ok, want to make some changes with my meds., the ritalin is giving really bad headaches that last all day, hope he has something else 4 energy (4 the time being) until my lamictal is @ it's theraputic level?? so sorry to hear that you can't get the rest that you need, that is so hard, you're in my thoughts & prayers, hang in there, tomorrow will be a better day, take care of yourself

  - denise

• August 22, 2011 9:46 p.m.

  Dear Denise,, Thank you so much for the thoughtful blog .Been going into some very deep things in therapy .Had an operation on my right hand last week ( am right handed) ,lost a very dear pet today . Feeling very tired by the end of the day .Unable to get the rest I need .Cant seem to get my brain to stop spinning .PTSD working hard on me now . Just trying to stay out of my dark place ! Not an easy task .You are always in my thoughts as well .Do hope you are well .Thank you for thinging of me ,,It is a big help .Take care.

  - kam

• August 22, 2011 4:16 p.m.

  Cat,please don't do something to yourself.If need be have the dr to admit you to the hospital.It is difficult to loose that loved one,but please hang in there. My depression is differnt from yours,but we all hurt in our own way.Just know that people on this blog pray for each other. We still need the medical help,so keep looking for right meds.God bless!

  - Peggy

• August 22, 2011 4:10 p.m.

  My dr is sick,so can't see him yet.I finally just told my daughter about everything over the phone.They were at their other home out of town,she called and couldn't hold back anymore.I was so pleased,she tried very hard to understand and told me to continue with the dr.My daughter is 46 with a great husband.They have a 25 yr daughter married,son 22 in medical school and 19 starting college.I really think with her looking at the empty nest that she may realize how things are so bad.I will see my therapist wed.and maybe the dr so hope to change meds. Was wondering, do you have children? God bless!

  - Peggy

• August 20, 2011 6:43 p.m.

  I have been trying desperately to overcome years of depression but nothing seems to help. Since I have a form of bi-polar I can't use anti-depressiants as they send me into an awful manic phase which can be quite scary. You hear about the kind with increased energy and the feeling of euphoria but there is also a darker type. This type makes it hard to hold thoughts together, you have high anxiety and feel as if you are about to lose control. The only thing I seem to be able to tolerate is nueronton and lamixtal but these have had very limited beneficial effects. Have now had anxiety behaviours that include picking the skin on my hands raws and smoking way too much ( not pot ). I've started up theraphy again but I find it very difficult. Even attempting one small goal we talk about goes undone. I have been dwelling on suicide more and more of late. I should throw into the mix that my partner of 12 years committed suicide back in 06. He suffered from extreme depression, no medications worked and he eventually tried ect which was his undoing. I found him and spiraled out of control for about four years, developed an drinknig problem that I went into rehab for but have been sober for 2 and a half years. I have no desire to drink but I am also having no desire to live. It seems to be foldong in on me. No matter what I try I can't seem to pullout of this spin. Anyone have any suggestions beyond prayer?

  - Cat

• August 20, 2011 1:46 p.m.

  dear annette: have not heard about ref. EEG or Brainmed so i can't give my opinion on it sorry, the SAMe is a dietary supplement that is 4 emotional wellness and depression/anxiety, it works more on the dopamine & norephinephrine (sp.?), more so than the serotonin, it gives u more energy 2 do things, it is used in Europe as a a.d., but needs to b prescribed by a dr., but in the u.s. we can get it on-line w/o a pres., u may want to try & get it w/o a 'script (this could have changed), try Swanson's or any other outlet that sells herbal supplements-it's something all natural, ck. it out-it may work for you, good to hear from you & will talk to you soon

  - denise

• August 20, 2011 11:36 a.m.

  Dear Denise, glad you enjoyed your day. am happy for you. yeah was frustrated for my Dr. but what can I do? don`t want to go back to my fam. dr. who doesn`t listen to my suggestions. have a question for you. have you heard about Referenced EEG or Brainmed? was on depression site here in my country and one of the writers shared this info. it is America for a longer time, the research is done by CNS Response. If you have done this what is your opinion, since the treatment is quite expensive. You take care and thanks for your prayers for me. P.S what is this Sam E thanks.

  - Annette

• August 20, 2011 8:50 a.m.

  dear kam: r u doing ok?? haven't heard from u for a little while, just wanted to let u know that i'm thinking about you, hope you're well

  - denise

• August 20, 2011 8:47 a.m.

  dear peggy: didn't know ur husband & daughter have been out of town 4 a couple of wks. now-how did u manage?? i agree with u there about going out & pretending everything is ok, terrible that we have to pretend like all is well with us & lie to evry 1 & say oh ya i'm fine-boy how many x's have we said that when it's not really true?? how old is your daughter?? would she understand if u told her about your depression?? that's good that ur gonna talk 2 ur doc about changing meds., i try not 2 stay on them too long if i'm sleeping too much or having other bad side effects-can u imagine sleeping for 4-6 wks. waiting for the meds. to "kick in"-not me!! i won't do it, already have wasted too much time with this illness that we deal with, was in hospital for one whole month one time-unnecessary!! i wasn't doing that bad, they just wanted to "milk" the ins. co. i figured?? will talk to you soon & take care

  - denise