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Posted 5/30/2005 5:24 AM (GMT -8)
Hi everybody!

I'm new in this and feel very weird. After years of being tired, down and constantly sick, just found out that I'm part of your "club". After I always thought I was "strong", seems that now some pills are going to rule my life, difficult to admit at 31. I just needed to let it out with people who would understand me, sorry... confused

Anyway, I've always been a "non-pills-person" and used to take only homeopathics, and herbal teas that helped very well, so I'm looking for an alternative of some sort of "natural" medicine for this.

Can anybody help me? did anybody ever heard of something like that?

thanks a lot! and i wish you all a sunny day!
sady.
Posted 5/30/2005 5:55 AM (GMT -8)
You might check out St. John's Wort and Sam-E
Posted 5/30/2005 11:06 AM (GMT -8)

Hi sady and Welcome to HealingWell!! tongue

If you are already taking any medications, and are being seen by a Dr., please check with them first before changing or adding to any medications that you are now taking!!  Sometimes not all herbs go together with these meds. 

Much good luck to you!!  I truly hope that something helps you very soon and that you'll be feeling better soon!

Hugs and best wishes to you, Teri  tongue

Posted 5/30/2005 2:44 PM (GMT -8)
Hi,

I have been taking SAM-e for the past two and half years and it has been a Godsend. It is all natural and very safe - considered to work just as well as chemical antidepressants without all the side effects. It is an amino acid that our bodies produce but can decline as we age, which can lead to depression. You can find it in a grocery store or drug store in the vitamin/supplement isle, and the one that I use is Nature Made SAM-e. You can go to the SAMe dot com website and it will tell you more about it, including information for physicians if they do not know anything about it. It has been used since the 1970's in Europe for depression and introduced in the United States about 10 years ago, which is why many physicians, doctors have not heard of it. It is in respected medical journals as well. Good luck!
Posted 5/30/2005 8:02 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Sady,

I have always wanted to take a more natural approach to depression but because of the severity of mine I am taking medication right now.  There are a lot of studies about nutrition affecting your moods that you may want to check out on the internet.  I know certainly that is an area that I need to improve on a lot.  Some of effects of the meds I am on are lack of appetite and that is certainly hard on my body.

Have you thought about going to a naturopath doctor?  Those are some ideas that I have thought about doing but right now I am barely able to afford my psychologist and psychiatrist.  My insurance won't pay for the other stuff.  Let me know if you read anything else about other alternatives.

Posted 5/31/2005 12:46 AM (GMT -8)
Hi everybody!

First I want to thank you all for beeing so supportive, as I'm new on this I haven't told many of my friends or family about my... sickness. As you see I'm very confused, and it just makes me feel better to know that there are so many like me out there living normal lives, as it used to be... or should be

Also thanks for all the sugestions, I've been making a research on the web about what you told me and will for sure go for one of those. Of course, not before consulting a naturist Doctor, or as my boyfriend calls them, a Shaman.

and some more questions:
is it true that all antidepressants are highly adictive? and that they have many many side effects?
why doctors asure is not true? and why do they always hide the fact that, once you started taking this meds, you hardly will be able to live without them anymore? Is it the same with St. John's Wort and Sam-E?

sorry! I'm just so scared and have so many questions to this...
thanks everybody!!
Posted 6/1/2005 3:50 PM (GMT -8)
I would not think that sam e would be addictive..i just started taking it about 5 days ago and can see a noticeable difference in my depression, although not my anxiety..but thats another story. It is an amino acid that your body naturally produces so I would think its ok....just my two cents worth...:) barbra
Posted 6/1/2005 5:21 PM (GMT -8)
I've taken Lexapro now for 2 yrs. and have found no side effects with it, and it has helped me tremendously. Others that I've talked to have either agreed or disagreed, saying it didn't help them. So I suspect even with natural products you may encounter that they help some things, or some people and others not at all or as much. I wish I could make all my med.'s natural ones!, or just diet alone :) ...but unfortunately so far that doesn't work, except for keeping my diabetes II in check.

My best wishes to all. Hugs, Teri :)
Posted 6/3/2005 10:51 PM (GMT -8)
 

Hey Sady,

I'm currently seeing a Naturopathic Doctor, and she has me on SAM-E, as well as Mega Omega Fish Oil pills (contain fatty acids EPA and DHA, very good for brain and heart functioning, helps against depression), B-Complex #5 (great mix of B-vitamins, loaded w/ B6 and B12), and Inositol powder, which helps against panic disorder, depression, and OCD. I find that all of these natural supplements, combined with a much improved, consistent diet (lots of fruits and vegetables, organic food, + 8-10 glasses of water a day) and exercise has helped me tremendously in my fight against depression. What's more, I haven't even started any type of counseling or therapy, nor am I on any medications, besides the natural supplements listed here. I am in the process of seeking help for myself, and I know I can win. Keep the faith.

By the way, if you live in Southern California, you can see the doctor I'm seeing, or go to the place I'm going. I love it there: the Institute of Progressive Medicine, located in Irvine, CA. The website can be found here: http://iprogressivemedicine.com/ and my doctor can be found here: http://iprogressivemedicine.com/meethedoctors.htm . She is near the bottom: Julie Khan. I think she's fantastic, and she's been a much better help than my original doctor who only shoved Xanax XR down my throat when I told him of my anxiety/depression symptoms. Good luck.

EDIT: I should throw this in as well: I went up north for a 2-day vacation w/ family, and as an "experiment" decided to leave my supplements at home, and while I was up there I got no exercise and ate crap like Carls Jr. and pizza. Well, sure enough, today was my WORST day of depression in a long time. The supplements really do help, as does exercise and a healthy diet. The B vitamins are essential to fighting depression, particularly B12. I've talked w/ several people who've had their depression "cured" just by restoring their depleted B12 levels. Sometimes it is just a chemical imbalance. I just took a comprehensive Amino Acids test, so that I will know EXACTLY where the imbalance lies in my mind, and what acids I'm missing. I highly recommend this kind of test for people who think their depression is due to chemical imbalance in their brain. I'd also highly recommend getting some sort of B vitamin supplementation. I tell you, since I've been on SAM-e and the B-vitamins, I've gone from being depressed and not knowing why, to being happy and not knowing why. I've only been on them for two weeks too. Anyway, GOOD LUCK.

Post Edited (Jarrett) : 6/4/2005 1:13:53 AM (GMT-6)

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