[cat_eye]

'ello everyone - I'm Carolyn, and I'm seventeen. *bows*

I'm feeling really, really sad right now - it's over-powering. I'm sure most of you know what this feels like. I have Major Depression Disorder (obviously) and I'm on meds for and everything, but they don't like to work. It hasn't been this bad for a few days.

[Rapunzel]

Welcome, Carolyn. It's nice to meet you. Are you in therapy? Sometimes meds can help you not to feel so bad, but they don't fix the problems. Having friends who can understand and support you helps a lot too - just knowing that someone cares. You'll find a lot of support here if you stay around for a while.

{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}
Wendy

<font color=orange>"Never forget: 2 + 2 = 5 for extremely large values of 2."</font color=orange>

hello cat-eye; welcome and thanks for sharing. You are in a good place here, though it is important if you are choosing to be healthy, that you surround yourself also with others who are continually making that decision. I say "continually" as it is a daily decision, and at times hourly.
I too have struggled and continue to struggle with Major Depression; I have tried probably 7-8 different meds; and now the Pdoc is leaning towards Lithium.
There is hope, and you can do this; you just have to want it more than anything you've ever wanted before...some have said "fake it 'til you make it" and while this isn't always healthy...I don't believe you should pretend everything is okay, because it doesn't just go away by itself...but if you do the things to put you on the right path to health even when you don't feel like it; then you will find yourself "Fighting" for your right to have "life" and live it more abundantly.
(((((Cat-girl)))))
Blessings,
Jon

KICK THE CABLE HABIT!!! http://www.vmcsatellite.com/?aid=84152

[hamstergirl]

You're feeling a little down? That's an understatement! I've been struggling with depression for 11 years (officially), and possibly for several years before that.

They've had me on all sorts of meds for it. They may as well have been sugar candy, for all the good it did, with the exception of Wellbutrin, which acted like a pint of Jolt! cola on my system. (Jolt is a brand of high caffeine cola; with my depression, I slept a lot)

The shrink at the hospital finally told me that though I was depressed, my problems were continuing to be caused by strong emotions, despair, anger etc. So now we are going to be going into really deep intensive therapy, both with my shrink in the community and a mental health nurse that will be coming once a week (For the first time, I will be welcoming VON into my home with open arms; they will be relieving pain instead of inflicting it on me for a change (They look after my cathetar every four weeks. I have a semi permanent cathetar)

Let your shrink figure out what med to put you on. Talk things through with him. I mean really talk things through. Start a journal about how you feel about the things that are happening to you and how you react to things. Put down everything in it, no matter how small and tell your psychiatrist. I've been doing this and it actually helped the staff at the hospital discover that I had a personality disorder and that may only be the beginning. (Don't worry about you being even more screwed up. I'm just a special case...ask Ozzie for the short version of events) But do the journal.

Find good and loyal friends that can be trusted and tell them what's going on with you. Just be honest about your feelings. You don't have to tell them you have depression but do tell them you are going through a rough time. Because if you don't, they are going to be asking themselves a lot of questions that they are going to be scared to ask you. (I know, because I just told my gaming group I was depressed, because for me, going out with them every week is crucial to my recovery and I may pull away....due to the personality disorder.)

Oh and if I didn't tell you before, drop by here. It saved my fanny from the fire more than once. Even though I'm still severely depressed, I'm still here. (Again, I'm a special case. Your problems will be more easily fixed than mine. And I'm not knocking your problems either. Mine are a little more....permanent)

Welcome to the board.

If you are ever in trouble...come to me. I will never counsel you to take the wrong way out. It's my duty to point out the right way...the way towards life. Just realize that I am struggling myself and don't hold it against me or use it as an excuse not to try to save yourself.

There is a thing more crippling than cerebral palsy: the prison of your own mind.

[dexter]

Hi cat, and welcome to the forum. I hope you find it helpful to be around such caring and understanding people, as I do.

My episode of very severe depression lasted for over 7 months... and only now am I just beginning to feel like it may be starting to lift. I've been on many medications, and like you, had none or very little effect from them. Finally found a combination that seems to be doing something for me.

Finding the right med can be tricky, sometimes it takes a combination of meds to do the trick... so stick with it and don't be discouraged. And like Rapunzel said, therapy and continuing to fight the depression is also very important to recovery. Finding this website is an excellent and positive step in that regard. You might also be able to find a free support group in your area to help you with the difficult times while you are looking for a solution that will be effective for you.

Good luck and welcome to the community here.

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--http://www.idexter.com

[dexter]

hamstergirl that is great news that you found a service that may be able to help you. I know how hard just letting people in to help has been for you, and this hopefully marks a change in service that will give you reason for hope, and therefore will also be something that you are able to go along with and hopefully develop some trust with them.

It is good to hear that you are still trying and that there are still options for you other than repeats of the lousy behavior that has encouraged your distrust in the past.

Good luck, I hope for the best, and keep letting us know how it is progressing for you.

{{{{{{hamstergirl}}}}}}

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--http://www.idexter.com

[SS8282]

Hi Carolyn. Along with what everyone else has already said (I'm a slowpoke), I want to add that sometimes meds can take a while to work. For myself, I've had depression (plus a few other things) for a very long time, but only started getting help for it a 3 yrs ago. I'm on my, what, 6 & 7th meds right now.

Some days can be worse than others. The important thing is to not give up (easy to say, hard to do - I know). I hope you feel comfortable enough to come here to post or chat with us. The people here are a wonderful group of supporters and will try to help you.

Take care,
SS

[cat_eye]

thanks :-) I'm on my 5th or so med right now. Most have not had any effect, except for Effexor which was like a permanent caffiene pill.

[cat_eye]

thanks ^_^

[cat_eye]

Effexor had the same effect that wellbutrin had on you. I can't take Wellbutrin since I have a history of seizures, but oh well. You're right - the prison of your own mind is more crippling than cerebral palsy.

[cat_eye]

Thanks for the welcome! I was on a combo of Lithium and Prozac for awhile. The lithium gave me tremors and stomachaches, but that's just the effect it had on me. Good luck with the med change.

[cat_eye]

thank you :-) Yep, I'm in therapy - it helps more than these meds have.

[wisewoman]

Hi and good luck with the med changes and finding the right cocktail.. Everyone is correct in that it can be tedious but necessary. Therapy is also a life saver if you have a t who is good and can be trusted. You have to find someone who knows what they are doing. Good luck.