blood work and depression

[Guest guest]

Just returned from my doctor's visit. After being

concerned that it was my liver enzymes that caused her

to call me in, I find out that it is my red blood cell

count that is the problem. She says that she has

noticed a trend with my last three labs that my red

blood cell count has been getting lower - this is

something we have to keep an eye on. She said that

metho can affect the bone marrow and I guess that

since this is where the red blood cells are produced

that it's the metho that is the culprit. My liver

enzymes, thank goodness, were just fine. She advised

me to start taking a multivitamin with iron. I have

one here at home, but after taking my eight pills

every morning I was not interested in taking anything

more, but I will start today with it.

Also, after talking some more with her, I got up the

nerve to discuss depression and just feeling low.

It's been getting worse over the last few months but

until I started reading posts in this group about

other people with the same problems getting meds and

doing better, and realizing that the RA had a lot to

do with it, I had not thought to complain about it.

She feels it has something to do with the seratonins

and says that after coping for 3 years with a chronic

illness and chronic pain that she is not surprised I

am feeling this way, just surprised that I made it

this long without it becoming a problem big enough for

medication. She prescribed Effexor - says I should

feel a difference in about 4 to 6 weeks but that my

family might notice it before I do. I just want to

feel myself again - I've been so draggy lately and my

concentration and memory are not good at all. Anybody

know anything about this drug? It's supposed to work

on two levels - depression and anxiety - so hopefully

soon I will be feeling better.

Kathe in CA

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