depression and sjs

[jas1223]

my doctor wants me to go on celexis because he feels that some of what is going on is caused by anxiety and depresion
is anyone else on anti depresants and do they help with any of  the symptoms

loosing hope more each day

[jonnell]

Hi Jason Im sorry you are down.  My 4 year old little girl has sjs and sometimes she just cries for no reason I think Depression is a symptom of sjs.  Also alot has to do with frustration.  I do not have sjs myself but am on antidepressants for depression.  I found that they can help you be happier and less anxious.  They take about 2 to 3 months before you feel the full affect but they have helped my a lot.  Having a child with disease such as sjogrens is depressing in itself.  Ive found a lot of friends and encouragement on this website as Im sure you have to.  Sometimes it helps a lot to know that people you dont even know care about you and understand what you are going thru.  I hope you feel better thoughts and prayers are with you.   Jonnell and Jenna

[wednesday mc haggis]

json

in the midst  of blackness hope seems to far away , like a distant match.

yes anti depressants will lift the horrible black feelings, and depression causes some achy muscles etc, so may even help your physical pain.

few weeks back i felt very down and asked my doctor for meds, most auto immune sufferers expereince depression, seems to come with the territory, serotonin that controls our mood, just seems to be low i think, so getting help WILL be a good idea.

Now i suffered terribly with post natal depression, and i know its treatable, and that what seems like a never ending cycle is beatable, and more easily treatable than youd think,your going through alot and a grieving process and youve already said you dont have family to go to, but in a way your wrong, you have this family to go to, and were not going to let you drop off the edge.

there are many symptoms depression causes,

crystal balling- seeing into the future and seeing no hope

catastophising- making what isnt a large problem one thats unsurrmoutable

going inwards - getting lesss and lesss sociable till youve withdrawn into yourself.

  now ive had depression a few times, and ive beat it, and let me tell you its no joy ride to have it, but medication does help!!there was a time many years ago i was suicidal i was that depressed, and i went on to beat it and be a fun and free person again, and im no super hero thats for sure!!


DO NOT give up hope, your scared, depressed and anxious, anxiety and depression hold each tohers hand and seem to like playing together, its just a part of dealing with the shock of all this ill health and chemial imbalances in the body  IT IS NOT weakness,nor is it anything to be ashamed off, it also comes with thyroid problems for many ppl, my friends been very depressed and just got started on thyroxine,  and feeling alot better.

  now take the medication, takes roughly 2-3 weeks to hit blood level in the body, and sometimes its trial and error getting one that suits you , but its just another pill, not the stigmatised weakness ppl seem to think it is.

  get help chemically with the depression, and get talking it out with us, most of us have been there, and there is no shame in it, just rant and rave and tell us how your feeling and when you see how many ppl can relate to your feelings, you ll feel less isolated.

  Now youve a 4 year old girl who loves and needs you , try to look at yourself through her eyes, for right now her eyes wil be clearer than yours, give yourself a break, spend some time with her, and when she smiles at you remeber your valuable to her, and depression is just making you lose some hope and sight, i swear if the ppl who did drop of the edge just has someone to talk them through it, it would be avoided, i went on from post natal depression to being a fun happy wild person, and back to my old self, and your no different, just right now its appearing bad to you, just remember that anxiety and depression are no respector of person and the highest of the high have had it, heck abraham lincon and florence nightingglae suffered depression most of their lives, mostly due to the fact there wasnt the same treatment out there now, and didnt seem to stop them comming good, and it wont stop you.

get on the meds and beleive me hope will not be a distant match, but a big bright light

T x

[Pisces24]

Check out an anxiety medicine. I honestly I think it is more of an anxiety issue than a depression one.

I was a caretaker to my folks for many years and developed anxiety problems. I've been on Xanax which has really helped me (especially to sleep at times) and it is a cheap generic.

[lesleyjoy]

Hi Jas, be very careful with anti-anxiety medication, as they are addictive and for short term use only. There are some antidepressants which deal with both anxiety and depression. Usually the anxiety comes first and when it become prolonged it can become depression.

Take care, Lesley (NZ)

[jas1223]

Thank  you all so much

my my mother passed away from cancer in december
and she was the one i  had always gone to  for support

thank you again

james

[Scottietottie]

Hi James 

Sometimes we need to 'kick start' our systems. Depression takes hold and its like a tunnel with no ligh - an abyss. Anti-depressants can help. Depression is often brought on by grief. It is often brought on by long term illness.

For heavens sake talk it over with your doc. medication helps some - and can sometimes take a while to kick in and can be reasonably long term. be prepared for that.  Counselling can also help many - or a mixture of the two things.

We are all here for you too. keep us posted.

Take care  - Scottie 

[kimbo]

James,

Answer to your question.... YES.

It helped me.  Last year I took lexepro for about 8-9 months. I was having severe sleep problems, also an inability to relax while at the same time I was exhausted.
The simple fact is, AI decease,SJS is very much affected by stress (anxiety, lack of sleep, depression and exhaustion)
Another simple fact is anxieties, exhaustion, and the stresses of chronic illness causes depression.  All these wheels turn the other wheels.

Being treated for depression with an antidepressant. (It balances serotonin levels)

For me personally :  I could sleep. It backed everything away that seemed to trouble me. This caused me to think more rationally about; what seemed to be magnified in my anxiety mind. I could relax.

Consequently my sjoggy body feels happier.

After I went off the lexepro last may after 8-9 months. I found I was hypothyroid another depression-factor-attack. Also a very common Sjoggy occurrence.
levothroxin to the rescue.(thyroid medication)

OOOOH  James, I hope you have a good  DOC who will help you find the correct path with all the issues and factors of your AI journey.

We are here , your sjoggy family, we will navigate with you. We are all on this journey together.

Blessings kimbo
   

[irish]

James, Do not be embarrassed about having depression or whatever other term one chooses to call it. Depression is more than the blues. It is caused by the interruption of the chemicals in the brain. For some reason these chemicals become in short supply or they are not in the right amount and the brain loses it's ability to transmit messages. It is like we are being short circuited.

Actually, people with autoimmune diseases/sjogrens have a high incidence of depression as do other people with chronic illness. My feeling is that the stress of the illness depletes the chemicals in the brain. In the case of the sjogrens patients I can imagine the brain drying out some just like the rest of our body.

The antidepressants help replentish the chemicals in the brain. Actually the antidepressants are not addictive such as the morphine, etc. With the antidepressants our brain gets use to getting the medication and we must taper dose slowly so that the brain has the chance to adjust. I have been on Zoloft since 1992 and have tried several times to change to other meds but the zoloft is the one that helps me the most. I have had several major depressions and don't do well at all without medication.

I also know that my depression came about the same time that my AI sympoms did. There have been studies that show that sjoggies have a higher incidence of anxiety that people with other AI diseases. I have recently read that Celexza is good for the depression but does not give much relief of anxiety. You will need to talk this over with your doc. I do think that if a GP doesn't have much grasp of the medications used for depression it is wise to find a good psychiatrist.

Be aware that you can take antidepressants short term to help when you can't get over the feelings of depression. Also know that you can taper off and if needed you can take them again. It is a very individual choice according to what your body dictates. Also, be aware that antidepressants help with sleep and also help us cope with the life of chronic health issues. The do cause mouth dryness, but some are worse than others. Really have to try them until you find the right one.

I hope that you can get some relief from all this. The loss of a loved one is such a stress on a person. First of all it is the loss of that person in our lives and then there is all the work that we need to do to help settle the estate, sell a house, etc. Very exhausting and emotionally draining. Make sure that you come and unload whenever you feel the need. THat is what all these people are here for. Take care my frieind. Irish