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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 24, 2006, at 23:34:40
hi, i am fairly new hear and i have found this extremely helpful. reading about other people with my feelings, symptoms, worries and problems does make me feel like i'm not so alone. i just went on effexor xr after being drug free for aprox. 3 years. i was surprised how much it bothered my to go back onto meds. last time i was on meds i told all my family and close friends, no one judged me and everyone was fairly supportive but i found to make everyone leave me alone i had to be happy all the time. you know like if i was tired or just feeling blah they would be all over me, it's great that they were concerned and all but even "normal" people are'nt happy all the time. i think i function ok when i am deppresed as far as the things i have to do, work school functions with my son ect. but man am i ever tired this time, i am putting it up to starting my new meds right now but when will it lighten up? (i've been on new meds over a week) i did up the dosage beggining of this week but i am sleeping 11 or 12 hours a day. thankfully the only work i have right now is 4 hrs a day. i was also going to the gym 3x per week and now i just don't have the time or the drive to leave my house unless i have to. allthis time at home would be great if i was getting stuff done but i'm not i just curl up on the couch and watch endless hours of tv. i just feel like i've given up on life outside my little world.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 25, 2006, at 6:37:57
In reply to Tired, no drive, no life, posted by wanttobhappy on January 24, 2006, at 23:34:40
Hiya!
You sound alot like me! I too have been on effexor and more recently celexa and that just wiped me out like you describe. Are you currently taking the effexor? At what dose?
Have you thought about atypial depression? This is basically where you are fatigued, overeat, oversleep, have 'mood reactivity' (which means that you feel better in response to positive experiences, but it doesn't last) or laden paralysis (this is where your body feels really heavy and difficult to move) as well as being depressed.
Okay so you have been on effexor for only a week right? Well, I don't know if your fatigue etc is a side effect of the effexor, or part of your diagnosis. I guess you should wait to see if the effexor kicks in and you feel better. Although with me, it actually made me more tired and apathic. I guess after awhile on Effexor and if it was making you feel better (and don't forget it takes a month to kick in) and you were still tired, a pdoc might add a stimulant like provigil or something if you live in the states/canada, or add on something like wellbutrin.
Heres some info on atypcial depression if you think you might have it....
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.atypical.html
Good luck!! And keep us posed!
Kijnd regards
Meri
Posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 9:25:12
In reply to Tired, no drive, no life, posted by wanttobhappy on January 24, 2006, at 23:34:40
See post: Tired-all the time? advice?, posted by Paulbwell on January 18, 2006, at 22:31:49
Don't miss Jedi's post from 1/25. Very interesting.
Good luck, its just awful to feel like that all the time.
Suzie
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 9:26:24
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life, posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 25, 2006, at 6:37:57
great to hear from you. i checked out the link you left it was great (what i had a chance to look through,there is alot of info there) i had never heard of atypical depression. the more i am on this page the more i realise how important it is to get involved in my own treatment. in the past i always just let the docs do it, wich has'nt really gotten me anywhere. one of the best things my doc did this time was say he did'nt have time to talk to me like he should so i should seak other help as well wich i will admit i have avoided in the past i am not very good at airing my dirty laundry even to a profesional. my new job offers free councelling for employees and i am going to take advantage of that. i will also bring up the atypical deppression with my doc at my next appointment wich is in a couple of days.
thanks again very helpful and encouraging
Posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 9:38:49
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life, posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 9:26:24
I'm so glad you are encouraged and ready to take a hand in your recovery. My personal experience has been that if I just wait for a doc to figure it out I'll never get anywhere. Just my experience, but most definitely when left up to them all they have ever done with me is guess work and giving me their favorite drug (which I suspect has more to do with who their favorite drug sales rep is than anything else). LOL - kinda.
Don't be surprised if you bring up atyp depr, and your doc is not familiar with it, or it's treatment implications. I don't think many of them are really up on it, and I know most get threatened when you come in knowing more than they do about something ; ). Maybe best to print out a little bit of lit on it and leave it with him/her.
Very best of luck!! Please let us know how it goes.
Suzie
Posted by Phillipa on January 25, 2006, at 18:20:18
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life, posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 25, 2006, at 6:37:57
Thanks Merri for the link! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 20:20:23
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life » wanttobhappy, posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 9:25:12
Thanks,
I have read the posts and I did find them helpful.
Thanks again,
wtbhappy
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 20:39:54
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life » wanttobhappy, posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 9:38:49
Suzie, Thanks for showing interest in me and helping out with ideas and suggestions. Yesterday was my first 75mg effexor (after being on 35 for 1 week. I still slept 11 hours but when i got up I actually felt a little happy, I did'nt get anything done but at least I did'nt feel like a zombie all day!! I want to be excited but also don't want to end up disapointed AGAIN. I actually called a couple of my friends after being mia for a week. I have'nt told them I am back on meds so they just figured I have been busy. I like it better this way less guilt to seem happy all the time. Don't get me wrong my friends are quite awesome they have been with me through thick and thin I just get tired of them being concerned about me. does that make sense or do I just sound like a B****?
Anyway this started as a thank you and ended up as a rant.Thanks again, talk to you soon,
wtbhappy
Posted by ghostshadow on January 25, 2006, at 21:27:00
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life, posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 25, 2006, at 6:37:57
great, so the meds merely changed my major depression to atypical?
Posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 22:27:56
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life, posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 20:39:54
No, you don't sound like a bi***. At all. Many of us do the exact same thing - I know I do. In fact there's a thread down there somewhere about how this affects our ability to deal with freinds and such. Many of us have finally lost lots of friends, though, so be careful. It is very lonely when they've all moved on because you have chosen to isolate. Gotta manage to give them *something* or they might burn off.
The hope we have when we try a new med is so great, as is the disappointment when it fails to deliver. I don't know how many you have tried, but please look out for this. Don't let it catch you unaware, it is this disappointment that used to cause my biggest crashes, before I'd been through a few times and got used to it.
Let me know how the Effexor tunrs out. I really hope it works for you. And I will be disappointed if it doesn't. (see how it ALWAYS seems to work that way?? : )
Stay in touch,
Suzie
Posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 22:41:46
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life » Meri-Tuuli, posted by ghostshadow on January 25, 2006, at 21:27:00
> great, so the meds merely changed my major depression to atypical?
If you truly are atypical, there are treatment implications that can keep you from needlessly suffering while they load you up on all the meds that don't work on it as well. Well, once you find a doc familiar with it...
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 23:54:48
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life » wanttobhappy, posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 22:27:56
I know its been said over and over but, OH MY GOD it feels good to have people who understand. I know family and friends try but they just don't get it. I am so glad I found this place it ROCKS!!!! I can't express how good it feels to know I am not just lazy or crazy and most of all I am not alone.
THANKS EVERYONE
wtbhappy
Posted by shasling on January 26, 2006, at 0:06:29
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life, posted by wanttobhappy on January 25, 2006, at 23:54:48
> I know its been said over and over but, OH MY GOD it feels good to have people who understand. I know family and friends try but they just don't get it. I am so glad I found this place it ROCKS!!!! I can't express how good it feels to know I am not just lazy or crazy and most of all I am not alone.
> THANKS EVERYONE
> wtbhappyAnd you say things like that and I know that I am not alone, either : ) Glad this has been of help to you.
Something else cool for me, the socially anxious no-self esteem having baby. This is like the one place on earth I don't have to bother wondering whether I belong; I have totally no question earned the right to be here. Thats comforting too.
Have a good night, wtbh!
>
>
Posted by fires on January 26, 2006, at 15:40:35
In reply to Tired, no drive, no life, posted by wanttobhappy on January 24, 2006, at 23:34:40
I know I'm stating the obvious, but here goes anyway:
Depression does not prevent one from having other conditions. I was under the care of a resident pdoc, and I self diagnosed myself with 2 other conditions that were impacting my brain functions. My dxes were correct. One of the conditions could have lead to permanent nerve damage.
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 26, 2006, at 22:09:28
In reply to Re: Tired, no drive, no life » wanttobhappy, posted by shasling on January 26, 2006, at 0:06:29
Well, hi again. Today after work I went to the gym. I felt so much more alive after. Why when your down can't you remeber how good it feels to get out and get fresh air? I guess thats not true, I remember it feels good I just can't convince myself to do it. I am very tired now but I will make it till bedtime. A small step for "normal" kind a huge leap for the depressed kind! Humor (even if it's bad) helps me cope. I feel like I'm on my way up I just hope I don't come crashing down.
Good night everyone,
wtbhappy
Posted by wanttobhappy on January 31, 2006, at 1:07:15
In reply to Re: drifting out of the fog-I hope, posted by wanttobhappy on January 26, 2006, at 22:09:28
This is the end of the thread.
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