[GeeLuv]

Hey all!

I'm actually doing really well right now, but depression has always been a part of me and runs in my family. I'm not depressed, but I'm a little sad by some recent news lately. I'm new here and nervous about gossiping or oversharing, so I'll spare the details for now, but I'm mildly down from all this. It's really sad news. :/

[caroline2]

There is situational and there is clinical depression. I dealt with clinical for 10 yrs and docs did NOT help me at all, kept doling out the anti depressant candies... It was a sluggish thyroid which I suspected from day 1 and the lab numbers said something different. After all, we are numbers right, and not symptoms. The ole time docs who didn't really have the labs to go by would give their patients theraputic dose of desiccated thyroid and go from there. I'm old enough to know about the early dosing for thyroid dsyfunction. And then there is all the fluoridated water millions consume and how that "F" attacks the thyroid.

A good ole D.O. in my life got me on the right track with a low dose Armour, no labs, and the depression of 10 yrs lifted in 4 days. Oh h ow I remember that.

Situational stuff is something we go thru and it eventually leaves us, at least it has for my life.

Hope this helps somewhat OP.

[GeeLuv]

Oh, thanks for that @caroline2 but I am actually clinically depressed and taking antidepressants for it that do help, but I guess I misspoke and should have said I am not CURRENTLY in a depressed episode. The thing is, I haven't completely ruled out bipolar2 either, but still not sure if my moods are elevated enough. My dx is actually "unspecified bipolar presented with a depressive episode" at the time of diagnosis. And I do have a strong line of depression in my family to which many of them take medication for it.

All of that being said, I do also have a sluggish thyroid. However, my tests always come back in the normal range since I've been taking medication for that.

[caroline2]

As I've said my labs on thryoid came back in "NORMAL" range for years and years...we are not numbers and to find a doc to work with symptoms is GOLD. I came upon him in 2002, my dear D.O. -- old school and didn't live and treat patients by all the numbers. Getting thyroid tweaked could make a huge change for you GeeLuv. I believe that for everyone as we are not anti depressant drugs deficient. We are deficient in so much other natural things we are brought into this world with.

[pink kitty]

Welcome. Not everyone who has depression has to take medication unless the depression is very severe. Imo. since there are lifestyle changes etc which can help. also some people can not tolerate the meds especially long term. I am one of those people. A good doctor would be of assistance who is able to look outside the box of “meds and nothing else” ... but if the meds help you I wish you good luck. If other factors contribute to your depression then working on those will definitely help

[pink kitty]

I'm sending hugs

[GeeLuv]

Originally Posted by caroline2

As I've said my labs on thryoid came back in "NORMAL" range for years and years...we are not numbers and to find a doc to work with symptoms is GOLD. I came upon him in 2002, my dear D.O. -- old school and didn't live and treat patients by all the numbers. Getting thyroid tweaked could make a huge change for you GeeLuv. I believe that for everyone as we are not anti depressant drugs deficient. We are deficient in so much other natural things we are brought into this world with.

I'm sorry i must've overlooked this before, but what's Armour?

I have a good doc too and he's been prescribing me vitamin and herbal supplements and a diet overhaul...but i don't know. my mood still isn't good.
I guess to delve a bit further into this, at the time of the supplements, I was going through a really really bad situational depression and was trying the antidepressants only after the supplements and the therapy wasn't working. The AD and the anti-anxiety med I was given helped me get through some therapy sessions and process the situation...I mean, it is possible that my improved mood of late could be the depression finally going away (??) but that situation happened like 4 years ago now, so that's a pretty long time to be depressed if it was just situational. ya know? and even if it was situational (like, from my period once a month depression), I'd still need something...

as for thyroid, i'm not sure what more could be done. I'm on Levothyroxine and Liothyronine. and supplements like vit D, b-6 complex, zinc and iron...and the basics. i dunno.

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not sure what these icons mean. does the ! alert the mods? well, guess we'll find out!

[GeeLuv]

Originally Posted by pink kitty

Welcome. Not everyone who has depression has to take medication unless the depression is very severe. Imo. since there are lifestyle changes etc which can help. also some people can not tolerate the meds especially long term. I am one of those people. A good doctor would be of assistance who is able to look outside the box of “meds and nothing else” ... but if the meds help you I wish you good luck. If other factors contribute to your depression then working on those will definitely help

Yes, also working on the lifestyle changes, but a lot of it seems out of my control. And I attempted therapy and was hoping for some coping skills with just what i have to deal with on a day to day basis and i just don't recall much help there...maybe a little. I'm thinking of one thing right now like when doing undesirable chores, try to think of something enjoyable about it. So i guess I use that. But like dealing with other people's criticism of me??? I have a hard time coping or knowing how to react...and even when I do speak up, it's like i'm not even heard or my opinion doesn't matter. Sigh!

[caroline2]

GeeLuv, you mention lifestyle changes and things out of your control. We control just about everything in our lives. Sounds like a continual "talk therapy" would be in order.

I see you asked about Armour, it's probably the FIRST thyroid support in existence,,,it's desiccated support and not synthetic like the Levo stuff. Try to get with an integrative MD or Naturopath.

[GeeLuv]

yeah, well I can't exactly control other people. That's what I meant. I understand I can control how I react though. Therapy is definitely being considered, but it's hard as husband pays the bills and does the driving, mostly, and I didn't really feel I got much coping help when I tried therapy before. I know i know not all therapists are the same, but I am not looking forward to the stress of trying to find a good one and dealing with my hubby's reservations and doubts about it. :/

argh! i should have quoted you because now I've forgotten what else you've said. Oops!

edit: oh ok, so this was the post about Armour. Thanks for the info. I'll try to remember this for my next appointment with my GP, who actually is in integrative medicine and naturopathy stuff (although I don't think he's an actual naturopath. I think my husband went to see someone else for that.) Speaking of these doctors and in regards to my other comment, all of these GOOD doctors are in the city and so that just makes travel even more of a pain. sigh!