Depression

April 25, 2007

Dear Nuwee,

I highly recommend the books by Burns, MD: Feeling good and The Feeling

Good Handbook. They are very comprehensive and address a lot of different

strategies for dealing with depression.

Maureen

April 25, 2007

I know how you feel; was a single parent for 18 years and it is scary. Work for

me was very important in keeping self esteem.

Can you still do makeup and do it sitting on a stool or using a wheelchair? My

scooter has the ability to move the seat up and down easily while still sitting.

How about doing makeup on your own at people's houses or your own for special

occassions/weddings/proms/birthday parties or are your hands too weak to work

with the makeup?

You can still get SSI as long as you don't make over $800/month ( I believe,

though Gretchen can confirm) At least this way you won't have to work for to

long of a period of time and still supplement income.

Jackie

April 25, 2007

Hi, Nuwee - -

Depression is understandable. I force myself to get out of bed and be out there

(I still work - office job- at 72). But if I had to be on feet all day I could

not work at all. And now my hands are somewhat affected so handwriting is

getting horrible.

I, too, am independent - widowed 20 years now - two grown kids - daughter tested

positive for CMT1 at age 48. One of her 3 daughters definitely has all the

signs but not tested yet. Son has some signs also but refuses testing at this

point (he is now 40).

Hang in there, I keep telling myself that (and sometimes it works).

June from NE Pennsylvania

June 29, 2007

I would think many people with conditions such as MS, ALS etc suffer

from depression and many of those find LDN actually improves their

depression, sometimes very significantly. DLPA can be used to prolong

the LDN effect. Do we assume from what you're saying that you have

trouble sleeping because the idea behind the timing is that the

endorphin blockade should occur when you are asleep so you don't even

know it happened.

Elaine Baker wrote:

> I've been lurking here for a few days. I am a SPMS'er who recently

> began taking LDN (about 1 month). I began with 1.5 mg. and progressed

> to 4.5, now settling at 3. It just seems to feel right. I have felt

> some remarkable improvement on some days. It's enough that I will not

> go back, even though I seem to hate all drugs in general. Are any of

> you managing depressive issues as well? I have taken Prozac and many

> other SRS's for some time. The thought of shutting down my endorphins

> for ANY length of time is frightening to say the least. So far, I can

> handle it but that 2:00 a.m. is a potential killer for me. Anyone else?

July 26, 2007

Hello, I was diagnosed just this year. For the first time in my life I was

not strong enough, emotionally to handle something on my own. My Onc

suggested some anti-depressants. I am so glad he did. I have been on them

just two

months and cannot believe how much better I feel, mentally. I plan to stay

on the about a year and then wean off. But, in the mean time, I am feeling

so much better.

Chris

************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

July 26, 2007

basically a feeling of wellness. no other way to explain it. nothing i

want to take for life, just to get over the hump. this has been really hard on

me and needed a little help.

************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

July 26, 2007

Hi, and welcome to our group. You're very lucky in that you've already

won half of the battle and that's because you can recognize that you

are depressed. Now what you need to do is talk to your doctor about

it. There are a variety of medications out there that can help you

feel more " normal " but you need to see your doctor to see which one

would be right for you. Please call him/her soon because the sooner

your depression is treated, the sooner you can get back to enjoying

your life.

All the best,

Tracey

>

> I'm a 29 years old male, I was diagnosed on feb 3, 2006. I have been

> in remission since October 2006 and i feel pretty bad. I do not know

> what is going on, I feel a lot of mood changes, very sad and cry with

> no reason. I don't feel like going to work. and I just want to stay

> home watching TV. Our economic situation has deteriorated and I'm

> scared if I lose my jib I will lose my insurance and I will not have

> access to gleevec, and my oncologist. I feel scared and depressed. I

> want to be normal. but it is hard to get out of this.

>

July 26, 2007

The depression is part of the desease, not clinically related but I think we all

battle it daily. It comes and goes and in my case seems to be brought on by the

severity of the side-effects. I don't have a solution for you unfortunately.

I've spent hours on my couch too, watching my 3 year old play and not having hte

energy to play with him. For a while I would go shopping when I was

sad...thereby exasberating the issue of financial worries and making the

situation worse, not better.

I did have some success by joining a gym and working out when sad. At my gym

they have treadmills where you can watch TV while walking. I found this

satisfied my couch potato, hate the world, this disease stinks, urges while also

giving me some good endorphins and a little help with the weight gain. I have

to get back on the wagon with my exercise...I'd had some trouble with motivation

over the past two weeks but when I did faithfully go to the gym it definately

seemed to help my mood. I also tried Pilates which was great. Although it was

a little strange to try to explain why in the middle of an exercise I would stop

in excruciating pain (muscle/bone/joint pain) and then join back in later in the

class with no problem, but all-in-all it was worth it as the end result was a

great workout and not too much strain on my body.

Hang in there...good luck and try to do something each day that makes you smile.

:}

[ ] Depression

I'm a 29 years old male, I was diagnosed on feb 3, 2006. I have been

in remission since October 2006 and i feel pretty bad. I do not know

what is going on, I feel a lot of mood changes, very sad and cry with

no reason. I don't feel like going to work. and I just want to stay

home watching TV. Our economic situation has deteriorated and I'm

scared if I lose my jib I will lose my insurance and I will not have

access to gleevec, and my oncologist. I feel scared and depressed. I

want to be normal. but it is hard to get out of this.

July 26, 2007

, I love the last line of your post

try to do something each day that makes you smile.

> :}

>

July 26, 2007

>

> Hello, I was diagnosed just this year. For the first time in my

life I was

> not strong enough, emotionally to handle something on my own. My Onc

> suggested some anti-depressants. I am so glad he did. I have been

on them just two

> months and cannot believe how much better I feel, mentally. I plan

to stay

> on the about a year and then wean off. But, in the mean time, I am

feeling

> so much better.

>

> Chris

>

> ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the

all-new AOL at

> http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

>

July 26, 2007

Thanks Tracey,

It's about all you can do but if you try to do one thing each day it makes the

day a bit brighter!

:}

Re: [ ] Depression

, I love the last line of your post

try to do something each day that makes you smile.

> :}

>

July 27, 2007

Hi all,

On the depression issue, I was dxed in April of 04 and have suffered from it

in one form or the other since. I am glad anti-depressants have worked for

many of you. For me, I have been on four and they have not really did a

thing. I also went to therapy and that really did not work. I have had to

pull myself out of it. It is hard especially when your economical state

takes a nose dive, among other things. Just remember your not alone and talk

to somebody if not from this group, to anyone that you trust to listen. I

know it is hard for those of us that have lost jobs and are unable to work

but hang in there, things will get better.

Terry

On 7/26/07, lunaemica@... <lunaemica@...> wrote:

>

> Thanks Tracey,

> It's about all you can do but if you try to do one thing each day it makes

> the day a bit brighter!

> :}

>

> Re: [ ] Depression

>

> , I love the last line of your post

>

> try to do something each day that makes you smile.

> > :}

> >

>

July 27, 2007

I do have some mood swings some time too and I try to fight this by going out

with family, meet my best friends and not stay alone think about my situation. I

am taking 1 B-complex pill every day which seems to help. Go for a walk or

listen to music sometime it helps to get your mind away from present problems.

Due to the fact that you went to remission in such short time is a good news.

Just hang in there and remember life is good. God Bless

T

dxd 1/2003

PCRU

400 mg Gleevec

-------------- Original message --------------

From: " guillermobarthelmes " <guillermobarthelmes@...>

I'm a 29 years old male, I was diagnosed on feb 3, 2006. I have been

in remission since October 2006 and i feel pretty bad. I do not know

what is going on, I feel a lot of mood changes, very sad and cry with

no reason. I don't feel like going to work. and I just want to stay

home watching TV. Our economic situation has deteriorated and I'm

scared if I lose my jib I will lose my insurance and I will not have

access to gleevec, and my oncologist. I feel scared and depressed. I

want to be normal. but it is hard to get out of this.

July 28, 2007

guillermobarthelmes,

I understand completely what your going through, I lost my job and as of May

of this year my former employer renigged on allowing me to keep my insurance

so I am now having to rely on Medicare A & B here in the US. The sad thing

is they say I make to much money with my disability to qualify for part D

which would cover my prescriptions.(That angers me because it is like I am

being punished for having a good job before I became disabled.) I am

presently trying to go through the manufacturer to get my gleevec for free

until I can figure out something. Right now I am looking into getting a

medicare suppliment plan that covers prescriptions. I am very low on my meds

and will be out in about 9 days or so. But that is neither here or there.

I also as I stated previously still have bouts of depression that come and

go, but when I first was dxed in April of 04 I lost it. It is hard I

know...You may not appear sick but feel sick, and others do not understand

because your not laying in a bed with tubes in you and no hair. One of the

head Onco nurses at my docs office explained it best to me..She said that

having a chronic disease like we do is sometimes worse than having the

more immediate form because it is such a long and drawn out process, and we

have to learn to deal with however it changes our lives. Some have little or

no side effects and others have moderate to severe. I cannot work and I was

a desk jockey. What I try to always keep in mind is there is someone always

worse off than me. I know this may not help you right now but just hang in

there my friend. If your married do not withdraw from your wife. If she is

being supportive especially she is scared I am sure just as much as you

are. So do your best to treat her well, the woman I was married to bolted. I

am not saying you do not have the right to have what I call your own " pity

party " because I sure as hell did and sometimes still do, and I am now

married to a wonderful woman, have custody of my son back, and things are

looking up.(Except for the lack of prescription coverage) I also even now

sometimes cry for no reason myself. We did not ask for the cards we were

dealt and I know it is just not fair at all, and sometimes you go through a

gambit of emotions. I admit to being slightly envious of those that have

little or no side effects and are able to still work, but I am also happy

for them too. The main thing is stay on your gleevec and as long as it is

working do not get off of it!! What I would also advise you to try to do is

find something that interest you as a hobby and do it, be it video games,

puzzles, whatever. Just remember we are here and even though we do not know

each other and we not talking in person, that is what this group is for. If

you need to vent go ahead and do so. If you even want to feel free to email

me privately and vent. Sometimes it just might help. Do not be surprised to

see me go on a rant here once in a while. In the mean time hang in there.

Since your watching TV so much I am not sure what you like to watch but I

personally like to watch a cartoon called " Family Guy " , and " Futurama " . I

also watch allot of horror and sci-fi stuff, and the history channel. Anyway

take care,

Terry

On 7/27/07, mtadros9@... <mtadros9@...> wrote:

>

> I do have some mood swings some time too and I try to fight this by going

> out with family, meet my best friends and not stay alone think about my

> situation. I am taking 1 B-complex pill every day which seems to help. Go

> for a walk or listen to music sometime it helps to get your mind away from

> present problems.

> Due to the fact that you went to remission in such short time is a good

> news. Just hang in there and remember life is good. God Bless

> T

> dxd 1/2003

> PCRU

> 400 mg Gleevec

>

> -------------- Original message --------------

> From: " guillermobarthelmes " <guillermobarthelmes@...>

>

> I'm a 29 years old male, I was diagnosed on feb 3, 2006. I have been

> in remission since October 2006 and i feel pretty bad. I do not know

> what is going on, I feel a lot of mood changes, very sad and cry with

> no reason. I don't feel like going to work. and I just want to stay

> home watching TV. Our economic situation has deteriorated and I'm

> scared if I lose my jib I will lose my insurance and I will not have

> access to gleevec, and my oncologist. I feel scared and depressed. I

> want to be normal. but it is hard to get out of this.

>

July 29, 2007

i am disabled with suvire depression they wont give me any medicare until

january of this year. they say the social security office wont give you

medicaide anymore so i am having to apply for that doubt i will get it though. i

also have heart problems and seizures am on meds for those as well, restless leg

syndrom i have that out of my meds for depression and restless leg syndrom right

now and cannot get em until i get my messlee check on the third! i am gettin

worser and worser depressed sleeping more while my husband took his vacation

which ends tomorrow night he has to work and we are raising our beautiful

granson who is 14 months old! he sleeps when i do it is like i am his mama or

something and when i feel bad it is like he does too, i have had him since he

was in the incubator in the hospial his mother is mentally retarded and tried to

kill him and herself when her boyfriend 20 years older than her got put in jail!

she overdosed on her insulin she

is diabetic and many other problems but doesnt get that from me i am her step

mother. my kids all hate me and i do want to die but will not try to kill myself

i do however scratch and cut myself when someone hurts me , i know i shouldnt

but when someone hurts me i wanna hurt myself more becouse i feel like i deserve

it, yeah i guess that i am crazy and i too had a great paying job i was an

asistant manager at a wwalmart. lots and lts of money but didnt help my

depression the managers go through being called into the store and co managers

office everyday being threatened to get wrote up or fired just becouse they feel

like they have the power to do it it is nothing but a power trip and when i go

by and into that store becouse we live in the country see in just cry and cry

the whole time people look at me and it is embarrassing. i have seven loads of

laundry that i have done all week waiting to be folded and put up and they are

sitting right behind my

husband who has sat his ass in that chair all week doing nothing but playing

free online poker, my 15 year old son cusses me out (mental condition my sie of

family) and does what he wants to basically. i cannot control him he is very

very bad . been in hospitals and everything else. i have had to have a policeman

go pik his but up and bring him home becouse he has taken off on me several

times. only two cops in this town lol. we know them but it isnt my fault

although i feel if i could keep my kids straight we wouldnt know them ya know. i

have noone just have noone. thanks for emaileing tina

Re: [ ] Depression

guillermobarthelmes ,

I understand completely what your going through, I lost my job and as of May

of this year my former employer renigged on allowing me to keep my insurance

so I am now having to rely on Medicare A & B here in the US. The sad thing

is they say I make to much money with my disability to qualify for part D

which would cover my prescriptions. (That angers me because it is like I am