Guest guest Posted June 12, 2002 Report Share Posted June 12, 2002 Marty: Make your doctor agrees that it is depression. Terry has apathy which is not uncommon with MSA. In her case, she was totally unresponsive to treatments for depression. They are easily confused by us lay folks, but they are quite different. Our professionals here at the University of Virginia tell us the apathy is coming to be recognized more and more as a symptom of MSA. Message: 2 Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 21:22:31 -0400 Subject: Depression Hello: One thing which we are currently dealing with is depression. Annette (and me to some extent) are both depressed. I wonder how others deal with this. Annette takes an antidepressant which I believe is very helpful. However She is still kind of depressed. Marty Siegel Sennewald Charlottesville, Virginia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 12, 2002 Report Share Posted June 12, 2002 Most (probably all) of my friends and family say how much it hurts to see me like this - so they stay away preserving in their minds the healthy image. This is sadly, of no help to me whatever. I have most of my meaningful personal contact with near strangers, people I meet at the store or while walking, the pharmacist, store keepers. I am grateful for everyone of them. I do the crave the contact and will gladly take it however I can. It does mean crowbarring yourself out of the house each and every day.. I shop one meal at a time. today my quest is for cedar stakes to complete my dog's balcony platform. Tomorrow I intend pulling up more buttercups from the side of the park (they do very well in containers). I do go weeks without someone to hug or hold my hand. Thank goodness for pets. At Wednesday 6/12/02 04:58 AM, you wrote: Connie, You are not alone in the feeling that you don't want to be alone, my wife also expressed that feeling many times. It is a shame that your friends don't know that you feel that way, as some would be willing to visit you more often if they knew you felt that way. Talk to your friends and let them know you feel this way. Tell your caregiver and ask them to find someone to help out. Meals on wheels is available in most areas and could stop and say hello once a day if nothing else. Scouts are always looking for public service projects, so a visit to you could be a project - give you some company and help them become a better citizen. Yes, there are some people who do not visit because they are afraid deep down that they may catch what you have, but most stay away because you withdraw. Make an effort to talk to people, just talking is exercise of the tongue and swallowing muscles and will help you. Take care, Bill Werre ----------------------------------------------------- Connie Greer wrote: > I feel depressed too a lot of the time. It is > especially noticable when my L=dopa medication wares > off. After I take my medication I start to feel > better after 30 minutes or so. I'm always forgetting > to take my medication then I start feeling deprssed > and I think oh yes I need my medication. Also when I > feel depressed I try to keep busy and keep myself > distracred. Ever since I was dx with this disease I'm > scared to be alone because I always feel so sad when > I'm alone. I don't like to be alone at all. Connie > Greer > - Werre wrote: > > Marty, > > > > That is common with MSA. Get her out of the house > > as much as possible. Ask > > friends to visit more often and keep as much of a > > social life as possible. It > > is easy for the MSA patient to withdraw into a > > hermit like status. The more > > people contact you can maintain such as church, > > friends and co-workers - the > > better off you are. People will tend to avoid > > contact as they do not know > > what to say or do. Assure friends that just coming > > over and making small talk > > will help the patient maintain sanity as the body > > may not move, but the > > thinking part of the brain keeps on ticking. The > > social contact will also > > help you maintain a life. Maybe a friend could come > > over and sit with her > > while you get out to shop, see a movie, or take a > > short break from caregiving. > > > > Take care, Bill Werre > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Marty Siegel wrote: > > > > > Hello: > > > One thing which we are currently dealing with is > > depression. Annette (and > > > me to some extent) are both depressed. I wonder > > how others deal with this. > > > Annette takes an antidepressant which I believe > > is very helpful. However > > > She is still kind of depressed. > > > > > > Marty Siegel > > > > > > If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may > > unsubscribe by sending a blank email to > > > > shydrager-unsubscribe > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 12, 2002 Report Share Posted June 12, 2002 If talking helps me that is wonderful news because I talk way too much and probably drive my husband crazy. Now that it is exercise I won't feel so bad.hehe I'm glad you shared with me your wife not wanting to be alone too. I was feeling embarrassed that I wrote that now I'm glad because it made me feel so much better to know someone else feels the same. It is hard for me to tell people that I need them, but I am working on it and getting better and better every day at asking for what I need. Thanks Connie Greer --- Werre b.werre@...> wrote: > Connie, > > You are not alone in the feeling that you don't want > to be alone, my wife > also expressed that feeling many times. It is a > shame that your friends > don't know that you feel that way, as some would be > willing to visit you more > often if they knew you felt that way. Talk to your > friends and let them know > you feel this way. Tell your caregiver and ask them > to find someone to help > out. Meals on wheels is available in most areas and > could stop and say hello > once a day if nothing else. Scouts are always > looking for public service > projects, so a visit to you could be a project - > give you some company and > help them become a better citizen. > > Yes, there are some people who do not visit because > they are afraid deep down > that they may catch what you have, but most stay > away because you withdraw. > Make an effort to talk to people, just talking is > exercise of the tongue and > swallowing muscles and will help you. > > Take care, Bill Werre > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > Connie Greer wrote: > > > I feel depressed too a lot of the time. It is > > especially noticable when my L=dopa medication > wares > > off. After I take my medication I start to feel > > better after 30 minutes or so. I'm always > forgetting > > to take my medication then I start feeling > deprssed > > and I think oh yes I need my medication. Also > when I > > feel depressed I try to keep busy and keep myself > > distracred. Ever since I was dx with this disease > I'm > > scared to be alone because I always feel so sad > when > > I'm alone. I don't like to be alone at all. > Connie > > Greer > > - Werre b.werre@...> wrote: > > > Marty, > > > > > > That is common with MSA. Get her out of the > house > > > as much as possible. Ask > > > friends to visit more often and keep as much of > a > > > social life as possible. It > > > is easy for the MSA patient to withdraw into a > > > hermit like status. The more > > > people contact you can maintain such as church, > > > friends and co-workers - the > > > better off you are. People will tend to avoid > > > contact as they do not know > > > what to say or do. Assure friends that just > coming > > > over and making small talk > > > will help the patient maintain sanity as the > body > > > may not move, but the > > > thinking part of the brain keeps on ticking. > The > > > social contact will also > > > help you maintain a life. Maybe a friend could > come > > > over and sit with her > > > while you get out to shop, see a movie, or take > a > > > short break from caregiving. > > > > > > Take care, Bill Werre > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > > > Marty Siegel wrote: > > > > > > > Hello: > > > > One thing which we are currently dealing with > is > > > depression. Annette (and > > > > me to some extent) are both depressed. I > wonder > > > how others deal with this. > > > > Annette takes an antidepressant which I > believe > > > is very helpful. However > > > > She is still kind of depressed. > > > > > > > > Marty Siegel > > > > > > > > > If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you > may > > > unsubscribe by sending a blank email to > > > > > > shydrager-unsubscribe > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Cyndi, Please call your surgeon's office about the depression. There are antidepressant drugs that can help, and there are a number of different types of them. You don't have to put up with that part of the feeling bad, honest. Cammie > Hi, I'm also 34 and I'm 3 1/2 weeks post-op. I had upper and lower, > but I was only wired for the first couple weeks and I haven't had to > wear the bands, only the splint (resembles a bulky retainer). Unlike > , however, I've had a VERY difficult time with recovery. I've > been extremely exhausted and I get the shakes after any type of > activity that last for more than 2 hours or so. I've had some > serious boughts of depression, that only excessive sleep, insestant > whining (to the good folks on this group), and nightly crying fits > have relieved. It's not so bad, don't get me wrong, but now I truly > understand why my surgeon insisted that I would need a full 6 weeks > off from work to recover. I've got 21 days left! I'm hoping I feel > a little more normal the last week at least. At any rate, it was > totally worth it. I have no regrets and lost 15 pounds to boot. > Good luck, > Cyndi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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