Jump to content

depression?


lilbanana

Recommended Posts

Hey everyone!

I was just wondering if anyone with POTS faces depression. Lately I have just been so down... i am not interested in anything but staying home... My pharmacist said that my medicine (florinef) can be part of it, but i was just wondering if anyone else experienced it. I know this can be a very personal subject so you dont have to feel obligated to answer if you dont wish. i just wanted to know if what i was experienceing was normal. thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lilbanana

Sorry you are feeling depressed. It's good that you recognize it. I don't believe that depression per se is a POTS symptom, HOWEVER, I think it is very usual to experience depression with a chronic illness, especially if it is interfering greatly with your ability to live your life as you have in the past. Also, medications can cause depression--such as beta blockers. I don't know about florinef since I've never used it.

I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about your depression.

BTW, SSRIs that treat depression, also help relieve POTS symptoms in some people. Perhaps this is something to talk to your specialist about.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

Katherine

PS I noticed that you were diagnosed about the same time I was. I was diagnosed 2/03.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i dont' think anyone can have a chronic debilitating illness and NOT experience depression at times. it can get very discouraging. it's a good idea to have a therapist if at all possible. it's good to have someone objective to share your feelings with. what you are going through is very normal, but don't let it get out of control before you get help for it. and remember, we are always here. :rolleyes: morgan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shanna,

yes, i agree with both previous posts....morgan is so right...how can you not get depressed? i see you are only 19...so of course, you are going to get down b/c you can't be a typical 19 year old! also, sometimes i have to realize that my mood (being down) is at least congruent with how i feel! it would be strange to be really extra chipper and feeling awful! (not to say that you can't keep a strong spirit, positive attitude, etc...)

yes, it is good you recognized the depression...i agree with the posts on that too!

i just really wanted to add one more thing...b/c i feel compelled to any time someone posts about this...you mentioned florinef...

can you trace your mood changes directly back to that drug???

as many of us do, i struggle with the ups anddowns of chronic illness...

however, when i took florinef, i became incredibly, terribly depressed, almost suicidal...i had never experience anything like it in my life. and it was different than just my usualy being down b/c i felt completely out of control of my body and mind, and completely not myself...

so, i would definitely consider the florinef as a trigger first before adding an ssri into the mix...

no one put the two together, and i finally said i had to go off of it. when i did, bam, it was almost instantaneous the mood improvement. it was so weird.

if you read the teeny tiny print on this drug this can be a side effect. and later talked to at least one other person who had the same reaction.

remember, we pots folks never seem to respond it "typical" ways!

i just don't want anyone else to keep waiting it out onthat drug if they don't have to. i kept giving the drug more time, etc. to see if i would feel better on it!

anyway, just my two cents...

let us know what you find out and i am glad you found this site!

emily

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i must say that i was quite depressed when every doctor i saw for 7 months told me i was suffering purely a psychological illness and i was the only person who really believed otherwise. It is very disheartening to wait 17 hours in hospital only to be told you have 'anxiety'.

I do get anxious from time to time - or more appropriately fidgety when im standing or sitting for too long, but the depression i met with was the result of medical advice i received or lack of.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depression is a big problem with lots of chronic illnesses. I was on Paxil for a long time but had to stop as I was having liver enzyme trouble. I've heard many people say Wellbutrin is also good for the "blues"

If you don't want to go the wasy of meds. I would consider a counselor that specializes in chronic illnesses as I have tried others and not had the luck and understanding I get from the person I see now.

Not to get to personal, but how does your family and friends take this? I was fortunalte in having a great supportive family and friends.

:rolleyes::) Blackwolf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just want to thank eveyone for their input... I made an appointment with my doctor to discuss the issue, but thank you all for just making me feel like i am not totally nuts.

in response to how my friends and family take it, they dont think it is as bad as it can get at times and just kind of blow me off and tell me that tomorrow will be a better day, so support is not something i get a lot of.

i guess there are a lot of other things contributing to my mood, but i think being sick is a big part... i did notice that i have been worse since the medication so hopefully my doctor will see this. also one of my close friends is leaving for the military, and i truly love him. this has a big impact on me lately and im just to the point i want to collapse and stay in bed all day...

i dont want to be all "poor me" but this is all my life and all i can deal with. i have one good friend to support me and i guess that is what gets me to go from day to day.

anyway.. thanks again everyone... u guys are the best :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shanna,

i am glad that you are seeking help...espcially since you don't feel a lot of support from friends and family.

i did not at all mean to minimize the depression....just wanted to put out a little flag about the florinef.

but, i too see a counselor and take an anti-depressant.

counseling for me...well, i can't enough about it. it has been amazing amazing amazing. i am sooo lucky to have the same therapist for 6 years who has helped me to grow so much during this illness. also, helps me through the really rough times of course. it is a source of support worth seeking out!

i don't know your financial or health ins. situation...but medical assistance actually pays for the therapist that i wanted! yeah!

anyway, rambling.

take care,

emily

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i am really glad you are seeing someone. when you find the right person to talk to it can make a world of difference. but you do also need to see if there's a connection between your meds and feeling down. my son was started on a beta blocker for his migraines and actually got to the point he was having suicidal thoughts! thank God he came and talked to me about it. within a few days of stopping the med he was much better. that being said, i still believe you can not be chronically ill and not get sad and depressed. and it sounds like you have a lot of stuff going on right now. it is so hard when you don't have a lot of familial support. it's like, if my family doesn't get this, how can anyone? that's where counseling comes in. you have to be validated, no one can go through life and not have validation. my doctor said he'd have a hard time believing i was sick if i wasn't sad and depressed. good luck and go with your gut. you can tell pretty quickly whether someone is going to be able to help you if you learn to trust your gut. :) morgan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lilbanana,

Hello! Welcome to the board! I'm also a "young-one with POTS" (25). It is really tough! I also have times where I am really down. Some days I just cry because I am sick of being sick!

Not only do we look healthy, but people just expect that we should be getting better every time they see us.

I am on Paxil CR to help with anxiety but I am sure that this also helps guard against a deep depression!

We are glad you are here, thanks for your honest post!

Lisa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shanna, I hope you're feeling better, and I'm glad to hear that you'll be talking with your doctor soon about what's happening in your emotional life and whether the meds you are taking may be a contributing factor to your feeling depressed. Given the feedback others have given you, it sounds like there could be a connection. (But it's a catch-22, isn't it, if the florinef helps with your pots symptoms ... maybe the dose can be adjusted?)

I was struck by this line in your recent post: "also one of my close friends is leaving for the military, and i truly love him. this has a big impact on me lately and im just to the point i want to collapse and stay in bed all day... "

Boy, that would sure knock me down and out too! There's a connection not just between feelings of depression and coping with a chronic illness and the interaction of the medications we may be taking ... but with the events and stressors of our everyday lives that would make just about anyone feel like crawling in a hole and staying there! I think--in fact, I know!--that stress (especially hugely stressful situations like the one you've briefly mentioned) can cause major (downward) turns in our physical wellbeing; our systems are so sensitive!

I hope you and your friend will be able to find some ways to stay in contact during his term of service--and that new and old friends and interests--including this forum--will be able to step in and fill the void left by his absence. Indeed, you must make sure that this happens! You can't stay under the covers forever...you don't want to miss the autumn show of color, or the election, or the season's new sitcoms, or whatever else may strike your fancy.

Hang in there; we're not going anywhere! We're right behind ya.

Merrill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...