Whelp, it's me again. Back and on my fourth med. Hopefully this is the right one, cause the third time sure wasn't a charm. My doc just put me on Lexapro, and said if this didn't work he would try low dosing of Armour. Something better work. Effexor stopped working, Cymbalta didn't work, and Welbutrin made me really dizzy. So let's hope Lexapro does something, and it better not be weight gain. I'm up to 235, according to the office scale. Which I really didn't need to see.

Good luck BB and don't ever give up...you ARE worth the fight. I know its hard but try to think positive.

Hug

hey BlessedBe....I was wondering how you were doing. Did you ever have any thyroid tests done other than the TSH? just checking.

If you do in fact have a low thyroid problem, it's probably gonna take more than a "low dose" of Armour to help with all the low thyroid symptoms. Most people find that they need between 3 to 5 grains, which most docs consider to be a high dosage of Armour.

Have you had a chance to check out the info at the thyroid website I gave you?

I hope you get to feeling better!

hugs,
Cathy

When I was first diagnosed with depression (11 yrs ago) I went through a rollercoaster of antidepressants and it took a while to find something that works. I know it's really hard, but something will work and you will do great. Good luck

cathyxxx-
They did Thyroxine(T4), T3 Uptake and FTI in addition to the TSH. All came back normal. But I posted at that thyroid site and they all agreed that those tests aren't very effective either. But if a low dose makes me fell better, then he might up it. Who knows. I was given a site that sells Armour without a prescriptoin. So if I need more, I'll get it myself.

The people you are talking to are right...the tests they ran aren't the ones needed. The Free T3 and Free T4 (along with the thyroid antibodies tests) would give you a better picture. Oh how I wish docs were running these more accurate thyroid tests without patients having to request them. *sigh*

Do you know, does your temperature usually run lower than normal in the mornings?

I don't know. Though it might be hard to tell, since I tend to sweat at night sometimes. If I sleep curled up on my side, I tend to get very hot. On my back, I'm usually okay. And they said they would run those other tests, but that they would be expensive. I have no job or insurnace. So I'm hoping my doc gets me Armour, or I will just get it myself. I might have to get Cortef on my own, depending on my adrenal test. Whenever I get it....

Here's an update. I've been a week on Lexapro. And I think one of the side effects is hitting me hard. I've been sleeping a lot the last few days. And I mean more than usual. I thought it was just a bad sleep clock. But today I slept from about 2am until 5pm. I never sleep that much. And I still feel tired. I looked up side effects of Lexapro and one of them is excessive drowsiness or sleepiness. I think this is hitting me hard, since I just want to go back to sleep even as I type this. But my parents think I should give it another week and see before going back to my doc.

On another note, I sent in my adrenal saliva test kit today. By next week I should have an answer to whether they are sluggish or not. Maybe then I can get on stuff to help me with them and my thyroid.

BB,
I just read this, I take 40mg of lexapro and am tired all the time too. I started taking it at night before bed instead of first thing in the morning otherwise I would be tired all day. Now I am just drowsy... If you didn't already know (I work in health insurance) lexapro will have a generic alternative starting 1/1/07, since you dont have insurance, that should help with the cost of filling the Rx. I wonder if your Dr has thought of combining different meds together? Take care !

He hasn't said anything about combining meds. He said he'd put me on thyroid meds. Which is what I want. I'm pretty sure I have a thyroid and adernal problem. I'm waiting for results on the adrenal kit at the moment. But I can't wait to get on thyroid meds. I'm so hopeful that they are what I need.

I am brand new here and this entire Forum thing is confusing me. I wanted to fet in on some depression discussions, not sure if I am doing it right. I have been on anti-depressants for 20 yrs and if anyone has ever found the one that works for them, I say lucky them!! I have tried everything that has been available for the last 20 yrs, bad side effects with most of them or they didn't work. Am on 90mgs Cymbalta right now, works okay but not great. All the info they give you about calling the hosp. to find a good therapist, ask your doctor, etc, etc, is nonsense- none of them know anyone! Out here in the Midwest, you don't see a psychiatrist for therapy, you only see him for meds- I see mine once a year for 10 mins! He gives me a year's worth of refills, I can see him more often but since it's not for therapy, what's the point? If I want to try another med, I have to pay for it and wait at least a month to see if it works- and then when it doesn't, you start the whole thing all over again. I have seen many, many therapists and not one has helped me, the meds right now have me not killing myself, but not taking any interest in anything, either, not caring about anything.
So how do I even start to try to lose weight when I hate myself, have no energy, couldn't care less about any exercise, etc, etc, etc..

ahh the psych roller coaster.. ( raising my hand to this one). I'm 43 and have been clincial depressed since 18 and only dx at 34. I've been on all the meds, few months here and years there. Most of them work at first but after they get in my system they either clunk out or the side effects are so terrible I can't leave the hous; hense wellbutrin.
My 21 yo daughter Jamie was on effexor ( since july) and now she is home from college and is very depressed, we have an appt on thurs, I'd like her to switch to lexapro. I feel terrible I gave my lil girl this horrible disease that doctors know little about. All I do know is that eating right and exercising has helped us both alot. Good luck with lexapro, I've been on it since spring and it seems to be ok.... for now..

Oh hun, I hope you don't worry about that too much. Both my parents have anxiety problems (and my grandparents, and my aunts/uncles, etc) that I have as well. Honestly, it's more of a relief for me to know that I "come by it honestly," as my Momma says. And because they have the same problems, they knew when to drag me into the doctors office. Honestly, it's been more of a blessing than a curse.

Eating right and exercising has helped me tons too. My psychiatrist says it's a combination of all those feel-good endorphins and spending time in the natural sunlight (something to do with vitamin d?).

I also tried to get thorough thyroid function testing, however doctors refuse to order free T3/T4 as it's not covered by Medicare (australia). I offered to pay and they still wouldn't do it!!

I know Augigi - it's sad - really sad that some docs won't do what we ask. I don't know anything about health care in Australia, but can you find another doc? or are you stuck with the one with have? do y'all happen to have anything like healthcheckusa.com where you can order your own blood work?