Side effects from pain meds (I think?)

[Auriel]

Thank you @sunkacola I knew you’d be someone that would understand this, I hope to never be like I was , I will take gratitude in the good things now in a bit of a better state of mind

 

[Auriel]

Might be worth speaking to your g.p @JayCS if you’ve got concerns maybe your having a down time, not sure if things are the same where you are but we get a form to fill in (an anxiety/depression questionnaire to check the level we’re at and which is more likely of the 2) anyway kind regards you, lovely wife and guinea pigs

 

[sunkacola]

Well, Jay, I think that is a question that only you can really answer. But since you asked for thoughts, I will say that there are two things to consider when it comes to whether you are feeling sad, in grief, disappointed, having a slump or some other thing, or truly depressed. One is severity and the other is duration.

So, severity includes things like: can you take any pleasure in anything or not, can you eat, sleep, get any exercise, talk to people, have any fun at all doing anything. Or... Are you feeling worthless, shut down, unwilling to try, sleepless, losing or gaining weight, not taking any pleasure in anything, feeling hopeless.
Of course there are many other things in both categories, these are just a few.

Duration is measured in months. When someone says "I was really depressed for a week or two", they don't know what depression is. They were not depressed, they were down, sad, blue, disappointed, angry, or something else. True Depression that requires medication is a whole other thing entirely and I wouldn't personally recommend medication for someone who has only been somewhat down for a few weeks. It's only when it starts having a large impact on everything you do and going on for a long time that it is really appropriate to consider medication.

It is to be remembered that anti-depressants are psychotropic medications and can and will alter your brain chemistry, sometimes with good effect and sometimes with disastrous effect. They are not to be taken lightly. Basically, in my opinion, it is best to see if you can just wait it out and come out the other side of it in time, and/or try other approaches for alleviating it before going on meds. I personally think these days too many people just skip over any attempt to help themselves, and just ask for meds and expect them to make it all better. And too many doctors, of course, are ready to push the drugs on people.

Spoken as a chronic clinically depressed person who has taken over a dozen different medications at different times, has been through every kind of therapy, and has lived with depression essentially all of my life.
All of this is, of course, just my opinion. But, you asked.

 

[Lemon]

Helps a bit @Lemon (makes me sleep like something out of a fairytale sometimes though) I’m gonna stick with it (I’m afraid to change in case side effects) maybe I’ll ask for another dosage raise. Ps hope your well

I understand the sleeping like fairytale bit even from fatigue. Stick with what helps Auriel, I’m always unsure of side effects of things. Thanks xo yea and I’ve been in a flare, perhaps for a bout a year and am ready for it to ease up - hopefully somehow. (Wish there was a cure lol or maybe a more effective treatment with less sfx ) xoxo

 

[Auriel]

Hi @Lemon , yeah I thought I deleted the post with confusion of burning yourself cos then I understood what you meant , yeah I get pins/needles/burning too (it’s horrible) having a flare up for year must be terrible I hope you get reprieve soon. Unfortunately everything with fibro is just management, trial + error. it would be nice to find a good treatment one day (we can hope) but fibro is an odd one (but that’s ok cos so am I ) take care + try + avoid anything that winds it up

 

[Auriel]

Yeah I’ve never skipped on my gabapentin @clsbrown65 but I’ve always had problems with antidepressants (no appetite/feeling sick) but staying on them or being without them is a catch 22 situation