Hi

I have been lurking a while reading your posts and I thought I would finally introduce myself. I have been suffering from major depression and bipolar for years. I see a therapists every two weeks or every week as needed and I also go to group therapy at a place called RHA that is either free or they take insurance, which is great because it took me 4 years to get on disability. I believe that RHA is in many states if anyone is interested. I am on medication and have just started taking Lexapro I also take Buspar, Trazodone and Saphris along with a vitamin called Cerefolin NAC which my doctor says helps with depression. I also take other drugs for asthma and allergies. I recently started passing out when I would get up and walk, I ended up one time with a busted nose and lip. My doctor says my blood pressure it too low and it has gotten much better after he told me to eat potato chips because they have salt and salt raises the blood pressure, he also took me off some of my medications. I have also lost over a hundred pounds and need to lose 70 more pounds. I gained most of that weight while taking Cymbalta which helped but caused me to eat everything in sight. I finally begged to be taken off of it because of the weight gain and have been trying different meds for the last years and a half trying to get the depression under control.

I am married to a wonderful man who; of course, gets frustrated with me at times and I do not blame him, a person with my problems can be hard to live with at times. I am also taking courses at the local community college and if I am ever able to pass math I plan on going to the local university and getting a degree in psychology. If not it gives me something to do lol.

Hi Cat,

Welcome to the depression forum from me too. I am happy that you are taking steps to lessen your depression. Keep up the good job. And keep posting. I hope you don't continue passing out from low blood pressure. Yes salt can raise the blood pressure.

Take care and have a good night.

Hugs, Karen...

From my introductory post it might seem I have everything under control but I am far from good. I have to force my self to do the things that I do.  Because of my low blood pressure and sinus infection problems I was dropped from the only class I was actually attending the rest are online. Other than going to my shrink and my group at RHA and going to the grocery store I never leave the house. I ran a business for more than twenty years and interacted with the public on a daily basics but now I have no friends and hardly talk to my family because I feel like I am a bother to them.  They never call me unless they want something. My husband only comes home on the weekend. The only friends I do have are my cats who are the light of my life. I also have 2 dogs one was a stray and half wild dog that stays outside but he comes and goes as he pleases because he is half wild but he is a very good dog  when  he is home. My other dog goes out of town weekly with my husband. When I and not trying to keep busy and trying not to think I spend  my time ruminating and thinking about why my father molested me and other crazy things that I don't need to think about . I am on the computer all the time and studying trying not to think at all. I'm hoping the Lexapro will kick in and help stop these crazy thoughts but so far nothing. I always feel so sad and lost when I'm not forcing myself to stay busy.

Carl,
No I have been on several different antidepressants since Cymbalta.
KMf,
I am studying Psychology and I don't particularly like salty foods, if he had said eat chocolate I would have died and gone straight to heaven. lol