Antidepressants for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

Shirlann - The more, the merrier, I say, and really mean it!  Depression is a big family affair for me, and I know how horrible it is to be without meds - especially when under big stress, like cancer, etc. 

I assume there is situational depression that lifts when the stress is gone, but mine is an every day, life time, kind of depression.

 If you ever wonder how anyone with a loving family, kids, etc. could ever consider suicide, then call me and I'll try to explain.  Thank God, literally, that I had a lucid moment and called for help, because I was consumed with ending my pain. 

And when you get to the point that you know you're depressed, you can be sure it's time to get on meds, because we are the last ones to realize how bad off we are!

It's not a sign of weakness to seek help, it is a sign of strength to admit that sometimes we can't do it all ourselves.

Susan

Amen Shirlann. Except....I took Xanax and they seemed to work immediately. I honestly......think that I would have handled my cancer with boat-loads more tears without them. Them, and this site that is.

One of my sisters is suffering from depression big-time. (She's the one that had cervical cancer 3 yrs ago....the no chance of babies thing hit her hard too.) I've been trying to get them to get her on something, but she and her husband are all about "natural". Things have gotten worse, I'm still trying..... I hope my sister, and her marriage, survive her depression.

Hugs, Traci

I had my bm with recon (implants) and BSO.  No chemo or rads (yay!)  Exchange surgery was Sept 30, 2008.  I was doing great!  Now....not so great and I'm not sure why.  

The past couple of months have really sucked.  I'm moody, irritable, cry for no reason, am really not interested in much anymore, I'm also avoiding friends and family, screening my phone calls....my poor dh!  My dh and I are going to Orlanda next Friday for a week and I am not the least bit excited about it.  I used to get so hyped up about our trips!

I did finally talk with my dh about this and I'm trying to get myself together.

I had appt with Onc today.  I told her how I was feeling and she told me that she isn't that kind of doctor, she said I need to see my regular doctor.  I told her that I don't have an appt until March 23, she still said I need to talk to other doctor.  Finally, my Mom spoke up and said "look at her, listen to her, she isn't herself".  The Onc then said that she would call me in a months supply of Effexor, but that I need to take this up with my regular doctor.

Before leaving, my Onc told me that I just need to pick myself up because I'm going to be around a long time, and that there are alot of people much worse off than me.  I realize all of that.  I watched my sister lose her battle with breast cancer after 5 long years of fighting it.  Ladies here are fighting cancer every single day and I hate it.  I hate cancer.

After what my Onc said, it made me feel as if I had no right to feel down or cry.

Hi 2New,

I can't say I was OK at first and then fell apart -- just went to falling apart right away.  My PCP started me on an anti-depressant (Lexapro) after surgery/before chemo @ Nov06.  (As I have posted elsewhere, he helped me realize that oncs & surgeons understand pain.  Suffering is something different; they don't always recognize the suffering.)  Along the way, I added an anti-anxiety (clonopin.)  I found the anti-dep kicked in about 2-3 weeks when I didn't feel like I was ALWAYS in the well (sometimes.)  The anti-anx seemed to help me keep from getting emotionally over-worked.  Like, an email that the boss wanted to see me didn't end up in my gut as 'you're being fired; you'll die broke, ugly and soon in the 60 seconds it took me to walk into his office.  (Work at the time was MAJOR stressor.)  Last June, I gradually weaned off the Lexipro and I'm weaning off the clonopin now.

You don't need to suffer.  BUT as pointed out above, there are many drugs in these categories and what's going to work is inexact.  (Fifteen years ago, my PCP had prescribed Zoloft for me and I got an allergic reaction.  So finding the right one has some angles to it!)  Talk to your "family doc" about it.  BUT don't start anything before the WDW trip.  (We're disnoids and I'm the master planner, so I understand how unsettling it is to not feel interested in going.)  I just got a bad case of hives when I had a bad reaction; Leaf will tell you there can be way more serious ones.  You do NOT want to be too far from your medical home base for the first 2-3 weeks you are taking something.  My hives came on the 13th day I had taken the rx.

I once did not think that there would ever be a day without crying again in my life.  I still have some tough days, but now more without the tears than with.  Have faith.  You can get there.

Dona Nobis Pacem,

Beth

PhyllisCC,

I had no idea that the effexor could help with hot flashes also.  I'm so happy that Effexor helped you!    

Has anyone tried pristiq. It is a new drug I have a friend taking it and she is doing great a complete turn around.

I am suffering from PTS and also from all the menopausal sypmtoms (including hot flushes, mood swings, etc).  My doctor put me on Effexor RX 75 mg, but I am finding that I get very nauseous from it (I tried 37.5mg, I don't get nauseous, but it doesn't help).  Can anyone recommend something else that will work for both the depression and the hot flushes?  I can't take any hormones or hormone receptors.  All feedback welcome.

Shelley

I was dx 10/07 lft brst st/grd2 ER+,PR-HER2+++, did chemo and bi mastec expandrs/silicone 8/08. I actually felt better last year then I do now. I opened a small retail business in 2007 and was dx a few months later. Since Jan I feel I am losing interest in my shop that I had such a passion for. I have been on Adderall since 8/06 for ADD. Can I take an anti-dep if I am on Adderall. I hate to even take a Tylenol. I am wondering if what I have been feeling could be Dep. I was at my Onc office a week ago and just started crying. Life at home has been very stressful with husband and all. I guess I feel like I have really had no time to heal. Always going, going.

I don't know what's wrong with me.  I seem to have lost my zest for life.  I am not sleeping well and feel like a black hole is eating out my insides.  I have been on antidepressants for years and can't afford therapy.  Like Bfidelis, I go to the worse possible scenerio only it is real.  I lost my job a year ago and can't find work.  I moved in with my sister since I could not longer afford rent.  I am devasting my 401(K) plan (which wasn't already devasted by the economy).  I have closed myself off from others.  I sit around my sister's house and do nothing except think about what a pathetic life I've led.  I never married, have no kids - hence, no grandkids, and basically have nothing to show for my life.  That's a sad commentary at age 62.

I feel like I have suffered so much loss within the last year.  My reconstruction attempt failed due to infection and the fact that I have uncontrolled diabetes.  I feel like a big fat lump.  So now I am trying to be diet compliant which leaves me without my only comfort - food.

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I think I just went through everything in a fog.  Maybe this is just coming out of the fog.  I don't know.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Thank you.

Well, I don't know if it's PTS, but there is something definitely wrong.  I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years after my initial diagnosis.  Since going off Tamoxifen in 2000, I have had the mood swings, etc that seem to be common for women when they are menopausal, but my menopause came before I even started the medicine and I never had symptoms.   My onc suggested that my body might need hormones but of course, I couldn't take them.  With my local recurrence (now TN) and bilateral masts (dealing with ugly deformed chest) because of this, weight gain (comfort food you know) and breakup of 39 year marriage, I need some help but am so afraid of antidepressants.  I know I'm dealing with depression and have symptoms such as crying, lack of interest in much of anything but eating, feeling like I don't much care if I live or die.  I'm a christian woman, but feel very far from my God these days.  I'm wondering if I might be able to try some hormone treatment just to see if it made a difference.  Any suggestions, anyone?

Sher- don't be afraid of anti-depressants.  There is nothing wrong with taking them for depression. It's what they're designed for!!!  Getting your body back to "normal" is the fastest way to then help you truly get back to normal and off the anti-depressant.  The one major thing to realize is there is no one answer for anyone. Speak to a professional and see what they recommend.

I hope all gets better for you. Been at the bottom, know what it's like, climbing out the other side at the moment. I hope you can do the same and climb out quickly.

I think my fear of antidepressants is that I might somehow get worse........not better!  That and I have this thought lurking in the back of my head that taking drugs will make me not be  "me" anymore. I know that physical exercise would help as would a healthier diet, but getting started doing that is another matter.   My regular md has suggested antidepressants previously, but I can't remember what he prescribed - never filled the Rx.

Flash, what kind of professional?  Couldn't I just get the antidepressant from regular md?  I'm not sure at this point that I could make myself go speak to someone in the mental health profession. 

I'm still curious to know if I could try a short term low dose estrogen just to see if it made any difference.  

 I posted this on another thread.  I thought it might be beneficial too.

Certainly there is nothing positive about cancer.  It is a terrifying illness.  It is much healthier to be congruent and allow yourself to feel and show our emotions.  Too much smiling when you're screaming inside is not a good thing.

That being said, there is a lesson I've learned.

Almost 20 years ago in 1990 my husband and two sons were in a head-on collision with a semi-truck.  They all survived but it was a terrifying and long journey.  If someone had told me that I believed that if I was good, God would protect me, I would have denied that belief system.  But, after the accident my faith was shaken to the roots. Why had God let this happen to us?  What if they had all died?  My main identity at the time was being a wife and mother.  I had a long journey ahead of me to rebuild my sense of identity and my belief in God.

On the other side of that journey I came to understand that bad things happen to good people all of the time.  We cannot control everything that happens on this life journey.  Learning to let go of control and not feeling like I had to be able to control everything was a hard lesson to learn.

I learned that there is always one thing that I can control and that is how I react to the lessons or hardships that come my way.  I have been angry at times.  But, I have been able to let that go.  There really is no one to be angry at.  The rain falls on the good and the bad alike.  I certainly have been terrified.  Who wouldn't be? But, there has been peace throughout the ordeal.

The prayer of Serenity has been a big part of what sustains me.  Lord, grant me the peace to accept the things I cannot change (I cann't change cancer and I wouldn't be able to create the serenity or peace of mind on my own)  The courage to change the things that I can ( I can do chemo, surgery, radiation, genetic testing, diet, exercise, prayer and meditation.  There is much I can do to fight this monster.) And the wisdom to know the difference.  Sometimes that is the most difficult part of the prayer.  Tears are healing.  Do not be afraid to cry.  We will come out on the other side of this and there is LIFE during and AFTER CANCER.

LeggyJ - First let me say that is some cute dog!  Second, as to your friend - the way some people avoid us makes me think breast cancer must be contagious!