Is it possible to improve without meds?
 

I am a year PCS and it seems like every doctor I see wants to put me on depression meds and Ritalin for daytime fatigue. Has anyone had success without meds?

Does anyone have experience with ciprolex?

Lexapro, Escitalopram, and Ciprolex are the same, an SSRI anti-depressant.

They will not cause healing from PCS. Depression meds can increase daytime fatigue. Ritalin will only mask the fatigue if it does that.

They will not cause healing but they may reduce symptoms that can delay healing.

How much sleep are you getting each night ? Are you getting good REM sleep ? Brain healing only happens during REM sleep.

The less meds, the better.

Sleep is a huge problem for me...got any ideas?

dawneve,

Do you have an established sleep hygiene ? It takes a process for me to sleep. What do you do during the 4 to 6 hours before you try to go to sleep ?

After doing some research, I felt skeptical of the efficacy of SSRIs for brain injury patients. Among other things, unlike drugs like insulin or statins, I discovered that nobody could explain how SSRIs actually worked. I decided not to take them and have managed my depression and anxiety without drugs.

Things are not perfect, but, although I suffered a significant injury, I seem to be coping as well, or better, than many of my TBI peers. Mind you, I had no pre-morbid history of depression or anxiety.

In the end, each patient has to make their own decision about meds. I made mine, in conjunction with my psychologist.

The tipping point, for me, was Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital's study on TBI and SSRIs. sunnybrook.ca/media/item.asp?c=1&i=258

Published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of Psychopharmacology, it is the largest study on SSRIs in the treatment of major depression following TBI - and the only one NOT funded by the drug companies.

The study found no improvement in TBI patients on SSRIs and, in some cases, the drugs deepened the depression.

I sleep on average 8-10 hours a night, depending on how easily I fall asleep which is usually quick! And also if I go through a period of insomnia where I wake up and can't get back to sleep. I do notice those days are a total write off!

I am doing a night and day sleep study this weekend so I will get more information regarding that soon.

Oh and I shared the same feelings as you on depression meds, I don't want to mask my symptoms and reality of life, I want to learn to accept and cope with it. It just seems that every doctor out there is pushing it on me...

Thanks for that link. I have never been one for pharmaceuticals, I am a natural/homeopath kinda girl! So I am hesitant to just hop on the bandwagon because my doctor keeps pushing it. I don't want to be numb to my symptoms.

You might want to look at this thread http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ighlight=sleep

People have different ways of dealing, or trying to deal with sleep it's a case of finding what works for you I guess.

Hey, did someone say they get 8-10 hours and fall asleep straight away - how is that humanly possible I ask 8-)

KnockedOut,

When you wake up and can't get back to sleep, try getting up and doing something for a while before trying to go back to sleep. Read a book, do ironing, watch a boring movie, etc, to let your mind reset to sleep mode.