Depression hurts

Dispatcher · 06-09-2008, 03:40 AM

I, along with millions of people, have struggled with depression.
Mine is genetic...I got it from my father.
Depression can ruin marriages, cost people their job, and cost people their life.
Many people benefit from medication, but each person has to go through what I call "trial and error medicine", which basically means you go to a doctor, he gives you something and you try it. It may work for you or it may not. The side effects may be mild or so severe you have to stop taking it. Then the doctor tries you on another one and then another one until you find the one that works for you.
And you usually have to take it for weeks before it know if it's gonna work for you.
Some people get lucky on the first medication. I have been through 4 already, and about to try #5 because I get such bad side effects.
Maybe 100 years from now, doctors will laugh about the old days of trial and error medicine. Until then, people with depression keep trying.

thatguyoverthere · 06-10-2008, 06:02 AM

Sorry to hear about that, that sucks

Hopefully this new medication helps some. It must be hell. Life is tough, weird and confusing at times. My heroes in life are always those people who can get up and face the day, even when things seem their bleakest. It can take unimaginable strength to do that, though. I hope you'll win at what must seem like a constant battle. Keep fighting the good fight!

"This, too, shall pass."

Dispatcher · 06-10-2008, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by thatguyoverthere

Sorry to hear about that, that sucks Hopefully this new medication helps some. It must be hell. Life is tough, weird and confusing at times. My heroes in life are always those people who can get up and face the day, even when things seem their bleakest. It can take unimaginable strength to do that, though. I hope you'll win at what must seem like a constant battle. Keep fighting the good fight!

"This, too, shall pass."

Thank you for your kindness. I am moving to Georgia in a few weeks.
I plan to find a depression support group. I find that talking to other people with the same condition really helps me.

motivez · 06-11-2008, 12:27 PM

Where in Georgia are you going to be living? And why the move?

jimeigh · 06-11-2008, 03:47 PM

my girlfriend's on effexor. before that, she was on lexapro.

it also helps that she goes to a therapist

Dispatcher · 06-11-2008, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

Where in Georgia are you going to be living? And why the move?

I am going to a little town called Eatonton east of Atlanta and west of Savanna.
I have been offered a job by my older brother.
In the last 4 weeks, I was laid off from my job and my wife left me.
That's what it took to get me to get help with my depression.
I have nothing left to keep me here and no where to go but up.

Dispatcher · 06-11-2008, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by jimeigh

my girlfriend's on effexor. before that, she was on lexapro.

it also helps that she goes to a therapist

I have just started on both that you mentioned. It is helping already.
It's funny, but you can be abnormal for so long that that becomes your normal. I should have known. My father had depression.
My brother is bipolar.
The whole freakin family was fruitloops.
As Hank Williams Jr sang, I'm just carryin on an ol family tradition.

jimeigh · 06-13-2008, 01:05 PM

she said she could only really start tasting food once she'd started being happier. she called me one day just to say that a turkey sandwich was delicious

Rhianann · 06-14-2008, 02:59 AM

I have genetic depression also. I don't believe in pills to solve every problem however. I just deal with it. Every person I've ever talked to who was on antidepressants said that they feel numb, just nothing. I'd rather feel pain than feel nothing at all.

Dispatcher · 06-14-2008, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by Rhianann

I have genetic depression also. I don't believe in pills to solve every problem however. I just deal with it. Every person I've ever talked to who was on antidepressants said that they feel numb, just nothing. I'd rather feel pain than feel nothing at all.

I have started on effexor. Right now I am taking a very low dose.
There are times when I can do without it, but if there is a lot of stress going on (like recently), my depression goes into overdrive.
My biggest problem with meds so far as been the side effects.
And my shrink told me that they can actually give you manic episodes if I'm not careful about it.

motivez · 06-16-2008, 04:19 AM

A friend of mine was on effexor for a year or so, and when he finally came off of it he had HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms.. I mean, really bad.

He had what they call "brain shivers" .. anxiety, vertigo, fatigue, and all sorts of other stuff that lasted for months if I recall correctly.

I'd be very very wary of taking that after listening to his story about it.. he said the vast majority of people who take it experience similar stuff when they stop.