Depression thread

[RavingLunatic]

I do take fish oil 1-2 times a day, always a teaspoon in the morning of the liquid stuff and when I remember, which is about half the time, 2 capsules in the evening. Maybe I should try taking more than that. I don't really know what the clinically effective dose for depression would be.

Are those other meds hard to wean yourself off of if you've taken them for awhile? This is my main concern with starting anything new. I've gone through so many nightmares trying to get off of SSRI/SNRI's after they've proven ineffective. I mean, really, I'm still going through one with the tramadol. Tramadol is a mild opiate, and I think it's possible it might be part of the reason I feel so tired and devoid of energy so often. I'm pretty sure the reason it's been so hard to stop taking is that it functions as an SNRI (I didn't know this when I started taking it or I never would have started) because all the withdrawal symptoms I have are very similar to when I've gone off of other SSRI/SNRI's, such as Cymbalta and Effexor. Another thing I think makes it hard is that it's short-acting. If it were some kind of sustained release, I think it'd be easier.

[jess]

The effective dose for fish oil on mood disorders is about 3x the amount recommended for cardiac/general health effects. I know of the ones I take (Omega Brite capsules), that ends up being 6 capsules a day. I personally never noticed an effect on my mood, so I now only take the lower dose of 2, but there are studies that show that for some people it helps both depression and bipolar disorder.

Well I know with Effexor (and possibly with other SNRIs—I'm less familiar with the newer ones), you get flu-like withdrawal symptoms if you don't slowly taper off, which can be really unpleasant. The trick is to reduce your dose gradually, and then it should be ok (not sure what you've tried?), but people may need to do things like cut pills in half, etc. and take each lower dose for a little while before further reducing it. As far as I know, TCAs, Lamictal, and atypical anti-psychotics don't have those withdrawal effects, though none of those should be discontinued abruptly either (you pretty much always want to taper psych meds if possible). I don't know much about the administration of MAOIs, beyond the interaction issue with tyramine (which is why you can't eat aged cheese, fermented stuff, etc while on it), since I've never personally known anyone who has taken them.

Have you ever tried a tricyclic? I take one, amitriptyline, for pain (I have some muscle/joint pain problems), and despite having never had good responses to other antidepressants (especially not SSRIs/SNRIs), the last time I increased my dose, I started feeling noticeably happier too. I wasn't depressed per se before, and my dose is still small, but I was surprised, because I didn't think antidepressants really worked for me. Also it's been wonderful for my pain problems, which NSAIDs weren't touching.

If you can at all, I'd really really encourage you to think about this stuff and try to see someone. There may be a low cost clinic somewhere—I know in my state for example, we have Comp Care centers that operate on sliding scales and are very affordable for people w/o insurance, but there is often a wait list. If you can get help getting there, and if you can manage to give the process some more time and patience, it might really improve your quality of life in the long run. Either way, good luck.

[RavingLunatic]

Have you ever tried a tricyclic? I take one, amitriptyline, for pain (I have some muscle/joint pain problems), and despite having never had good responses to other antidepressants (especially not SSRIs/SNRIs), the last time I increased my dose, I started feeling noticeably happier too. I wasn't depressed per se before, and my dose is still small, but I was surprised, because I didn't think antidepressants really worked for me. Also it's been wonderful for my pain problems, which NSAIDs weren't touching.

If you can at all, I'd really really encourage you to think about this stuff and try to see someone....Either way, good luck.

Thanks. I can go to the doctor, it's just that my parents basically have to pay for it, and I'm already enough of a money drain on them. Cheapest thing would be to go to my general physician and just ask him to prescribe a tricyclic of some kind, but I'm not sure he would do it. He may demand I see a psychiatrist instead. If tricyclics help pain, that'd be all to the better, as I have chronic daily gut pain.

Part of the reason I'm so skeptical about doctors and psychiatrists when it comes to anti-depressants is that they usually prescribe some new, patented anti-depressant despite there being no evidence that they're more effective. I feel like they're all highly influenced by the drug reps that bombard them on a daily basis.

And seriously, jess, thanks for listening and helping me out here. I know that probably the only thing more trying and frustrating than being depressed is having to listen to someone who is depressed complain about all their problems. That's another thing that really bothers me: I know that when I'm down I'm a miserable person to be around and the people around me don't deserve to have to deal with any of it.

[jess]

You're welcome. I do tend to recommend seeing someone with more experience prescribing psych meds, especially if you are looking into less commonly prescribed meds. GPs are going to be most commonly prescribing SSRIs, and their experience with anything else, at least as the prescriber, may be really minimal. Sometimes you can find a psychiatric nurse, which would probably be cheaper than a psychiatrist, and they can be great.

If you move entirely out of the SSRI/SNRI category, you will probably have less of the new shiny medicine effect, mostly because for depression, that's where the new shiny ones are. Tricyclics for example are both old, cheap and generics—mine costs me $4-9/month, depending on where I go, and that's without insurance coverage. Lamictal may be newer, but it's in its own weird class, and Wellbutrin is the same.

[clare]

I hope you can find a good solution Ryan.

[Chet]

Stupid ole Chet has tried to kill himself a couple of times this year (both hanging attempts)
It has been pretty dark.
Also, the NHS seems to be useless when it comes to mental health; or maybe I'm just useless at working with them.

[jebreject]

Chet 

[bethany_m]

Dude!  Can we help?

[Ignatius]

I'm glad you're still around, chet. If there's anything I can do for you, tell me.

[ellaguru]

Chet 

[G.C.R]

Jesus H Chet. I am so, so sorry. Again, anything we can do, please say - but so as not to put pressure on with the "tell us what you need" and everything, just remember there's people here totally willing to offer support and advice on dealing with health providers, meds, friends, day to day keeping on fucking living, because we want you to.  Or to send mixtapes.

[coldforge]

fuckin' hell, Chet. I'm sorry to hear that. Where the fuck is Bella. This a job for dogs that are frightened of snowmen.

[milly balgeary]

Stupid ole Chet has tried to kill himself a couple of times this year (both hanging attempts)
It has been pretty dark.
Also, the NHS seems to be useless when it comes to mental health; or maybe I'm just useless at working with them.

MAN, wtf, why aren't we playing GEARS?

[dieblucasdie]

Grace said everything important, so I'll just say:  here's one more random internet person from across the pond who's pullin' for you, Chet.  It's not much, but it's something.  One thing this eff'd up world does not need is less Chet.  Stay strong, man.

[clare]

Damn, Chet. Bugger. I add my name to the list of internet people who think you are pretty awesome and deserve better than this shitty hand you've been dealt.

[alex]

I don't know what to add, so I'll just second this:

One thing this eff'd up world does not need is less Chet.  Stay strong, man.

[peacocks]

I too sign the petition to keep Chet hanging out on this weird planet.

[hannah]

Chet, if I knew anything about soccer, I'd post photographs of all of your favorite players, and then some. As it is, though, I cosign all of the above. Thinking of you here in Chicago.

[YojimboMonkey]

Chet bro, QFTing all the above and adding a personal note that the world needs all the Ians it can get

Keep after the NHS man.  Get the help you need. 

[Em]

Keep after the NHS man.  Get the help you need. 

Seconded. Getting the right kind of help is the most important thing.

[mixed cats]

I too sign the petition to keep Chet hanging out on this weird planet.

me too.

[elpollodiablo]

Chet, dude, much love.

I'd also like to follow milly in saying that I hope someday to be summarily executed by you in GoW3

[davy]

I'd also like to follow milly in saying that I hope someday to be summarily executed by you in GoW3

I've had that pleasure myself in at least one similar fictional universe, maybe two, if I recall correctly. I recommend it.

Stay strong, brother. Don't let up.

[RavingLunatic]

Dude, I'm really pulling for you. It's a savage universe that can inflict that kind of suffering on good dudes like yourself just trying to live the good life. We're all here for you, Chet.

[Ignatius]

I know that it's very painful to consider that the best friends you have are a world away from understanding how you feel. But there are also more than a few people who have been through really difficult times on this forum. I know that every personal crisis like this is its own thing and that no one, no matter their experience, has a blueprint to guide you through... But there is some knowledge floating around here that is very practical, very difficult to come by on your own, and that begs to be shared.