Giving in/up

[beth]

I've seen in a number of peoples sig's antidepressant meds and thought "lucky I just dont do depression" Then the other day Paul saw an article somewhere and he said he ticked a shedload of the boxes regarding my behaviour/feelings/etc. So having discussed it we saw our GP this morning I'm joining the SSRI club. Not sure I'm pleased, or whether I feel like I've given up, or what really. Just recognised and known for a while that I needed to do something.

Hey ho.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Hey Beth I was the same way for 7 or so years, and my husband talked me into it but I said only if I dont feel weird. Nothing strong. A new drug here called Pristiq, very mild and I dont notice any side effects. It has helped me alot but I still have to control my anger at times. I am not sure if it is available where you arek, but check it out and if you need something stronger then try and SSRI. Here is the link www.pristiq.com

 

[PnaG]

not sure what the SSRI is ( guess there are terms i have to learn LOL ). im glad ur able to get some help. this is exactly what I wrote about yesterday regarding my son. Id love to see him given something to take the edge off.

beth i so hope your feeling better shortly

 

[Rebecca85]

Beth- that describes me a few months ago. But I have been having problems with fatigue, and my GP ruled out most physical causes, so she recommended I try an antidepressant. The difference in me is amazing! Now I feel better, I realise how bad I felt before. I did some research on serotonin, and I was showing classic signs of low serotonin. Having a chronic illness can lower your serotonin levels. So it kind of helps me to think of it as another Crohn's symptom, or a chemical imbalance rather than depression.

 

[D Bergy]

It is hard to notice depression in yourself. I was in my early thirties before I discovered I had it.

I happened to read part of a students psychiatry book which spelled out the symptoms. I assumed I was normal, so that came as a rude awakening. I plowed along until relatively recently with the on again off again symptoms. My wife could see it coming before I could. She also was the first one that noticed it was gone.

Good Luck. I hope you find something that works for you.

Dan

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Well it's good that you recognised that something was wrong and needed to be done eventually.

I've been depressed a few times in my life and even when I was really bad, it was very easy to think I was just being silly or it wasn't that bad.

Never taken anti-depressants though. I always prefered to have counselling which has always helped.

Don't feel like you've given up. See at as a positive thing because now you're doing something about it.

 

[ekay03]

Hi Beth I take Zoloft. No side effects for me. I dont feel like I have given up on given in to anything. Just know that too much ssri can be a prblem. Make sure that you arent taking Tramadol for pain. There is ssri in Tramadol

 

[Mountaingem]

When you consider what Crohn's puts all of us through, I think sooner or later all of us need some kind of pharmalogical help for this. I take Nortryptaline which helps with depression as well as the pain in my overly senstitive bowel. I too didn't think I was depressed til I noticed how much better my outlook was after starting the Nortyptaline.

No shame in doing whatever you need to do to improve your quality of life-so glad you're getting help. Here's to better days ahead:cheerss:

 

[beth]

Thanks guys/girls.
I know it's not really giving in or giving up intellectually, it's just how it feels to me at the moment. Silly I know.

Misty: I'm a connoisseur of counsellors, I've seen many over the years, and one of the reasons why we're not doing it now is that most of them run away from me, I'm too complicated! Too much bad stuff in my past.

 

[Misty-Eyed]

I hope the antidepressants work for you then, Beth. At least you know they won't run away!

Hope you notice a difference soon

 

[Keona]

they're not very good ones if they run away from you. Speaks more about them then you
Hang in.

 

[Agent X20]

Beth, one thing about anti-depressants (in the UK at least). The drug of choice seems to be Citalopram... probably the cheapest. It worked OK for me, although you may have a few side effects in the first week (like "feeling weird"... no comments, please). All I would advise is that if the side effects are too much and it's not working right, go back to your GP and kick up a fuss... other (more expensive, and possibly more effective) drugs are available. A friend of mine did that and it worked a treat

 

[ameslouise]

Hi Beth - I know what you mean about feeling defeated, giving up. For some reason it was easier for me to go on anti-anxiety meds than to go on Crohn's meds!

I hope you find something that suits you, to take the edge off. I am on Citalopram, mentioned above, and my dr started me on half a tab a day, then up to 1 tab a day.

Good luck. Hang in there - Amy

 

[beth]

Steve! Agent! how are you? long time no see you around!

Yeah, I'm just about to try 5mg escitalopram, which is the S stereo-isomer (if you all remember your high school chemistry!).

Doc said we may have to try a few different ones, and dosage, before we get it right so he's happy for me to go back and say it's not right. Seeing him in two weeks time anyway.

 

[exit4]

I take Lexapro. It helped me a lot with my mood and depression issues. Also I think it helped with my belly pain.

 

[Agent X20]

Hi, Beth
I'm fine. I've started dabbling in the forum again... funnily enough because I'm feeling a bit more upbeat... rather than feeling ill again.
Had a terrible year last year... made redundant... depression... hence the cito. Everything on the up now though.

Your doctor sounds like a bit of a gem... I'm sure you'll be fine