Re: depression and RA

[Guest guest]

Hi Patty,

I know exactly what you mean about the depression. Is having rheumatoid arthritis enough to be depressed about, in and of itself? I am not on antidepressants either because I have yet to find one that I didn't have some side effects from taking them. I wish I knew what to tell you.

I haven't posted much to to the group and have mostly lurked until now, but this group has been very informative and helpful.

Sorry to change the subject, but I want to ask the Enbrel users out there (I just got approved for Enbrel) - how long did it take you all to see a difference with Enbrel, how much do you think it helped you and has anyone had any side effects from it? I have rheumatoid arthritis/fibro and just find myself getting worse and worse. It is a nightmare, especially given that I have to work such long hours (sitting at a computer 12+ hours a day). Sometimes I think I just cannot go on anymore, but not working is not an option.

I will be taking Enbrel starting next week and am excited about it, but afraid at the same time.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Mere

-------Original Message-------

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 00:34:28

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: depression and RA

Hi everyone..I'm having a very tough time fighting depression...I can't take anti-depressants because the pharmacist said they interact with the migraine meds i take (maxalt) and there could be serious side affects..so i have to suffer with it because if i can't take maxalt, then i'd have to go to emergency for relief.Just wondering if you all have depression with your RA.thanks for listening.patty

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone..related to depression, I have it too, and was placed on Celexa. I've had no side effects from it and also take Maxalt for migraines. I have not heard of any interactions with taking them together. Here is a link that you might want to use to look for potential interactions. http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs. Of course, I would speak with your physician and/or pharmacist before counting on something like this.

I"ve been having a terrible time with my hands for the past several months. If those of you with hand problems haven't tried- hot paraffin wax dips are wonderful. I found a unit at Target for about $20 and it one of my best investments for symptomatic relief both at the beginning and end of the day. I also found some lightweight glove sort of things that gently support the joints in the wrists and PIP joints (proximal interphlangeal joints) - the joints that attach the fingers to the palm. I bought them at a Long's Drug store.

Kindest regards to all of you!

Sandy

From: "Meredith Spears"

Reply-Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re: depression and RA Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 01:21:35 -0600 (Central Standard Time)

Hi Patty,

I know exactly what you mean about the depression. Is having rheumatoid arthritis enough to be depressed about, in and of itself? I am not on antidepressants either because I have yet to find one that I didn't have some side effects from taking them. I wish I knew what to tell you.

I haven't posted much to to the group and have mostly lurked until now, but this group has been very informative and helpful.

Sorry to change the subject, but I want to ask the Enbrel users out there (I just got approved for Enbrel) - how long did it take you all to see a difference with Enbrel, how much do you think it helped you and has anyone had any side effects from it? I have rheumatoid arthritis/fibro and just find myself getting worse and worse. It is a nightmare, especially given that I have to work such long hours (sitting at a computer 12+ hours a day). Sometimes I think I just cannot go on anymore, but not working is not an option.

I will be taking Enbrel starting next week and am excited about it, but afraid at the same time.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Mere -------Original Message-------

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 00:34:28 Rheumatoid Arthritis Subject: depression and RA

Hi everyone..

I'm having a very tough time fighting depression...I can't take anti- depressants because the pharmacist said they interact with the migraine meds i take (maxalt) and there could be serious side affects..so i have to suffer with it because if i can't take maxalt, then i'd have to go to emergency for relief.

Just wondering if you all have depression with your RA.

thanks for listening.

patty

[Guest guest]

I have clinical depression/anxiety disorder as well as RA. So far I

have not been taking anything for it due to also having left temporal

lobe epilepsy and high blood pressure because I have to be really

careful that whatever I am prescribed doesn't interact with my AEDs

high blood pressure meds or RA meds.(I am currently using the

Duragesic patch for pain and Skelaxin for muscle spasms, as well as

Mavik, Dilantin and Phenobarbital)

The only thing that keeps me going is joining a support group here on

for whch I am eternally grateful.

Sandy, thank you for the link, I found it useful and informative.

Rose

>

[Guest guest]

--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , Faye <ll2fl@y...>

wrote:

>

Well, it looks like i'm not alone with this depression...As you all

know it can be so devastating at times.. I'm sorry if this sounds too

heavy for you but I think a lot about ways to leave this world,

that's how bad it gets...I know it's not me thinking, it's the

depression thinking for me and I fight it every day...I have my pets

and they'd be lost without me so i'm sticking around for them.

i've started walking every day for depression and it does lift it to

a managable level..I aslo volunteer at a seniors center 2 days a week

just to get out and interact with people and it gives me a sense of

giving back to society in some way as I'm on ss disability and that

in itself can be depressing..I would much prefer to work and I did

work for many years.but >

I'm going to check into the maxalt and antidepressant meds again as I

was told by the druggist not to take both together...for now,

I'm 52 and live on my own..RA, OA, FM, and migraines to battle. so I

think i do have good reason to be depressed.

Patty

Hi there, Patty.

> About twelve years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. A year

later, depression. I have been taking prozac in the a.m. and

trazadone at night. The trazadone is supposed to help me sleep -

HA! Just this past year I was diagnosed with RA.

> I think we have earned the right to be depressed.

> Find things that make you smile. Keep them around you.

Engelbreit calendars and other products of hers work for me. I do

try hard to remember that there are people out there much worse off

than I am.

> And I do throw the occasional pity party for myself. It involves

chocolate. Does eating chocolate affect your migraines? I too have

migraines, but only take meds as needed. It seems their severity has

lessened recently -- I may have grown out of them (at 54).

> I wish you the best. Life do get funky, don't it?

> Faye

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

--patty writes:

> >

> Well, it looks like i'm not alone with this depression...As you all

> know it can be so devastating at times.. I'm sorry if this sounds

too

> heavy for you but I think a lot about ways to leave this world,

> that's how bad it gets...I know it's not me thinking, it's the

> depression thinking for me and I fight it every day...I have my

pets

> and they'd be lost without me so i'm sticking around for them.

>

> i've started walking every day for depression and it does lift it

to

> a managable level..I aslo volunteer at a seniors center 2 days a

week

> just to get out and interact with people and it gives me a sense of

> giving back to society in some way as I'm on ss disability and that

> in itself can be depressing..I would much prefer to work and I did

> work for many years.but >

>

> I'm going to check into the maxalt and antidepressant meds again as

I

> was told by the druggist not to take both together...for now,

>

> I'm 52 and live on my own..RA, OA, FM, and migraines to battle. so

I

> think i do have good reason to be depressed.

>

> Patty

>

>

>

> Hi there, Patty.

> > About twelve years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. A year

> later, depression. I have been taking prozac in the a.m. and

> trazadone at night. The trazadone is supposed to help me sleep -

> HA! Just this past year I was diagnosed with RA.

> > I think we have earned the right to be depressed.

> > Find things that make you smile. Keep them around you.

> Engelbreit calendars and other products of hers work for me. I do

> try hard to remember that there are people out there much worse off

> than I am.

> > And I do throw the occasional pity party for myself. It involves

> chocolate. Does eating chocolate affect your migraines? I too

have

> migraines, but only take meds as needed. It seems their severity

has

> lessened recently -- I may have grown out of them (at 54).

> > I wish you the best. Life do get funky, don't it?

> > Faye

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

It is great to know that we are all here together...nobody said or

asked for RA, I feel blue now and again but we just have to keep

going on in life...we have our ups and our downs...but you know...we

can fight this thing...I am suppose to be the MVP of volleyball..but

I cannot get up a flight of stairs anymore...so...what? Please try

and hold your head up high...and maybe one day we can find a cure...I

just found a friend of mine passed on due to RA...and that makes me

even stronger to go on for him....so I am glad there is a place we

can come together and help each other out....bobby, by the

way...Hello to everyone I have talked to in the past..I hope the New

Year is Great for you........hehehehe...Laugh now and

again....REZ...NAVAJONATION

[Guest guest]

Hello, I had RA since I was 20 years old and I knew only 2 months ago that I have this disease.I am now 25 years old. This is due to wrong diagnosis. Let me tell you that before I knew I have RA, during the 5 years of wrong diagnosis, my mood was normal and I had a very normal life except when RA is high and I have problems in some joints. Doctors used to say here it is just inflammation. I used to use hot water and that is it. After I knew I have RA, my mood not is most of the times down. I think the depression is just a psychological reaction to knowing the disease itself or the medications but not the disease as I had it for 5 years without knowing it and I didn't have depression. I think if we just deal with our life normally and forget we have RA, this will boost our mood. I am trying to do this. Thank you, mostafa. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Mostafa,

that may well be true for you but does not refute the scientific

studies I posted and to suggest to others that they not seek treatment

based on your result is irresponsible.

Rats don't know they have arthritis, yet when injected with

inflammation causing cells they clearly exhibit signs of clinical

depression.

Just as everyone will have different reactions to the disease,

everyone will not develop arthritis.

Most people here could not have had the disease for five years and not

know it.

I got the disease at 14 and by 19 my hands were severely deformed. I

had to give up the violin, which I played seriously, and could not

progress on piano. And this was while knowing I had the illness and

being treated for it.

I wish you nothing but well, but please do not encourage people not to

seek treatment when they can be helped.

>

> Hello,

> I had RA since I was 20 years old and I knew only 2 months ago

that I have this disease.I am now 25 years old. This is due to wrong

diagnosis. Let me tell you that before I knew I have RA, during the 5

years of wrong diagnosis, my mood was normal and I had a very normal

life except when RA is high and I have problems in some joints.

Doctors used to say here it is just inflammation. I used to use hot

water and that is it.

>

> After I knew I have RA, my mood not is most of the times down. I

think the depression is just a psychological reaction to knowing the

disease itself or the medications but not the disease as I had it for

5 years without knowing it and I didn't have depression.

>

> I think if we just deal with our life normally and forget we have

RA, this will boost our mood. I am trying to do this.

>

> Thank you,

> mostafa.

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi there , Well it would be nice to be able to handle depression like that and they might be a few that can , but it is a much worse diease and goes deeper for a lot of people than just knowing they have ra , so it's better left to the experts and that's defently not me to treat it . But for suffering it now I've had it longer than I have ra so I do know a bit about it and ingnoring your ra want make it go away it's deeper than that . john Mostafa Ameen <mostafacs@...> wrote: Hello, I had RA since I was 20 years old and I knew only 2 months ago that I have this disease.I am now 25 years old. This is due to wrong diagnosis. Let me tell you that before I knew I have RA, during the 5 years of wrong diagnosis, my mood was

normal and I had a very normal life except when RA is high and I have problems in some joints. Doctors used to say here it is just inflammation. I used to use hot water and that is it. After I knew I have RA, my mood not is most of the times down. I think the depression is just a psychological reaction to knowing the disease itself or the medications but not the disease as I had it for 5 years without knowing it and I didn't have depression. I think if we just deal with our life normally and forget we have RA, this will boost our mood. I am trying to do this. Thank you, mostafa. __________________________________________________