Hi yokus

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( yokus ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

I relate to so much of your post, through many periods of my life. My "adventure" with prednisone took place when I was in high school so I went from a tiny, skinny little kid (who used to occasionally pass out from my illness and was often sent home from school) and then suddenly I was very large, both from the massive eating and weight gain that the steriods bring on, plus the "moon face". It was a difficult time for me in school, I already was somewhat of a misfit. My illness however made me realize alot about my life and things got much better for me, personality-wise, after that.

As you know my current problem is my arthritis. I just posted something in the new "health" forum. The arthritis is not health-threatening but it is lifestyle-threatening. I also have had several life-threatening, near death experiences in the course of my life from health problems. I did not have to deal with those at the same time as dealing with the depression I have now. The depression makes these kinds of things 1000 times worse. More hopeless, more futile.

The depression makes it so hard to be or stay motivated toward fighting the physical illness, from keeping a good outlook to making and keeping doctor appointments to just having an attitude of fighting the illness, which I have always believed is as important an element in healthcare as is prescribed medicines.

And of course the illness contributes to the depression, hopelessness of a changed lifestyle, continued discomfort and fear.

Classic catch-22

Does your pulmonary doc know about your depression? I hope he is one of the doctors who understands the seriousness of mental illnesses and how they effect treatment of other medical issues.

I also relate to the lonliness becasue I am alone im my house everyday trying to deal with my depression and my arthritis and everything else going on, no family to help or "fall back on" and friends have largely abandoned me.

All I can say is please hang in and keep posting here. I hope talking about it here helps. good luck an d i hope that things in one area will improve soon, and hopefully the other areas will improve as well.

-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
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