Need Anti-depressant Again? (Edited-see What Happened)

I'm a nurse and currently pregnant, due anytime. Know that you are not alone in your struggle. Have you tried Wellbutrin? It's another alternative and it's safe to use during pregnancy as well. Hang in there.

I was initially put on anti depressants through my gynecologist, but it was clear she didn't have the knowledge in that specialty. She referred me to a psychiatrist, who I've been seeing for over a year now. I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist because there are many different kinds of anti depressants, and if you have depression, zoloft may not be the right one for you. I see Gene Parrish with Park Nicollet in Burnesville. Let me know if you need more info. Don't wait--It's important to take care of your mental health.

G.

I have always been prone to depression all my life & I do not trust anti-depressants so I have used natural remedies. The depression seems to get much worse for me in the Winter. These are the things that work for me: 1) take a high quality whole foods multi-vitamin, 2)Take Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil (1-3 teaspoons a day depending on your mood that day) 3) Get some source of sunlight, if it has to be artificial (tanning bed) in the Winter it still helps. Don't let it drag on I have done that & everybody including you suffers!
Brekka
PS go check out some books from your library on natural remedies I have been reading some great ones. You can supplement with many different kinds of amino acids that are precursors to serotonin etc that can really help. You can help heal your body naturally instead of covering up the problem.

Maybe a generic prozac would be an option. Also, look at your sleep, diet and excercise. You know getting enough rest and moving your body will do wonders. I've found a multivitamin and B complex really helps me keep my energy up.

J.,

Are you prone to seasonal depression? It is the time of year for that. You may want to take the time to think of the things that help you to be cheerful and give it one more shot until spring before going back on anti-depressants because you are right, they have a lot of side effects.

You may also want to consider keeping a journal. You may begin to notice patterns that you haven't before like the depression hits every year post Christmas and things like mini vacations in January or more "Mommy nights out with friends" helps.

Good luck,
S.

It sounds like post-partum depression. I have dealt with major depression. After trying several anti-depressants that made me feel icky in one way or another I spent 9 days in the hospital trying different meds and we found the right combination. I too, had severe post-partum depression with my second baby. Consider other meds, consider another doctor. After seeing four different med docs, one a gynecologist, I finally found a CNP who understood it all! I tell her she saved my life! Your plate is wonderfully full, but there is help for depression!!! Good luck!

Hi J.,

I am a mental health counselor. I would suggest a full check up with your doctor to rule out things like thyroid problems. There are dozens of other antidepressants besides Zoloft that you can try. However, if you cut down on the Zoloft you can get the effects without the numbness. For example, if you were originally talking 100 mg per day, you may only need 50 mg.

Secondly, I suggest you see a counselor. Medicine alone rarely works. You need to take care of the rest of things in your life. Depression is the most easily treated with medication and counseling.

L. :)

Hi J.,
I know how you feel. I felt the same way on birth control pills when I had to go on for an ovarian cyst.
You may need to see a new doctor to get a new perspective and some different knowledge into the situation. There are milder anti-depressants. I was on paxil during a critical time in my life and needed it to get through. When I wanted to have emotions again, they switched me to welbutrin or bupropion. It is just enough that I have my emotions.
I wish you well.

Hi J.,

Ask your doctor about Lexapro. I have never taken Zoloft, but originally I had tried Serafem(which is just the pretty name they used to market Prozac to women with severe PMS) and I had that horrible numb to the world feeling. I hated it so then my OBGYN tried me on Effexor. The side effects were horrible for me. Then they had me try Lexapro. Voila! I have since talked to other women who have also had great success with Lexapro. You feel like your old self--the self you liked, the self that was happier and more balanced emotionally. You still are able to laugh and cry and "feel" but you feel the emotions appropriatly in each situation. It has helped me so much! I hope this helps you as well.
D. H.

Yes, it sounds like you might need an anti-depressant, HOWEVER it sounds like either Zoloft isn't the right one for you or the dosage wasn't right-- there are a LOT of different meds out there, work with your Dr to find the right one for YOU (I've always had the best luck with Wellbutrin, but everyone responds a little differently)
--SarahC

You could try to herb Mother's Wort. You can get it at Campbell's Nutrition, and I would recommend the pill as opposed to the liquid, which is really bitter. I have been taking it since the birth of my twins four months ago, and it has really helped me. It doesn't make you feel funny, it just helps to take the edge off so you don't feel anxious or tense. And, from what I researched online, it isn't addictive and doesn't have any adverse side effects. It has been a HUGE help for me, especially when I have two fussy babies.

Hi J., I have been dealing with my depression since I was in high school. I have been on both zoloft and prozac. After I had my daughter I weaned myself off the prozac because I was nursing. I started to exercise on a regular basis and have been drug free since. I too have struggled a bit this winter, instead of lacking energy, I get really irritated very very easily. Sometimes I'm not very pleasant to be around. Anyways, I'm not sure if you exercise on a regular basis but that is the only thing that I have found that keeps me level. Sometimes it's hard to get to the gym and it seems like such a big chore, but once you get a routine your body and mind benefit so so much. As far at the birth controll goes, my sister was really affected by hers as well. She gets really bad migrains. Not sure about that. Anyways good luck...and don't forget that spring is coming soon and the days are getting longer!!:)

J.- I am not a doctor, but I would suggest changing your birth control or trying to go without it to see what happens. I had a bout of depression while on birth control and was told by a friend to try to go without it and see what happens. My friend had depression while on birth control as well. She removed birth control from the picture and her symptoms went away. I had the same experience! I am almost 100% convinced that the birth control was causing my depression some how?? I can't relate how or explain it... but it just seemed to dissapear once I was off of it and to this day I have been completely free of the depression and depressive-like symptoms. I just wanted to share with you my personal experience. please know that I hope everything works out for you. It's not a good place to be and I hope you are able to figure out what's best for you and how to improve it! good luck sweetie!

I am no expert on depression. I can tell you from experience, the birth control pill made me horribly moody and depressed. When I went off, I felt like a new person. Also, the weather is TERRIBLE right now. I have not talked to one person who feels like themself!

Have you had your thyroid tested?

Hi J.! I wish you all the best here! I agree with having your thyroid checked. Mine has essentially stopped working and I was tired all the time. I've also suffered from depression for over 15 years (I wonder if the two are somehow related??) and have had to switch kinds/doses of anti-depressants. Make sure you talk to your doctor and have your thyroid checked.

Also, I wonder if it's sort of a delayed post-partum depression?? I've heard that that doesn't always start immediately after giving birth. Just a thought??

Good luck!

I agree with Lori. Have you had your thyroid checked? More and more people I know are getting hypo thyroidism these days for some reason, probably the most famous being Oprah. I was diagnosed over ten years ago with it and been on Synthroid ever since. Your thyroid is nothing to mess around with. It controls every organ in your body. Get it checked asap, just to be on the safe side. If it is the thyroid, the sooner you get it checked the less damage it does. If it never is checked, the patient, gets super overly tired (sleeping constantly, then one day slips in a coma, and then the patient dies. Most people know before then that there is something wrong when they are sleeping so much. If it is the thyroid, a great easy reading book (and very interesting) is "Living well with hypo thyroidism". You will learn so much. Many Dr.'s confuse thyroid deficiency with depression. My orininal dr refused to test me, even though he felt it with each check up. When I changed dr.'s the new one tested me and I've been doing much better since I've beem on the med. You never feel completely normal again, as far as having the energy you used to have, but at least now I have three kids and can take care of them. Wouldn't trade that for anything. So glad I got a Dr that would finally listen to me.

You sound super stressed (an 18 month old, 2 beautiful energetic dogs, and a full time career? That's a lot for anyone!) Add the financial pressure and it's no wonder you're feeling this way.

I have cyclical depression, so here's a Checklist to go through before going on medicine:

~How much "you time" do you need? This is time where you get to be completely selfish and do what you want, be it a bath, a walk, sitting and reading, whatever. Are you getting that?

~Are you looking for the good things? Are you taking a moment to really appreciate them, no matter how small?

~How is the division of labor in your home? Is it equal? Is the house clean enough?

~Are you getting enough sleep? Seriously, we get used to running on empty in this culture and it adds up.

~Do you have an enjoyable form of exercise you do at least 1ce a week? Do you dance? Play soccer in the park? etc.

~Are you two setting aside enough time to honor and bond with each other (however you choose to express that)?

~Have you developed a plan to reverse your financial stress? Is it a reasonable one? Are you sticking to it?

I'm sure other people could add to this. I beg you to consider these things before taking a pill that will mask your symptoms without handling the problem (if it really handled the problem, you would feel happier and not numb).

hi talk to your DR about an all natural anti depressent called ST Johns wort, you can get it over the counter instead of a priscription. it helped me instead of zoloft which totatly mesed my body up .
C. N

I've suffered from depression for years also and also get occasional strange migraines. I know it can be frustrating to feel tired and down all the time.

I've had good luck with Prozac but switched to Zoloft when I was nursing my 2nd child. Everyone reacts differently to these meds. Whenever I have increased depression symptoms my psychiatrist would increase my dosage for a while and it typically would help me get out of the funk. I'd ask about giving Lexapro a try if I was starting or switching anti-depressents. A friend with similar issues also takes it and says it's been better than all the meds she's tried.

I was also able to wean off the antidepressants for a while when I was taking Yaz - a new birth control pill (its a low dose sister to Yazmin). It seemed to really help with PMS symptoms and even out my mood/energy. After the birth of my son I didn't want to risk getting post-partum like I did with my daughter so I went back on meds.

Lastly - do you have someone to talk to? If not counseling can help too. I've found talk therapy helped me get grounded during the really low times.

Hi J., there are so many difft. anti-depressants out there, maybe just trying a difft. one may help. It is worth a try.I tryed a couple difft. ones before i found the one that was right for me. Good luck..

Hi... I am on Zoloft and absolutely love it. If it is causing a emotionless feeling, maybe you can try only a half a pill each day... or having your doc switch you to another antidepressant.

Just some thoughts. I'll say a prayer for you :)

S.

I know how your feeling I've been there. I'm not a fan of chemicals for lifting moods. I just recently joined a gym and I go about 3 times a week, more if I can. There has been a huge difference in my moods. I am much happier, I have more energy, and I'm much calmer when dealing with my son. I would say give that a shot, sometimes just a little bit of exercise and moving around does wonders.

Have you had your thyroid levels checked? Low thyroid can cause a lot of those problems. Also, I was on Zoloft and had the same numb feelings that you had. I now take Celexa and I feel completely normal. Another thing is to take a good multiple vitamin daily... it helps me. Good luck!

HI--

Have you had your doctor check your thyroid levels yet? I and my sister were misdiagnosed with depression disorders when the real culprit for the lack of energy and moodiness was Hashimoto's disease! Under-active thyroid is more common than most women know, and it can be triggered by pregnancy and other stressors. It can also cause headaches.

I'd ask my doctor to check out the thyroid before going on Zoloft again, especially if you are feeling unsure about the diagnosis.

I have struggled with these issues. I would be willing to bet that the mini pill is causing some hormal inbalance. I would say get on a real pill and try to get some excercise. Zoloft made me crazy so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. My problems were anxiety which seems to be manageable with exercise and ambien when needed to fall asleep.

Good luck.

Hi J.-
It sounds to me like you have mom- brain, most likely caused by deficiency of omega 3 fatty acids that your baby needed for fetal brain development. It takes 3 years for you to replenish your supplies.
I am a wellness coach. I'm also a medical professional. Most docs ask new mom's within 2 weeks if they are suffering from depression. They aren't trained in nutrition. Our docs in our company- largest nutrition co in the world- have found that this mom- brain/depression is most likely a result of poor nutrition and low levels of omega -3's. Most people are lucky to get one serving per week of it unless they supplement. It is important for circulatory health and we encourage most pregnant moms to supplement throughout their pregnancy. The deficiencies can also cause migraines. I used to get them too- my doc gave me the same reply about the estrogen. I haven't had ONE since I've been on our nutritional products and taken supplements. It's changed my life! About me: I'm 47 with 6 yo twin girls, med. prof, home bus. owner, spouse- and I haven't taken a nap now since my girls were infants and I started using this. Thanks to my friends help with the products- I'm also 5'8" and got back to my size 6- 135 lbs. You should take a look- listen to our latest call on heart health products- they talk about omega 3's on it- it's a free call. One of the 2 docs on the call is one of 200 in the world who won the Nobel prize!-
call 800-405-2236 passcode 11105895#
Then check out the herbalifeline at http://www.mydietshop.org
It might change this for you too and I'd be happy to share more of this via email or by phone.
B. Jarmoluk
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I was depressed about 4 or 5 years ago and the biggest thing that helped me was that I went jogging. I wasn't even a runner! Part of it was that there was a bit of anger in me, and surprisingly, anger helped me stick to my jogging schedule. Anyway, my energy levels increased, I was able to go more miles without stopping (after keeping at it for quite a while) and I even lost weight! (Of course.) I went from a size 14 to a size 8. Best part was that I never had to take any medications, which are in my opinion, very scary.

P.S. I don't know how much of a lunch break you get, but if it's an hour, you definitely have enough time to eat some of your vegetables and other healthy foods that you pack the night before (no Lean Cuisine junk!) and then take a brisk walk. One hour all at once is best, but even 1/2 hr. to 45 min. will help. I wish you all the best!

I used to get migrains from my birth control too i now use the ring. It's once a month verses everyday. I too was on an antidepressant but mine was for depression. I went off about 6 months ago and also started to notice some symptoms returning. I looked in to more natural methods of helping with stress and lack of energy. I have discovered Claricet, I found it on line and have been totally pleased. None of the side effects from meds but all the bennifits of them.
Good luck!!

I was on Zoloft too, and it worked well for me, but our insurance changed and the new one wouldn't pay for Zoloft(aren't insurance companies great??? lol). So my dr switched me to generic Celexa and I've had no problems with it.

I agree with everyone's suggestion on exercise - it does help. But if your stuggling to just get there, I've taken Celexa and it's new cousin Lexapro with good results. For me, the only thing with the Lexapro is that it keeps me up at night if I don't take it before 10 a.m. When I do take it before 10 am it keeps me going all day. My pharmacist said that some people will either have lots of energy or must take it right before bed because they get sleepy. Other than that I've heard no complaints.

Just so u know. If you really think you are depressed (and I do suggest you see a doctor anyway) remeber there are other meds to help with mood stability other than Zoloft and they can help make you feel good.

Good luck!

Hi Nutrition the good fats Omega 6 Omega 3. Also I use Homeopathics and Herbals. Mentox HP and St. John's Wort work just as good as an antidepresant with out the side effects. I get mine from Energique from Woodbine Iowa It is liquid 1-800-869-8078 I also listen to the Dr.Len and Joe on the show Ask the pharmacists it is 170 XM 6PM or go to the web site wwwlenandjoe.com or Ask the Pharmacists.
P. Cross

Hi J.
I have a friend who is very sensitive to what BC she takes. they swithed her to a generic without telling her and she freaked out she was moody, tired and just plain hard to be around when she went back on the right pill she was fine. Also if you do not want to be on anti-depression medication. Get a good B vitiaman that has B6 B12 B1 B2. This should really help your mood alot. I also suffer from sever depression and the B's have made me feel like me again. Good Luck :) T.

In addition to everyone else's comments..as far as energy goes...really watch your diet and take in lots of fruits and vegetables. I've just really been advised this and can easily tell a difference in my energy level just by eating right/better. Could you possibly be suffering from seasonal depression disorder? I have that, really bad, and I live in Wisconsin (hopefully moving to Florida soon) and the weather, cold, snow, and lack of sunshine can really put me into a depressive mood, lack of energy, and just moody constantly. Good luck and get well!