Diagnosed with depression years before fibromyalgia

[ljbrann]

I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia last week. I have been also suffering from depression for over thirty years and am currently medicated. I was wondering if anyone suffers from depression and take depression medication for the fibro symptoms? I am feeling lost and need to still be medicated for my depression but my pain and brain fog are becoming very hard to handle.

 

[MissNeverWell]

I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia last week. I have been also suffering from depression for over thirty years and am currently medicated. I was wondering if anyone suffers from depression and take depression medication for the fibro symptoms? I am feeling lost and need to still be medicated for my depression but my pain and brain fog are becoming very hard to handle.

I've had various levels of depression and anxiety since childhood. However, I chose not to take the medication route, although it was recommended on a few occasions. Despite lack of success and discipline with alternative approaches like psychotheraphy and cognitive behavioural therapy, I still prefer to keep trying in the hopes that it has achieved some beneficial effects over time that I don't immediately recognize. I feel frustrated with myself at not being able to follow through with journalling and thought records, but even if I don't write it down, I'm analyzing it to some extent in my mind.

 

[30 plus years]

I've had both depression and fibro for 30 years. I was on Prozac for most of the time but recently switched to another medication because I didn't feel like Prozac was helping anymore, even after increasing the dosage.
My anxiety level has gotten worse, mainly because of having to bear such chronic pain, but also because I'm going blind. So it's not necessarily the antidepressant that's going to directly help your pain, but I think it's important to treat the depression so you can BETTER deal with fibro.
It's very hard, I know; sometimes I don't know which is worse. But at least there's some established protocol, I.e. medication for depression. It's the fibro that's really the beast, unfortunately. It's a battle and balancing act for sure, but you've come to a pretty helpful forum where there are people that really get it and make suggestions that could possibly help you. This is a wonderful outlet for your mental health. Hang in there!!

 

[BlueBells]

@ljbrann @MissNeverWell @30 plus years

Hi @ljbrann , Welcome to the forums Please keep coming back, as communication is how we all learn and support each other.

I was first diagnosed with "bad nerves" pre teens, and put on Valium. That just sent me off with the fairies, so quit that. I've always known something is not right, and although about three times I've succumbed to the doctors pressure, I do not like, nor do I find any benefit from, antidepressants. They actually make me an unpleasant person, so I've been told by others.

I've been to counsellors my whole adult life, trying to find what is wrong.

A friend picked up on it mid 2019, he said I should get checked for fibro. The more I have learnt / am learning, I have found much of the depression and anxiety have gone. I believe fibro has its own little cloud of depression, borne of the frustration that these little gremlins dragonise us with. (from someone's spell check of diagnosed , I like it .)

Everyone is different, but I am just mentioning how it is for me. I still get angry with myself, but less so as I understand the gremlins are biting me, and the more I can accept that, the less frustrated I get at my inabilities. Lowering the frustration, I can prevent the ensuing depression that usually follows that frustration of ........just cannot do anything about this !!!!!

I don't seem to 'feel' the pain, but I seem to get the symptoms of that pain, if that makes sense. Sort of does/doesn't to me

 

[doni]

I had the same experience. Diagnosed with depression 30+ years ago and with fibro almost 10 years ago. I do take antidepressants for both.

I've found that the antidepressants that help my depression (Wellbutrin) are different than those that help my fibro (Venlafaxine/Cymalta). So I need to take two different antidepressants.

 

[Badger]

Depression can complicate things living with Fibro, it's difficult to have perspective when we can only see through the lens of depression. I've struggled with depression and anxiety since my late teens. Fibro was diagnosed age 20, now 44, as other members it's been a frustrating journey. Medications such as Prozac were untolerable with side effects like nausea. I just take Amitriptyline and pregabalin since years. Depression can make life so much worse and put us at risk. It's vitally important to treat it and lessen the impact. From what I've heard a combination approach is recommended including talking therapies and relaxation exercises. Take care of yourself @ljbrann

 

[sunkacola]

I have had chronic depression since I was 12 years old, and that is a lot of years. I have spent the majority of my life in depression. There have always been period of remission, varying from a week or several weeks to a few months to, once a period of four whole years. Those years were the happiest of my life, just because I was not depressed and it felt absolutely magical to me. There were only normal ups and downs, but no depression, and I remember thinking, "This is how normal people live?! They have no idea how lucky they are!"

I thought it would go on forever, but it ended when my beloved partner died, and since then I have gone back to being mostly depressed with periods of remission. I enjoy the remission periods but never expect them to last forever (although....you never know....I have still a little bit of hope!)

I have taken probably a couple dozen, or more, "anti-depressant" medications in my life. None of them helped me long term and some of them did me a lot of harm.
I have had just about every kind of therapy with every kind of therapist there is and none of it helped me long term and some of it did me a lot of harm.

I was born with chronic insomnia and was sleep deprived for the first 30 years of my life until I started taking a medication which I still take nightly that allows me to sleep, which otherwise I would not, and that is a literal life-saver. But I no longer put any faith in anti-depressant medications. This doesn't mean I would ever advise against them for someone else. Each person has to try what they think or their doctor thinks, might help them, and find out for themselves, because for some people they have proved to make all the difference, even long term.

sometimes a person develops fibromyalgia, I think, because of trauma in their past or because of high stress or a tendency towards a stress reaction to life. This is only my opinion and not backed by scientific research to my knowledge. But if this is the case for a person, they may find that taking a psychiatric medication helps them to deal with stress or depression, which can in turn ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia. In a case like this, it is very helpful or at least can be for a period of time. I took one, one time a few years ago, that did help me deal with stress and my fibro symptoms eased for a time. But they came right back again, and I stopped the medication because it was no longer helping. This kind of thing -- a medication that only helps for a short time -- is fairly common, I am told. I have no idea why. But again......everyone needs to find out for themselves.

 

[Badger]

sometimes a person develops fibromyalgia, I think, because of trauma in their past or because of high stress or a tendency towards a stress reaction to life.

I feel this is the case, it's unfortunate for some of us that stress takes it's toll in such a way.

 

[BlueBells]

sometimes a person develops fibromyalgia, I think, because of trauma in their past or because of high stress or a tendency towards a stress reaction to life. This is only my opinion and not backed by scientific research to my knowledge.

Hi @SBee @sunkacola @doni @Badger @30 plus years @MissNeverWell @ljbrann (I think that's everyone, these ads are driving me nuts )

I've thought for decades that something happened to me in my childhood that I cannot remember and I have asked doctors and counsellors about the therapy that "takes one back". I've been met with NO, very firmly, reasons given, it's of no help, nothing happened, you'd remember, it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect you....

Current counsellor is prepared to help in this area, so, will be interesting if I did suffer a trauma, and that may indicate there may be a link between fibro and trauma.

I will keep you informed

 

[sunkacola]

Hi @SBee @sunkacola @doni @Badger @30 plus years @MissNeverWell @ljbrann (I think that's everyone, these ads are driving me nuts )

I've thought for decades that something happened to me in my childhood that I cannot remember and I have asked doctors and counsellors about the therapy that "takes one back". I've been met with NO, very firmly, reasons given, it's of no help, nothing happened, you'd remember, it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect you....

Current counsellor is prepared to help in this area, so, will be interesting if I did suffer a trauma, and that may indicate there may be a link between fibro and trauma.

I will keep you informed

Just a little word of caution. I truly hope that this helps you in some way - in any way. But it is wise to be very wary of people and techniques who do the kind of thing you are suggesting. There are many good reasons why you have been met with resistance from people on this subject.

One reason is that it is entirely possible (and this is proven fact) to "install" a "memory" of something that never happened through hypnosis or just through suggestion. This can cause immeasurable damage in more ways than I can count, and it has happened hundreds of times. I have actually witnessed this being done and it is horrifying to me, and can be a tragedy.

Another thing to consider is that if you do find that you remember something, it may not be the truth of what actually happened for many reasons, not the least of which is that memory is a very fluid and uncertain thing. To take a "discovered" or "recovered" memory as fact can be a very dangerous thing. If you think you discover something, it is very wise not to believe it 100% unless you can corroborate it in some way with other people's recollections or with facts you find in researching the event(s).

And finally, please be sure that you are fully ready to face whatever might come up for you. This is very difficult to be sure of in advance because you don't know what it might be, and it could turn your whole world upside down. And, after doing that, not even be true.

BlueBells, you need to do what feels right for you. I don't want you to think I am trying to tell you what to do! Not at all. It might be exactly the right thing for you to do. But I have more than a little experience in this area and I know how tricky something like this can be and I would feel remiss if I did not give you a proper sort of warning. These are just things you might want to think hard about before you proceed with this course of action.

 

[BlueBells]

@sunkacola

Thank you so much for that, and much of it I have pondered over the past 50 odd years !

And finally, please be sure that you are fully ready to face whatever might come up for you. This is very difficult to be sure of in advance because you don't know what it might be, and it could turn your whole world upside down. And, after doing that, not even be true.

This is exactly what the counsellor has said, and she is not at all pushy. It is something I feel has happened, and whatever happened has "locked me in a shell" my whole life. That girl who would "dance on the table at parties", I know is still there, hiding, but I am very shy and reserved, generally speaking. I will easily chat with one-on-one, but put me in a group, I'll be in the corner on my own, or in the kitchen

She said that it may be something that is devastating as a child, but as an adult, is no big deal, and that seeing it now, through adult eyes, might be all I need. I do have older sisters, and one, about 14 years my senior, said a few years ago that when they came home one weekend, the bouncy, skipping everywhere, never shut up, vibrant and joyful little girl was quiet, didn't smile, and really was not showing any sign of happiness. I've not really changed much. I feel guilty if I feel happy. Now that is screwed up !!!!

Thank you again, and yes, I will take it very cautiously indeed !!!

 

[MissNeverWell]

Hi @SBee @sunkacola @doni @Badger @30 plus years @MissNeverWell @ljbrann (I think that's everyone, these ads are driving me nuts )

I've thought for decades that something happened to me in my childhood that I cannot remember and I have asked doctors and counsellors about the therapy that "takes one back". I've been met with NO, very firmly, reasons given, it's of no help, nothing happened, you'd remember, it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect you....

Current counsellor is prepared to help in this area, so, will be interesting if I did suffer a trauma, and that may indicate there may be a link between fibro and trauma.

I will keep you informed

Very interesting! I believe my fibromyalgia developed as a result of a cumulation of multiple psychological and physical traumas, and my innate response to those traumas. Upon reflection, it is noteworthy that most of my medical and mental health conditions are related to the brain and central nervous system, as well as the musculoskeletal system - anxiety disorder, depression, learning disability, ear disease/hearing loss, visual problems and occular migraines, environmental illness, musculoskeletal weakness and fibromyalgia. My standard response to trauma is the freeze-frame rather than fight or flight response, tension pain in the back of my head and neck, along with constriction of throat, abdominal and leg muscles, weakness (particularly from the lower spine down the legs) and confusion. If I look at the various manifestations of fibromyalgia, I notice these areas are commonly affected.

 

[BlueBells]

@MissNeverWell

along with constriction of throat,

A few years back I had some sort of growth/cyst on my throat, turns out was goiter. Surgeon drained every bit he could out of it, and it's not come back.

I was told that the sayings 'biting your tongue' and "swallowing your words" both literally relate to the tension in the neck/throat from the emotional strain of doing just that.

I have tried hard to avoid doing that since, and I do notice a strain in my neck/throat if I am in a stressful situation where I can't say what I think for fear of repercussions. I know now what the physical result will be if I do not protect myself.

 

[MissNeverWell]

I was told that the sayings 'biting your tongue' and "swallowing your words" both literally relate to the tension in the neck/throat from the emotional strain of doing just that.

Interesting, I frequently bite my tongue to the point of bleeding, and get blood blisters easily and repeatedly, many of which feel like they are blocking my swallowing. The tongue biting I attributed to jaw malalignment, a very small mouth, and some partial facial paralysis/teeth in a lower position and a crown covering a broken tooth on that side.

 

[BlueBells]

Interesting, I frequently bite my tongue to the point of bleeding, and get blood blisters easily and repeatedly, many of which feel like they are blocking my swallowing. The tongue biting I attributed to jaw malalignment, a very small mouth, and some partial facial paralysis/teeth in a lower position and a crown covering a broken tooth on that side.

@MissNeverWell

That too, the jaw clamping. I have tried, fairly successfully, to train myself to have my jaws apart, the teeth not touching, and I think it is carrying over now to sleeping, as I rarely have those biting issues any more.

The "bite your tongue" that I referred to is when you are about to say something and ither are told (by yourself or someone else) to 'bite your tongue" or 'be quiet'. That is the one that causes strains as one set of muscles are trying to speak and not speak at the same time and causes an emotional and physical tension. That's what a doc and counsellor told me. Actually, I think the surgeon mentioned it after the cyst draining, and told me to talk with the others about it.

The body is an interesting little computerised machine, is it not?