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I have depression ... what to do?
Hello,
I'm suffering from depression.
I try prozac and paroxetine but not help. Now, I'm on efexor x r (venlafxine) 75mg once a day.
One of my friend suggest that I take lamotrigine in addition to efexor x r. So, I take both.
I'm really suffering I don't know what to do.
Please help me.
I'm suffering from depression.
I try prozac and paroxetine but not help. Now, I'm on efexor x r (venlafxine) 75mg once a day.
One of my friend suggest that I take lamotrigine in addition to efexor x r. So, I take both.
I'm really suffering I don't know what to do.
Please help me.
The depression become more severe, any idea? I'm so tired. I don't know what to do any more.
You just have to keep trying new meds until you find the one that works for you!
How about exercise? Have you tried some exercise about an hour or two before bed?
What HAVE you tried?
What HAVE you tried?
Meditation is great medicine for almost everything but yes, it is wonderful for depression.
Is meditation helpful for depression? how it's help?
Can u direct me to easy meditation practices?
Thanks
Can u direct me to easy meditation practices?
Thanks
Well, it would do you good to try to make some healthy changes, and definitely don't take meds that aren't prescribed to you anymore. Keep the communication open with your doctor about how you're doing.
How about therapy?
How about therapy?
Thank u for your answer.
My psychiatrist who was diagnosed me with depression. All medications was prescribed by him except lamotrigine.
I saw him few days ago and he change my medicine for third time. Now he gave me Effexor X R 75 mg. I'll see him after around 6 weeks. He is not avilable before. I take my medicine at the same time. I understood the instructions about how to use these kind of medications.
Sleep not well. I have problems with it.
I wake almost everyday. My psychiatrist ask me to do regular exercise.
My psychiatrist who was diagnosed me with depression. All medications was prescribed by him except lamotrigine.
I saw him few days ago and he change my medicine for third time. Now he gave me Effexor X R 75 mg. I'll see him after around 6 weeks. He is not avilable before. I take my medicine at the same time. I understood the instructions about how to use these kind of medications.
Sleep not well. I have problems with it.
I wake almost everyday. My psychiatrist ask me to do regular exercise.
Hello and welcome! I'm sorry you are struggling!
I have a few questions and a few concerns for you.
One, who diagnosed your depression? Your family doctor? Have you been referred to a psychiatrist? How about therapy? Have you tried any kind of therapy, in addition to the medications? If not, I recommend asking your doctor about a referral to both a psychiatrist (who would manage the medication aspect of your treatment) and a therapist, who will help you learn ways to cope.
My concern is that you're mixing and changing medications yourself, on the advice of a friend, not your doctor. This is a VERY bad idea. Mixing more than one antidepressant can actually be dangerous, not to mention you may end up making yourself feel much worse. What worked for your friend may not be appropriate for YOU...everyone has a different medical history, different conditions, and different ways they tolerate medications. PLEASE follow the directions your doctor is giving you for what medications you're to take, and how you're to take them. If you're having an issue, contact your doctor.
Antidepressants, like Effexor, take time to start making a noticeable difference in depressive symptoms. It could easily take 8+ weeks to be able to notice the changes. The same goes for a dosage increase. It's not at all uncommon for a doctor to try a higher dose of one medication before starting over with a new one, or adding a new one to the regimen. I strongly feel that a person should exhaust all possibilities with one medication that they've started (including dosage increases) before throwing the towel in and trying a completely different med. So, you have to give the medication time.
Make sure you're taking the Effexor as close to the same time every day, and make sure you're not missing any doses.
When do you see the doctor again? You said you saw him a few days ago? What was the result of that appointment?
You're right, depression is bad, it's terrible and can be debilitating. Unfortunately, there is no "quick fix"...treatment and management of depression takes time. It's a process. With medications, often times it's a trial and error process. It's not uncommon for a person to have to try a few medications until they find one that is the most effective for them. With the adjustment periods of 6-8 weeks (for each medication), it's easy to see how it may take quite while to get to a point where your depression is much better. Realistically, it may take you several months before you start feeling better.
There are also things YOU can do to help yourself. For starters, the basics...take care of your BODY and your mind will improve too. Eat well, which means a balanced, nutritious diet, drink plenty of fluids, make sure that exercise is part of your routine, even if it's just a brisk walk every day. Exercise produces natural "feel good" chemicals, called endorphins, and it can really help with your mood. Stay completely away from alcohol, drugs, etc. Any kind of mind altering substance is only going to sabotage your depression treatment.
Other things you can do...make sure you're getting good quantity AND quality of sleep. Stay engaged in life, with friends, family, hobbies, etc. If you're isolating yourself, or withdrawing from loved ones and activities (which is typically seen in depressed people), it will exacerbate the depression related symptoms. The more you sit around, alone, doing nothing, the more you will ruminate about how you feel, which will make you feel worse.
Lastly, our brains help to control/manage our moods LARGELY based on the stimuli WE feed it. Think of it like a computer, and the things you do, and expose yourself to is like the data you would enter into that computer.
For example, if you spend a lot of time watching horror movies, listening to depressing music, and like to wear all black..you better bet your bottom dollar, your mood will be affected by those things. It's just as easy to feed our brains POSITIVE stimuli. That involves all 5 senses....visual, smell, taste, sound, touch. So, try to make sure that your environment is fostering a more positive, upbeat feeling, versus a more depressing, negative one.
Please keep in touch with us, and let us know how you're doing. You're certainly not alone in this!
I have a few questions and a few concerns for you.
One, who diagnosed your depression? Your family doctor? Have you been referred to a psychiatrist? How about therapy? Have you tried any kind of therapy, in addition to the medications? If not, I recommend asking your doctor about a referral to both a psychiatrist (who would manage the medication aspect of your treatment) and a therapist, who will help you learn ways to cope.
My concern is that you're mixing and changing medications yourself, on the advice of a friend, not your doctor. This is a VERY bad idea. Mixing more than one antidepressant can actually be dangerous, not to mention you may end up making yourself feel much worse. What worked for your friend may not be appropriate for YOU...everyone has a different medical history, different conditions, and different ways they tolerate medications. PLEASE follow the directions your doctor is giving you for what medications you're to take, and how you're to take them. If you're having an issue, contact your doctor.
Antidepressants, like Effexor, take time to start making a noticeable difference in depressive symptoms. It could easily take 8+ weeks to be able to notice the changes. The same goes for a dosage increase. It's not at all uncommon for a doctor to try a higher dose of one medication before starting over with a new one, or adding a new one to the regimen. I strongly feel that a person should exhaust all possibilities with one medication that they've started (including dosage increases) before throwing the towel in and trying a completely different med. So, you have to give the medication time.
Make sure you're taking the Effexor as close to the same time every day, and make sure you're not missing any doses.
When do you see the doctor again? You said you saw him a few days ago? What was the result of that appointment?
You're right, depression is bad, it's terrible and can be debilitating. Unfortunately, there is no "quick fix"...treatment and management of depression takes time. It's a process. With medications, often times it's a trial and error process. It's not uncommon for a person to have to try a few medications until they find one that is the most effective for them. With the adjustment periods of 6-8 weeks (for each medication), it's easy to see how it may take quite while to get to a point where your depression is much better. Realistically, it may take you several months before you start feeling better.
There are also things YOU can do to help yourself. For starters, the basics...take care of your BODY and your mind will improve too. Eat well, which means a balanced, nutritious diet, drink plenty of fluids, make sure that exercise is part of your routine, even if it's just a brisk walk every day. Exercise produces natural "feel good" chemicals, called endorphins, and it can really help with your mood. Stay completely away from alcohol, drugs, etc. Any kind of mind altering substance is only going to sabotage your depression treatment.
Other things you can do...make sure you're getting good quantity AND quality of sleep. Stay engaged in life, with friends, family, hobbies, etc. If you're isolating yourself, or withdrawing from loved ones and activities (which is typically seen in depressed people), it will exacerbate the depression related symptoms. The more you sit around, alone, doing nothing, the more you will ruminate about how you feel, which will make you feel worse.
Lastly, our brains help to control/manage our moods LARGELY based on the stimuli WE feed it. Think of it like a computer, and the things you do, and expose yourself to is like the data you would enter into that computer.
For example, if you spend a lot of time watching horror movies, listening to depressing music, and like to wear all black..you better bet your bottom dollar, your mood will be affected by those things. It's just as easy to feed our brains POSITIVE stimuli. That involves all 5 senses....visual, smell, taste, sound, touch. So, try to make sure that your environment is fostering a more positive, upbeat feeling, versus a more depressing, negative one.
Please keep in touch with us, and let us know how you're doing. You're certainly not alone in this!
I was see my doctor few days ago. So, I'm on Effexor recently.
Depression is something really bad. Any kind of help will be ok. I'm not ask for anti depressant Just I said my situation.
Any idea that may help me with this problem will be nice.
thanks
Depression is something really bad. Any kind of help will be ok. I'm not ask for anti depressant Just I said my situation.
Any idea that may help me with this problem will be nice.
thanks
I am very sorry you are feeling so bad at the moment. We cannot recommend what anti depressant to take, as what suits one person may not suit another. I have taken some drugs that gave me strange side effects. I hope you gave the drugs long enough to get into your system, to have any effect.
The person to discuss this with is your doctor. They will probably give the 75mg Effexor a few weeks, and then may well increase it. Depends on how you do on the lower dose. It takes up to 8 weeks for an anti depressant to have any effect.
Please go back to your doctor and tell them how you are feeling. I did find Effexor helped me, but Prozac was very bad for me, so you see, we all react differently to medication.
Keep in touch, and let us know how you get on.
The person to discuss this with is your doctor. They will probably give the 75mg Effexor a few weeks, and then may well increase it. Depends on how you do on the lower dose. It takes up to 8 weeks for an anti depressant to have any effect.
Please go back to your doctor and tell them how you are feeling. I did find Effexor helped me, but Prozac was very bad for me, so you see, we all react differently to medication.
Keep in touch, and let us know how you get on.
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