Alternatives to antidepressants

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Darcy45
Darcy45 Member Posts: 55
edited June 2014 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

Ugh, went off celexa and low and behold that dreaded feeling is coming back, there has got to be a natural approach to this...any thoughts :(

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  • PiscesMoon
    PiscesMoon Member Posts: 206
    edited October 2010

    i've heard some people have good results with SAM-E.  haven't tried it myself, tho.

    ~M

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  • cathmg
    cathmg Member Posts: 278
    edited October 2010

    Hi Darcy45,

    I stopped taking Celexa about  6 months ago, and it was my experience that it takes a little while to get used to the new "normal" without it. I do take St. John's Wort with my dr's approval, and think it makes a difference in my mood. I also do aerobic exercise at least 30 mins. most days of the week-without the exercise I am  a BEAR. Staying away from sugar and refined carbs also helps keep the mood stable.

    Hope some of these might help. My depression was as bad as the cancer.

    CAthmg

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  • CrunchyPoodleMama
    CrunchyPoodleMama Member Posts: 1,220
    edited August 2013

    Ooh, I'm an expert on this one! LOL (I had major, chronic depression for several years in my 20's, and none of the major anti-depressants worked whatsoever on me, except for Effexor.) I tried all the herbal supplements (St. John's Wort, etc.) and none of that did diddly-squat either. Long story short, Effexor worked; I took it for a year; weaned off it and was fine for years.

    Then, a fourth miscarriage threw me into another major depression in 2008. Same routine, but I didn't want to go on Effexor again so I stayed depressed until my cancer diagnosis.

    Once I was diagnosed and decided to clean up my diet/lifestyle, three things TOTALLY eradicated my depression for good:

    1. Eating pastured eggs (not "cage-free" but truly from chickens raised on pasture)

    2. Regular exercise, both aerobic and weight-bearing

    3. Getting plenty of sleep in complete darkness

    It's bizarre, I'm still childless at 39 and still have cancer cells (until next month when I have my mastectomy), so I should be more depressed than ever in my life... yet, I'm happier than I can ever remember. You can see why I am such a strong supporter of nutrition + lifestyle being so much more effective than medicine (with exceptions, obviously, but I will never take drugs for depression ever again!).

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  • BarbaraA
    BarbaraA Member Posts: 7,378
    edited October 2010

    SAM-E works for me. Takes time to build up in the system, however.

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  • Suzybelle
    Suzybelle Member Posts: 920
    edited October 2010
    Brownies work for me.  Tongue out
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  • Alyad
    Alyad Member Posts: 817
    edited October 2010

    I am trying to live drug free  right now after being on prozac for a year- worked ok but no sex life- then I was on Wellbutrin for 8 years which worked well and gave me a little energy and let me enjoy sex more- I went on Pristiq- almost the same as Effexor- kinda worked for me- sorta had some sexual problems- I made that switch bc I had started taking Tamoxifen and Wellbutrin (as well as others) interfere with tamox. I decided I had just had enough of the drugs- and went off tamox and antidepressants- My PCP tested various blood levels on me- my serotonin was low, which she said even taking antidepressants- if the neurotransmitters are low to begin with, adding a reuptake inhibitor won't do much-

    SO I am taking a supplement called 5-HTP that is supposed to help with neurotransmitter levels- you might also want to have Vitamin D checked- I was low at diagnosis and even lower after chemo, I am now taking 5000IU a day- neither of those supplements has made an overnight difference but I am slowly feeling better

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  • Mazy1959
    Mazy1959 Member Posts: 1,431
    edited October 2010

    Darcy,

    Have you ever tried any of the calming teas? Chamomille is a good one and I like green tea with lemon. You can look thru the different flavors etc at the store. A nice hot cup of tea  really calms me down.I drink alot of coffee but I still like that cup of green tea  a few times a week before bed. I once tried St Johns wort for depression but I had minimal help from it and now cant take it cause I am ER pos. I do take Prozac and it helps alot and there are no withdraw symptoms if you have to go off it for any reason.I  hope you get to feeling better soon. Hugs, Mazy

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  • RachelKa
    RachelKa Member Posts: 174
    edited March 2011

    Decaf green tea helps me with my depression if I drink several double-bagged cups a day. Make sure it's decaffeinated with effervescence or through this process involving CO2 and heat that I  don't recall what it's  called. You  can call the number on the product box for more on how it's decaffeinated which is important for retaining antioxidants.I'm also doing Reishi tablets to help stave off recurrence and they're supposed to help with mood and fatigue though I  cant tell if they are. Feel better, I know it's a moneky on your back. Have fought depression for most of my life.

    Rachel

    www.1UpOnCancer.com

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  • rgiuff
    rgiuff Member Posts: 1,094
    edited March 2011

    I read that Omega 3 fatty acids are also vitally important, since they are good fats and the brain gets a lot of its fuel from fat, as well as keeping away from the simple carbs, such as sugary products, white breads, pastas and rice.

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  • jessamine
    jessamine Member Posts: 322
    edited March 2011

    Fish oil pills changed my life. Seriously. High doses- at least 2500 mgs combined EPA/DHA per day (4 pills of the concentrated ones- more with cheaper brands.)

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