What works for your depression???

I suspect this has been discussed before, but I'll ask again...What drug(s) work for your depression? I tend to be a pessimistic sort of person and was mildly depressed even before having my colon removed. (I tend to blame things like the violent rages of my brother when I was a kid and my year in Vietnam). It just seems like one bad thing after another and just when one gets under control, another appears. ie: a lifetime of UC flares, then polymyalgia rheumatica, 3 surgeries, and now pyoderma gangrenosum.
So, I'm on Pred again which makes me WIRED and more depressed. I have been on Zoloft for a year but see very little improvement with that. Meditation has helped me in the past, but only when things were going ok. When I'm depressed and on Pred. I can't meditate.
Richard :voodoo:

Hi Richard,
I have only had Crohns for a little over 2 years, I took Amytriptiline at first and then Disalopram which I have recently stopped.
I was very depressed as I'm sure most of us here have been but was only diagnosed with type two depression, which I believe is possible to turn around?
I decided to stop mine (my doctor isn't aware yet) an this is going to sound cringe but I've decided to accept that I've lost a lot of independence and focus on what I can, give myself a break, be proud of what I have achieved everyday and give thanks that I'm still a part of this wonderful universe!....you never know what the future may bring?
Wish you all the luck in the world )

Ps. I took the drugs stated for depression, sorry that wasn't very clearly stated.

I had a mild case (I think LOL) I am on pristiq, not sure if men use it. Works and no side effects and mild.

I take Krill Oil and anti-inflammatory supplements. They got rid of my depression in the course of using the above for Crohn's treatment. I apparently had a Omega 3 imbalance, or chronic low grade inflammation, or both.

My son uses Rhodiola Rosea to control his anxiety/depression and it works better than any of the depression medications ever did, without the side effects.

It is trial and error, but it is worth trying different things. Like Crohn's, there is no one size fits all treatment. Once you find the right treatment, it makes all the difference in the world. It did for me, and it was completely accidental.

Good Luck

Dan

Currently on a combo of Wellbutrin XL for depression and Klonopin for anxiety. I had been taking xanax instead of the klonopin but my dr felt I needed something that was more of a maintenance drug than something to take "in the moment". I also see a therapist, we work on different issues and do some cognitive behavior therapy.
I have been on other antidepressants in the past, Paxil, Zoloft, etc. I have found the least amount of side effects from the Wellbutrin.
I tried Rhodiola, at Dan's suggestion. I can't say I noticed a difference, I doubled the amount I was taking after a short time and still didn't notice a change. So, I stopped that as it didn't work for me. His family has had luck with it tho, might be worth a try.
I was also doing yoga regularly until recently, had a flare and then was rear-ended in my car so the back and neck pain are a little too much to handle yoga right now. Am planning to get back into it very soon. I felt that helped me also, not just for the meditative part of it but the endorphins from exercise. David has something going in the Diet and Fitness forum on yoga right now, might be worth checking out.

I take things one day at a time and try not to worry about what I could be facing in the future with this disease.

I will do what I can today, I will deal today and let tommorrow take care of itself.

I am considering anti depressants as I have a history of clinical and post partum depression - so it would be "preventative" to ensure I don't fall down that dark hole again.

I usually just eat a big bowl of chocolate caramel cup ice cream

LOL - only then I get depressed about gaining weight from such goodies!!

I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety in 2006. I'm on Lexapro. Works well for me - but there are many drugs out there to be had. When you just don't feel like moving off the couch (like I did) it's time for therapy and possibly some meds!

I have depression/anxiety and treat it with Lexapro. It helps me considerably, but I still have bad days.

I am on Effexor for depression. I was also on Prednisone for pyoderma gangrenosum (well, it turned out not to be PG) so I know what you mean about being WIRED. After the 5th or 6th night of lying awake the entire night, my doctor prescribed sleeping pills. They helped immensely and since quitting the Prednisone (May 2010) I haven`t had to use the sleeping pills again - so they are not addictive. Hey, whatever works, right?

Thanks for your reply. I have PG and I'm curious what your "not PG" turned out to be. Seems it is often misdiagnosed.
I'm still on a low dose of Pred, but currently nothing for depression except vitamins. My D. seems to be cyclical, perhaps related to length of daylight, but other things too.

1. Stay away from negative people
2. Find a hobby
3. Take natural
4. Stay away from prescribed depression meds
5. Be yourself
6. Exercise or bodybuilding to give you something to look forward
7. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Reply:
1. What if you (meaning I) are one?
2. Who has time?
3. I do
4. I try to
5. Myself is very pessimistic
6. I do but not often enough due to lack of time.
7. Easier said than done

: )

I'm on Bupropion/Wellbutrin. Worked wonders the first few months, still helps some. Can't tell if the medicine is losing it's efficacy or I just have too much going on to NOT be depressed! A lot of people like Lexapro, I had weird reaction to it. The Bupropion is supposed to help smoking cessation as well, once again it helped me cut back a lot the first few months, but not so much lately.

And the prednisone DOES make you crazy! Seriously, just being in a room with people makes me anxious and irritable, but then you get bored being at home alone all the time... Xanax helps with that too, but I try to only take it at night to go to sleep.

Hope you can find something that works for you, but don't put off asking for help if you you really need it. I wish I had just swallowed my pride and started antidepressants years ago. If something is wrong with your body, say, a fever or infection and there is a pill to fix it, you would take it right? So if there is a pill that can help a chemical imbalance in your brain, why not take it?!

Also, vitamin deficiencies can cause depression and fatigue... so get extensive blood work and take supplements, too. Between those and the meds, you should feel right as rain in no time!

@Kwalker

How did you go from all those strong medicines to none???

Originally started on Prozac about 10 years ago. Stopped working. Went to Effexor 75 mg and had to boost to 150, blood pressure went up. Changed over to Cymbalta 60 mg, and 10 mg of Doxepin . Works wonders. Have been on this for a few years. I also get Klonopin for when my nerves get out of hand.

Wellbutrin twice a day. Once a day didnt make it through the day.

Lauren

jenn20200 said:

@Kwalker

How did you go from all those strong medicines to none???

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I just did lol. I spent all that time and money going to get remicade shots, missing work for numerous blood tests, money for prescriptions, etc when they weren't really doing anything for me so eventually I stopped while I was on Methotrexate and started distancing time between injections and when I wasn't feeling any difference I just stopped taking them. I've been med free since 2010 and feel awesome with no plans to go back on meds anytime soon.

KWalker...did I miss something? Is your Crohns in remission? How do you deal with it? Diet, Vitamins?

Nope. That's everything. My doctor/scopes "suggest" that I have active crohns but I have no symptoms at all and I'm a very active guy. I want to look into vitamins and would like to find one that would be beneficial but for the moment there are no vitamins and I don't follow a diet, I just eat pretty healthy...usually lol. How do I deal with it? With the best possible attitude I can have while knowing I have this disease. Sure I could need surgery one day, but so will a lot of people taking medicine. I'm just going to enjoy life now being med free and I'll face whatever comes my way if that time comes.

I take sertraline and trazadone for depression. Works really well for me. Depression is a real illness, get help. If tou don't connect with your Mental Health provider, find another one. You may check into getting help through the VA. They usually have special help for Vietnam vets. Thanks for your service.

I've taken Wellbutrin in the past and found that it helped get me past "the hump". Then once I started feeling a little better I was able to use exercise to get myself motivated.

Do you have any pets?? I know that sounds random but my dogs are a source of stress relief. They are a lot of work but taking them to the dog park and hiking with them and the look of sheer joy on their faces when I come home is worth it. It can add a lot of stress though too, so there's a trade off. It's something to consider though!

I hope you start feeling better! I know sometimes I could tell the difference between situational depression due to stress and circumstance and "somethings wrong that I can't seem to think/exercise/motivate myself out of". If you feel like it's the second, do not hesitate to take some meds and go talk to someone too!!

Somebody has already mentioned vitamins, but I would like to stress the connection between low Vitamin D and depression, which a lot of studies seem to support. Many Crohn's sufferers are very low in this vitamin and need to take quite large amounts to bring themselves into the satisfactory range.

There is a very interesting thread on Vit D HERE

Rhodiola Rosea is also great for fatigue....I' may get back on it but need to research how it would be on inflammation.

I take Wellbutrin XL for depression. It helps a lot and for most folks has minimal side effects. I second the dog suggestions. My dog is silly and makes me smile (he is 14 1/2) with his boneheadedness. He also makes me get up and get dressed every day so we can go walkies, otherwise I'd probably stay in my robe and slippers and not leave the house on some days.

Pre-Crohn's diagnosis and before being diagnosed with depression, I had some luck with taking 5-htp. It's hydroxytryptophan, which is a serotonin precursor. Your pineal gland will convert to serotonin/melatonin as needed. YMMV. Please do your own research and discuss with your doctor before taking anything that alters your brain chemistry, even natural.

Regarding pharmaceuticals, I have found Crazy Meds to be a super helpful guide to what you can really expect from different medications for anxiety/depression. It's a very "real" guide, so if you are offended by the occasional swear word or blunt talk about sexual matters affected by meds, give it a pass. It will give you the straight skinny from people who have been there and taken that, and not just the info from the package inserts that come with the meds.

Exercise helps too, but so often I feel too bad to exercise, or too fatigued (lots of health stuff other than Crohn's).

Doing little things I enjoy helps too. Don't know what the dude equivalent is, but when I do my nails, it makes me happy. Or, I enjoy spend time splattering zombies on my computer. Whatever works for you Sometimes I need to "schedule" those things, as when I get more depressed I just kind of grind to a halt and do pretty much nothing.

I hope you are able to glean some helpful suggestions from this thread, and feel better soon. Sending you hugs.

Thanks for the link to Crazy Meds website! Very informative and entertaining!

I tried D3 for my excruciating joints. no luck! Then a crohns friend i see occasionally told me they wouldn't work and get liquid form. I have around 5 days experience of this... and, I am feeling a little lifted. Can it be the D3? i am wondering. but i've also put my heating on full time as i was sat here with my bad circulation going numb in the fingers. I'm hoping the 10 drops of D3 a day might be it! I sincerely hope so.... There is a definite difference and my niece mentioned it today. I was cheerful she said. omg, i know i suffer mental health issues and have had depression since crohns hit me big time.

I have tried 5 htp. not sure it digested well. Do any of you have issues digesting tablets? I also haven't given up my dothiapin Anti depressants. Perhaps, dare i suggest it, the vit D3 could work better than the forever failing anti depressant.

Hi I think the amount of time I have been on prednisolone along with the Crohns and associated joint pain is a major factor in my mood. I have lost ALL of my confidence, I get anxious over the stupid things in life, my mood is always low and at one point I stopped accepting calls from friends I was put on amitriptyline and also the highest dose of mirtazapine but neither have made much difference. I lost one career through Crohns now I'm on route to loosing a second because I've had so much time off. One of the main parts of my current job is training staff and at the last training session I was so nervous I walked out just before it stated as I couldn't pull myself together. I went to the toilet and after 5 minutes I went back in and scraped through the lesson. Not sure how I'm going to handle any I the future. My doctor has referred me to a physiologist but the waiting list is over 6 months.

I am on several things seeing as how I am bipolar as well as depressed. I take Wellbutrin for an antidepressant and lamictal and latuda for the bi polar. It has been a great combination so far. I have had these issues for years and the doc I have now has worked miracles.

Beer, Coffee, and Cigars!!! was looking at the avatar then had to have another look after reading the last 3 items. You just made a depressed person laugh, thanks.

I am on a pretty good regime now. None of it natural Wellbutrin, Abilify, Citalopram. That is for the depression. We added the Abilify when i began this flare-up. I would love to go natural, but I work full-time (and carry the insurance), and my husband is a pastor, so that is my part-time job. I will try anything to keep my head above water.

I am on Wellbutrin, and Buspar for depression. I recently read about the effectiveness of taking Fish Oil and Vit D for mood. I had been taking them sporadically, now I take them religiously. It does seem to help.

ddbauder said:

I am on a pretty good regime now. None of it natural Wellbutrin, Abilify, Citalopram. That is for the depression. We added the Abilify when i began this flare-up. I would love to go natural, but I work full-time (and carry the insurance), and my husband is a pastor, so that is my part-time job. I will try anything to keep my head above water.

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Yes, have you had your Vit D levels checked? People with IBD are often deficient in Vit D and that can make the depression worse. A lot of people find that getting the levels right makes a considerable difference.

i dont know how well it works because i was just put on it. but my doctor has just put me on doxepin, im hoping it works for me

My vit d level was 18. I started on Vitd and b12

It does help

Glad I could make you laugh Spooky. I hope you fill us in when you get some medical advice on your depression.

I have been dxed with depression so many times by so many doctors that sooner or later they probably think I am going to start believing it. It is not the concept of depression that I don't believe. I understand it and I believe that for some folk medication is the answer. In my case I don't believe it is a chemical imbalance,it is a lifestyle imbalance. IE. one full of crap times and poor health. I am 62 and I have got here despite a digestive system that is always in a state of mutiny,bowel ca and numerous auto-immune problems caused by the many drugs and chemo supposed to save me. I got pulled up for a road-side breath test and drug test.The cop asked if I'd been drinking. I said nope,don't drink. How about drugs???You betcha. He was a bit pissed with me but had a laugh about it when I explained. Just glad it wasn't during the time I was wearing the morphine patches. (they didn't work,morphine and I don't like each other). Anyway till now I have not used,and don't intend to use any anti-depressants. I earned my depression,it's about all I have left... Ron.

Depression is one of the few things I don't think I'd want to take medication for myself. Usually - i.e. regarding physical health problems - I am very pro conventional medicine and drug treatments. But if I'm depressed it's usually for a good reason, because of my circumstances rather than something being off balance in my brain or hormones or whatever it is that makes people depressed. So I feel like treating it with meds would somehow be avoiding problems or giving myself a false sense of well being rather than a genuine one. I do realise lots of people feel differently about it though. If I found myself depressed for no reason I'd probably consider treating it with medication.

However, I recently started taking amitriptyline to treat insomnia, and am curious to find out if its anti-depressent effects will influence my mood. And prednisone made me mildly euphoric half the time and anxious the other half, which was quite disconcerting for the same reasons I would be wary of anti-depressents - because I recognised I had no reason to be feeling good and that it was out of character for me, though it was better than if it had caused me depression.