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re: What prescriptions are you on?
Posted on 3/19/13 at 1:23 pm to Govt Tide
Posted on 3/19/13 at 1:23 pm to Govt Tide
For me, I got Lexapro because my Seasonal Affective Disorder was very pronounced this year. Usually around Thanksgiving I start getting really tired and have the urge to hibernate. I generally fight through it with going to a tanning booth once a week and taking shitloads of Vitamin D and inositol or other herbal supplements for mood.
This year, after a week or so of coming home straight from work and wanting to go to sleep, I talked to my GP. I got 10 mg Lexapro, and it really helped. As soon as spring arrives, my brain turns back on and I no longer need it.
Seeking medical help for depression and anxiety is the smart thing to do, and that's why its disturbing that so many people are ashamed of it or attempt to shame others for doing so. That's one of the reasons I think I started this thread.
Its not necessary to spin completely out, or take up drinking, or lash out at others when you are having trouble managing your mood.
I've gone through winters when I was younger when I would spend 100s at the sports bar, telling myself I was just "bored". Its safer and saner to spend $10 on a script and attack the real problem, which for me is a real seasonal imbalance.
I've probably had less than 10 beers since New Years, which is a good thing, IMO.
And to your point, its gotten worse as I have gotten older, but I have also gained the clarity to view it as a medical issue.
This year, after a week or so of coming home straight from work and wanting to go to sleep, I talked to my GP. I got 10 mg Lexapro, and it really helped. As soon as spring arrives, my brain turns back on and I no longer need it.
Seeking medical help for depression and anxiety is the smart thing to do, and that's why its disturbing that so many people are ashamed of it or attempt to shame others for doing so. That's one of the reasons I think I started this thread.
Its not necessary to spin completely out, or take up drinking, or lash out at others when you are having trouble managing your mood.
I've gone through winters when I was younger when I would spend 100s at the sports bar, telling myself I was just "bored". Its safer and saner to spend $10 on a script and attack the real problem, which for me is a real seasonal imbalance.
I've probably had less than 10 beers since New Years, which is a good thing, IMO.
And to your point, its gotten worse as I have gotten older, but I have also gained the clarity to view it as a medical issue.
This post was edited on 3/19/13 at 1:29 pm
1
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:06 pm to wmr
Used to be on Zoloft
Yeah i was a depressed frick, wanna fight about it?
Cut the meds cold turkey and have no problems today
(or do i?)
Yeah i was a depressed frick, wanna fight about it?
Cut the meds cold turkey and have no problems today
(or do i?)
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:20 pm to wmr
You're right and congrats to you for recognizing you had a legitimate chemical imbalance.
My issue isn't so much being in denial as it is confusing my dull, passive mood and lack of passion and direction as simply part of my personality because I had never heard of dysthymia until recently. I've had doctors or even specialists give me there go to diagnosis of anxiety and depression when I was there for actual physical symptoms from something else. The problem is most doctors still don't really know how to deal with mental disorders and my doctors would say all is well physically and not help me deal with the anxiety and mild depression. I slipped into a bout of major depression about 10 years ago which was a truly miserable experience. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I recovered from that but the deflated feeling of dysthymia remains. It isn't that it is ruining my life as much as waking up one day years later in the same unmotivated, passionless funk realizing with regrets that I 've missed out on so much. Social isolation, procrastination at work and home, lack of energy, lack of motivation, and lack of interest in my friends and family are how it manifests to me. I think it might be chemical and hereditary with me because my dad takes Prozac as well. I might look into that if the side effects aren't bad.
My issue isn't so much being in denial as it is confusing my dull, passive mood and lack of passion and direction as simply part of my personality because I had never heard of dysthymia until recently. I've had doctors or even specialists give me there go to diagnosis of anxiety and depression when I was there for actual physical symptoms from something else. The problem is most doctors still don't really know how to deal with mental disorders and my doctors would say all is well physically and not help me deal with the anxiety and mild depression. I slipped into a bout of major depression about 10 years ago which was a truly miserable experience. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I recovered from that but the deflated feeling of dysthymia remains. It isn't that it is ruining my life as much as waking up one day years later in the same unmotivated, passionless funk realizing with regrets that I 've missed out on so much. Social isolation, procrastination at work and home, lack of energy, lack of motivation, and lack of interest in my friends and family are how it manifests to me. I think it might be chemical and hereditary with me because my dad takes Prozac as well. I might look into that if the side effects aren't bad.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:27 pm to Govt Tide
Yeah, chemical imbalances are real.
When I first got the Lexapro, I could practically feel it entering my blood stream. I felt better that afternoon. It really kicked in strongly about three days later for me.
I never progressed up the ladder to a stronger dose. I knew it would be a temporary thing. I'll probably be back on it again next winter, though.
When I first got the Lexapro, I could practically feel it entering my blood stream. I felt better that afternoon. It really kicked in strongly about three days later for me.
I never progressed up the ladder to a stronger dose. I knew it would be a temporary thing. I'll probably be back on it again next winter, though.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:42 pm to wmr
Did it actually give you an energetic, euphoric feeling at all? I remember getting a really bad sunburn during Spring break in college and the doctor prescribing Prednisone. That stuff not only did an amazing job of clearing my dried out sunburnt skin but also made me feel as good physically as I'd ever felt. Never before or since have I had as much energy as the brief time I was on that stuff. I remember asking the doctor about taking it long term and he said that wouldn't be a good idea because with long term use it basically starts eating away at your bones and heart muscle. 
This post was edited on 3/19/13 at 2:44 pm
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:42 pm to wmr
quote:
I've taken Lexapro for the past two months for seasonal affective disorder related moderate depression
What has been your experience with this? I don't know who my wife is during the winter months (unless we are vacationing)
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:51 pm to Govt Tide
That's interesting. I'd suspect that if you have that response to a steroid, you probably have some chronic inflammatory issues. I discovered my food allergies and that helped my mood a ton.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:53 pm to Govt Tide
Any SSRI in the winter months lifts me up quickly. In the first week, I cleaned my whole house, worked out hard, socialized immediately.
Just a little bit works for my SAD. Anything above 10 mgs of Lexapro made me feel a little manic. and as soon as daylight savings time got here, I knew I needed to dial back to normal. Anxiety was all but gone, though.
Just a little bit works for my SAD. Anything above 10 mgs of Lexapro made me feel a little manic. and as soon as daylight savings time got here, I knew I needed to dial back to normal. Anxiety was all but gone, though.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:56 pm to sugatowng
My experience with it is that several years ago, I noticed how awful I felt around Thanksgiving, and remembered that I also felt that way the year before, etc. So the past several years I have been aware of it, and I'm pretty earthy guy, so my first line of defense was the herbals, like St. John's Wort, inositol, 5-htp, etc.
This year was just a huge dip, very quickly. I hadn't been eating right, either, which I think precipitated it.
Like I said, a couple of days on Lexapro and I felt like a million bucks. A little weirdness coming off it the past week or so. A couple of dizzy spells, etc. But all-in-all, a very positive medicine for me. I can't speak to it long-term.
This year was just a huge dip, very quickly. I hadn't been eating right, either, which I think precipitated it.
Like I said, a couple of days on Lexapro and I felt like a million bucks. A little weirdness coming off it the past week or so. A couple of dizzy spells, etc. But all-in-all, a very positive medicine for me. I can't speak to it long-term.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:58 pm to Govt Tide
@Govt Tide:
Do you have any visible inflammation-related illnesses?
Gout, psoriasis, arthritis, skin problems, etc?
Do you have any visible inflammation-related illnesses?
Gout, psoriasis, arthritis, skin problems, etc?
Posted on 3/19/13 at 2:59 pm to wmr
Thanks for the info...I would think my wife is hesitant against taking any anti-depressant and has spent more time in the tanning bed and gobbling up Vit-D. This is a yearly thing for her... 
Posted on 3/19/13 at 3:00 pm to sugatowng
Inositol, 5-htp, st john's wort, or some combination of all of the above actually worked pretty well for me in the past. Pretty cheap, too.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 3:20 pm to wmr
quote:
Do you have any visible inflammation-related illnesses? Gout, psoriasis, arthritis, skin problems, etc?
None. I have pretty healthy skin. In fact, other than often feeling fatigued for no apparent reason, having minor irregularity issues (constipation) as well as the physical anxiety symptoms, and needing to lose about 10 or 15 pounds, I'm pretty healthy. Although I make a conscious effort to to eat healthier, for convenience sake I tend to eat poorly from time to time. I also get bored very easily with jogging on the treadmill so I tend to have good stretches of regularly exercising mixed with even more stretches of losing all motivation to go and therefore not exercising. I tend to do better when the activity is sports specific like playing pick up basketball or walking during a round of golf but it's hard to find a regular pick up basketball game and even harder to afford regular rounds of golf.
I do think that medication may be a big help for me although I really dislike taking prescription medication unless it's absolutely necessary. For example, I'm not crazy about taking the statin drug I take for high cholesterol even though the side effects aren't all that bad. I've read some disturbing things about Simvastatin that make me question if taking it long term is worth the potential adverse effects. I'm sure there are issues with Prozac that have to be considered.
This post was edited on 3/19/13 at 3:26 pm
Posted on 3/19/13 at 3:21 pm to wmr
Addy son
15 xr
15 xr
Posted on 3/19/13 at 3:46 pm to Govt Tide
@govt tide:
Google cytokines and depression and anxiety. There can be a tie between systemic inflammation and depression/anxiety. If prednisone elevated your mood, it could have been due to its effect on cytokine activity. Cytokines can eat your good mood hormones and precursors.
I'm pretty well-Googled in holistic medicine, nutrition, and mind/body connection stuff.
St. John's Wort can suppress cytokine activity in addition to lifting mood. I'd suggest giving that a whirl and see if it helps.
Google cytokines and depression and anxiety. There can be a tie between systemic inflammation and depression/anxiety. If prednisone elevated your mood, it could have been due to its effect on cytokine activity. Cytokines can eat your good mood hormones and precursors.
I'm pretty well-Googled in holistic medicine, nutrition, and mind/body connection stuff.
St. John's Wort can suppress cytokine activity in addition to lifting mood. I'd suggest giving that a whirl and see if it helps.
This post was edited on 3/19/13 at 3:49 pm
Posted on 3/19/13 at 5:01 pm to wmr
Those are some fascinating articles on cytokines. On the one hand, they cause basically every negative symptom related to both physical and mental disease, yet on the other hand those same negative symptoms are necessary evils for human survival. It appears it's all about finding the proper balance. The physical effect these cytokines have on the body seem to cause the most harm to the brain unfortunately.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 5:45 pm to Govt Tide
Yeah, its pretty fascinating stuff.
The modern diet/lifestyle pretty much ensures that a lot of people's bodies are in a state of constant inflammation on some level. Given that reality, and the effects inflammation and stress have on brain chemistry, its a wonder more people aren't suffering some degree of mental/emotional imbalance.
The modern diet/lifestyle pretty much ensures that a lot of people's bodies are in a state of constant inflammation on some level. Given that reality, and the effects inflammation and stress have on brain chemistry, its a wonder more people aren't suffering some degree of mental/emotional imbalance.
Posted on 3/19/13 at 5:48 pm to wmr
we'll see in about 2 weeks.
jk
jk
This post was edited on 3/19/13 at 5:49 pm
Posted on 3/19/13 at 5:51 pm to JordonfortheJ
Nah I feel like I'm out of the woods. I'm very conscious of becoming dependent on any meds, and I know how closely mine is associated with winter.
The only real side effect from Lexapro I felt was about two days of crazy libido, followed by two months of really decreased libido. It gave me some carb cravings that I don't usually have, too.
The only real side effect from Lexapro I felt was about two days of crazy libido, followed by two months of really decreased libido. It gave me some carb cravings that I don't usually have, too.
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