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Depression fatigue and pain

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Posted 1/12/2016 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there I'm in uk if it helps, I have severe arthritis in my right elbow and ulner nerve damage too, I've been on gabapentin at 3600 and morphine at 400 mg daily for a while, I had another op earlier this year to remove bone spurs and move the nerve , it has given me slight releif so I decided to cut my meds down , I'm now at 900 gabapentin and 140 morphine a day but I feel my depression is much worse and I can hardly get off my bed now, and when I do I just want to lay down again, I'm on duloxatine at 60mg and I've sort of started venaflaxine , could my fatigue and worsening depression be down to cutting my meds ? I hoped I would be improving by now? Any help would be appreciated as am at the end with doctors.
Posted 1/12/2016 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
Did you taper down on the meds? Both the morphine and gabapentin? Or did you just go down real fast?

You may be having some withdrawals along with the depression which would make the depression seem much worse if that were the case. How long were you on these meds?

Why are you at the end with the doctors? They should be helping you with this. Give the antidepressants a chance to work. When did you start the antidepressants? They can take six to eight weeks to reach full effect.

I hope you feel better soon. Sometimes it just takes time. I wish you the best.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 1/13/2016 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the quick reply Karen , I did taper down fairly quick Altho I didn't have any opioid type withdrawal symptoms , just some fatigue ones, I've been on these meds for a couple of years now, I'm not in major pain but my condition does get me down , especially the ulner nerve problem,I used to be very fit and strong always out in the fields with my dogs or in the gym, it's as if my mind is shutting down.
Posted 1/13/2016 10:08 AM (GMT 0)
I know how you feel but I have found the opiods can give a little energy, and when they wear off I often feel tired. Just a thought. Does the gabapentin help the nerve pain? You may want to keep a little of that in your system. I hope you feel better.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 1/13/2016 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen , thanks for the reply, I intend to keep for now to keep at 1800 gabapentin and look to get the morphine down a little, my problem is the fatigue, just doing minor things is a massive effort, is it depression , meds or just me being lazy?? You start to question yourself with this , I'm thinking I may need to come of the duloxatine as my joints especially my hip when I get out of the vehicle Is agony, I've read that long term use of duloxatine can cause joint pain, when I ask the doctors why I'm so tired they don't best an eyelid or seem remotely bothered, feel like screaming at them, I'm sure they pick the easy cases and pass the other ones on👿.
Posted 1/13/2016 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
Did you ever consider chronic fatigue? Or is it only recently that you felt this tired? I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, but I have had it for close to 15 years. It really put a damper on things. I can't even keep up with the housework. It makes you feel like a failure. But we aren't.

I do know if it is the opiate medication, that you may have to be off of it a bit before you feel better. I am surprised your doctor doesn't say something. I often feel like they don't know.

I hope you feel better soon. Keep posting, it helps to get things out.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 1/14/2016 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen , the doctor did suggest chronic fatigue but they can't diagnose that until I'm off all meds ??? I don't know how long that would take me too, I need to at least look after my poor dogs, my sleep pattern is so well out, I'm up most of the night because I seem to come a little to life and try to make the most of it, I'm back at the mental health hospital Friday for another assement, it's not a very well rated place as the last time I was there they just asked me a lot of questions, sent me away and a few weeks later a prescription for venaflaxine . No follow up request at all. I shall let you know how I get on, I'm losing patience really but what can you do , I'd love to put my self in the mayo clinic if I was in U.S. ⭐️⭐️
Posted 1/14/2016 10:48 AM (GMT 0)
Deltee, how is the ulnar nerve transposition coming along? Are you in physical therapy? I had mine done in 1996, before there were any medications like gabapentin. Pain medication did nothing for it! All it did was make me groggy and 'steal my life'. I see you have other conditions that you may be using it for and may not be able to get off from it altogether.

My physical therapist used ice and massage to 'desensitize' the nerve. Keep in mind that it is now 'buried' in the muscle and any movement of those muscles will irritate it. I used and continue to use anti inflammatories especially if I've been using the arm a lot. The therapist also used a modality he called 'points'. Probes were placed on the skin along the 'new' nerve path and electrical pulses were sent through. It was uncomfortable, but I believe it is one of the reasons I regained some of the sensation and nerve function.

I still have a mild burning sensation and some pins and needles but it is much less noticeable. For the most part, there is an ache like the flu but only when I've 'overused' the arm.

He also used ultrasound to help with the healing process. I had to do strengthening exercises also.

Long term use of opiates can cause an imbalance of cortisol production...cortisol is a 'stress hormone'. Too much or too little either way can cause fatigue. Hopefully, you will feel better once you need less pain medication.
Posted 1/14/2016 10:50 AM (GMT 0)
I see. I hope you find out what is going on. It really stinks to be tired all the time. I can handle the pain but not the fatigue. I take Adderall for it. It does help.

I wish you the best. I hope your assessment goes well.,

Hang in there, don't give up.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 1/14/2016 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all you people taking precious time out to help me, reading does help a huge amount, I will talk to my nerve guy next week and bring all the things you mentioned to his attention , I'm there Wednesday , I will keep this post short as i am feeling rough again and could do with a nights sleep . Many many thanks from the uk.
Posted 1/17/2016 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi , I'm juse posting an update on my fatigue issues, mental health are changing my antidepressents from duloxatine to escitralopran , I'm now Down to 120 mg morphine and 1200 gabapentin, not sleeping properly have no enegy and feel unwell and very depressed? This feels like it's never going to end, very tearfull is this possibly gabapentin ? Thanks😭
Posted 1/17/2016 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
You probably need to get stabilized. That takes time.

Hope you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen...
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