Re: Help for mom

[Guest guest]

Hi, I can't comment on Cymbalta but was wondering have you had a good

physical in recent years, with bloodwork? Have you had your thyroid

checked?

Did your doctor say how long it would take for Cymbalta to help? I

know it used to be give depression meds 8 weeks to begin to take

effect. And then I imagine (if like SSRIs for OCD), a few weeks

after that it should really begin to help more.

I go thru depressed periods off/on, but a lot of mine

is " situational " I guess, depends on how life is going, etc.

(((hugs)))

>

> My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under control;

however I

> do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> >

> > My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under control;

> however I

> > do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Barb -

 

 I love your attitude.  I too lean toward depression.  Thanks for you wonderful

insight!

Amy

 

Subject: Re: Help for mom

To:

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 1:09 AM

Hi there,

I also have times of depression, spring/fall in particular.

Medication has never helped for me so I have tried many other

alternatives. It is individual I know but here are a few things that

I find really help-

Light box, by Apollo(can assist with sleep too)

Vit D - 2000mg (sunshine vitamin)

Chinese Emotional Remedy - (best to get TCM practioner who will do an

assessment)This one I am amazed at how quickly and well it can help

Accupuncture

20mins of natural light, walk, no sunglasses, light need to hit the

retina

CBT - Talk back to negative thoughts, or not listen, not asign

meaning to the depression, just be with it

Make myself get out even when I don't want to

Do something for someone else(ok, I sound like my Mother...)

Watch comedies or something uplifting

And when all else fails eat chocolate, it's a natural mood booster,

likewise coffee, my drug of choice!

Depression is in itself depressing, I know that maybe sounds stupid,

but it's how I feel. It can limit your life, your ability to

function, the choices you make because you are not sure you will be

able to follow through... Your brain is mush, don't care about

anything, and it feels impossible to move, but move you must I find.

Basically the behavioral part of CBT.

If I make myself do something, anything, clear a counter, clean out a

drawer(pathetic I know), but I think it is the distraction as well as

having an end result. Force myself to go out to a store and talk to

someone, or phone someone and ask about them. Alternately I lie down

and die for a while, and then get back up and start moving again.

The idea being to let the feeling wash over you, not try to fight it,

the fighting is what can get you stuck in it, I find I can cyle

through the feeling of it easier.

I remind myself that I LIVE with depression, unwelcome guest that it

is, I walk with it but it is not who I AM. The separation helps a

lot, very Zen, the " isness " of it and all, if I can separate and look

at it then I know it is not me that is the depression. I imagine it

is much like the OCD, it lives in your head, but it is not who you

ARE. Ok, so I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you, but it is

very powerful for me.

I find if I focus on what I CAN do rather than what I can't, and try

to hold a positive focus, which I had to learn is mainly a choice.

Ok, so I feel like I am getting too Polly again, hope it's not

too annoying to you. When I'm depressed I find these sorts of

suggestions annoying myself, so I'll understand if you are swearing

at you computer screen right now...

Has bipolar been considered? My understanding is that repeated

cycles of depression, even without mania is considered bipolar. Not

sure if it is medicated any differently though. My sister (bipolar

depression) found Wellbutrin and Effexor helpful at various times,

after many years of drug trials. I keep trying medications myself now

and then, just to see if something new will help, no luck yet, but I

am lucky in that it cycles and moves in the other direction... and

that I can function still.

Hang in there. I hope you DO find a medication that is helpful.

I send you a big hug!

Barb

>

> My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under control;

however I

> do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

>

>

>

> I have battled depression for 10 years. I started on Zoloft way

back then,

> and it worked for about 5-6 years, although, over the years I did

have to

> continue to up the dosage. I tried the vitamin supplement route

for about

> one year, and decided that was just not going to work for me. Just

within

> the last couple of months, I started Cymbalta. I am taking the

maximum

> dosage of 90mg. It has helped a little bit, but not as much as I

would like

> it to. I have tried taking it at different times of the day; I

tried

> dividing the dosage between morning and evening, still no

improvement. I

> still have issues with sleep and my mood still needs improvement.

>

>

>

> I hate to have to wean myself and start over, but I am thinking

that might

> be necessary.any insight???

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for that Barb. I'm struggling mightily with my depression. I'm following

suggestions but it seems to keep coming back and hitting harder. I am just

having faith that it will eventually pass.

~~Kathy

 

gkathy40@...

http://www.myspace.com/clearingachannel

yahoo messenger id  gkathy40@...

Courage is not living without fear.

Courage is being scared to death and doing the right thing anyway.

-Chae

From: Barb Nesrallah <barbnesrallah@ rogers.com>

Subject: Re: Help for mom

To: @ yahoogroups. com

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 1:09 AM

Hi there,

I also have times of depression, spring/fall in particular.

Medication has never helped for me so I have tried many other

alternatives. It is individual I know but here are a few things that

I find really help-

Light box, by Apollo(can assist with sleep too)

Vit D - 2000mg (sunshine vitamin)

Chinese Emotional Remedy - (best to get TCM practioner who will do an

assessment)This one I am amazed at how quickly and well it can help

Accupuncture

20mins of natural light, walk, no sunglasses, light need to hit the

retina

CBT - Talk back to negative thoughts, or not listen, not asign

meaning to the depression, just be with it

Make myself get out even when I don't want to

Do something for someone else(ok, I sound like my Mother...)

Watch comedies or something uplifting

And when all else fails eat chocolate, it's a natural mood booster,

likewise coffee, my drug of choice!

Depression is in itself depressing, I know that maybe sounds stupid,

but it's how I feel. It can limit your life, your ability to

function, the choices you make because you are not sure you will be

able to follow through... Your brain is mush, don't care about

anything, and it feels impossible to move, but move you must I find.

Basically the behavioral part of CBT.

If I make myself do something, anything, clear a counter, clean out a

drawer(pathetic I know), but I think it is the distraction as well as

having an end result. Force myself to go out to a store and talk to

someone, or phone someone and ask about them. Alternately I lie down

and die for a while, and then get back up and start moving again.

The idea being to let the feeling wash over you, not try to fight it,

the fighting is what can get you stuck in it, I find I can cyle

through the feeling of it easier.

I remind myself that I LIVE with depression, unwelcome guest that it

is, I walk with it but it is not who I AM. The separation helps a

lot, very Zen, the " isness " of it and all, if I can separate and look

at it then I know it is not me that is the depression. I imagine it

is much like the OCD, it lives in your head, but it is not who you

ARE. Ok, so I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you, but it is

very powerful for me.

I find if I focus on what I CAN do rather than what I can't, and try

to hold a positive focus, which I had to learn is mainly a choice.

Ok, so I feel like I am getting too Polly again, hope it's not

too annoying to you. When I'm depressed I find these sorts of

suggestions annoying myself, so I'll understand if you are swearing

at you computer screen right now...

Has bipolar been considered? My understanding is that repeated

cycles of depression, even without mania is considered bipolar. Not

sure if it is medicated any differently though. My sister (bipolar

depression) found Wellbutrin and Effexor helpful at various times,

after many years of drug trials. I keep trying medications myself now

and then, just to see if something new will help, no luck yet, but I

am lucky in that it cycles and moves in the other direction... and

that I can function still.

Hang in there. I hope you DO find a medication that is helpful.

I send you a big hug!

Barb

>

> My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under control;

however I

> do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

>

>

>

> I have battled depression for 10 years. I started on Zoloft way

back then,

> and it worked for about 5-6 years, although, over the years I did

have to

> continue to up the dosage. I tried the vitamin supplement route

for about

> one year, and decided that was just not going to work for me. Just

within

> the last couple of months, I started Cymbalta. I am taking the

maximum

> dosage of 90mg. It has helped a little bit, but not as much as I

would like

> it to. I have tried taking it at different times of the day; I

tried

> dividing the dosage between morning and evening, still no

improvement. I

> still have issues with sleep and my mood still needs improvement.

>

>

>

> I hate to have to wean myself and start over, but I am thinking

that might

> be necessary.any insight???

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

" Feeling Good " by Burns is an excellent book to read for self-

help with depression. Also, Trazadone can really help for sleep. It is

an older antidepressant, now used primarily for insomnia- it's

prescribed in a small dose-usually 50 or 100 mgs- not enough to affect

the depression, but enough for a good drowsiness side effect that

never wears off! It is completely non-addictive. Getting more sleep

could definitely make a big difference in your mood. You are not alone-

depression is so common.

>

> My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under control;

however I

> do not.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Shiffra, for the compliment. I've gotten so much myself from

this group over the years, it's nice to have others who understand

and not feel alone. Does sound like you've given Cymbalta a good

try. Might be worth trying something else.

For sleep, some things I've read about (though you might have tried),

is melatonin. A lot of people say this helps. I haven't tried it,

one of my other sons took it a short while. For him though, he said

it helped him sleep but then he would wake up early(?) and not be

able to sleep more, just felt " off " somehow, so he quit taking it.

(Can't recall right now exactly how he said that) And then I've

read that calcium & magnesium supplements help with sleep (and

depression). But I got some for , hoping it would help him

with either and it sure didn't help him relax/sleep any earlier (he's

up about all night, not much sleep, I think too " wired " or

something). I got the cal/mag brand I bought because other customers

had commented how much it helped them sleep better, but of course no

luck here!

Have you tried either of the above?

>

> You know, my psychiatrist just sent me a couple of weeks ago for

some

> bloodwork. And fortunately (or in my mind unfortunately, as it

would be

> nice if it was a physical issue not a mental issue) everything came

back

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

Sometimes that's the best you can do...

Have you had physical tests for iron, B12,Vit D, thyroid done

recently? I found I was low on Vit D even taking 1000mg, doubling it

I think may have helped.

I know how hard it is, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but

I've been warned it seems to intensify with age, what I have

witnessed in my family too. So I hope you can find some answers

medication, or alternative soon.

TCM is the best thing I have ever found as an assist. Not sure if you

can readily find someone who is recommended. If you can I would

check this out. Not sure your age and stage, but for balancing

hormones and female challenges that factor in with depression it is

really helpful I have found.

Hang in there!!!

More hugs.

Barb

>

> Thanks for that Barb. I'm struggling mightily with my depression.

I'm following suggestions but it seems to keep coming back and

hitting harder. I am just having faith that it will eventually pass.

>

>

> ~~Kathy

>  

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

Thanks for that.

Barb

>

> Barb -

>  

>  I love your attitude.  I too lean toward depression.  Thanks for you

wonderful insight!

> Amy

>  

portions of this message have been removed]

>

[Guest guest]

Hey BJ,

You are always so sweet. I know you have big challenges yourself!

Think pretty much everyone has something going on, if you live long

enough. Actually I am lucky I can manage it pretty well and am not

as severe as some of my family members, so it is a constant reminder

to be grateful.

I was up late when I wrote that post so not sure how coherent I was.

Woke up this morning thinking what the heck did I write all that

for? Late night musings....can't seem to help myself sometimes.

Hugs to you!

Barb

> > >

> > > My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under

control;

> > however I

> > > do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > I have battled depression for 10 years. I started on Zoloft

way

> > back then,

> > > and it worked for about 5-6 years, although, over the years I

did

> > have to

> > > continue to up the dosage. I tried the vitamin supplement

route

> > for about

> > > one year, and decided that was just not going to work for me.

Just

> > within

> > > the last couple of months, I started Cymbalta. I am taking the

> > maximum

> > > dosage of 90mg. It has helped a little bit, but not as much as

I

> > would like

> > > it to. I have tried taking it at different times of the day; I

> > tried

> > > dividing the dosage between morning and evening, still no

> > improvement. I

> > > still have issues with sleep and my mood still needs

improvement.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > I hate to have to wean myself and start over, but I am thinking

> > that might

> > > be necessary.any insight???

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

> > > >

> > > > My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under

> control;

> > > however I

> > > > do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I have battled depression for 10 years. I started on Zoloft

> way

> > > back then,

> > > > and it worked for about 5-6 years, although, over the years I

> did

> > > have to

> > > > continue to up the dosage. I tried the vitamin supplement

> route

> > > for about

> > > > one year, and decided that was just not going to work for me.

> Just

> > > within

> > > > the last couple of months, I started Cymbalta. I am taking the

> > > maximum

> > > > dosage of 90mg. It has helped a little bit, but not as much as

> I

> > > would like

> > > > it to. I have tried taking it at different times of the day; I

> > > tried

> > > > dividing the dosage between morning and evening, still no

> > > improvement. I

> > > > still have issues with sleep and my mood still needs

> improvement.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I hate to have to wean myself and start over, but I am thinking

> > > that might

> > > > be necessary.any insight???

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >