paulry

Great!

There's a whole basketful of vitamins that can help but the B ones are the most important. Using the results of blood tests as well as personal circumstances, the nutritionist identified those needed and I bulk ordered them from the US, saving a lot of money. The nutritionist also recommended the foods to eat more of and those to avoid. Walnuts for example help against stress - just the equivalent of two whole nuts per day.

Jon77

Just a bit of an update on my situation since I started this thread. My depression has stabliased a little but the anxiety remains very strong indeed.

I have been give Lexapro but the side effects were too bad so had to stop taking those.

Then I was give Zoloft and the side effects if those were even worse than the Lexapro and again had to stop as advised by my doctor.

I have been given a third set of tablets to try which I haven't collected as yet, can't remember the name, starts with 'C', see how those go.

I was also prescribed Xanax, I know that these tablets get a VERY bad press because of the addiction problems some can have. Personally I have no addiction issues at all. I take one as and when needed with often 3 or 4 week gaps inbetween. They work really really well at calming me down and getting me through things I usually would run a mile from. However I have never had any desire to keeping popping these pills and have had no side effects other than a small headache the day after I have taken one. The amount that has been perscribed by my doctor will probably last me until this time next year or even longer.

PaulandNic

Cipramil, Cetalaphram (spellings ?!) ... tried them plus Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Effexor, and recently stopped taking Prestiq as it's done nowt after a month taking.

I'd say they was all 'sugar tabs' if it wasn't for the fact that Cetalaphram worked once for me in the UK. Can't for the life of me work out why it don't work here.

Nic uses Seroxat permanently, altho still suffers with Anxiety / Depression, just not as bad as without!

Cheetah7

I would say you have been through so much lately Paul that any medication you try will be challenged to the max.

Once you get a lucky break and things pick up for you and I hope and believe they will, things might seem a lot better.

carolinephillips

Going to try not to be a stress head and have a panic attack today- DD is swimming, and still isn't fully fit. Last time she swam the coach told me not to come back as I was a stress head, and made me cry.

I'm really rather anxious already. Plus I have to drive to Homebush!!!

paulry

Maybe the best will be to drop DD off in the care of the coach who'll keep her safe and go and do something else instead. Treat yourself to a bit of retail therapy or whatever you enjoy - it'll help keep your mind away from worrying. Good luck!

carolinephillips

No can do- I sat through the whole thing. DD got a gold medal in the 50m breast!! (She was the only competitor though, as by that time lots of people had gone home.) She was better than I thought she would be, and got reasonably close to PB's in two of the 5 races, so she is making progress.

Now I have another stressful drive today to collect a friend of DD and take both her and DD to a party. I don't actually know where this friend lives, other than it is out of the way and involves driving on the Pacific Highway and the Ryde Road. At least she is being returned home so I only have to do the journey once.

paulry

Well done to your daughter!

Ah, those journeys to destinations that we're not exactly sure of . A satnav is a dear and trusted friend for trips like that.

carolinephillips

I haven't got one.
I made it safely, though looked so haggard that I was invited in for a cup of tea before I had to drive back!


Speaking of depression/anxiety, my sister is worrying me at the moment. I've had to block her e-mails due to her overreacting, sending me angry/ emotional messages that I just can't cope with and I'm worried that she will have a nervous breakdown or go back to self harming, and of course she will blame me.

Cheetah7

Caroline I know its hard but she has to be responsible for her own actions and you have enough to be contending with in your own life to be dealing with her stuff as well.

I learned long ago from certain family members that they make their own choices which decide their outcomes and I have no part in it. They run their own life and I run mine and yes it was bloody hard to try and stop worrying but when I did manage it, it made life a lot easier.

You are not to blame for her depression and if she has a breakdown and self harms, you are not to blame for that either.

There is help out there, sadly the person has to reach that point where they know they need help and can seek it out but only they can do it.

You concentrate on yourself and your family. xxxxx

carolinephillips

My sister blames me for giving her nose bleeds- caused by "stress bombs" (her words). She has what I believe is post traumatic stress syndrome caused by the death of my father, which has added to the depression. She took herself off all her medication without consulting the doctors, and is busy collecting ferrets- has 9 of them now. I daren't mention anything to do with dad or the sale of his house, or she overreacts and gets angry. I had no choice but to block her, but it doesn't stop me worrying.

ozbaz

haven't read through all the messages on here, but am wondering ' how did depression affect your emigration to Oz ' ??
HB has been suffering for a few years now, getting worse...and it has cast a really great doubt over our decision to move to Oz. He can't see himself starting a new job/ new people/ having family rely on him as main earner. ( mental health nurse of all things )
On the other hates he hates living in Ireland...the weather doesn't help depression, but of course that's not everything.
As a partner of a depressed person I am at my wits end. It affects the whole family, and sometimes I want to walk out, sometimes think' let's jst go for it and make the move, maybe it would actually help.
Our visa runs out in mid 2014, and I am hoping for a minor miracle.
Anyone on this forum who has been there, done that ? Made the move despite added stress, higher than normal anxiety under already stressful circumstances ? How did you cope ?

lesleys

I had already suffered from depression for over 20 years when we came here. It just wasn't a problem, other than it had always been. I knew I had an illness and it wasn't going to rule my life, so I just got on with doing what we both wanted. I'm very glad we came. I'm very happy even though I still have depression. I have the same 'down' episodes as before but probably not as bad or as many. I have a doctor who understands. I know my husband was apprehensive about how I would cope but I was determined to do it and it was without major incident.

IMHO migration won't improve a shaky situation - frame of mind, relationship or attitude. Migration won't cure depression but it could influence it. I think it's important to concentrate on getting the depression under control more than anything. Then take the next step, whatever it is.

Jon77

I moved out here with anxiety / depression issues and the last 6 months in the UK and the first 6 months in Australia were very very hard for me to cope with. Selling our home, leaving my old job, saying goodbye to family and friends, looking for somewhere to live, starting a new job (temp) and finding a permanent job! Doing all of this would make even the strongest people struggle!

Thankfully I have a very supportive wife who understands I struggle and moving here was something we both wanted to do. The hardest bit for me was leaving go in the UK and making the first action - putting our house on the market. I freaked out a little and could easily have stopped things right then, but I managed to struggle on with it. Then you just take it a stage at a time and after our house sold I felt that I should just roll with it rather than fight it. Even people who don't have depression or anxiety will have been through what I mention here.

Having anxiety and depression doesn't stop me doing 99% of what everyone else does. But it does make things a lot harder and much more effort is often needed which can leave you drained and shattered and at times close to a breakdown.

TheArmChairDetective

Jeepers, I feel for you buddy.
You might have said already but which sort of depression do you have? I ask because I thought some types of depression lifted when the sun levels increased.
Fingers crossed you get on an upper soon.