Is anyone fighting with depression lately? My mood swings are totally up and down like a yo-yo. My belief In God is really shaky.. not sure if talking about God is accepted, but there are some of us who really needs to know and talk. Please don’t jump on me with all negative thoughts.. I’m just asking
Depression: Is anyone fighting with... - Cure Parkinson's
Depression
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12Maxwell3
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I keep pushing back on the depression. When doctors ask, I say I am not depressed. Now is not the time. Many years ago I was depressed to the point of having a nervous breakdown. So I have a personal knowledge of depression.
God? Yes you can talk of God. Just like PD, medicines, supplements and vitamins effects us all differently. All give us hope.
When we are born, we are in hell. When we die, we go to paradise.
12Maxwell3• in reply to
People including relatives really don’t understand, so I try not to say too much.. I do see the rolling eyes and changing of subject. When I get excited, agitated or nervous in places, situations the tremors, the shuffling, speech really get bad. People say it’s ok, we understand. lol
I’m so sorry that you have to go through that humiliation, 12Maxwell3! My tremors, speech and shuffling act up too, when I get really upset, and I know people do not understand! Just know that there are those, here in this forum, that you can turn to, when you need understanding and support! We understand!
Thank you so much! Do you get real embarrassed when you go somewhere with the tremors, speech and shuffling? I sure do.. I know there’s nothing I can do about it, but it’s always there
Sinemet helps with tremors and I try not to do a lot of talking and walking around-any more than I have to, if I’m going to a social event. I have to watch my timing with the medicine, because when it starts wearing off, the resting tremor becomes quite noticeable and I start stiffening up, so timing is everything. Before I was put on medicine, I was terribly embarrassed at times, especially the tremors!
The first thing I would look at is B vitamin deficiency, unless you are supplementing already. And even then, it would be good to see if your B formula contains bioavailable compounds like methylfolate vs. folic acid, P5P (B6) vs. pyridoxine HCl, and most important methylcobalamin (B12) vs. cyanocobalamin.
I started Lexapro four months after I was diagnosed. I never had depression or anxiety until I got Parkinson's but it was definitely one of the first symptoms. It's all very understandable as dopamine is that ever hopeful rosy glow let's go do it, chemical in our brains. It gets people to climb mountains. I do fine as long as I'm busy and involved with people. But when I'm home it is a constant mindful effort to stay on top of the depression and anxiety. I find this sad because I have always loved being home just puttering or reading. But, there you go. Part of what we deal with.
Hi Enidah - I'm considering Lexipro for my depression. I'm on low dose C/L right now and am reluctant to add another brain drug to the mix. Would love to hear what your experience been like.
I didn't feel any different, as in, I felt and do feel completely like myself. It just took the edge off the anxiety and depression so that I am more functional and everything is easier. Wellbutrin is another one that is considered good for people with Parkinson's. Don't be afraid of these meds. If they don't help, you can try something else. I know it's scary. This whole road is scary. I usually don't start something until I'm so miserable that I figure I won't be any more miserable with the new med, so far it's worked out fine. Good luck!
The google search "coeruleus depression ncbi" (without the quotes)
will present studies in Pubmed. For instance:
Reduced
signal of locus ceruleus in depression in quantitative
neuromelanin magnetic resonance imaging.
Neuroreport 2007
Mar 26;18(5):415-8.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/174...
The locus coeruleus is adversely affected in PD, eg:
Neuronal
loss is greater in the locus coeruleus than nucleus basalis and
substantia nigra in Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.
Arch Neurol
2003 Mar;60(3):337-41.
jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...
Might nortriptyline be helpful?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nortr...
Nortriptyline, sold under the brand names Allegron, Aventyl, Noritren,
Nortrilen, and Pamelor among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)
used to treat clinical depression. Another licensed use for it is in
the treatment of childhood bedwetting. Off-label uses include chronic
pain and migraine and labile affect in some neurological disorders.[2]
Chemically, it is a secondary amine dibenzocycloheptene and
pharmacologically it is classed as a second-generation TCA.
Nortriptyline has less anticholinergic (like dry mouth, constipation,
blurred vision, etc.), antihistamine (like sedation and possibly weight
gain), antiadrenergic (like a drop in blood pressure upon standing up),
and cardiotoxic (heart-toxic, namely the capacity of these drugs to
interfere with normal heart rhythm) effects than the older
first-generation TCAs.
Nortriptyline is the major active metabolite of amitriptyline, a
first-generation TCA. It is the N-desmethyl metabolite of amitriptyline.
Like amitriptyline it works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and
norepinephrine into the synapse, thereby enhancing signalling via these
neurotransmitters. It preferentially inhibits the reuptake of
norepinephrine over serotonin, which is the opposite to
amitriptyline.[2]
I asked my doc about nortriptyline, but he told me that it was not for me. But that’s just me. Everybody is different.
The trouble with the tricyclics is that whilst they may impede PD they also pave the way for dementia. Caught between the devil and the sea eh?🙂
" ... is that whilst they may impede PD they also pave the way for dementia."
Any reference ?
Not whilst I'm sitting in a car armed only with a little phone! The scare came mostly with amitryptaline which I took for years to help me sleep. The study was on older patients but a brain is still a brain eh? From what I recall, trycylics interupt acetycholine which is a key neurotransmitter . Just Google tricyclics and dementia?
jeeves19,
The link between tricyclics and dementia is well documented. Thank
you for pointing out the connection. Here are some references.
Cumulative
use of strong anticholinergics and incident dementia: a
prospective cohort study.
JAMA Intern Med
2015 Mar;175(3):401-7.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Association
Between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Cognition, Brain
Metabolism, and Brain Atrophy in Cognitively Normal Older Adults.
JAMA Neurol 2016
Jun 1;73(6):721-32.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Associations
between Anticholinergic Burden and Adverse Health Outcomes in
Parkinson Disease.
PLoS One 2016 Mar
3;11(3):e0150621.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Anticholinergic
drugs and functional, cognitive impairment and behavioral
disturbances in patients from a memory clinic with subjective
cognitive decline or neurocognitive disorders.
Alzheimers
Res Ther 2017 Aug 1;9(1):58.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Risk analysis
of use of different classes of antidepressants on subsequent
dementia: A nationwide cohort study in Taiwan.
PLoS One 2017 Apr
6;12(4):e0175187.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
"Nortriptyline and desipramine appear to have better tolerated side
effects than other tricyclic antidepressants do."
mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...
Yes, depression is, oftentimes, a part of what happens with neuro-degeneration in PD. It can be a real struggle. Believing in God and accepting Christ as one’s savior is definitely helpful, because, when praying for help and dealing with this tough, incurable ailment, it brings the question of why one is chosen to have and to deal with this so-called “dreaded disease”! It takes somebody with a very strong foundation of faith and belief, to cope with the ups and downs of debilitating disease. I would recommend seeing the movie “Do You Believe”. It was in theaters in the USA and Canada, and is now on DVD. This movie gives a modern day, realistic, view of what it means to believe in God, in the Cross, and in Christ as one’s Savior. Personally, believing and prayer has seen me through some very tough times. Several years ago, I had a bad case of severe acute pancreatitis, where the infection was about to turn septic. The doctor’s told my wife that I was close to dying. Through much prayer, and believing, and several operations, and weeks in intensive care, I pulled through. It was tough, though. I never gave up, and I never wavered in my belief in God. Now that I have been diagnosed with Ataxia and Parkinson’s Disease, I am not about to give up. Even though depression wants to creep in, my faith sustains me, and I have hope that
I will not give in to depression and the perils of living with Ataxia and PD. You should be able to discuss your illness and your faith in this forum, knowing that you will be supported, not criticized.
Dear Maxwell,
‘He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds’
Keep faith my friend.
12Maxwell3• in reply to
Thank you so much! I wish I could read the Bible, but my focus and comprehension isn’t there right now. My Faith is just not there, and I can’t pray. Someone told me that if I can’t pray the Holy Spirit will pray for me. Have you heard of this?
• in reply to12Maxwell3
Dear Maxwell,
Yes, I have heard of the Holy Spirit helping with prayer.
Sermon Audio.com is really good, you can look up topics, there are sermons on depression, just listen 
God be with you
12Maxwell3• in reply to
Thank you so much
Man do I hear you. My prayer life and reading life is in the toilet right now. I would have to say that 90% of my information gathering is through video. It is a lot harder to get things wrong that way.
I guess I am still in shock even after 6 mo. I’m trying to do all I can.. physical therapy, walking, and horse therapy and will continue to do this, but my spiritual outlook is gone. People say it will get better or pray and just don’t understand, I never did either.
Yes, Maxwell, I have heard of this. Please hang on to your faith! In the mean time, I will be praying FOR you! My husband has PD and praying has helped me immensely! I will also ask my Prayer Warrior friend,
Ms. Wilda,to pray for You .
Thank you.. it feels like my stomach is just churning with anger. Do you want to know what’s funny? I don’t really know why.
Only God knows why! You MUST trust Him and thank Him even in your anger! Remember, I'm praying for you! "All will be well!"
Read Romans . Just wanted to answer the question.
Parkinson's is caused by inflammation of the brain (went to another workshop yesterday) and when I changed my diet to anti-inflammatory.....almost all of my anxiety and fatigue (what most think is depression) has gone. I am actively working on eliminating negative thoughts (part of PD) which also contributes to depression/agitation/anxiety/worry. I was diagnosed with "depression" for 10 years by my general practitioner. I told him repeatedly I didn't feel depressed, just waking in the middle of the night and experiencing significant fatigue. He tried every time to give me anti-depressants. I never accepted them as I knew it wasn't depression....although it looked somewhat like it. Look into changing your diet....it has worked wonders for me. I take it one day at a time and do the best I can each day. I take the Buddhist point of spirituality, but keeping the faith....even in yourself, is vital.
Can you share you’re eating and diet?
I've taken antidepressants for a long time and they saved my life and made life so much better. I resisted for a long time, until a smart doc told me that the stress on my system from the depression and anxiety was much more harmful than the med would be. living with depression over time establishes those neural pathways and it becomes more intractable. I don't stop looking for other solutions, but I won't put up with being chronically depressed again, if I can help it.
Do you know who else had a time of doubt, the most righteous man to have ever lived according to Jesus, John the Baptist. A man who was anointed with the Holy Spirit while still in the womb. A man that as a fetus jumped inside his mom at the presence of his 6 month younger savior. A man forsaking all the comforts of the time to become a voice in the wilderness. He had a lapse of faith too during a very dark time. It will happen to the best of us. If this is to be discussed here or in private just let me know, but if this starts a new thread I am gone.
You are not alone, I "just happened" to be watching this today.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=ziocB...
The kicker is near the end.
God Bless.
FIRST- I went on sertraline for anxiety and each time I increased my dose, my thinking became clearer. More lucid.
I love sertraline! It saved my life!!!
Go ahead, talk about God, No one is going to judge your faith, I know it is so difficult to accept losing bits of yourself, your abilities, your sense of self and your old life. In a way, it's like mourning: you're mourning for what you have lost. Gradually acceptance returns and you try and begin to live with this new normal. Go and enrol in a group therapy class; they help to habituate yourself to the new normal. You gotta go out and do something if only to movr arpind. Eee gads, my ketboard typing really goes down the sinkhole when I'm tired. But at least you know that you are not alione in this world....
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