Re: new here (anyone struggle with depression)

[Guest guest]

Yes I definitely have dealt with depression and can tell you that body, mind and

spirit are all interconnected.  Dealing with one aspect, without dealing with

the others can leave you feeling hopeless, in pain and certainly frustrated. 

Did the surgeon tell you that you would  have less pain after the surgery?  Was

the dystonia present before surgey?

I have bad discs, arthritis, spurs, cervical stenosis, nerve compression and

atrophied muscles in my neck.  This all started about 42 years ago.

Here's a good read at the Mayo Clinic site.   

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/spasmodic-torticollis/DS00836

Jennette

[Guest guest]

Hi Jenni

Welcome to the group. I'm sorry you need us, but glad you found us. I

don't fight too much with depression these days, as I have been in pain

most of my life and am pretty used to dealing with it.

I do know how much a wrecked neck hurts. I empathize with you.

I have found a certain amount of relief from plastering my neck and

shoulders at night, with Lidoderm patches. Then throughout the night, I

alternate with hot packs and cold packs. I don't know when the last

time was that I slept through a night. It was a long, time ago -

probably 20 years.

Keep on trucking Jenni. Spend as much time enjoying your kids as you

can. I've found shared laughter goes a long way to alleviating the blues.

Lyndi

Jenni wrote:

> Hi, I am Jenni and I'm 39. I have degenerative disc disease with the start of

cervical dystonia.

>

> I had surgery in Feb. to remove the c6 disc. They put a new one in

> and fused it. I am still in so much pain. I have other disc that are breaking,

but not bad enough to remove. I keep getting my hopes up that it will end but

its not. Sometimes its worse because my neck muscles feel like charlie horses. I

am waiting to get approved to get botox injections in those muscles.

>

> I have been struggling with depression because I get so overwhelmed.

> I want to just give up so bad! But I know I can't because my kids need me.

Anyone else deal with depression?

[Guest guest]

Jenni,

I just recently had surgery on my right ankle.  I have  pain on and off.  I

have arthritis and especially in the  right ankle.  I've been suffering from 

depression for years.  I'm under the Psychiatrist's care and on medication.  If

you feel so bad maybe your Doctot can put you on anti depression medication. 

I've been stable for years.  Pain isn't that easy to handle for those who have 

chronic pain.  I have 0 tolerance of pain.  I hope this  help.

 

Christa

[Guest guest]

Hi and welcome Jenni. I can imagine the pain you struggle with. I have

arthritis in my neck, shoulders and upper back which I have been struggling with

since age 40 (14 years). I am on pain medication and a muscle relaxer for the

spasms. I also suffer from bipolar depression.

You have come to a good place. this is a great group of people.

Welcome again. Looking forward to hearing more from you. Gentle hugs, Tami

[Guest guest]

Jennette wrote:

> Did the surgeon tell you that you would have less pain after the surgery?

Was the dystonia present before surgery?

Jenette,

My neurosurgeon did prepare me for muscle spasm and contraction. Although, my

fusion was in my back, it bpt my back in a a position it was not used to and my

muscles went into spasm often. Since I do not have tighten ab muscles to hold

me in and my body tries to lean forward and my rods hold me straight and it

seems to cause a duel.

I do have a bulged disc in my C-spine and thankfully never notice it unless I

lie on it wrong and it becomes numb down to my forefinger and little finger.

I used to have an antanomical chart that shows what symptoms occur at which

levels of the spine and it helped. I also found a reflexology chart very

interesting and one time held pressure between my forefinger and thumb and it

made it better.

Depression definitely haunts us when we feel so overwhelmed we cannot get pain

relief or have purpose in our life. I also believe since under controlled pain

messes with the cortisol-adrenal cycles, it can depleted the brain

neurotransmitters, causing depression.

When I went through biofeedback and some pain counseling, it helped me to

identify that I had to quit letting the Doctors dictate to me and I had to have

a choice in my treatment. I drove three hours there and three hours back to a

specialist that set me up with a comprehensive pain plan and I did not " have to "

have injections unless I agreed. Actually, he was a pain psychiatrist also and

he taught me to accept my limitations, but still lectured me when I over did

things as he did not want me to go backwards.

I have been on anti depressants and will go on them again if need be. I get

concerned about sedation and Cymbalta gave me leg cramps, which is listed as a

side effect, but know it has helped others.

I have always wondered if I should have ever gone off my Estrogen Replacement

Therapy as that seemed when thyroid and other problems came to surface.

SInce I have read other articles that state estrogen and hormones decrease pain

along with Vitamin D and my heart stress test was okay, I am going back on them.

I know I have thought, but not wanted to act upon, the thought that sometimes I

wish I could just go to sleep and not wake up. My fur kids would not tolerate

that as I give them treats and something simple as caring for my animals keeps

me going. Bennie

[Guest guest]

> Bennie wrote:

> Since I have read other articles that state estrogen and hormones decrease

pain along with Vitamin D and my heart stress test was okay, I am going back on

them.

Bennie,

Right after I had my complete hysterectomy, I experienced a most severe

depression. A cancer gyno surgeon said " of course I was depressed. I was

pre-menopausal. Suddenly I had no estrogen and the brain was expecting it. " My

pain doctor has recently confirmed that hormone changes, especially sudden ones

cause increased pain. I found that a combination estrogen and testosterone

pill, like EstraTest, worked best for me.