Vera " My painkillers for vulvodynia are tricyclic depression drugs, because there is practically no other types of drug for chronic pain."



You might be able to get opioids if you go to a multidiscipline pain management center that uses them for chronic pain, but their use for non-terminal-illness pain is controversial. My personal belief is that they often work and should be used if the patient knows the risks and accepts them.



Tho it is not impossible, they aren't extremely likely to be too much help in relieving acute pain caused by contact with a painful area, but tend to be good for nagging pain, pain that goes on hour after hour day after day nagging.



They may possibly also help depression, but they are almost never prescribed for depression, in the absence of pain. You won't get them if you tell your doctor you think about suicide a lot - they will worry you will use them to kill yourself.



Again: oversleep makes depression worse in many cases. Try to stay awake. Before going to sleep, plan an activity that you can look forward to doing when you wake up. That will help you wake up - so you can do the actiivity.

I've been off meds for over a year now - I was prescribed Effexor, and then Cipramil for depression and anxiety. They were helping to a degree but I was still suffering accutely, ...the doctor I saw was less than helpful.. It was also damn near impossible to get to see one, so, after clearing it with my doctor I stopped taking them. I decided to tackle things the old fashioned way - looked closely at my sleep patterns, diet, took supplements, excercised etc etc.



Well, a year on and things are as bad as they were a few years ago. I have suffered from depression and anxeity for many years now and I'm pretty lost as to what to do.



Each day is exhausting. I swing from being so happy I am hysterical to being horrifically depressed within a matter of ...30 minutes at my worst. The rest of the time I feel numb. I can't seem to reach a balance.



I am becoming increasingly withdrawn during my lows.



I lost it tonight and self harmed. It was the first time for ages.

I am aware that certain things have exacerbated my problems.. I've been suffering from chronic and acute pain now for several years (although my depression and anxiety pre-date this by at least 5) and have also had a cancer scare that hasn't completely been ruled out in the past 8 months.



sorry.. just needed to rant. I suppose I needed some advice too. I don't really know what my options are and I'm not really very happy.

Sorry to hear that things aren't going well for you. Sounds like this has been a real trend for you off and on, and I'm sad for you that it seems to be getting unbearable for you lately. On a positive note, I think you need to give yourself a serious pat on the back for being so intuned to your body and needs, and being able to recognize your highs and lows. As you mentioned, you were able to work yourself through depression in the past, without the need for medications or counseling, and that it pretty impressive and encouraging. But you shouldn't get yourself down for not being able to get yourself out of it this time. We all (those who suffer from severe depression) have a life of ups and downs and sometimes we are able to get ourselves out of it ourselves, but other times we do need help such as medications and counseling, but there is nothing shameful about that. We can't always get ourselves out of the rough spots. You mentioned that you have had some bad experiences with medications and with psychiatrists/counselors. Please don't let them get you down and discouraged. It took me quite a while to find the right medication and counselor, but it was worth the bad experiences to finally get to where I am now with support. I guess if it is bad enough (as in you realize you can't help yourself or you start SI), then it is worth the struggles to get to finding the right medication and counselor. And from what you are describing, I think that may be a serious option for you. You know yourself better then anyone else, so I would just stick with that advice.. If you don't think you can work yourself out of the depression this time, then I think it's important for you to create a safe place for yourself to heal through support systems and possibly medication; doesn't mean you will have to be dependent on them the rest of your life, just to help you get through this spell. Good luck to you with whatever you decide. Sorry things are rough, but I hope you can find support. Take care of yourself, and give yourself as much time and caring as you need.

I have a tic disorder, which is in the same class as tourette syndrome. I take 2 mg of clonopin and 2 mg of tenex. Clonopin works better than any other medication. I am aware of the possibilty of developing a dependence on benzodiazepines.

Resources:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

http://www.benzobuddies.org/



I don't think Tenex is doing much and I will probably have my neurologist take me off of it soon. I have been at this 2 mg dosage of tenex since Nov. 14. I beleive the highest dosage of tenex a physcian will prescribe is 3 mg.



I have been depressed lately and I feel agressive, meaning I feel like I want to get into a fight.



Before I became a dietary vegan I used to take fish oil supplements and it worked for my depression and aggression. I am looking for a plant based subsitute for fish oil supplements. Does anyone know of any plant based subsitute for fish oil supplements that help with depression and irritability? The obvious answer would be flax seed oil supplements.



Therapy does not work for me. I have gone thru 12+ therapist in 15 years. I will not take any anti-depressants because I don't need them and I will only take the minimal amount of drugs I am already on.



Right now powerlifting, olympiclifting, and my heavy bag is my drug.

veganwayne, have you tried milled flax seed? I can't stand flax oil, but you can put milled flax seed in about anything like smoothies, pancakes, cookies, etc. and it tastes fine. I suffer from depression too, and have been using it.. and a couple of spoon fulls a day is plenty to get the omegas that fish oil has.



I know that you said that powerlifting and such has been great for you.. I think that's awesome, and I'm sure a great way to release that need to be physical. But have you ever thought of trying some yoga, pilates, meditation or just relaxing streching? They can be a really good way to relax and release negative energy. I think a mix of the physical stuff and relaxing stuff can be really healing. Personally, I love to dance, which is the physical part for me, but I also do regular relaxing stretches too which has helped me a lot.



Hope you find something that works for you, and I hope you get to feelings better.

veganwayne-

You can get vegan DHA supplements too (I like this one: http://www.drfuhrman.com/shop/DHA.aspx). DHA and EPA are long chain omega fatty acids whereas the ones found in flaxseed are short chain. Your body can convert some of the short chain ones into long chain, but only a relatively small percentage, and some people do this more efficiently than others. From what I've read the combination of DHA and EPA in fish oil is more effective for depression (not that I'm recommending it). There is a vegan supplement out there now that claims to have both, though not as much EPA as fish oil: http://www.water4.net/products.htm

There is also a vegan DHA supplement called Omega Zen 3.

Has it ever been considered that you could be manic-depressive? I have a friend/co-worker who has been on numerous anti depression/anxiety medications with little to no relief. She just recently saw a new doctor and he decided that she is borderline manic/depressive. He put her on Neurontin and is slowly weaning her off all her other medications. She is feeling much better and is sleeping better too, after years of insomnia. Of course, I realize everyone is different and I am sure it must be very frustrating for you. I just wanted to throw this out there as another possiblity. Good luck and I hope you are able to find a solution.

I was diagnosised with bi-polar disorder from 2000-2005. It is possible that I have both disorders, bi-polar and tic. I will not see a psychiatrist because I think most of them are "quacks" and psychiarty is a pseudo-science. No, I am not a Scientologist. I have worked with nearly 2 dozen "shrinks" from 1991-2005, they were all quacks. I know more than they do. I have had verbal tics since 1991 and not one psychiatrist ever thought that I might have a tic disorder until 2005. Most behaviorial health facilities require that their clients see a therapist if they want to see a psychiatrist. I would be willing to see a psychopharmacologist but my HMO doesn't know if there are any in my network. I call my HMO, the member services representatives give me a list of physicians and don't know whether or not the names they are giving me are the names of psychiatrists or psychopharmacologists.



The mental health advocacy groups in the Philadelphia area are not advocacy groups. They try to convince people to "play the game" in the system. They don't advocate for choices in treatment. Most of the so called "leaders" of these orgs think that popping pills and psychotherapy are the primary solution to everyones problems even though there is no scientific evidence that synthetic drugs and psycho-therapy work for 100% of the population. I will name names (DBSA) Depresive Bi-Polar Support Alliance http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/Page...?pagename=home, one of their local affiliates New Directions, has a newsletter that is financed by donations from Janssen Pharmaceutica LP in Titusville, New Jersey http://www.newdirectionssupport.org/index.php National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an organization who accepts money from the pharmaceutical industry http://www.nami.org/ and the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania (MHASP) http://www.mhasp.org/ I have an ally who works for MHASP and she brought up the issue of psychiatrists who write the Diagnostic and Statisticial Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) who have financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry with the leadership of MHASP and the leadership ignored her concerns. The "advocacy" groups in the Phladelphia area are to cozy with the psychiatrict researchers at the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN). I have other political commitments, prison issues and civil liberties, so I don't have time to start an advocacy group. There is a Icarus Collective in Philadelphia http://www.theicarusproject.net/ , however the other members are not interested in doing advocacy they just want to be a support group.



Thanks for letting me vent everyone.

Sushi and Karen, thanks for the kind words. They mean a lot.



Re: manic depression.

I hadn't really thought about it to be honest. I spoke to my mum though and it turns out there is a history in our family of borderline bi-polar disorder. I guess it is a possibility.

Personally I am not against seeking out treatment - but over here it takes so long to see a GP let alone get any specialist treatment. I guess I feel too tired to do anything about it at the moment. It is almost easier to deal with it myself than to be caught in the cycle of waiting lists and makeshift treatments while they decide if there is enough money to treat the people catchment area X this month.



I feel very frustrated with myself because I have no "reason" to be depressed. I'm healthy, my life is going well - I'm doing what I want etc. And yet I feel that the weight of the world is upon me, and I start blaming myself for things that I have no control over. Of course, that makes the situation worse!

I'm so sorry you've had troubles Schoska.



Try to see your doc about the possibility of bipolar. We bipolar folks often have a very hard time finding the right meds. Both my sis and I have.



I've recently gone off Effexor and on Cymbalta and so far things are going well. I had the flu so it's a little hard to tell, but I feel good now, and not having any withdrawal from the Effexor. I'm on a low dose of Cymbalta right now.



Schoska, my sis who is bipolar and hasn't responded well to meds has gone on Abilify, and is very happy with it so far. She was almost completely disabled for 2 years, unable to work, on disability, almost unable to go out of the house from severe anxiety and irrational thoughts. Now she is volunteering at an animal shelter and doing well (last I heard).



Don't give up, don't blame yourself, and keep trying! It's worth it.

On this note....I was recently diagnosed by my psychotherapist, who I've been seeing for 3 years, as borderline bipolar. At the same time, my psychiatrist put me on Zoloft. The Zoloft is causing me to feel "tense"...I feel tired (as usual) but also agitated and sometimes depressed. I have tried to speak to the psychiatrist twice about this matter and only have been able to reach the nurse- they seem to think that the bipolar disorder is not applicable to me. I am so....frustrated. I feel like there are no good answers for people with mental illness, and I don't know what to do.

I've been considering being a clinical psychologist for years, but am beginning to feel incredibly disenfrancised by the mental health system. I know how difficult and confusing mental suffering can be and I wanted to help to alleviate the mental suffering of others...but if I can't even find answers for myself, how will I find answers for other people?

UGH>>>>>>>>>>

On this note....I was recently diagnosed by my psychotherapist, who I've been seeing for 3 years, as borderline bipolar. At the same time, my psychiatrist put me on Zoloft. The Zoloft is causing me to feel "tense"...I feel tired (as usual) but also agitated and sometimes depressed. I have tried to speak to the psychiatrist twice about this matter and only have been able to reach the nurse- they seem to think that the bipolar disorder is not applicable to me. I am so....frustrated. I feel like there are no good answers for people with mental illness, and I don't know what to do.

I've been considering being a clinical psychologist for years, but am beginning to feel incredibly disenfrancised by the mental health system. I know how difficult and confusing mental suffering can be and I wanted to help to alleviate the mental suffering of others...but if I can't even find answers for myself, how will I find answers for other people?

UGH>>>>>>>>>>

mslinzyann


I understand perfectly and went throught the same thing when I started feeling ill around 1967. Clinical psychology has a very poor record and very few, if any, clinical psychologists seem to do much good. Same goes for psychiatry. Same goes for the clergy. Perhaps you might like to do something more effective like take courses in audiology and speech therapy, midwifery, I don't know. Something.

if your pdoc thinks you are bipolar then i don't know why she would put you on an AD without a mood stabilizer...since the zoloft alone could make you manic or close to it. and it sounds like you shouldn't be on it if it is causing agitation....that plus depression is a very bad combo.

Thank you, soilman. I am considering nursing currently and eventually becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner. I feel very disenfranchised by the mental health care system...at the same time I know that my clinical psychologist has helped me tremendously in terms of support and helping make adjustments that can support my mental health. I'm just not sure if the "mental health care world" is where I want to be.



treefingers- My clinical psychologist believes I am "mildly bipolar", but I don't believe my psychiatrist (who I've met with one time) is subscribing to this idea. However, the Zoloft is making me shake and causing extreme agitation and nervousness, with bouts of feeling depressed. I feel like I'm losing it, and I can't sleep without taking Xanax. The other day I took 1/2 a Xanax to see if I could get to sleep on that minor dose, but I only got 3 hours of sleep. I don't think that I'm really manic, but hypomanic. The thing is, I'm taking only 1 25 MG pill currently, and a theraputic dose is 100 MG. I can't imagine what would happen if I took that much.

I'm sorry that so many people have been having such a hard time. I think the holidays, in particular, can be a tough time for lots of people. Definitely for me. I haven't been around to be supportive much because when I'm depressed I don't tend to hit VB that much. Or at least not post much.



to everyone who needs them!

I've been feeling quite good this week and I think that Cymbalta has started to work for me. Before I was practically crying and talking about suicide to my doctor (who asked me to call her if I feel too depressed, thought that maybe I should go to hospital and asked whether I want her to take my medications away so I could not do anything to myself) now I'm feeling excited about my future and making plans. However, it has been difficult to stand by my fiance since we both have severe major depression - and he plays on the internet at home while I'm studying and filing tons of paper for financial help for the government. But mentally I'm feeling a lot better now, though I still wonder about philosophical life questions. Not just every minute of every day.



I did read your reply earlier, soilman, but was so depressed that I couldn't write anything back for you. I come from an addictive family and I feel that I have such an addictive personality that I don't like to use anything that might be addictive. I have some codeine tablets, but I try not to take them because I feel that I would love to use them all the time and that's not a good thing. My friend has some Diapams so she promised to give me some if I need. Cymbalta also works for neuropathic pain, so I guess it should start working in a week or two.



There has been some discussion about bipolar disorder in here. Well, usually doctor's suggest that the patient takes a mood stabilizer with their antidepressive, if she suffers from bipolar disorder. Some antidepressive drugs are activators, which mean that if you have bipolar tendencies they can make you feel too stimulated (causing anxiety, sleeping problems, mania or hypomania). There are drugs that are better for unipolar disorders and some that are better for bipolar disorders. Lithium is a commonly used stabilizer for bipolar disorder and also sometimes it has been used in unipolar disorder as well.



You can find more information from these pages:



http://mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.p...&id=11210&cn=4



http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm#bp6

hope you are feeling better, mslinzyann.



i recently had a really bad experience with taking an AD....even though i was on a mood stabilizer at the time (lamictal, still on it, raised the dose). i was taking a pretty low dose of prozak but it made me horribly agitated, anxious, my sleep was disturbed (took hours to fall asleep, couldn't stay asleep...even after taking a few sleeping pills)...and on top of that i had my usual depression and suicidal thoughts...so really bad combo, and a few days ago i attempted to take my own life. i happen to have my appt with the pdoc the next day and i immediately had to stop the prozak (it was stupid of me though....she even told me before to stop it if i felt agitated, but even so i didn't really think it was the prozak).

Children I've been through it all. I'm a 1948 model. From 1967 through 1972 or so I went through hell. Since 1972 I've been fine, and since 1999 I've been quite well. I would be glad to help if I can.



Some advice for depression: before you go to sleep, try to think of something that you can look forward to doing, the moment you wake up. Even if it is just eat the fruit salad you made the night before. Try to avoid going to bed without having something planned to do when you wake up. I find that when you've slept enough, having something to look forward to once you waken, helps immensely.



For anxiety: don't let it bother you. Don't believe the myth that to be a proper human, you must look and feel "in-charge" all the time. So you feel anxious. So people can see it. So what?

Oh if only it were that easy then I wouldn't suffer so much. I've had social anxiety disorder for many years now, it's more to do with deeply ingrained thought processes than simply deciding to think another way.



That tip for depression is good - I usually end to go to bed at night and think about crap. But sometimes when I think about positive things, I find it reflects in my dreams and I wake up in a better mood.

This is very similar to how I've felt, but I do not think I am running the risk of suicide currently. Did you see the doctor after your suicide attempt?

I did read something that I think is on point with what soilman had to say, as far as ignoring anxiety. I think the key is to not get upset over your anxiety and just try to let the feelings wash over you and exist, without getting attached to the symptoms and letting yourself get upset.

mizzlinzyann "I think the key is to not get upset over your anxiety and just try to let the feelings wash over you and exist, without getting attached to the symptoms and letting yourself get upset."



Yea, right, sorta.



Tikken "it's more to do with deeply ingrained thought processes than simply deciding to think another way."



I am not saying to think another way. Think however you want. I am just saying anxiety, all by itself, isn't all that unpleasant. I found it unpleasant to try and look calm when I am not, which I was doing because I thought people expected me to look calm and I ought to meet their expectations. But I don't find it unpleasant to just let myself look and feel nervous. I used to stutter when I got nervous about something. The more I tried to stop stuttering, the more I stuttered. Then I decided to just stutter, and just let people see that I was nervous, and I didn't care if they saw I was nervous, and I didn't care if they heard me stutter. Then I found that as long as people could understand what I was saying, it didn't matter if I stuttered or not.



Someone asked me to address the county legislature. I had no experience addressing large groups and I was really nervous. Then I decided I didn't care if people saw how nervous I was. Yes, I was nervous, my hand was shaking, with my notes in it, when I was trying to talk - but I didn't find the experience unpleasant, simply because I didn't mind if people saw my hand shaking. You don't have to "stay calm" just because some people said "stay calm." You can just be yourself. You can be nervous and look nervous and it isn't all that unpleasant and it isn't so terrible if people notice it.



The way I figured it, I had something worthwhile to say. It didn't matter if I didn't look like a professional speaker. What was important was the content of my message, the thoughts expressed, not my mannerisms when saying them or appearance when saying them.



If people wanted to march in front of me with an imitation of my shaking and an imitation of my stuttering, that was fine with me.

Yesterday I went to see the psychiatrist and we sort of laid out a lifelong history for me. I was prescriped topomax and lamictal and taken off the Zoloft that I've been on. The Zoloft hadn't really addressed my symptoms, other than taking away the really bad depression- I still had depression and mania/hypomania, but the depression was lessened so that I could function better. Now I am going off the Zoloft. I was on a very small dose but I still feel nervous and confused. Tonight I begin Topomax. I can't help but feeling like...is this all real? Am I really a psychiatric patient taking serious psychiatric medications? Am I really bipolar?

But then last night I had a manic episode- or what I see as really the capstone of a manic episode, because I'd only been sleeping for 3-6 hours a night for quite a few nights and doing ok on that little sleep, which is highly abnormal for me. I went out and on the spur of the moment got a really horrible tattoo...it looks awful and its permanent and my boyfriend was PISSED. He doesn't really care for a lot of tattoos and we definatley have had a discussion about how any tattoos would be discussed before I got them. Well last night I just got so excited and hyper, my mind was racing and I went out and picked out an awful design and had it done. The good news is, I am sure a more talented tattoo artist can "tweak" it to make it look better or even cover it. But I still can't help but feeling like I was out of control...and maybe I AM bipolar. I dunno. Is anyone else out there dealing with bipolar disorder?

I think I might be falling into another depressive cycle. Getting very easily irritated these days and often find myself furiously angry or crying for practically no reason. Recently, my days have become all about AR activism and trying to figure out what to do with my life. Also have very little patience (except when doing outreach) for meat-eaters and apathetic people, hence my parents, classmates, and some of my friends are becoming annoying. Seem to have a fight every time I go to my parents because we have fundamental differences about our roles in the world.



I've made committments to AR groups that would cease to exist without me and so I can't back out on them. I'm starting to fall behind with my classes because I can't focus and I'm losing motivation because I no longer know where I want to end up.



Sometimes it's almost a relief to be back here again. The happy me somehow doesn't seem real. The first few days of anger and pain were welcome. Felt like reuniting with a long-lost friend. Now it just hurts. I hate myself so much. I'm alone, and yet why would anybody want to be with me when I'm like this and incoherent. Even with all the knowledge and good intentions I can share, maybe it would be wrong of me to ever expose a child, partner, or companion animal to this. Got bite marks all over my forearms from tonight's anger. Considering (though I'd never follow through) just killing myself.



Grr, this sounds so typical, and I can predict all the advice before you guys give it. Looking for understanding and a miraculous solution.

I just now noticed this. I suffer from chronic anixety/depression. I don't take medications for it. It's something I work to beat on my own.



I am a past cutter. I have a lot of family problems. Lots of issues between my father and I, and now lots of issues between my mother and I.



A lot of my anxiety is within my relationship. I have been hurt a lot in very severe ways and so I get paranoid and nervous about what could happen in my future. I voice these fears to my beau so he knows and understands why I act the way I do and why I feel the way I do.



I doubt I'll ever except medications for my condition. It's something I work on and I get a lot of support from my beau, who I plan to marry this year despite my inhibitions and fears.



I feel depressed mostly at night and during the colder months of the year, but it still drops in for good time during the warmer months as well. Just not as often.