Bushwacked – Sorry to hear that you are feeling down, as I see it there are two issues here. First your suffering from CFS, I know from personal experiencing how difficult this is as I too suffer. My advice (and that of my roadie GP) is to keep ridding. Start of short and easy, I was advice to stay in zone 1 Heart rate zone (max 145bpm) and ride for about an hour at a go – this will boar you to tears, but will do you good –
I have found taking CQ10 beneficial – although there is little research evidence to support this – there is evidence to show CQ10 stimulates mitochondrial activity and it is know that mitochondrial activity is suppressed in CFS – I took 120mg once daily and did seem to help.
I tend to think of CFS as a physical depression rather then a mental/ psychological depression.
As for taking antidepressants – your GP should be offering you talking therapies first e.g. CBT or (NICE guidance on depression), rather then going straight to antidepressants. This may well help has you could work on the specific issue of how your physical state is effecting your mood
Hope this helps

mboy – I don’t sleep well but I find 1/4 of a table of sominex is just enough to sleep well and not be knocked out the next morning.

Try them – odds are they will improve your quality of life no end.

Did for me.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti1W7Zu8j9k[/video]

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Breakneckspeed – Thats a great way of looking at it. How often did your Roadie GP say to get out riding for an hour?

B my doc also mentioned that exercise is a great way to get over an illness like CFS or Post Viral Fatigue. Totally the opposite to what a different doc said 3 years ago! Exercise does release endorphins and you feel a lot better for it, the problem us mountain bikers have is pacing ourselves. We want to do all or nothing!

Been suggested to me, and I’m going to follow up on this one, is to go to the gym every other day. Nothing strenuous, just some low level exercise, swim a few lengths, jog half a mile, rowing machine for 10 minutes at slow pace. That kind of thing. Also been suggested to try yoga, which I’m going to investigate.

Might start doing a bit more then. Must admit I feel better when I walk the kids to and from school. Plus I’m loving my DJ sessions once every 2 weeks – such a boost.

Try them – odds are they will improve your quality of life no end.
Did for me.

That’s good to hear, but for every person who’s had success with them that I have known, I know 2 that have not! They’re not for everyone… My ex GF’s mum has been on them for more than 20 years now, and they’ve clearly not helped. They’re a sticking plaster, a patch, they do not attempt to fix the problem at the root cause. If viewed as a means to help you get to a state where you can happily fix the root cause of the problem, then great, they’ll do a good job. Too many people expect that just taking them makes everything better though… It doesn’t, you need to fix the things that made you ill in the first place!

Also, as most people don’t realise, drinking ANY alcohol whilst on fluoxetine is a no no… It’s counter productive! Whilst on them you need to stay sober for them to work properly. Perhaps why some people don’t react well as they carry on drinking against all advice!

I’m on them but not for depression, what I don’t like about them is that they can make you tired but I think I’ve sorted that bit by taking them earlier in the evening. Oh and no alcyhol 🙁

Give them ago if you don’t think they are helping you can always come off them.

Sertraline saved me, didn’t really think I was depressed, my partner eventually MADE me go to the doctor. Actually took me there herself. Didn’t want ‘happy pills’ and relieved that these are not like that. No effect for two weeks and then wham – I am back to the bloke I was three years ago. It’s made me realise that I have been in bother for a long time, ironically I think my orange am might have disguised it for a while, but I’ll forgive it. Only on them for 6 months and they don’t make me feel weird or out of it at all. Only side effect – unbelievable wind!!!!!

Good luck, trust your doc.

turned me into a dead head, your better off being misrable 😐

Give them a go and see how you get on with them would be my advice.

I was on Prozac for 18 months a while back and they helped me with my anxiety and depression.

I came off them last April and things had been mostly pretty good until the turn of the year. Gradually the depression has been coming back and I am finding that I have been dropping doing the things that I like doing like spending time with my children, gardening, watching television, cleaning the car (I have only cleaned it twice in the last 6 months and I would normally wash it at least once a week).

I just can’t be bothered any more with things and I feel flat with little motivation. I have to push myself really hard to make myself go out for a cycle. The only thing that is keeping me going into work at the moment is my sense of responsibility towards keeping a roof over my family’s head.

I am going to go back and see my GP and ask to be put back on Prozac because it really did work for me.

I think I know what the problem is and I am sure that the weather of the last month or two up here has made my SAD come back 🙁

I would say if your Depression is not showing any signs of resolving itself after a month or two then you should think of giving them a trial. They are not a life sentence.

Things to note are that

1/ They may not work, or at least the first drug offered may not work
2/ They may work too well and make you manic
3/ They take time to work (2-4 weeks minimum)
4/ You may feel a lot worse to begin especially if you are anxious as well as depressed
5/ You will get side effects (weight gain, droopy willy, inability to ejaculate, emotional blunting
6/ Some people suffer withdrawal symptoms which can be unpleasant.
7/ They are a very personal thing one which works for one person will not work for another.

For example, there are lots of people on here describing Prozac/Fluoxetine as their life saver. It almost killed me by turning me into a highly anxious agoraphobic suicidal wreck within 10 days.

This is not to say you should not try Prozac or any other drug. Individuals experiences are exactly that, individual experiences. One drug will make someone tired and another person energized, the GP has no way to tell a priori.

AntiDs are unlike most other drugs and even other Psych drugs. Take a benzo, or an anti-psychotic and the results are pretty much the same for all people. This does not seem to apply to AntiDs.

They are doing the trick for me. First ones had horrible effects second ones are magic.

An unequivocal yes, subject to recognizing the points made by GJP a couple posts above this one.

Try to ensure (and it may not feel possible at first) that your doctor will work with you to find the right drug and dosage for you. Life changing, in the best possible way.

Good luck to all on here who are suffering or have suffered from depression…

Suddenly some posting styles make sense. Or should that be suddenly posting some style makes sense or even some sudden sense is made of posting styles.

I’ve tried several different types and didn’t get on with any of them for various reasons. They seem to work very well for some but not for me. All I would say is if you do try them be prepared that they may have a negative effect on you and don’t just stop taking them. I made that mistake, I had only been on them for 6-8 weeks so I just stopped and I got well and truly put on my backside. It made me a lot more depressed than I was in the first place, couldn’t stop crying, something I never do cus I is a man 😆

Bushwacked, sorry to read you are feeling so ill. No one else has suggested this so far but they are mans best friend and do give you motivation and reward for their life.
How about a dog, one that can exercise with you, one that will slouch with you, one that you can talk to when you dont want human company-and yes I do talk to my dogs.
I would also add that I would not discount trying medication however do not self medicate and do not take yourself off any meds because you feel well. My wife has done that a couple of times and the people around you will spot the decline way before you do.
Good luck with your road to recovery.

Try ’em give ’em a few weeks and see how it goes, if they don’t work…try some others, if they don’t work try some others. It can take a while to find what works for you.Keep a daily diary of side effects and mood (even if you don’t feel like it, even if all you can be bothered writing is to draw a sad face.) to hit your gp with so you have good reason to justify a change of meds.

With the best will in the world, GPs are not mental health experts, so if it drags on for more than six months or so, ask to be referred to a psychiatrist to get meds dealt with as they will have a lot more experience of what drugs may or not work for you.. (if you had a wonky kidney or lung or heart, you’d ask to be referred to a specialist, so why not if you’ve got a wonky brain?)

You may find after a few months of trying different meds, that the depression is less irritating than the side effects.

I’m on anti-depressants, anti psychotics and mood stablisers, it took about thirty five years to get the combination right, during which I had some quite “exciting” episodes of mania and or depression.

Good luck with it anyway, if anybody tells you “just pull yourself together” or “Just get out on y’ bike” slap ’em, it’ll make you feel better,tell them it was therapeutic. 🙂

Going by the fact that you didn’t feel depressed before this physical condition then (to me, and i must point out i’m not a consultant psychiatrist, just a psych nurse so please dont take this as me diagnosing you… just sharing my gut feeling based on very limited information given over a forum) it feels like the current depression is reactionary to the situation you’re stuck in at the moment. if it were me in that situation i’d hold back on the tablets to begin with and look for anyway you can to get some gentle exercise going on if you can, and to maximise any opportunities to do anything you enjoy to naturally boost your mood and chemicals in the brain that help improve your mood.

i’m currently off the bike and cannot do all the exercises i need to for ongoing back problems/pain, due to a fractured shoulder and my mood has dropped noticeably… i’m stressed out by even the small things and found myself withdrawing socially. like you i wouldn’t say i’d suffered from depression before hand but even a few weeks of not being able to exercise/increased back pain has made me realise how much my previous level of exercise and time spent doing things i enjoy helped keep my mood on a good level.

anti-depressants are useful drugs when used correctly and for the right reasons. they’re incredibly effective for so many people, however as others have mentioned there are side-effects, especially during the first 2-6ish weeks (Depending on the drug). the main side-effect that i think would impact you the most especially whilst suffering from your current physical situation would be the ‘blunted affect’.. basically a numb kinda feeling, no real low moods, but no real highs either, so that natural high you might get from exercising or your other hobbies could very well end up not having the same impact. this doesnt happen to everyone on anti-depressants but is pretty common so something i’d consider when weighing up your decision.

if it were me i’d try and hold off the tablets for now and do what you can to stretch as much enjoyment out of what you can do, there’s lots of advice about on the internet about ways to combat depression… a change of diet can help, even writing a list of things in your life that are reasons not to be depressed and putting it somewhere that you’ll read a few times a day could make a small difference that makes the day a little easier. this doesn’t stop you from taking them if you feel you need them after a while but all the little steps should make a difference and a boost to any tablets you may decide to take.

i hope things work out for you dude, my email should be on my profile if you need to vent, ask questions or even just tell me to mind my own business and stop posting lolcats.

(not used to psoting serious stuff on here, excuse the following)
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Cheers for the open and honest advice everyone

Tough times but I’m going to hold off seeing the doctor for 2 weeks just to see if this something I can work my way out of or something I need to overcome with some assistance.

Cheers

B.

Anti depressents helped me when I needed them. I was in a bad place mentally and took them for 2 years. Sometimes now I feel I could do with some but I’m holding off. I hope everyone who needs to can speak out and never bottle stuff up. Often being honest about the cause of your depression in half the battle, going from all the people I’ve met in group sessions. I’ve seen hardened war vets to broken heated teenagers prescribed tablets. everyone gets down from time to time. Your the only expert on yourself if you think it will help then try some. Good luck and keep well.

Going by the fact that you didn’t feel depressed before this physical condition then (to me, and i must point out i’m not a consultant psychiatrist, just a psych nurse so please dont take this as me diagnosing you… just sharing my gut feeling based on very limited information given over a forum) it feels like the current depression is reactionary to the situation you’re stuck in at the moment. if it were me in that situation i’d hold back on the tablets to begin with and look for anyway you can to get some gentle exercise going on if you can, and to maximise any opportunities to do anything you enjoy to naturally boost your mood and chemicals in the brain that help improve your mood.

I totally agree. AD’s can work, but don’t solve the route cause of the depression if it’s “situational” rather than “chemical”. For me they were a sticking plaster until the situation was resolved, after that coming off them was horrible. Huge mood swings, headaches, feeling dizzy and sick most of the time, and that was a VERY gradual reduction of the dose. It was the side effects of coming off the pills that killed my relationship, not the depression that made me go on them in the first place.

I would be looking at gentle exercise – a walk in the woods, a gentle ride in to town to the library, a half hour swim etc. But start your day with the exercise as the effect WILL stay with you all day. Make yourself get up at a certain time, have breakfast then go for a walk/swim etc. Find something constructive to do with your day – learn a foreign language/take up photography/learn to cook properly. Then go out to comedy clubs/theatre/cinema as often as you can. It’s the sitting around getting bored that kills you. I know, I had 3 years of it.

I really hope that helps – you certainly have my best wishes for a speedy recovery, if you want a chat or swap some emails my address is in my profile.

Best of luck!

Boris

I think I’m pretty qualified to respond to this one.

First off, your life is far from over dude. You can work through it and acheive whatever the dam hell you want. Now, that’s easy for me to say to others, but can I tell myself that? Not a chance.

I was on various anti-depressants over a 4-5 year period. Some made me feel okay, some made me feel exhausted. I’ve now been of them since last June/July, so almost a year now. I stopped immediately, not recommended, but I went through a big lifestyle change, so I was pre-occupied with that. Recently, I have been struggling again, but refuse to go back to the medication. Why? Because other things in life give that same ‘boost’ that they give. Exercising. Getting out my bike and riding with mates gives me a huge lift. And spending time with my girlfriend generally makes me feel great. When I’m not doing those things, I find it tough, but that’s to do with my outlook towards life in general.

If you want any more advice, drop me a PM.

I now have an appointment to see my GP next week.

I almost feel a sense of relief about as I know that ADs help me.

Sorry for hijacking your thread OP.

Hokum – no probs. I’m quite surprised how many this touches.

I’m glad people talk about it. There was a huge stigma when I started ADs that you were labelled in a certain way and had in some way failed. I’m glad that’s now gone. As a sufferer of depression I want to help others the same, feel free to drop me an email anytime also.

I’ve been on anti depressants for depression related to post viral fatigue as well – email me (in profile) if you want to have a chat about it.

They got me out of a hole – I’ve stopped taking them now but I still have a lot of work to do. Basically though my depression got a hell of a lot easier when the fatigue eased off.

I refused them, for reasons that seemed to make sense when my brain wasn’t functioning right. I think with hindsight that was the wrong thing to do, it made things a lot harder than they had to be and I believe that it slowed my recovery down a lot… But, of course I can’t say that as a fact as I could have come across a whole other set of downsides.

It’s lovely to read so many stories and hear that ADs have helped some people.

I have been on mine for over a year now and the ones I am on now seem to be working well. My doc and I have established I am lacking the chemical that balances the brain out (whatever that means!) so need to stay on them for a bit until everything has stabilised. When it has, that’s when I will come off them.

I did actually ask her were there people that are on them for the rest of their lives due to the chemical imbalance and she said that this does happen. I hope that I am not going to be like that but if I am, so what – I just want to be happy and I am entitled to be, pills or no pills 😀

Cochrane is always worth a look if you’re more interested in evidence than anecdote.

From the plain language summary – “Small differences were found in favour of antidepressants in terms of improvements in mood. This suggests that the effects of antidepressants may generally be overestimated and their placebo effects may be underestimated.”

I think unless you have been ill with depression and have taken ADs, only you would know if they have worked or not. I know mine have and I would rather feel like this than be crying every five minutes, not be able to sleep and not be able to concentrate on the smallest of things such as making a business phone call 🙂

aleigh, I’m glad you feel better. However, a reputable metastudy will give the OP better guidance on the likely efficacy of ADs than the personal and subjective experiences of AD users.

Bushwacked – Two things I found incredibly helpful when I was having issues not unlike yours were low doses of antidepressants (amitriptyline) and swimming.

If you can get your arse down to a local pool a few times a week and are physically able to stay afloat then I would recommend swimming above all else. You can work on strength, cardio vascular fitness and stamina without having to push yourself too hard.

If you can only manage 1 length or just float about and splash a bit, then no problem. Next time just set your goal a tiny bit higher. Before you know it 2 months down the line you will feel so much better. Just don’t overdo it.

Combined with a low dose of antidepressants I think it’s a good way of getting back on track.

Best of luck mate.

Johnners – I wouldn’t wipe my backside with that Cochrane report.

Removing the results from a previous scientific study from a meta analysis because it doesn’t support their own hypothesis hardly meets the gold standard of scientific integrity. And, trying to justify it by reference to performing “sensitivity analysis” is just laughable.

Johnners – tbh I couldn’t give a monkeys about studies and reports – I feel better and that’s what counts! I would rather be happy and be with my kids than feel like my world was shite because of an illness which can be treated. There is no need to suffer in silence and I wish I had sorted myself out a very long time ago but I didn’t and won’t dwell on it. Life is good!

Hay Bushwacked – sorry not to have answered your question before now but Have had to wrestle the laptop off my teenage daughter who is apparently physically attached to face book – basically the advice was to ride 1 -2 weekly and build up from there – at the time had what I can only describe as a physical collapse and ended up been off work for 9 weeks so even 45 min per week was an effort – that was about 6 years ago – I now ride basically alternate days and this week I’ve done 10 hours so far with a road club ride tomorrow which will be a full day – I do get fatigued fairly easily however when I get any kind of infection, and it can even be triggered by my hay fever – the key is looking after yourself – good diet, fluids & [list]rest[/list]- As for Anti depressants – basically what philconsequence said (with the same caveat) as he hit the nail on the head. – good luck