Post-transplant depression

2 and a half months post-TP, I went to brother's appt with his GP at Mass General and was surprised to
see that we spent much time on the fact that he is suffering from depression. He told him "I'm just not happy at all".

Now I had no idea about this but I guess it's "normal"? Dr. discussed serotonin and re-uptake, tho I still find it difficult to understand. Depression is such an ambiguous malady, and we've always had the "think well, be well" mentality drummed into us by our Mom. This, I believe, has served us well into adulthood. So for him to be suffering so, it must be very real.

Dr. is going to check with Mayo before prescribing Zoloft or Celexa, so will see. I know he is struggling to save his business that has gone so far downhill that he may not recover. Thanks to his son who had always worked for him, but when he got control of the credit card and the running of the business while we were in Jax those 4 months, he went hog-wild with the vacations, not paying vendors, losing long-time clients, etc.

I just hope that he can save his home, forget about putting his sailboat in this spring, or doing any racing, his love. So you see he does have real reasons for depression, but initially I felt he was confident that he may recoup....so far, so bad.

I wish I could make this better. I did make my trademark pralines for him which made him happy for a bit :)

Happy Easter all, and hope you have a peaceful week.

I'd say your brother has a good reason to be depressed. What his son did to him is awful.

I've had so many physical problems since transplant, that I have "situational depression." Also economically, I'm about in the worse condition I've ever been, with prices continuing to rise and the cat costing me more than anticipated. Mayo hep doc referred me to a psychiatrist there, who put me on Lexapro. I can't see that it's really doing much for me, although the dose was recently increased. And my insurance won't cover it, so I guess I'll stop taking it when I run out of pills. I've tried others in the past and didn't like the side effects at all, especially gaining weight. There were times when I thought I made a huge mistake having the transplant. But the alternative was death.

I think your brother is experiencing situational depression about his business. I hope that he can turn his business around and also save his house. It has to be very stressful for him, and shame on his son!

Just try to be positive when you talk to him. Be upbeat. Even though he's in a jam, it's not the end of the world.

Hugs,
Connie

Syxx, nephew is same age as you, but apparently not as mature.

David, I know, hard to believe. You'd think he would have stepped up to the plate in such a trying time. All those years of hard work about to go down the drain.

Arneeb, he needs to give his son a good swift kick in the arse! He will surely hear from his auntie when I get him alone.

Connie, yes it does sound like a situational thing...I do try to stay upbeat but I think he is fighting a losing battle where the business is concerned. So much to repair and no energy to do it. Not sure if Mayo has gotten back to him about the drug choice.

Did you try to get financial help from the pharmas for the lexapro? Sux to go thru the horrors of this disease and to have financial woes too :(

Btw, David and Connie, Im very much enjoying "Island Practice". I am taking my time with it to make it last longer :)

Thank you all, life goes on. I'm so thankful for my own son who would die sooner than cause me undue grief or heartache. My girls are great too so I'm very blessed with my own children.

Peace.

I hear that and that is how we were brought up in my family, if one of us was moving, Mom expected the other 7 of us to be there shlepping furniture. If someone needed a ride, you were there. Someone needed a sitter, be right over.....that's just how we operate. Need a caregiver in Jacksonville...how about 2 caregiver sisters for the duration (until she fell and broke her kneecap) and 3 brothers on weekend visits?

Apparently nephew didn't "inherit" that trait from his dad.

Glad you stepped up to the plate for your Dad whilst living your own stressful life :)

He will know more when he goes for his follow-up in 2 or so weeks.
Still very tired, and I think sometimes he doesn't tell me everything about how he is feeling because
he knows I worry....so we shall see.

thanks for asking :)

Mae, 3 mos. out from transplant isn't a lot. It's a MAJOR surgery and takes time to recover from it. However, if I remember correctly, Richard also has hep C. Transplant doesn't cure that, so part of his fatigue may be due to that. For the first month...especially the first 2 weeks, I had "artificial" energy from the Prednisone. It wired me out. But when the dosage decreased, and the hep C started attacking my new liver after a month, I've been increasingly exhausted ever since.

Hugs,
Connie

Mae, I was informed by my TC that Mayo is no longer prescribing the triple drug treatment because it is too harsh. I suspect there may have been people who dropped out due to sides--not good for their stats. So they are waiting for the treatment w/o Prednisone, although I was originally told that I cannot wait that long. My threat is developing another HCC, which is almost guaranteed w/o treatment. But of course they can treat it. I have blood work on the 11th and will calculate my MELD then. I hope they do a viral load and AFP.

Hugs,
Connie

wow Connie, seems like a scary dance you have to do with Mayo's policy and such, hope that works out for you, after all you've been through you have to catch a break sometime. Hope they expedite that treatment :)

Syxx, Yay for regeneration!

Hugs

Post Edited (Mae be here) : 4/3/2013 6:35:05 AM (GMT-6)

 Mae , That just sucks about your nephew . My own daughter pulled or at least tried to pull some crap with me when I was really bad off sick at the beginning . She came up from Florida 3 times during the worst times with my health issues . Not to help my wife of course but question me about my finances mainly , She put on like she was concerned but seemed more interested in my Will than anything . She came the second time with my ex-wife ( Her mom ) who I hadn't seen in 10 years , Needless to say that didn't go over well with my wife or me . Third time she came with her boyfriend and were openly discussing what they would like to do to the house if it became there's .

 Straw that broke the piggys back you might say . Told the boyfriend and her that she gets nothing . The house goes to my current wife , My vehicle , shop tools and other worldly content go to my father and mother including any ( HAH !!! ) money I might have . They in turn will manage any distribution of those assets to her under the conditions that she shows positive signs of progress in her life , " Positive " as defined by their standards . I don't appreciate the posture she was taking currently and haven't approved of her less than lady like demeanor in the past . My folks should they outlive me agree with my thoughts .

 How's that for busting up the gravy train or knocking the buzzards off my dead carcass . She hasn't came back down since then and that was over 3 years ago , She calls on occasion and that's fine with me . You really want to find out what people are about ? Get sick enough to die . You'll find out what your net worth to them is in short order , Family or not . Sorry this has happened to your brother but unfortunately I believe this happens quite often with family .

 A. Ziffle   

 David , Consider it done . I am formally declaring it today amongst the members of this forum that David gets my succulent ribs and my head is to be stuffed and mounted on a nice velvet plaque , I'll have the taxidermist make me look like I'm snarling at you also .

 A. Ziffle

Wow Ziff,

That sure does stab you in the heart when you know a loved one is fishing for news of your financial final wishes....and then the final insult, bringing the ex!!

Well I guess that just goes to show you, glad you're leaving her out....you would think she would "pretend" to care enough and at least help out with your care, jeez. I say Zippo for her, her boyfriend, the ex, and her pet iguana!

Bro should do the same if there's anything left.

Hugs

p.s. going to that pig roast on Nantucket when it happens, David :)

Getting back to theme of post.

Before transplant, Mike was terminal and did not have an extra day to spare. We were resigned to his passing

His daughter came often that year. Brought the grandkids. And was thankful when it was his turn for transplant

But afterwards things began to change. She became angry about all he'd put HER through. about his alcoholism. about his hep C. about ??? Not dying.

She told me she was moving on when it seemed he was not going to be 35 again. He was, instead, sober, post transplant man 63 with hep c and a bad heart valve and she "couldn't go through this again." And "wasn't going to put her kids through it either." There is more of course to every story. But suffice it to say we have not heard from her or seen her or the children for almost a year.

So sad. And yes. Mike is depressed. Those kids are his life. We have seen them or talked to his daughter and or the children every day for years. We were there the moment they were born. Through her weddings. Through her divorce. Through her miscarriages. Etc, etc

Transplant can have some strange side effects.

Mama Lama