Depresion as side effect

[Guest guest]

Here's an interesting link describing connection of overactive immune

system to RA:

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/immunesystem/index.html

But the point is, whether it's the chronic pain that changes the brain

chemistry to cause depression, or whether the hassles make you

depressed, RA is a SYSTEMIC disease. it does NOT just attack the

joints. It also affects your energy, sleep, everything.

My point is you can save yourself a lot of time if you suddenly find,

for example, 70s ballads make you cry for hours, by going to the RD

and demanding something for your mental state rather than getting into

an overanalyzed situation in which you seek specific causes for your

depression because there probably are none.

During my first really bad flare away from home, when I was 20, I was

in Italy. That doctor was the first one to treat me " holistically, "

probably because I burst into tears in his office. He said I should

enjoy my time in Italy. Not only did he begin giving me steroids,

which I'd never had before under the theory that it would " stunt my

growth " (you know, I'd happily have sacrificed an inch to be less

miserable as a teen)-- it was incredible, I had been limping, now I

could go down stairs-- he also prescribed B-12 shots and L-tryptophan.

After two weeks, when I got on the bus in the morning (I was on an

ancient cities program and we were constantly going to see ruins), I

found myself chatering a lot and full of energy.

that's when I realized that for two weeks, what he'd been giving me

had been just barely enough to make me functional.

These things are ALL CONNECTED. When my energy and mood were higher,

I found myself better able to cope with pain too (the disease was so

active then I still had plenty).

Oh and for those thinking " if it's this bad now, how will it be in 30

years " -- it might be MUCH BETTER. That's certainly the case for me.

[Guest guest]

Hi Gwen,

Well, i'm going to have to look into this. I definetely fall into

the category of feeling more blue than not lately, alot lately and I

just always chalk it up to being tired. I would love to feel

energetic and happy again though.

I'm someone that used to be afraid of medicine in general, hate

taking it, and this disease has forced me to get over that a little

bit. I could freak out if I let myself focus on all the side effects

of my meds. Voluntarily taking something, asking to take something

for my mood isn't something I would normally do (personally I think

too many people are on antidepressants) but who knows maybe it would

help.

>

> Here's an interesting link describing connection of overactive

immune

> system to RA:

>

> http://www.biopsychiatry.com/immunesystem/index.html

>

> But the point is, whether it's the chronic pain that changes the

brain

> chemistry to cause depression, or whether the hassles make you

> depressed, RA is a SYSTEMIC disease. it does NOT just attack the

> joints. It also affects your energy, sleep, everything.

>

> My point is you can save yourself a lot of time if you suddenly

find,

> for example, 70s ballads make you cry for hours, by going to the RD

> and demanding something for your mental state rather than getting

into

> an overanalyzed situation in which you seek specific causes for

your

> depression because there probably are none.

>

> During my first really bad flare away from home, when I was 20, I

was

> in Italy. That doctor was the first one to treat

me " holistically, "

> probably because I burst into tears in his office. He said I

should

> enjoy my time in Italy. Not only did he begin giving me steroids,

> which I'd never had before under the theory that it would " stunt my

> growth " (you know, I'd happily have sacrificed an inch to be less

> miserable as a teen)-- it was incredible, I had been limping, now I

> could go down stairs-- he also prescribed B-12 shots and L-

tryptophan.

>

> After two weeks, when I got on the bus in the morning (I was on an

> ancient cities program and we were constantly going to see ruins),

I

> found myself chatering a lot and full of energy.

>

> that's when I realized that for two weeks, what he'd been giving me

> had been just barely enough to make me functional.

>

> These things are ALL CONNECTED. When my energy and mood were

higher,

> I found myself better able to cope with pain too (the disease was

so

> active then I still had plenty).

>

> Oh and for those thinking " if it's this bad now, how will it be in

30

> years " -- it might be MUCH BETTER. That's certainly the case for

me.

>