Depression and Moods- Check in! (Page 27)

mchally - 2010-09-18 11:47 AM Oh the list of meds I've been on... Pretty much every antidepressant, mood stabilizer, adhd med, allergy med, antipsychotic, etc.

Kind of make it hard to be optimistic about finding the right combination at this point.  I can get by on what I have now, but I am not as functional as I would like to be.   Trying new meds...that can often (very often for me) lead to complications that reduce me to a nonfunctional state.  Not very encouraging. Still hoping to find the right combo someday.

There have been periods where I was stable and highly functioning, but they don't seem to last.

susanp - 2010-09-19 5:36 AM Hey Everyone!

I do have depressive episodes but my major issue is Panic Disorder, which exacerbates depression for sure. I lived with this condition for most of my life until I finally sought a diagnosis at age 40. It is debilitating until you can get some treatment. Meds definitely help but I would like one day to be free of them. I am just a little nervous about that at this point. I have to say that I feel pretty stable overall but training definitely helps! I hope to replace the prescribed chemicals with training induced chemicals at some point in my life!

If anyone wants to chime in or ask questions about this particular condition, I am happy to talk about it. It's very easy to feel alone in your suffering, and if you are not treated, you really can suffer! It won't kill you but it's a miserable feeling. Contact me any time.
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Susan

JoseyWales - 2010-09-21 10:38 AM I didn't know this thread existed til just now.

Exercise (and antidepressants) are my saviors.

I used to suffer from anorexia, then bulimia, then COE, ending about 10yrs ago. Stayed on Paxil till about 4 years ago--switched to Zoloft because we were trying to get pregnant. Adopted, then got pregnant. Anyway, in the beginning exercise was an obsession, but since the eating disorders are/were 99% gone, exercise is what keeps me sane, keeps my nervous energy under control, keeps my obsessive thoughts at bay.

Fast fwd to the past 6wks or so--heatstroke on Aug. 10. Mild one, but I have none almost nothing for six. Whole. Weeks. The first 3wks or so I was ok w/that, mentally (although my legs, not realizing my body needed to heal, kept wanting to go-go-go!). These past 3wks I've been a mental mess. I've been focusing on being joyful about the extra time to spend w/my kids (2yo and almost-4yo) and not having to work training and races around football season (my husband's the head ftball coach at a high school), but these last few days, I'm so down. And the ED thoughts creep back w/o exercise. I gorge. I hate my body. And so on.

I know I should do something like walking or yoga, and that it will help. But I haven't. I want to run. I don't want to walk. I want to bike, not do yoga. The nearest pool is 25 minutes in the opposite direction of everything in my life--my house, work, babysitter, preschool.

I don't know what I want to get out of this vent---but I needed it. Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your heatstroke.  Sounds like you have some real cabin fever too.  Hope it eases up soon -- how much longer does your body need to recover after heatstroke?

I've been feeling pretty blue myself the past few days.  My 45th birthday is tomorrow, and it's hitting me rather hard.  Brings up those familiar feelings of failure and inadequacy.  Here I am, solidly middle-aged, and I still haven't found the right person to settle down with, and my career is totally sputtering.  Feel like life is passing me by.

I know I'll get through it, I always do.  And I know I already have all the tools I need to forge ahead.  Just need to remind myself that my life is a journey, not a destination, and that being happy is largely a choice to be made each new day.  Be happy/grateful for the things I have rather than those I think I should have.

mchally - 2010-09-29 7:51 PM Hey all, How's it going?

I still am not back to 100% after my medication withdrawal experience earlier this month.  My brain is foggy, thought process suffering, and I am having lots of aches and pains...not to mention the exhaustion and fatigue.

It is making school less enjoyable.  Especially since my classes are 3-4 hours long.

mchally - 2010-09-30 8:51 AM Hey all, How's it going?

I still am not back to 100% after my medication withdrawal experience earlier this month.  My brain is foggy, thought process suffering, and I am having lots of aches and pains...not to mention the exhaustion and fatigue.

It is making school less enjoyable.  Especially since my classes are 3-4 hours long.

lkc01234 - 2010-10-06 1:25 PM I've been checking in, but haven't posted.  I think I'm partly in denial.  For those of you who don't already know, in May I quit my job and move across the country to be with my boyfriend.  While my boyfriend is around, I am happy...but when he isn't...I'm not. 

Because I was on brand-name anti-depressants I choose to taper off of all of them.  (BTW, If you ever think about going on Pristiq or Effexor, please consider that the withdrawal period from them isn't pretty!  I was on Pristiq and it took me about 8 days to not feel dizzy and have an upset stomache all the time.)

The job I left was making me miserable.  But finding a job now is a TERRIBLE time to do it.  We're strapped for finances....but I'm just not sure I can go back to work full time.  Both because I don't think I can find a job and also because I'm not sure I could handle working 40 hours a week again.  I sort of have a job right now, it's to be a substitute library page and this job - as the interviewer was hoping  - will put me into the system to possibly lead to a better position...but I don't officially start for a few weeks and the actual details are hazy!

And then there is the big elephant...in my mind...I've gained even more weight.  I'm guessing it was due to a combination of one of the medicines I WAS on, not exercising and eating to much.  But I was not at a spot where I should gain weight...Diabetes (type 2) is probably just a matter of time for me and I was trying to avoid it for as long as I can.

So I've been looking into depression studies, because I have the time and it would get me free medicine, and the most recent one has a "very common" (thats what the wording is in the information) side affect of gaining weight.

I know there is the whole do it! It'll make you feel better...but the sad thing is, right now I'm surviving.  I don't have any reason to not be able to sleep 14 hours a day...I don't have anything I HAVE to do...which is probably yet another thing going against me...

mchally - 2010-10-08 2:32 AM Yanti...is this a new tarantula or an old pic?  Don't have another startled tarantula sans clothing incident!

BTW, this pic is awesome.

TriAya - 2010-10-07 2:21 PM

ha ha ha ha , you remember that?

Thanks--this is an old pic. I was finally able to crop and tint it to be (sort of) decent, ish.

lkc01234 - 2010-10-19 7:00 PM I'm still struggling...today was going well.  I was asked to work and will be working my first 14 hours at my new job.  I have been reading this great book Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes.  I was feeling tired today and was going to nap (after sleeping 12 hours...but when you don't work...) but then I got the phone call about work and got out of bed and ran my errands.  Was in the grocery store and just felt a switch flip.  I just felt overwhelmed and didn't feel like doing anything.  I'm doing the Couch to 5K plan and have a run/walk scheduled but am not sure that anything will convince me to put on my shoes and suit up...