doc has put me on lexapro but i can't take it. oh sure, it mellows me right out but i'm wide awake (more than normal). i feel quite calm but i hate the not sleeping.
i stopped taking it and i'm back to waking up at 3.
i was on elavil but he won't give me that.
paxil makes me totally wired, i mean jumping off the walls type, hyper.
is there anything i can take or recommend to him (if he will listen to me at all), that will just take the edge off but allow me to sleep and function, well, normally??
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
Remeron does well for me, but everybody is so different. I have taken many other, but was put on this for sleep issues also. Does a good job on my depression. I take 30 mg.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
well he gave me ambien and lunesta. wow, bad news.
my husband said i was having vivid dreams and talking and all. really bad stuff.
so the sleep stuff doesn't work for me.
but with all my other issues right now i think the antidepressant is the way to go, i just have to find the right one.
i hate to keep filling prescriptions and then just throwing them away.
Posted by kday (Member # 22234) on :
High dose Inositol?
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
Inositol, unofficially referred to as "vitamin B 8," is present in all animal tissues, with the highest levels in the heart and brain. It is part of the membranes (outer coverings) of all cells, and plays a role in helping the liver process fats as well as contributing to the function of muscles and nerves.
Inositol may also be involved in depression. People who are depressed may have lower than normal levels of inositol in their spinal fluid. In addition, inositol participates in the action of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to be a factor in depression. (Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit messages between nerve cells.) For these two reasons, inositol has been proposed as a treatment for depression, and preliminary evidence suggests that it may be helpful.
Inositol has also been tried for other psychological and nerve-related conditions.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Have you tried zoloft?
I had an agitated depression--mind racing, white knuckle ride 24/7. Tried quite a few different meds. They all overwhelmed me. Then, I went to an expensive psychiatrist who started me out on a very, very low dose of zoloft and I became normal.
I worked up to 50 mg per day and stayed on that for 9 months. Then, tapered off with no problem.
The zoloft made me feel like my normal self.
It did cause me to have headaches for about the first 3-4 weeks. Doc had me persevere through that (took Tylenol), and I'm glad I did. The relief was wonderful.
Also, I understand it is effective against nerve pain. My neighbor takes it for back pain. Has done so for years.
Hope you find the med that works for you and brings you back to your old self.
Posted by lymetwister (Member # 19590) on :
Took zoloft for years. Wish I could go back on, but put on anafranil, for ocd and depression. Zoloft worked great for me. Good luck
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
I had no idea you were such a bigshot on Youtube Gary. You've got videos everywhere!!
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
I'm on prozac. Works for me. Suggest you see a good phychopharmacologist
Posted by rks (Member # 24316) on :
I'm going to try St John's Wort before I try any prescription. If that doesn't help, then maybe I'll try the 5-HTP.
I have another appointment the first week in August, so will discuss more with my LLMD.
My LLMD gave me NeuroReplete to try and it didn't help at all; in fact, I think it made it a little worse.
Also, tried Sam-e, which seemed to help a little bit for a little while, but then stopped.
Mine, I guess, I would describe as a mild to moderate.
Hoping to find something that will help soon.
Good luck and hope you find something that works for you!
Posted by lymetwister (Member # 19590) on :
Try to help others when I can Seek :-)
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
I don't agree with anti-depressants. Another pharmaceutical scam.
Good Lyme treatment weekly massage exercise clean diet adrenal support
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
Zoloft did not work well for me, but we are all different.
For those of you who do not agree with taking drugs, I hope you never get in the situation where you have to.
Since the 80's, I have spent tons of money on supps, trying to sleep, for depression etc. I don't enjoy taking all the drugs I do, but one has to survive too.
Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :
I agree keityl, sometimes we need antidepressants and nothing else will work.
It does not mean someone is weak there are physical causes to depression that are very real and the depression that goes along with it is very real too...
Some people are ignorant to this...keltyl
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
Thank you Daniella, well said.
My problem isn't just depression, and fixing the depression isn't going to fix me. It's just a small piece of what is going on with my body.
Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :
situational depressiom is a result of a loss or result of prolonged illness. depression as a result and very natural to our situation.
other depression can be from toxins in brain, bacteria, viruses or parasites in brain causing destruction or creating toxic overload.
either way these are very real and serious issues and should not be looked upon as otherwise.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Keityl, I've been to rock bottom. I've seen the lowest, darkest days you could imagine. When Lyme hit me hard I was severely depressed and often thought about suicide.
I never once took an antidepressant. I treated the root cause. Not the symptom.
It's my opinion that antidepressants can send you into a whirlwind. The viscious cycle of hormonal disruption.
If it worked for some of you guys... Great.
But most people should know that antidepressants do more harm than good.
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
All I can say is, we are all different, and what works for one doesn't work for another.
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
I will also add...next week I'll be 60, and have been sick since a child. I believe I got bitten at about 10 yrs old.
I was just tested for Lyme in Nov '07, and was CDC positive. I have co's, numerous viruses, Q fever, and who knows what else. At this point my body just can't heal on supps.
Every part of my body is involved.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
and let's not forget the stress. i think most of you now what i live with.
constant stress and very low self image reinforced by others can be just as damaging as the disease itself.
believe me, when a doctor says you're falling apart, and you're sitting there just squalling, then something is wrong.
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
randi...I know the stress!!! There were many times throughout the years in my quest to find out what was wrong with me, I was told I was nuts, I should look to God, on and on. That is really good for your self image!
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
High doses of adaptogens and adrenal support can relieve depression.
Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :
"can" is the key word cane.. I think until you have been affected like others have,it may be better to sit this one out cane...
just sayin.. )
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
FYI, I am on 3 adrenal support supps.
Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :
2 here Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
maybe i'll try those, but ya know everything has the opposite effect on me. tranquilizers drive me hyper, otc stuff increases heart rate, everything is just the exact worst stuff i could try.
i'm willing to try adrenal support but where would i start? any otc stuff that would work adn not cost a fortune?
Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :
Posted by keltyl (Member # 14050) on :
randi...don't do it yourself. It all depends on whether or not your adrenals are hyper or hypo as to what supps you would take.
I'm getting ready to go out, but would be glad to pm you and talk when I can....if you want.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
yes please, let me know.
i don't think my doc (the primary casue i lost my llmd) would be amenable to testing (sigh....)
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
There are LLMD's that say that antidepressants can actually help heal the brain, from things that happen due to Lyme.
So I don't think you need to worry. Take them if you need them. I don't believe at all that they are a scam. Do they make companies money? Yes, of course. So do antibiotics like Rocephin. But are they a scam? No. They work.
Anyways...I was on Prozac for quite awhile and that helped.
I read in "The Lyme Disease Solution" that Zoloft is overall the most highly recommended for Lyme patients, with the fewest observed side effects.
So I would try either Prozac or Zoloft, if it was me. Good luck!
Posted by lymetwister (Member # 19590) on :
You really should check out 5-HTP.. It is an amino acid that converts directly into Serotonin. I'm a really big fan of this and I'll tell you why.
Big Pharmas can't/won't recommend this as they won't make money on it.
It raises your levels within hours of taking it and NO physiological changes occur. This means no withdrawal or brain zaps if you stop using it.
If it doesn't work, than Serotonin isn't your problem.
Ask any Psychiatrist and 99% of them don't even know what 5-HTP is. They arn't taught this in medical school, yet it is a direct precursor to Serotonin. How could they not know this, yet throw around AD's like they are candy.
Did you ever hear of poop out syndrome ? This is when an AD worked well and then suddenly stopped. It goes well with the theory that SSRI's reuse your low Serotonin levels. When they get too low, there is nothing to reuse, thats when poop out occurs.
Quick lesson, but these are the facts and I have researched this stuff for years.
Google 5-HTP and Anxiety or Depression. It's out there and it's no secret. Kind of like Lyme :-)
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
daniella,
Not to make this a pi$$ing match.... but I have been affected like others have.
And if you read my above post you will see that I've seen the worst neurological symptoms you can have. (What's worse than suicidal and deep, dark depression?)
I've stated my stand on it. You don't have to agree with me and I understand.
But we're all fighting the same battle. Lyme has attacked ALL of our CNS's and brains.
Posted by Cass A (Member # 11134) on :
There's no such thing as "good" antidepressant.
They all have horrific side effects, including suicidal thoughts, homicidal rages, suicide, addiction (can't stop taking it due to horrible feelings if you do), and other physical adverse effects as well.
My recommendation would be high dose B vitamins and exercise. Something that REALLY mellows me out when I need it most is Brewer's yeast--B vitamins and protein, too.
Now, if it just tasted better......
Best,
Cass A
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Just because "horrific" side effects are listed, it doesn't mean everyone experiences them.
I had virtually no noticable side effects from some of the psych drugs I've taken, Prozac being one of them. Lamictal being the other. That's why I comfortably took those longterm. Some caused side effects, but that's why I didn't stay on them.
Posted by lymetwister (Member # 19590) on :
5-HTP has no side effects except maybe some GI stuff, but it's usually mild. Your Serotonin receptors are located in the gut, at least 80% of them.
Sorry to keep posting this, but I know this stuff well.
Again, you don't get physiological changes from 5-HTP, whereas you do with SSRI's and SNRI's.
On another note, what your feeling may not even be a true depression. For me, it always felt like a symptom. Like when you burst into tears for no forsaken reason. When the CNS is affected, it may not even be Serotonin.
Cymbalta, Effexor, and the newer drug Pristique all tinker with both your Serotonin and Norepinephrine. I would only ask, how in the world does your Dr. even know which one is out of whack ? The answer is simple, they don't.
I won't post anymore on this thread. and I'm not giving out medical advice, but rather medical research I have spent countless hours studying.
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