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link between depression and inflammation!

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Posted 8/20/2011 3:25 AM (GMT 0)
I am listening to an amazing radio show, where three scientists are discussing the link between depression and inflammation: depressed people have higher levels of inflammatory markers; but, amazingly, people with elevated signs of inflammation also display many symptoms of (if not full-blown) depression. *And* you can induce depression in mice, by injecting them with inflammatory molecules.

I doubt this will be news to many of us, who have already noticed the association in our own bodies, but it's still nice to know that it's there, in the scientific literature.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2011/3294537.htm#transcript

And it might be a nice piece of information to trot out for those doctors & members of the public who don't take our symptoms and moods seriously enough.

I think you can listen to the show online now, but the transcript won't be available until Wednesday.

Enjoy!

Ivy.
Posted 8/20/2011 8:18 AM (GMT 0)
That is really interesting - I always thought I got depressed when flaring as I had more time 'resting' and being able to ponder and 'overthink' things!

Hope you are having a better weekend :)

Lesley in NZ
Posted 8/20/2011 9:24 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I thought it was interesting too, and exciting.

At times like this I wish I knew more science so I could talk & think about it in a really erudite way, but it did seem like something that could be of interest to, and maybe even help, a lot of us.

Ivy.
Posted 8/20/2011 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
So we flare and then we get depressed, then we get depressed because we are flaring and then we flare because we are depressed about flaring ......I'm getting dizzy .
Posted 8/20/2011 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
"LOL"

Thank´s Sniper. It´s really nothing to laugh about but your so right. And what came first- the egg or the chicken? And/or does it matter? ( I´ve got gallows humour).
But for those who haven´t got a GI that belives in their feeling of depression of course this is something important to verify what they feel.
I´m all for science but also for common sence. And hopefully there may come a day when they really can cure our disease. Let´s hope within our lifetime.

"Abroad"
Posted 8/20/2011 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Oddly, in all the stressful areas of my life like my only child being stillborn, my mother dying suddenly just after I got married, father dying of cancer and all the usual work/illness issues have never caused the CD to flare and when it has flared I don't get depressed. So although everyone keeps trying to make the link between CD and stress/depression it does annoy me a bit as in most things in life it isn't that simple and it's like they are trying to find a one size fits all reason. To some this has a basis but not all, maybe I'm lucky as whilst I have stress I don't get depressed.
Posted 8/21/2011 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
This is very interesting to me. When I went thru my anti-depressant/talk therapy period in the early 90's, therapist was telling me I had a form of PTSD because of the trauma of the 3 month hospitalization, the threat of hemorrhaging at any moment, etc. She really didn't point towards the chronic disease and/or prednisone link. Or the stress. It was more because I never really talked about it to anyone.

I hold alot of stuff in, and I think that probably hurts me more than anything. I've gotten much better over the years, and I think that helps. Although I still don't want to "bother" anyone with my issues. Thank goodness for you guys!

Sudsmom
Posted 8/21/2011 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
*leans over to spare room bed, to pick up the article that has been sitting there for several months*

Funnily enough, an article has been published in Frontline Gastroenterology that links IBD to PTSD. I didn't really understand the summary as it was published in our local Crohn's mag, but have been holding onto it anyway, just in case it comes in handy at some point (and it just has!).

Frontline Gastroenterology website:

http://fg.bmj.com/
Posted 8/21/2011 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
ps. Just found the article: it's in the Jan '11 issue. Click on "archives" to access it.

Looks like the whole journal might be worth reading, if you're into the more scientific aspects of IBD - lots of interesting-sounding articles in there.
Posted 8/21/2011 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
I recently started Pristiq for migraine prevention and since, my UC feels like it is not as much of a problem. I am sure it will creep up eventually but I hope this remission lasts a good period of time. I haven't felt this stable since prior to my last major flare beginning in 2009, even after a year of 6mp I was struggling to stabilize my condition (I am not in the theraputic range on 50mg and I can't increase due to liver intolerance). I know I was depressed on top of having migraines and I was always teetering on the edge of a UC flare-up. When I started Pristiq, I was on a progression towards getting very ill. I could feel it, I was going o the bathroom 5x+ before leaving the house in the AM and it was not good consistency and there was blood and mucous. Now things are, dare I say, normal!

I feel a lot less concerned about things and less OCD/negative/worried. I think overall, I feel more balanced. I am not sure it is related to the antidepressant but I don't see what else could have caused this turnaround. I had just started the antidepressant a few weeks before seeing improvement. I went in for a flex sig to confirm it was time to start Remicade and I had mild inflammation throughout my rectum, I got the OK to start Remicade, the next day I felt fine, a few days later I cancelled the plans to get infusions. I've been fine since. This was about 6 weeks ago. I've been on pristiq for 2 months now.

I really think more people should try going this route...

I am not sure if Pristiq is commonly prescribed for depression, I don't know anyone else who takes it. As I said, it is one of the only preventative medications for migraines available and the only one my neurologist could give me. I feel a bit manic since starting it but it's enjoyable to me, I am so used to being in this awful funk. I have heard of people having good results from wellbutrin. I asked my GI about wellbutrin months ago and she said it would not help me.
Posted 8/22/2011 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
Great information. Pristiq is closely related to Effexor which many on the UC forum have in their signatures. I don't know why your doctor said Wellbutrin would not work for you. Many here have said that it helps with both IBD and depression with fewer side effects than most anti-depressants.

Vitamin D, fish oil, SAM-e. What do all these have in common? They are anti-inflammatories that are effective for inflammation of IBD, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. And they are also known to be helpful for depression.

BTW my girlfriend also suffers from chronic migraines and finds magnesium to help. She is active on the migraine forum.
Posted 8/22/2011 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
Tnx Ivy
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