DarrellWade

Open Depression
Type: Clinical (Major) Depression

I do not know when I first became clinically depressed. Before I was 18, before I was 16 before I was 12... I am 48 now. I started being treated in 1996, a bit over 10 years ago with Zoloft. It stopped working after a while and I have had little luck with SSRIs since then. Welbutrin helps now somewhat with mood leveling effects of Topiramate and Gabapentine.

Treatments

Zoloft Working / Worked

Worked very well for a while. But stopped working. Very tough time with withdrawal even under Doctor's direction.

Wellbutrin Somewhat Helpful

Seems to be helping but not as completely as Zoloft did. I don't think I would like to go without it.

Topamax Somewhat Helpful

Anti-seizure medication helpful as mood leveller. Helps take the edge off of my depression and occasional mood swings. People seemed to accept me more readily???

Lithium Somewhat Helpful

Helpful as mood leveller. Helps take the edge off of my depression and occasional mood swings.

Gabapentin Somewhat Helpful

Anti-seizure medication helpful as mood leveller. Helps take the edge off of my depression and occasional mood swings.

Topamax Working / Worked

Helps level my mood swings and takes the edge off my depressions. Fewer suicidal thoughts. (also as topiramate)

Support from Friends & Family Working / Worked

Their company and support keep me going. Sometimes being needed is most important too.

Open Eating Disorders

I have had problems with binging for a long time. Now I have less self control. The binging is a greater than normal issue living alone. There are foods I find nearly impossible to stop eating until it is gone.

Treatments

Topamax Somewhat Helpful

Helps curb appetite as a side effect.

Open GERD & Heartburn

I have had problems with my stomach since grade school. It is complicated by neurpathy in my oesophagus and stomach.

Treatments

Aciphex Somewhat Helpful

It might have worked when I started taking this my blood sugar shot up - I'm diabetic - and didn't come down even after stopping.

Protonix Working / Worked

Ranitidine stopped working so the Dr put me on this one. Labelled as Pantaloc - Pantoprazole

Zantac Working / Worked

Worked well for a while at 150mg 2x per day but then stopped being effective.

Domperidone Working / Worked

Helps with the Pantoprazole. (Pantaloc, Protonix) The domperidone helps reduce the muscle spasms of my stomach and oesophagus which are the cause. (diabetic neuropathy)

Open Eczema

Seemingly getting worse, on face and scalp. Maybe caluses soles of feet. Always worse when it gets cool and damp out. Not behind glasses or below jawline on neck or hairline at back. Sometimes a patch in centre of chest and on elbows. Mom has scalp and minor amount on eyelid.

Treatments

Hydrocortisone Working / Worked

Works when I use it in conjunction with antifungal.

Open Stroke

Probably had an undiagnosed CVA or TIA a couple years ago at night that woke me unable to move my left side with my eyes not able to track together. I can now smile symmetrically and my left side is only a little sluggish feeling. Not so anyone else notices. I also no longer have problems rolling over in one direction. ...still sometimes dribble from my right side when I drink though, and typing coordination between left and right hands is off. Dr scheduling CT scan and has me on low dose ASA

Treatments

Aspirin Too Soon to Tell

Preventative low dose

Metformin Too Soon to Tell

Controlling diabetes, preventative

Glyburide Too Soon to Tell

Controlling diabetes, preventative

Diabetic Diet Too Soon to Tell

Diabetic diet to control diabetes, preventative

Open Gout

Diagnosed when I was 20 when it was travelling from one knee to the other. Tends to settle in my knees. Not so bad when it is in my feet. Allopurniol seems to prevent its recurrence. It has only come back when I have not been on it. Grandfather on one side Grandmother on the other side suffered from Gout.

Treatments

Allopurinol Working / Worked

When I am on Allopurinol it keeps the gout away. Otherwise my uric acid levels creep up.

Colchicine Working / Worked

Really helps knock down the acute attacks of gout. Doctor says as soon as I start getting sick is time to stop taking it.

Indocin Working / Worked

Works, but gets too hard on my stomach.

Open Trigeminal Neuralgia

Initially started bothering me a year ago. Thought it was related to a tooth. Pain was atypical for TN. Probable cause related to diabetic neuropathy. Pain is on left side and all branches of Trigeminal nerve.

Treatments

Gabapentin Working / Worked

Maximum dose of T3 with increasing dosage of Gabapentin worked after a few days. Needing to take Gabapentin now anyway for nerve pain.

Meditation Somewhat Helpful

Helped me cope with the pain before the Gabapentine was working and before I had a chance to seek medical attention.

Topamax Working / Worked

(Topiramate) Being used with the Gabapentin might be helping. It also helps curb the increased appetite the Gabpentin caused

Open Insomnia

I am not sure if I am typical in insomnia. I never have had a normal sleep pattern. It seems I fall asleep between 2 and 3 hours later each night regardless of how little or much sleep I get. Some times I can not sleep for more than a day at a time and then I'll sleep nearly solid for 20 -24 hours. I do have problems with severe clinical depression and anxiety. Also have problems with night terrors and sleep paralysis.

Treatments

Trazodone Working / Worked

Worked for a while when I was taking Zoloft which actually made it so I couldn't fall asleep.

Open Maple Syrup Urine Disease

I'm joining this community mainly because I will from time to time when I am having some other health issues end up with my urine smelling like maple smoked bacon. I mean really smelling like maple syrup. I am 48 and Very above average intelligence so I figure it can't be any typical sort. Maybe intermittent? I don't know. It happens infrequently though, but it does stand out.

Open Tinnitus

I have had ear infections frequently since I was a kid. Too many strepth infections and sinus infections leading to ear infections. I really started noting bouts of tinitus when I was in Sr High School. Now I know it is with me constantly. I tune it out just like you tune out conversations at a party. But it is subjectively as loud as an adjacent conversation. High pitched sinusoidal but with beats both ears stronger in left. Balance problems looking straight up and then down.

Treatments

Gabapentin Not Working

Taking for other conditions and hasn't effected tinnitus at all.

Open Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

I have disabling problems with Compulsive Hoarding. That is probably one of my biggest problems. I do have other OCD issues though they are more controlled. One of my biggest obsessions is avoiding anything I might become obsessed with. Zoloft really gave me a chance to reassess what I was obsessed with. Unfortunately I am not on any SSRI at the moment. At my last move we dumped 2 tons of stuff.

Treatments

Zoloft Working / Worked

Zoloft helped while I was on it. I was able to sit on the ground. Use public toilets. Still could after stopping. Other obsessions returned after.

Open Meniere's Disease

Considering I suffer from all 4 of the symptoms perhaps I should take time to ask my Dr about it. Of course with the other problems it always seems to stay in the background. Not too much effect on life quality though and it can be amusing to tilt my head up and down and watch the world spin.

Open Kidney Stones

I take a number of medications for a number of conditions and each seems to warn to drink extra water or fluids. Being a danger of things like kidney stones. having them now despite drinking lots of water.

Treatments

Drinking Water Working / Worked

Drinking lots of water and other fluids

Open Agoraphobia & Social Anxiety

Without thinking about it I have been withdrawing more and more. I realize now that when I do get out the dizziness and weakness I feel might not be due to other health issues alone, but anxiety.