Antidepressants?

[Seifert_09]

Just trying to get a feel for what some are doing.

I have been having some tough times with mood lately and could use some feedback. Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.

[monkeybus]

Antidepressants get a bad rap.

Best one I ever took was Prozac. Cannot describe how good it made me feel.

Last year i took Paroxetine. Nice. Felt very flat. Didn't care about anything.

Felt too relaxed, though. So, then I went onto Zoloft. I read it was stimulatory, and that Mike Tyson took it.

You don't want to be taking SSRI's for too long. Viciously addictive. Read up on some horror stories online.

To be honest, Modafinil generally makes me feel great. I don't want to get into self-pity, but we got plenty to deal with with this disease. A wonder we aren't all stark raving mad. What with my spasticity, chronic fatigue, neuropathy, pain, depression (on and off), throw in a teenage son and all of the pressures of married life into the bargain.

It's a hard-knock life, and I take what I have to to get through it. I actually went to a psychiatrist last year. Only ever seen it on TV before. Sopranos, and that. But, I have great insurance. I am extremely lucky in that regard.

But, I have to keep a close eye on my mental health. Depression can manifest in so many ways. Me, If I wasn't married with a child, I'd likely be on a crazy, downward spiral. I have a long way to go yet.

A young lad in my union committed suicide last week. And he was physically 100%. Wife, new baby. Life is hard at the best of times.

What's my point here? I don't know. I am the man who just built an electronic brain stimulator.

Go and get some pills, but make sure you plan ahead to get off them.

[SongStream in reply to monkeybus]

I second the opinion of monkey about the powerful addiction of antidepressants.

I once experienced running out when my Rx mail delivery was lost and I can tell you it is hellacious. I had extreme dizziness and hallucinations which was a motivating factor in my deciding to quit antidepressants. I am now going through the gradual withdrawal of Venlafaxine. For me, I find cognitive behavior therapy most helpful. I'm learning to stop my defeating thoughts from spiraling out of control by focusing on the positive and practicing gratitude in my life. I still struggle with the symptoms of our disease but isolate that factor from my total being.

By working with your doctor you will find if antidepressants are for you. I do not want to discourage you from receiving treatment as this has been a lifesaver for many.

[Aaron98]

I took two antidepressants earlier this year, for neuropathic pain rather than depression. Amitriptyline and duloxetine. I got up to a pretty high dosage on both, but once they were found to be ineffective (make that completely ineffective), I was able to taper back down and get off of both without any problems. Amitriptyline did work wonders on my sleep while I was taking it, as I have struggled with insomnia on and off due to pain, leg spasms, and anxiety.

For the past eight months I've been seeing a counselor/psychologist/therapist almost once a week. I'd never done it before, and always thought of it as something that "other people" do. But back in March I realized that I was not coping well on my own, and needed help. My counselor has certainly helped, and quite possibly helped save my life, as I was having a very dark time. It is now something that I would recommend to anyone with chronic illness, particularly if you are struggling with depression or anxiety. Nothing in our lives prepares us for how to live with AMN, and we cannot make it on our own. Family, friends, faith, forums such as this one, therapists - all are incredibly helpful.

I take things a day and a week at a time now. If I were to think about where I will be physically and mentally ten years from now, it would absolutely terrify me. So I don't. And that is okay. This is just one of the things that my counselor has helped me to come to grips with.

I'm not saying don't try antidepressants. I believe they can absolutely help. Just consider all the options that are available to help you. Be well, or at least as well as you can, comrade!

[tieaknot in reply to Aaron98]

So glad you found some help and are doing better! Antidepressants never quite worked for me...I could never tolerate them enough to get the dosages up. One med, Effexor (Venlafaxine), really helped my pain and migraines but the side effects again, for me, forced me to stop. I found also that these and my other medicines I was taking for pain were making my sleep and ahem...bodily functions...and rebound pain even worse and only after stopping everything for 2 months have I found some relief and a little more stability, and I'm just trying to learn to live with the pain. I think meds can be very helpful for some people...I wish I was one of them! But each of us has to find our own path and it's great to have this forum to share what has and hasn't worked for each of us. (Funny story...I told a therapist my situation and all I got was a shake of the head, and a "Wow, you really have a lot to deal with...how do you do it? But between now and next visit you really need to relax and try to not be so stressed out". I looked at guy and said "I'm seriously paying you for this??? Lol"

Needless to say I didn't go back)

Wishing you all the best!

[monkeybus]

Seifert_09 ,

How are you currently doing?

Let us all know.

Your disease-ridden friend,

Monkeybus.

[Seifert_09 in reply to monkeybus]

Better! Thank you all for your input and experiences. I made a call to my endocrinologist to get my blood work done. As usual when my body is fighting some type of cold or flu my adrenals and pituitary are crazy out of wack. We are working to balance the hydrocortisone or find out what else might help. ACTH numbers are way too high thus making the adrenals and pituitary over work. The result is very bad sleep and no sleep leads to a number of negative outcomes. Stress and compromised adrenals are not a good combination.

[mariagno]

I took Wellbutrin for a year. My doctor felt I was depressed. Did nothing for mood, my wife said my personality was different. Not good or bad just not me.

It also took away any ability to finish while having sex

Withdrawal after stopping was weeks and still have lingering sexual side effects.

I echo Modafinil. It is wonderful. For me every couple of weeks, I have to take a couple of days off to feel the benefit again.

Certainly cortisol testing is a regular must.

I discovered hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and prolactin need checking too.

I am 55 which leads to natural loss of testosterone. I barely registered on blood tests. My neurologist read somewhere that AMN can effect the testicles.

They added a weekly small testosterone shot, self done Immediately I felt better

About a month in, I started to gain fat after 3 months I picked a up 25 pounds despite working out and eating 1400 calories a day

The doctor check estrogen levels and they were off the map

Testosterone gets converted to estrogen As women know, estrogen crestes fat and retains water

The twice a week anistrophile (spelling?) has balanced things out I have lost 15 pounds,added muscle, and feel great

The injection is nothing with 25 gauge needle

[julie_ in reply to mariagno]

My brother gained a lot of weight after taking steroids for his adrenals. Can you let me know what treatment it was that balanced things out for you? Is it testerone replacement? I'm really not familiar. Side effects? Glad to hear it worked for you.

[mariagno in reply to julie_]

I have no adrenal involvement so I am not sure.

But based on steroid use for inflammation of a shoulder, the weight gain is a combination of fat and fluid.

ucsfhealth.org/education/il...

[julie_ in reply to mariagno]

Thank you. This is helpful.

I had already mentioned a change in diet - even if my brother were eating fewer calories, he isn't eating foods with enough nutrients and too many carbs.

[mariagno in reply to julie_]

I had to use the fitness pal app to accurately track calories.

It is free and easy to use.

I found 1400 Calories to be my balance point.

Below, I lost weight and above I gained. Fitness Pal allowed me to figure it out.

Also, I bought a portion scale.

[julie_ in reply to mariagno]

Unfortunately, it isn't about measuring calories with him. He is too stubborn to realize his situation. I've heard that taking steroids will do this to your mental state, take all rationale away. He used to be superfit before all of this and knew how to maintain his fitness.

[mariagno in reply to julie_]

I had not heard that mental issue about steroids.

But I wish you both the best.

I was stubborn until I needed heart surgery. Kind of a wake up call.

[mariagno in reply to mariagno]

A quick thought, his steroid dose could be too much.

It could create lethargic behavior and mental problems.

A quick double check with the doctor might be right

[mariagno]

I also am on Ampyra. Just started it. How it helps is a mood elevator just by improving what I can do with my legs

[Tim76]

I wouldn’t say I struggle with depression often, maybe occasionally, but I was extremely frustrated and angry almost constantly. Just trying to do normal everyday things that take me a lot longer and I struggle with physically cause me a lot of frustration. I have recently added duloxetine with my gabapentin to help with the neuropathy pain and it seems to be helping. I’ve noticed being in a better mood without the constant burning in my feet and legs. I’m also walking around and doing more since the pain is less. Compression socks help too.

Ampyra didn’t do anything for me. Modafinil is good for energy but made me too serious and intense (plus not covered by my insurance). I need ambien to sleep and definitely feel better getting a full night sleep.

I don’t know how long this will last but I’m trying to stay positive.

[jolocny Volunteer]

Wow!! I’ve gained so much from these responses ... thank you!

I was asked to start Amitriptyline to help me with migraines so I wouldn’t need to (or could reduce) take(ing) Treximet. At the beginning it caused bladder problems because it was having the same result that the antispasmodic bladder med was doing for me and I wasn’t able to void. Hello!!! Docs wanted me to self-catheterize. Then I went to my urogynecologist who took me off the bladder med and I’ve been fine.

I ran out of the Amitriptyline this week (50 mg.) and it was amazing ... my sleep was totally interrupted, wanted nothing to do with anyone I live with (making it harder that my daughter & granddaughter have moved home). The Holidays have been bad - no desire to celebrate. That dose is very low and it had an amazing effect on everything!! I finally was able to have the doc standing in for mine, who was on vacation, get things right and I’m back to where I was after 1 dose. That strikes me as strange!

I worked a lot with breathing to calm and center myself for those 5 days. I need to get back to meditation. There was no real tapering off the med ... I had 3 days of taking one 25 mg tablet instead of 2, then it was all downhill. Never believed in these meds before but they’ve made a difference for me at a low dosage. Now I know I can’t let it get away from me again!!

[monkeybus]

I went away and this thread has taken on a life of it's own.

Modafinil makes you anything you want to be. If you go into serious mode, that's that. Or if I feel relaxed, it makes me feel as though I'll never achieve anything at all. Don't ever get angry on it.

Mostly, on Modafinil, I try and maintain an even keel, and it works well.

Ampyra/4-AP are huge factors as well. Nothing worse than not being able to achieve basic tasks.

Back before my last brain MRI, I'd gotten it into my head that I was on my way out. I was convinced. Understandably, I felt a bit down.

Then, when my neurologist gave me the all clear, I felt fantastic.

Doesn't take much to send any of us up or down.

[9943284]

Well, depression!!!

That’s how it all started for me 14 years ego (age 33), I was depressed, my family dr gave me antidepressants meds that made me even more tired & depressed,

Thank god for my wife who suggested to see the neurologist who told me that I have AMN & Addison and sent me to endocrinologist who gave me Androgel and cortisol, when what do you know, change me completely, I got my Mojo back, well, since then I can tell you that every time my adrenaline level is low I get into some kind of depression, my wife is noticing it right away, now I am taking Depotestotorn the injection once every 2 weeks. It’s all coming from the adrenal glands.

I hope you have a good endocrinologist,

It me a few years to find the right on.

Good luck