Depression
- Thread starter etdeb
- Start date
etdeb... st johnswort does work for mild to moderate depression for many people. However, DO NOT start taking it until you are off other anti-depressants. While I don't think Wellbutrin is a MAO inhibitor (St Johnswort reacts badly with that class of drug), it's a powerful brain chemistry altering med (as all the SSRI and other anti-depressants are) and the potential for interaction and problems is high.
You may want to look into a couple other options. First, vitamin D... it's becoming obvious that our obesssion with "preventing skin cancer" in this country has contributed to a massive low-grade Vitamin D deficiency. Unless you spend an hour or so outdoors, *without sunscreen* at least 3-4 days a week, or take a good Vitamin D supplement, you are probably deficient. Depending on your insurance, you may want to get tested for your blood levels of D (PM Tweakette- IIRC, she has looked into a lot of this, and gotten good results for herself). Taking 2000 mg of D a day isn't as excessive as used to be thought. (don't do anything I say here without researching it yourself, please!!)
Also, remember that "depression" is basically a symptom. Yes, you can have "primary clinical depression", but I wonder how common that truly is. It can be secondary to many things- including external stress (which is what docs usually blame, but I suspect is actually a "cause" in a tiny percentage of cases), hormones (MUCH more common than you'd think!) and thyroid issues. Again, we've badly underestimated what is "normal" for thyroid numbers, from what I'm reading. I do wonder what is causing so many people to have thyroid problems these days!
If everything checks out otherwise, SAM-e may be a help.
One thing- not wanting to scare you, but- you need to be prepared for possible problems coming off the Wellbutrin. I haven't read much about that specific drug, but MANY of the newer anti-depressants are a LOT more physically "addictive" than most docs want to admit. That's not meant to be discouraging, but forwarned is forearmed- a lot of folks don't realize why they feel horrible as they start dropping the dose of these drugs, and the docs aren't a lot of help. They seem to think "well, if you don't feel good when you don't take it, obviously you need to keep taking it"... like that's a solution!
I had an idiot doc put me on Paxil once, and I swear, I had worse withdrawal symptoms from that than I did from a month on demerol in the hospital! You couldn't pay me enough to take that particular med, ever again.
Sorry it took me so long to reply to this- I was on my laptop computer for a few days until I could get a part for my main machine, and it's difficult to write long posts on that machine.
Summerthyme
You may want to look into a couple other options. First, vitamin D... it's becoming obvious that our obesssion with "preventing skin cancer" in this country has contributed to a massive low-grade Vitamin D deficiency. Unless you spend an hour or so outdoors, *without sunscreen* at least 3-4 days a week, or take a good Vitamin D supplement, you are probably deficient. Depending on your insurance, you may want to get tested for your blood levels of D (PM Tweakette- IIRC, she has looked into a lot of this, and gotten good results for herself). Taking 2000 mg of D a day isn't as excessive as used to be thought. (don't do anything I say here without researching it yourself, please!!)
Also, remember that "depression" is basically a symptom. Yes, you can have "primary clinical depression", but I wonder how common that truly is. It can be secondary to many things- including external stress (which is what docs usually blame, but I suspect is actually a "cause" in a tiny percentage of cases), hormones (MUCH more common than you'd think!) and thyroid issues. Again, we've badly underestimated what is "normal" for thyroid numbers, from what I'm reading. I do wonder what is causing so many people to have thyroid problems these days!
If everything checks out otherwise, SAM-e may be a help.
One thing- not wanting to scare you, but- you need to be prepared for possible problems coming off the Wellbutrin. I haven't read much about that specific drug, but MANY of the newer anti-depressants are a LOT more physically "addictive" than most docs want to admit. That's not meant to be discouraging, but forwarned is forearmed- a lot of folks don't realize why they feel horrible as they start dropping the dose of these drugs, and the docs aren't a lot of help. They seem to think "well, if you don't feel good when you don't take it, obviously you need to keep taking it"... like that's a solution!
I had an idiot doc put me on Paxil once, and I swear, I had worse withdrawal symptoms from that than I did from a month on demerol in the hospital! You couldn't pay me enough to take that particular med, ever again.
Sorry it took me so long to reply to this- I was on my laptop computer for a few days until I could get a part for my main machine, and it's difficult to write long posts on that machine.
Summerthyme
Amelia
CheekyMonkey
etdeb, I have serious depression, too, and am sorry you are having to go through it.
One of the things I have found is that getting outside and walking is immensely helpful. Exercise does help, even if you dread trying to make yourself do it. Get some headphones and put on some 70's music and sing along with it as you walk. (If the 70's weren't your generation, they're some of the easiest songs to follow along with - I call it "housecleaning music"!) I find I have a somewhat more energized outlook after I've been out getting some exercise.
I also found that a B-12 shot helps my energy levels.
Cymbalta does help with the pain, but never, ever let your doctor put you on Effexor - just missing a dose of that stuff is ugly!
Please let us know how you're doing, 'k?
Kate
One of the things I have found is that getting outside and walking is immensely helpful. Exercise does help, even if you dread trying to make yourself do it. Get some headphones and put on some 70's music and sing along with it as you walk. (If the 70's weren't your generation, they're some of the easiest songs to follow along with - I call it "housecleaning music"!) I find I have a somewhat more energized outlook after I've been out getting some exercise.
I also found that a B-12 shot helps my energy levels.
Cymbalta does help with the pain, but never, ever let your doctor put you on Effexor - just missing a dose of that stuff is ugly!
Please let us know how you're doing, 'k?
Kate