Mast Cell Disorders Forum

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http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl General Mast Cell Disorders Discussion >> Symptoms >> Depressed-Please help http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1339358978 Message started by PamH on 06/10/12 at 09:09:38

Title: Depressed-Please help
Post by PamH on 06/10/12 at 09:09:38

I have been depressed off and on over the last few months. I have noticed that the depression is worse after I have an Mast cell issue. I have read where this is all related. If I would never have a mast cell issue I would be emotionally stable...but as you know we are like pinball machines being set off by so many crazy things. So I believe I NEED an antidepressant.
If any one is on anything that is helping you please let me know. I am getting tired of all the sad days and tears. :'(
I have tried Prozac-swells my throat
wellburtin-swells my throat
effexor- makes my joints and bones hurt

I have read a little about doxepin and how it is an antidepressant and an antihistamine. Does any one take this? How much? and does it help.
Thank you for your help-Pam

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by redbird on 06/10/12 at 09:29:52

Hi..
this is a ME TOO....several months ago I was doing the ...crying about everything..could not talk to anyone without crying...sleeping to much and all those things that go along with depression.
I talked to my doctor when finally I knew I had to do something...I did not want to take the usual meds they normally give so after thinking about it...she mentioned that I might try DEPLIN...now it is not a drug it is a medical food...you can read about it on the net...within a week I could tell the difference..I take 7.5 mg once a day ...late in the afternoon..you might think about it..it does not make me feel numb and dumb like the regular meds...just a thought for you
redbird

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by Futurehope on 06/10/12 at 10:03:06

Just wanted to add that ranitidine and famotidine, Zantac and Pepcid, two histamine blockers, make me depressed. I thought I'd mention this in case you were not aware that medications can cause this side effect. Also, singulair can affect moods.

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by iamnotalone on 06/10/12 at 13:32:10

Hi Pam;
Sorry you're goin' through this :'( !
I have posted before; I was on citalopram (I think it's generic for Celexa) when I really needed something, & had no bad side effects, & was fairly easy to wean off of when I was ready. So, if you & your dr. want to discuss the pros n cons of Doxepin/Deplin/Citalopram, I hope you find the right one for you. That one actually helped me pretty quickly... It's awful being depressed- Hang in there !!! :-*
you are not alone ! :)

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by WendyH on 06/10/12 at 14:08:27

Well I have been on Cymbalta for a couple of years now. I was never clinically depressed but having a chronic illness (as my doc explained) depresses your system, if that makes sense. Anyway I am on it (Cymbalta 60 mgs a day) and it really helps with some of the muscular skeletal pain that we masto's suffer from. I have had no side effects from it. I actually stopped taking it for a few months and the pain was constant in my bones so I will never go off it again.

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by kimtg68 on 06/11/12 at 14:53:02

I tried Cymbalta and notta, zilch, no help. I talked to my doc about my sleep issues and depression. I would be fatigued all day and then couldn't get to sleep when I laid down at night. Then up for an hour to three hours during the night. And yes...the depression. He put me on doxepin 100mg at night. It's a mild mast cell stablizer, used to treat depression and makes me tired enough to go to sleep. It worked good at first but then lost its punch for me so he uped my dose. I now take 200mg nightly. I think thats the highest dosage but for those sensitive to meds this may be too high a dose. I am tremendously less depressed. I think on days when I still get a little depressed that its a normal level of depression for what we go through and how we have to learn a 'new normal' set of daily boundrys. You know what I mean? Summary: Doxepin works well for me :)

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by Buster on 06/12/12 at 09:42:52

Because I cannot tolerate antidepressants, I have had to take supplements. I found 5-HTP and the amino acids tyrosine and DLPA helpful. I also was helped for about year by taking St. John's Wort until I started to react to that herb, too.

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by PamH on 06/12/12 at 12:04:23

Thank you everyone...I had never noticed the big warning on my singulair until Futurehope mentioned it.
I spoke with the nurse of my specialist about Doxepin, she said that my doc that has prescribed my other antidepressants should prescribe it. Sooo I called the regular doc and did the whole this is what is going on thing. They called me back to inform me that he did not want to call this med in because it is not the same and does not work the same as the other antidepressants. HERE is the kicker: He wants to see me in 4 weeks! OMG how helpful is that!? :-/
Guess I will have to make an appt. sooner or just call the specialist again.
I have been feeling better the last few days and I have not taken the singulair in a few days. Does anyone know how long it takes to get out of your system? Not sure if I NEED to take it or not sure I will find out in a day or two.
Pam

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by goldielove on 06/12/12 at 16:21:52

I am so sorry you have too have this horrible part of this disease. I too suffered for about a year I thought I was going too really lose It I thought for sure I was going crazy crying all the time for no reason well for a good reason I felt horrible. But, for me who never cried except at the birth of my beautiful children it was a shocker for my whole family my husband wanted too commit me too the hospital psych unit. So first you are not alone this is not unusual for this disease. Again I want too reiterat, per my Dr you have mast cell receptors in your brain causing you too react like this. Dr. Afrin had me go on around the clock ativan at first I thought this is never going too work I am going too be a druggy and walk around drugged all the time not so, I am so happy I listened too him I have a tendancy too want too treat myself since I am in the medical field also and tend too want too research and not take too many drugs my life has changed though I have this disease and now I am treating the symptoms. I started on a very low dose now I am up too about 3mg a day of course well spaced out it has changed my whole life, I also take atarax only at night 25mg. I can tell you personally if it were not for Dr. Afrin's advice on this I would have gone over the edge literally. I tried doxipen OMG I had severe tachycardia from it and my head , was like I was so dizzy it was not funny. I react too everything even the ativan so I started slow and worked up too what I am on now most of it I take at night but during the day I do take about .25mg sometimes even less if I am having a good day about three times a day. I tried prozac another one on my do not take lists made me feel so sick I bascially could not move for most of the day. I even saw a psych MD of course this was b/f I knew I had this disease all I knew was I was going crazy so please if u can email Dr. Afrin tell him about what is going on with you, and have your dr contact him about this. Ok I so hope you feel better BUT again you are not depressed I know this is hard too hear its the disease that is making you feel like this I know b/c I have been there , I still get very small bouts of depression but it goes away so fast I can tell you I have not had one crying spell for about two months now since I started this ok so sorry for my long rant

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by goldielove on 06/12/12 at 16:24:48

whoops one more thing I was on the singular also I stopped it cold turkey felt so much better off it, I guess we are so different I see some can tolerate doxepin I only took a very small dose but wow did I get sick from that, but then again I got very ill on ketofin also.

Title: Re: Depressed-Please help
Post by PamH on 06/13/12 at 06:23:17

Goldielove,
Thanks for telling me about yourself. I didn't have a clue why I couldn't stop cryinging. We have had a stressfull few weeks. The company my husband worked for just didn't pay some of the employees due to having no funds. My husband finally got a check a week late and before he could cash it the funds were removed from the account. I was flipping out because I can bearly leave the house let alone get a job. So I know that stress was working on my mast cells. But the crying started and I just felt such a deep down sadness that I couldnt shake. I think I cried for two days. My husband had and interview and a job offer in the same day. I am on the upswing I think, cause I'm not crying like I was and I feel like things will get better. I will try to have my doc. contact Dr. Afrin. My specialist seems pretty with it but he doesnt want to treat my emotions which I guess if I think about it..he is an allergist/immunologist and has no reason to treat my emotions. But like you said we have mast cells in our brain, creating problems! He just needs to have DR. Afrin make that connection for him.

Thanks for your advice!
Pam