Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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depression

gigigirl
gigigirl
Hi DS! I am new to this group. I am looking for some support and advice.

I am finally coming to terms with my depressn. I have been fighting it for the past year. It has been three and half years since since I was diagnosed with severe Psoriatic Arthritis. I have started seing my therapist again which has been super helpful. I know only 2 other people with PsA and he is one of them. It is a fortunate situation to have a therapist who truly understands what I am going through. However, I am tired of being down. I have good and bad days but the bad are out numbering the good and there are tons of blah days in between.

I am always depressed the 2 days after I take my methotrexate. Does anyone else feel that way?

I have lost my spunk to get out there and enjoy life and get stuff done like I used to have. I REALLY don't want to go on another medication. I am afraid if I go on an antidepressant I will never go off.

Has anyone had success going on antidepressants for only a short period of time? Which ones have worked well for you? Did they make you gain weight? Did they decrease your libido? What other side effects were there?

My therapist says he thinks maybe I can wait to go on meds and work through this on my own. He wants me to find other coping methods - since my previous where so highly effective. I used to play tennis 3 times a week and do lots of crafts with my hands - neither of which I can do now. Instead I just sit in front of the tv or computer - so much easier when you don't feel well. I know it only makes it worse.

Depression is an awful disease - it makes you feel weak, like you have failed. I feel like I should be able to just get out of bed, take a shower and make myself happy. If only it was that simple.

Would love to hear your experiences with depression and chronic illness.


gigi
pearl240
pearl240
Why would you be afraid of taking an antidepressant? Like any medication, its there to help a physical ailment that could be short or long term. I take antidepressants and I would encourage anyone that is experiencing depression to do the same. Depression is as physical as RA.chemicals that are a bit out of balance.
carpecoffee
carpecoffee
I've been on Celexa for a while now. The Dr. told me I may never come off of it because my brain chemicals are out of whack. I'm ok with that because the Celexa has made a huge difference in my life. I can get out in the world again and function. It doesn't say anything about you as a person if you take an antidepressant. Just means you have another medical problem. You may be on short term meds or it may be long term. But please give them a chance. It can help you so much.
disneyfan
disneyfan
Never had depression issues..but mtx gest to me for about 2 daysafter i inject it...i'm tired and have no energy..so you might want to look into mtx? Just a thought


Kim.
deleted_user
deleted_user
When I get evaluated for my biologic, the 20 page questionnaire is half on feeling depressed. I asked the nurse in charge, and she said because people get depressed and sad when diagnosed with this disease. When you got proper treatment you get your life back.

They don't just evaluate the physical symptoms, but the emotions. I can honestly say I haven't been depressed in a long time. I have been strong through my surgery, and now that I have the toe that went mallet after the reconstruction in a splint, I am getting more able to walk, get things done. It is also nic to go to sleep at night without terrible pain. I class nerve pain as part of the disease, since if I hadn't had RA, I wouldn't have to have had my deformed foot fixed.

I live by the maximum at "God is in control." It has really helped me. No matter how bad our symptoms, we have to realize that sooner or later, everyone gets sick, if they don't get hit by a car or a heart attack and die first.

My parents are getting old with minor ailments, and all they do is complain. I get tired of telling them - I had that when I was 30, my foot looked like this. My knees are wrecked - I have had these things for years - appreciate the fact that you had a healthy life till you turned 80. I bet I won't even turn 80, which doesn't depress me at all, because I know where I am going - I will be with Jesus.
deleted_user
deleted_user
When I was first diagnosed with RA, I couldn't talk about it without crying. It just made everything so difficult. My RA doc wanted me to try an antidepressant too. But I knew why I was feeling sad - it was because I have RA and have to deal with it not because of some chemical imbalance. Yes, I am sure the drugs would have helped but they wouldn't resolve the primary issue I was feeling sad.

I chose not to take antidepressants and have been coming to terms with have RA. It is still hard to talk about sometimes without crying but I know that it is getting easier and I can do it without another drug.

I am not trying to knock antidepressants because for some people, they have been life savors and can help deal with issues like having RA. Just sharing my experience...
deleted_user
deleted_user
I take pristiq for depression (after RA diagnosis and a loved ones sickness). It did save me at the time. The only negative is its very hard to come off of. I've been on it a year and when I tried to ween off at 6 months I couldn't do it. My dr. says you need to be on it at least a year or it's a high % of relapse. Pristiq is one of the newer drugs I believe. I did not gain any weight on it.
Good luck gigi.
Joanie
deleted_user
deleted_user
Depression is part of all of this for many people. I have not been on an anti depressant since by RA dx, but was on them years ago when going through a particularly rough patch.
You could always TRY the antidepressants - if they make you feel better you may find you don't CARE if you are on them long term - they may make that much of a difference for you. Or, you could agree to 3 months with therapy - hoping the meds take the edge off and you work on some coping skills - and then reevaluate.
You could also try natural alternatives - but you should really discuss this with your dr. - I take something called 5-HTP which helps me when I find I'm struggling a bit more mentally/emotionally.

One of the hardest things to do in the middle of a depressive episode is break the cycle - even if it is for 30 mins or 10 mins or whatever, getting out and DOING something does help (at least in my experience). Do you have someone who would walk with you or play tennis for a short period of time a few days a week? - that may be just the baby step you need to get yourself heading in the right direction.
Know that we understand

Tort
deleted_user
deleted_user
~hugs~
sandi7213
sandi7213
20mg prosac, helps to deal with pain. they bumped me up to 40mg, when I was dx with RA, but that made it worse. so a low dose is my ticket. nothing wrong with trying
Christine26
Christine26
I have been on and off of MTX IM and PO and I am on PO now.I am on numerous meds. I am not depressed about having RA and have been dealing with it for about 8 years now. But everyone is different. I have not been depressed and not taking any depression meds though I know my doctor thinks I may become depressed and are watching me for signs of depression because I have been through a lot in the past year and still going through a lot now and dealing with RA. I jsut feel RA is another test of life for me and these issues are sometimes placed in your way to make you a stronger person. But, I feel if you need a little something to get you over the hump, by all means take it. Depression can be tough to deal with just like pain or anything else that is difficult. It is an awful feeling to shake from what I have seen. Many hugs to you.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I went through a severe depression about a year after I started mtx. My doctor was amazed that I had not become depressed earlier. I had lived through my daughter being in the hospital with congested lungs, my father dying, being the only teacher of special ed students with an overload at the high school level, the district saying I couldn't have time off to fly from west to east coast for his college graduation, and being in constant pain. I started Zoloft, and was able to sleep again. Life improved, summer came and so did naps (very important for RA). I now only take half a pill a day. Life may have pain, bumps, and not enough naps, but it is cheery!
gigigirl
gigigirl
Hey everyone - thanks for all your support and advice. I really appreciate it.

Happy Fourth!

Gigi
deleted_user
deleted_user
Gigi, I question the why that your therapist feels you should "wait" to be on anti depressants? I have been on antidepressants for years and they help immensely. My regular doctor has told me that chronic pain is a major causal effect for depression and that it is triggered by seratonin in your brain, so it is a real chemical reaction that is happening. I had found effexor XR really effective. Because of insurance costs I now take citalapram 40mg and it seems to help too. I also walk everyday. My doc told me just 20 minutes of excercise ( any kind) gets those happy endorphins released from your brain. Hope this helps. Good luck, know we at DS care and understand what you are going thru. marcia
deleted_user
deleted_user
GigiGirl,

I also take MTX and have been on Effexor XR for 2.5 years. I am now in the process of getting off the antidepressant and have been a little worried about experiencing the depressions symptoms. A few things have helped me (some of them have been mentioned):

-Exercising
-Taking Fish Oil
-Taking Folic Acid (higher doses the day of and the day after I take my MTX)
-Talk Therapy

It sounds like you're on the right path already and I agree that trying an antidepressant and seeing if it works for you might be a good idea.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have heard that the longer you wait to get on antidepressants, the longer you have to be on them. If you are depressed for 6 months, then you have to be on them for 6 months, for a year then longer, after 5 years, you may have to be on them for life.

My husband did that - he just got more and more depressed, year after year, and wouldn't get help. He got to a point where he didn't smile for 2 years. We actually split up for 8 months, (not over his not smiling) and I wouldn't get back together until he saw a psychiatrist and got on medication. When he did, it made a tremendous difference to his life. Not just our relationship, but he found he could do his work better.

I take Wellbutrin in winter for Seasonal Affective Disorder. I noticed that every Feb., I was reaching for pills. I looked through my journals, and realized that it did not correspond even with RA, but the lack of light, and feeling trapped by the cold and winter. Since then, I have arranged to go somewhere warm every winter, and a variety over other strategies, and not needed the pills.

There is no shame in taking meds for depression. It is no different than taking RA meds, except the brain and not the body is involved. Please get the help you need.