Posted by mtom on April 25, 2019, at 8:48:50
In reply to Re: Depression as an autoimmune disease.... » mtom, posted by beckett2 on April 24, 2019, at 18:52:38
Yes, I have Lupus, was diagnosed about 20 years ago and that's the same time I started having mood issues. "Not" as a result of the diagnosis, but sudden mood issues coincided with physical symptoms and sent me to the Doctor to find out what was going on.
My depression was mild to moderate for a number of years with periods, sometimes up to a year or so, with almost complete remission. But then it started worsening and became more consistent.
My Rheumatologist always thought my Lupus was a mild case and was never sure it was related to the depression (although it's known that Lupus patients have higher rates of depression thatnpeople with other similar diseases - which they used to think might be due to many being on coricosteroids, but then discovered rates were higher even without steroids). But my physical symptoms, especially joint pain, have worsened over the years too. I have had a number of situational stresses crop up in recent years, which may have in part exacerbated things, but these are more recent, the depression was pre-existing.
I don't respond much to antidepressants, in fact mostly they just give me a whole bunch of intense side effects (including increased Anxiety, something that also came on after the Lupus diagnosis).
I've read Hashimoto's is associated with depression.
I'm still taking escitalopram, only 5 mg because side effects became too intense on higher doses (& still get some). I've experiemented, inconsistently, with anti-oxidant supplements in past, but have recently decided to put more focus on these, especially those that have some evidence of helping with both depression & inflammation e.g. Turmeric/curcumin and Omega-3's. Trying to avoid gluten (difficult), adding more vegetables to my diet, and am trying Medical CBD Oil (medical cannabis has been legal in Canada where I live for a number of years, prescribed by Doctors who specialize in this, and supplied by government licensed & regulated providers).>
> My serious depression coincided with the onset of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. And the atypical chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Using appropriate thyroid hormone replacement didn't restore normal mood.
>
> Do you have an autoimmune issue?
poster:mtom
thread:1104133
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