depression and pain

Christine - posted on 11/21/2009

well, now that my depression has been helped with the new meds----i definitely know that my pain is a totally separate issue. i feel good mentally, but my pain is getting worse with the weather changes. but, i've decided it is easier to deal with the pain than with the depression. i am actually getting things done!

LORI - posted on 11/09/2009

My doctor tells me it's a catch 22. In the last year in a half my mother-in-law passed away, my mother passed away and my aunt was killed in an accident, my son graduated from high school, and we are selling our house. Stress and depression are huge factors with pain.
When i'm in a lot of pain... I find myself sad, unmotivated, unwilling to communicate, and i have to force myself to get up and do the stuff required of me in our home.
The doc keeps me on anti-depressents to help and they are nice. I also keep a journal and atleast weekly get together with a friend (talk to one atleast daily).
Good Luck!

Dawn - posted on 11/04/2009

it is like the chicken or the egg... depression leads to decreased activity which can lead to pain which can lead to depression...
OR
chronic unrelenting pain can lead to decreased activity and personal interaction which can lead to depression which can lead to decreased activity which can lead to increased pain which can lead to...

So- what comes first?
I have no idea but I do know that Cymbalta- a med for depression- has been very helpful in managing chronic pain for many people- me included. It is nice that is helps with the mood swings that depression can have .. so am I treating the depression or the pain?
Quite frankly I don't care as long as I feel like me - or at least more like me- than I would without it.

Carolyn - posted on 10/27/2009

Christine, God bless you. I've always been told that God only gives us what we can handle. Well clearly you are stronger then I am because some days I feel like I can't even handle my measly life.I agree with Chantel. I know it seems silly to tell a mother of 11 children to find time for herself but even just" time" by yourself would help relieve stress. It doesn't have to be spending money. I will always be praying for you.

xoxo, Carolyn

Chantal - posted on 10/26/2009

Gee Christine, How awful for you..I'am sorry for all your problems. sometimes life hits hard, and you have been in a storm. I hope your daughter and son are doing better and the younger ones. Do you go see a counselor? it would benefit to talk with someone. Even someone at your church. I understand about situations that seem they will never end, I've been facing those past few years. But I hope that you will take time to pamper yourself, you deserve and need it.Having things that overwhelm us definately is not good for depression, and can trigger pain. Its like stress puts your body in in high adrenaline and it doesn't know how to shut off.
few more suggestions...deep breathing really helps also Vitamin D3, so important especially if you live in midwest or area where its not so hot in winter. The D fights against colds, builds up your immune system, it helps against autommune disease and cancer. It helps me alot...So your assignment today if you so chose is to think of one special thing to do for yourself, write it down on a post it and put it somewhere to remind yourself to do it. Take the time and enjoy it and let the world fall apart around you..(At least for the next 15 to 30 minutes..LOL)

Christine - posted on 10/26/2009

chantal---i need to work on all the positive kind of things you mentioned----they were really good. we defininely have alot of mental problems in our family. my great-grandfather killed himself, my half-sister killed herself, my nephew and an uncle are bipolar.

we have also had one problem after another for almost 6 years steady. once, i met someone new at church, and she said, "oh, you're the family with all the medical problems." and this was before we had the serious stuff.

right before i turned 40,i had minor knee surgery, then the day before my 40th b-day, i found out i was pregnant----it was hard on me, and i ended up with an emergency c-section. my baby had to be on oxygen for a month, and we had to hold her almost 24 hours a day for the first 2 months. she had to have major surgery (fundo) just before she turned 10 months. then i had a tubal when she was 11 months. i got really anemic by spring and my little one developed obstructive sleep apnea, my husband accidentally set himself on fire, then i had to have a hysterectomy11 months after the tubal, 6 weeks later my baby had her tonsils and adenoids removed and an inguinal hernia repaired and one of my twins had a scope the same day. my twin stayed nauseated for 3 months---and we discovered that 3 of our chldren had celiac disease. one of them stayed really thin (the other twin)---turned out she had anorexia, when we pushed calories thinking celiac was causing it, she learned to throw up. she was admitted to the hospital in may of her 9th grade year at 67 lbs. she spent 3 months in the hospital in seattle----we live in idaho. we had to make 2 different trips to seattle and my oldest daughter came to stay with the kids---so she could not keep working to earn money for her mission. sometime during all this my step-father died, my oldest sister died from cancer 11 months before i had my baby. we moved from our house of 18 years. my husband has lost two jobs in two years----the last one was an injury that has put him out of work for 4 months so far. around the same time the girls were diagnosed with celiac, one of my sons had been cutting himself---the school called me and told me he had been in the bathroom with a knife threatening to cut his throat. he was arrested and expelled for the rest of the year. i had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists last fall, and have just recently been diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency-----it can also cause pain and depression. this fall both of my twins left to college and my mother moved away unexpectedly.

sorry about the rambling on of all my problems, but i just thought i'd give you all an idea of what i have been dealing withfor the last while.

Chantal - posted on 10/26/2009

stress can trigger depression and definetaly make your pain worse. It happens top me. last year I had a breakdown, was on anxiety meds due to major stress in life. I worked through it with counseling and prayer and support people. I don't get anxiety attacks anymore, I do get depressed at times but I have learned to recognize it and do things to not let it get to me. few suggestions I read depression is "anger without fuel"also depression can also be genetic, does anybody in your family have it? it also can be brought on by various things building up for years.From one of my books "depresssion is not a disease it 's a symptom of deeper , undrlying mental, emotional and or medical issues." depression also can be contagious to those around you...make a list of what makes you feel sad,angry,guilty,shameful,hopeless, or powerless, take it to counselor exercise is definetly helpful, I can only do it in water.listen to soothing music . put little upbeat sayings around your home. I put bible verses. set healthy boundaries for yourself..(this one has helped me tremendously.laughter also helps see a movie by yourself, go out and make yourself socialize with a friend. (I found that if I hermit then I get worse) people help people so be around uplifting ones. eat some dark chocolate. I also use lavender drops in bath or put a drop behind each ear and wrists and its soothing. gee sorry if I rambled hope this helped...

Annalee - posted on 10/21/2009

christine i think the pain adds to the depression. at least for me it does. When im in so much pain and cant to anything then i really start to get down on myself. but i have the fatigue issue too. and that, for me is worse. the fatigue is what depresses me. they give me meds for pain but the fatigue is definatley the hardest. at least for me. thats what makes my depression worse

Erin - posted on 10/17/2009

I have always suffered from depression as well. I've found though, that since my pain has increased, so has my depression. The anxiety has gone off the charts. I have panic attacks for no apparent reason now. And the depression is on a scale that it hasn't been since I was a teenager dealing with major trauma and hormones. I find myself fantasizing about suicide, accidental overdoses of pain killers, accidentally driving off a bridge, etc... I've talked to the doctors of course, we're still looking for the right medication to control the depression. The anxiety is helped by Klonopin and Xanax. The thing that keeps me going day to day is that no matter how much I may feel that the pain has kept me from being the mother I want to be, I'm the only one my children have and they need me. I wouldn't dream of depriving them of that or have them grow up believing that I didn't love them enough to tough it out.



I think pain and depression feed off each other. If you had pre-existing depression, it just makes it that much worse. Fight it every day, it's worth it.

Shannon - posted on 10/13/2009

I have fibromyalgia with depression... the depression came first for me... they will definitely feed off off each other - more stress, anxiety then more pain and depression like a vicious circle. My best advice is to take it easy on yourself as much as possible. Cymbalta has helped me with both pain and depression but it isn't a cure.

Brandy - posted on 10/11/2009

I know just for me when I am having a bad day with the pain and I can't get the pain under control with the pain meds I feel a little off just not as happy going so I think for me if the pain was gone the depression would be under control but I do understand it could be the opposite for other people some people have the depression before they ever had the pain the depression came from other things not the pain. I hope that your pain and depression gets under control I know how sometime you feel better with talking about it so if you ever want to talk you can reach me anytime

Natalie - posted on 10/11/2009

That makes total sense to me!! I understand that feeling! And you know, it seems to me that it goes both ways. Pain obviously makes the depression worse.... I mean how could it NOT add to depression when you are in chronic pain!?!? Lasting pain, in and of itself, is depressing. But I know that much research also points to chronic depression has as one of its symptoms, PAIN. I'm not really sure how depression would cause aches and pains, but I constantly see that as a symptom of depression. And then the anxiety..... well, that just adds a whole other dimension to both the pain and the depression. It sucks! I know! I deal with all three as well. And I agree with your other point; I too think that the pain would be easier to deal with if you didn't already have to deal with depression.



Natalie

p.s. I'm new to the board. Hopefully I'll see you around.