[nikkicoop]

Hi guys, remember me? I hit my head on a cupboard door in Dec 08...... Well I was doing really well. Am on Zoloft - 100mg per day. Was really happy, pretty much back to my normal self. And then suddenly about 4 days ago the depression came back!!! Nothing I can think off triggered it, everything is pretty much the same?? I saw my GP today and she up'd my Zoloft dose to 150mg.

Has anyone else experienced this?? I don't have any of the other symptoms of PCS, they have all pretty much disappeared. The depression came from the PCS, so I am quite confused.

And to top it all off, today is my birthday, and I can't even enjoy it. no matter how hard my husband is trying to cheer me up. I am feeling really guilty about that.

Any thoughts???

[Mark in Idaho]

First, I would seek the advice of a doctor who has a specialty in PCS. GP's should not be prescribing antidepressants. You need to find a neuropsychiatrist or specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation who has expertise in PCS. SSRI's take weeks to become effective. They can also be disruptive to brains as they change the chemical processes related to neurotransmitters.

Are you on any other medications? Allergy meds?

Be very cautious about letting a GP mess with your mind.

Maybe your pharmacist can give you some advice. Maybe a referral to a specialist.

[rydellen]

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

First, I would seek the advice of a doctor who has a specialty in PCS. GP's should not be prescribing antidepressants. You need to find a neuropsychiatrist or specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation who has expertise in PCS. SSRI's take weeks to become effective. They can also be disruptive to brains as they change the chemical processes related to neurotransmitters.

Are you on any other medications? Allergy meds?

Be very cautious about letting a GP mess with your mind.

Maybe your pharmacist can give you some advice. Maybe a referral to a specialist.

What with the allergy meds?? I take SSRI and allergy meds. When I started with the allergy meds (or beacuse of the allergy starting) i felt a lot worse for a while. Conclusions?

My doctor told me that the allergy reaction put down the body the same way a cold does. Good conclusion.

But is it problamatic to combine these meds??

Emil

[Mark in Idaho]

Some allergy meds (prescription) can cause or increase depression. The worst that I know of is Periactin (cyproheptadine). They do not list depression as a side effect on the label but who knows why.

A good pharmacist should be able to help with these issues.

[nikkicoop]

Thanks guys. No, I am not taking any other meds. My GP gave me Zoloft because my anxiety episodes and the depression were getting really bad. Couldn't leave the house, or even my bed. Crying, breaking down, thoughts of harming myself etc etc. The Zoloft has certainly helped, not sure where I would be now if I didn't take it.

But just a bit confused that its come back?? Just wondering if anyone else has the same experience. Just wanting to know that i'm not alone

[melek]

For the first couple of years after my concussion, I had serious problems with depression, anxiety (still have that somewhat especially in areas outside of my comfort zone)....

My neurologist (sp I think) tried several different meds which I had side effects that I didn't like. I'm now on a very mild med amitriptyline HLC 10 mgs a day. I seem to do well on this one. Most of all, I have adjusted to my circumstances, through the help of my vistribular doctor, my phyco-neurologist and neurologist. My GP didn't seem to 'get' the issues I was having but the others did...talked amoungst themselves and I think I am on the right course. My headaches are tolerable and my anxiety is down....plus as I said, I have adjusted, I now do a lot of meditation which I have found helps a lot. Also, when I start to feel 'out of sorts' I know it now and calm myself...its all baby steps, little steps of awareness of what triggers the symptoms....hang in there, keep you light around you, calm and adjustment. Becoming aware of yourself is the beginning of adjustment to this damage of the brain, or at least that is what I have found has helped me the most.

[Lucy]

Hi there - did you become very tired without realising - looking after 2 toddlers must take a huge amount of energy!

Try not to worry about it - there will be some kind of drug to control the depression - I had a dose of it a year ago ( 7 years after!) and believe it is under control now - I couldn't even cope with deciding what to cook for dinner - everything became too hard. My psychiatrist explianed that depression is one of the side effects when you have PCS - I am sure that most of us posting on here will have dealt with it at some stage and probably still are.

My mother in law has just had a severe stroke - she is 95 but was quite good before this and we have been told that it is a matter of days - I just hope that I can keep myself together - it is 2 years since my mum died and her birthday was on the 5th June - this is not going to be easy.

But Nikki - do you notice something here - we are all copers and survivors and you will feel better soon.

Lynlee