Dear Merely Me, I think you have an extremely broadminded approach to Depression. I totally agree with you. Some people are helped with Omega 3s and dont need Anti depressants, likewise Ive heard of serious Psychotic illnesses where eliminating wheat and other allergens helped immensely with symptoms.    We can only go by what we have experienced ourselves.    As someone whose come off and on Antidepressants and has a Mood Disorder, I wouldnt advise anyone to do the same as I went thru absolute HELL. It would seem from delving into my Family Tree that IVe a  DNA propensity/am emotionally programmed to suffer with Depression.  I have always kept abreast of Nutritional Supplements and would be very very open to trying things alongside my Antidepressants. I hate being overweight which the Antidepressants do even though I eat very  healthy foods. I do take Omega supplements and find that thse are helpful. Unfortunately some, most GPs and Psychiatrists arent very informed in relation to Supplements and Vitamin therapies.

Merely Me

6/17/09 6:23pm

I am very glad to hear your opinion and I think you are right on with it.  We are fortunate to be living in a time where we do have choices about treatments.  We could be living in the times where leeches was the prescription for depression.  Now we have lots of medication options as well as supplements.  But these are but one tool in our arsenal to combat depression.

 

I do believe that for some people need medication to treat their depression just as they would for a physical disease.  Are the meds perfect?  No.  But they can help some people.  Are they a panacea?  No.  I often wonder about people's expectations...I think some folk think that antidepressants will eliminate and eradicate all negative emotions.  There isn't any magic pill which cures all.  Antidepressants won't solve all your problems but they can help some people live a decent life without undue suffering.

 

I am glad that you are here to say that yes...antidepressants do help you.  And you are also open to natural methods too. 

 

So much of opinion nowadays is people wishing to validate their choices by demonizing others.  I am so glad that you help this site by presenting a balanced view and one not from a textbook but from your own experience.

 

Thank you for you comment.

 

 

rose martin

6/17/09 6:57pm

Hi Merely me, its bedtime here, like most Depressed people, i get better around this time so I have to force myself to Bed as I know that in the morning I will feel like...

YES, youre so right, theres a black and white thing going on with Depression. Some people/Medical professionals are totally against/laugh at anything 'alternative' to pharmaceutical Anti depressants.    Im aware that things like KavaKava can be v dangerous if taken with SSRIs [also Johns Wort] and herbal doesnt mean safe by any means. BUT..  there are people who are helped greatly by natural products.

   I dont believe Antidepressants are 'Magic' but they do make the Depression and the Mood swings for me, more manageable and enable me live a reasonable life.

   At the moment am v down and v anxious but... this too shall pass !!   I take Fish oils and they definitely help theyre also v good for your skin and that cant be bad !! I try and eat fish twice weekly. I notice if I go on Junk ~Food the Depression worsens. i also notice that a SweetBinge brings on Anxiety.  I allow myself 2 pieces of Dark Chocolate a day [any chocolate will do as long as it has 70pc Cocoa] it really does help with mood.   Eating Protein at every meal helps too. I meditate twice daily and this helps too.  I hope this is of some help to all. Good night from Rain washed Ireland

Merely Me

6/17/09 9:22pm

Goodnight Rose!

 

You live in Ireland?  That is so cool...I would love to hear more about where you live.  I am a homebody and never travel so maybe I can imagine myself in all these wondrous places vicariously.

 

 

rose martin

6/18/09 5:10am

Good Morning [when its morning here, hopefully youre fast asleep in your beds in U.S.A. Most places are 6 to 9hrs behind me. Merely me, youre not missing too much here in Ireland, its wonderful in the Countryside, beautiful, when the weathers good. We used to get OK summers, but with Global Warming,we  now have rainy Thundery grey skied Summers for past 4yrs solid with the odd intermittant week or few days of Sun. Its not good for the Soul.  Ive always wanted to visit States, but anxiety, nerves got in the way [its a v long flight.  I do believe that weather does have an effect on mood coz when its sunny Im more inclined to be outgoing and at least you can go outside no matter how you feel.Just for today, I will try and live in the Day and not try and think or tackle problems all at once, Just for today I will try and have a spirit of Gratitude for what I DO have. I will accept my illnesswith Dignity and try and be gracious and help as many people as possible on my way.

I'm currently on a trail for N-acetyl cysteine, which are antioxidants. I was under the impression that vitamins didn't affect anti-depressants, is that the case or is it just the things you were mentioning in your post that would affect what else you are taking? I guess everything is affecting your body chemistry so it's a bit naive to think otherwise, huh? 

I'm not sure how what I'm taking will affect depression (I'm currently not on any other medications so I don't have to worry about mixing) but the trial is being done because of a theory that depressed people don't get enough antioxidants and that's why we get so sick all the time (not enough antioxidants means too much oxidisation is happening in the body, which has a knock on effect leading to damaged cells... or that's the gist I got from it).

Merely Me

6/17/09 6:49pm

Can you tell us more about these antioxidants?  is there another name for it which is easier to pronounce? 

 

As with anything...you do have to be careful about mixing things whether it be herbs or supplements or whatever. 

 

I better do a lot of research before I write my next posts!

 

Remember...you heard it here first...don't take anything until you check with your doctor first. 

LyraStorm

6/18/09 1:57am

You get antioxidants from protein so it's something that everyone has going on in their bodies all the time - you need these antioxidants (which is why vegetarians still need to make sure they get protein even if it isn't from meat) to stop too much cell breakdowns. It's kind of complicated but basically what I am taking just ups the amount of antioxidants in my system to help boost the immune system (less breaking down of white blood cells if you have enough antioxidants). Like I said I'm taking part in a trail - they've had some success apparently with bipolar depression and now they're trying it on clinically depressed individuals.

Hi! 

This is my first post, although I read all the time!  I love your blog and I equally love the dialog that goes on. 

I am on a ton of medication. I did well with Zoloft and then Lexapro for many years. Then after a few large traumas (dad died, move in with bf, found out he was cheating, found out I was preggers, lost the pregnancy...etc..) I found myself watching the 2007 Superbowl from the inside of a hospital. 

I'm now on Lexapro (anywhere from 10 to 20mgs, my doc lets me decided what I need when), Wellbutirn (to counteract the sexual side effect of the Lex.), Trazodone to help with sleep and anxiety, Neurontin to help with anxiety and finally the bane of my existance...Xanax.  I go from 1-2 mgs over the course of several months, depending on how much anxiety I have. I want to badly to first be off the Xanax and then work my way down to only one or 2 meds. 

When I was in the hospital I asked the APN if she thought my fish oil supplements would be any help and she said she didn't think they'd hurt so I kept going for a few months, but ran out. On top of my meds I couldn't afford $30 a bottle for a 30 day supply.  The theraputic dose is about 2000mg per day, I believe.  I really wish I could have kept it up, as I believed that it was just starting to help. 

Has anyone had any success with fish oil?  Any other supplements that have worked?  I'd love some input.

Thanks for listening, all! 

After_Glo

6/20/09 12:50am

Just a correction. It was last year in the hospital, 2008 superbowl, lol. Had to clear that up. I spent 5 days in the first time and 2 days in the second time. I've been out of the hospital for good for a year and 2 months now.

Merely Me

6/21/09 9:31pm

Hi there

 

I am interested in learning more about fish oil too and I will try to write about it during my continuing series on natural treatments.  I will have a post up tomorrow about SAM-e and 5-HTP. 

 

Thank you for telling us your story and we would love to hear more about you!

 

 

I am currently on 50mg zoloft in a.m. , Lortab 10mg every 6-8 hrs for pain, elavil 50 mg at night, and thru out the days Zanaflex 2mg 3x a day as needed. I was in a horrible car accident 2 years ago, I know I have issues dealing with it, I'm a hold all emotions in and don't show weakness kinda person. Very tiring. I have severe anxiety and feel like the xanax doesn't even work. Plus prior to my accicent I was taking L-tyroseine, forget the dosage. And it seemed to help but post wreck it did nothing, I hate to know that I will have to be on all these meds for the rest of my life to have my life back. Before taking them, I was grouchy, depressed, stayed on the couhc constantly, and now taking the meds my quality of life had improved immensley. I don't know what to do, either just accept the fact I am going to have to take these meds to have a good quality of life or not and end up losing my family because I feel horrible and am a b*tch and yell and have zero patience. Just to explain my injuries, I was at Grady Memorial for 3 months, in ICU for one month, fractured my c1 and C2, T1 and T2, was in a Halo for 3 months, punctured both lungs, on a ventilator for 4 weeks then a treach was put in, fractured my left shoulder, and hip. 3 blood spots on my brain, and a huge scar on my bead, the doctor said I looked like I was scalped. lol. Also crushed my spleen so had to have emergency exploratory laporatomy (sp?) bruised kidney and liver, also was hypothermic, coldest person the doc had ever did surgery on, he said it was scary. I flat lined, many times and am lucky to be here. So I am thinking I am going to have to accept the fact I am lucky to be here and take what meds they give me, for they do help but am still so agitated all the time. It's like i'm mad at the world or something. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening to me babble :)