Ulcerative Colitis and Anti-depressants

So I've been doing well with tapering off of the prednisone. I took my last 5 mg. today and tomorrow I take none. I'm nervous but glad I've made it this far without any physical issues. However, I believe I'm depressed and I know that that is a side effect of prednisone. The doctor prescribed anxiety medication for me while on the prednisone but now I'm worrying about the long term. My flares have seemed to sprouted from stress.... and I am wondering if antidepressants and anxiety medication would be helpful in managing and keeping flares at bay. Do a lot of other UC patients benefit from antidepressants?

The 20 days in the hospital and the slow recovery I've been having at home is enough to give anyone the blues but I find myself tired and emotionally drained. Sad overall. Plus I've been doing a lot of reading on UC and I think sometimes what I read scares me and makes things worse. My family wants me to talk to my doctor and tell him the way I've been feeling emotionally and see what he says. They're convinced that everything is linked - colon, brain, and emotions- and they're in agreement that some "help" might be necessary. Do gastrointerologists prescribe antidepressants?

Just want some feedback.


Katie
Age 25
Diagnosed UC March 2008
2 Lialda
NO prednisone as of tomorrow
Remicade every 6 wks.
Os Cal
B-12 supplement
Multivitamin

Your GI might prescribe antidepressants but I doubt it since the drugs aren't GI related; he might just refer you to someone. You're probably better off going to a primary care physician. It took me a long time to get up the nerve to make an appointment to ask for them, but I was so relieved when I did. My PCP was very understanding and she didn't make me feel bad about it at all, she completely agreed that it seemed necessary and she gave me a prescription for Lexapro. I've been on it for a year or so now and I really feel that it has helped me. I was suffering from depression as well as social anxiety, both which I believed were exacerbated by the UC, and I feel much happier and outgoing now which is great. It's also been easier for me to cope with things and might have even helped the disease, as I always felt when I got anxious or stressed my stomach would instantly hurt. I definitely believe it's all connected.

My GI prescribed Lexipro. At the time I was the only one in the family NOT taking antidepressants and I was all, "I don't need those, I know WHY I am depressed, I can deal with it." But he told me that your brain actually rewires itself for depression, and even if it is a situational depression, it's important to deal with it. I took the Lexipro for almost a year, a lot of my stressors resolved themselves in the mean time, I began to feel physically better, and weaned off of them. The Lexipro effects were pretty subtle. I would say it's best for mild depression, I just stopped wanting to cry all the time, I didn't feel all "joyful" just less sad and depressed.

Off in about an hour for my Remicade infusion, gotta pack my "things to keep me busy" bag.

Meesh

I started taking Zoloft when the effects of UC became too much for me to handle mentally.  I was very short-tempered and very stressed out.  I don't know to what extent the Zoloft helped my symptoms, but it definitely helped me to mellow out a bit.  As I'm sure you already know, a calm mind keeps the body calm. 

I was just like Meesh, resisting taking antidepressants.  Sometimes you just have to do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better.  My doctor told me that only 5% of your seratonin is in your brain, and the other 95% is in your gut (who knew??); so it makes sense to take something to regulate the seratonin when you have gut issues.

And I just want to add, sometimes you've got to close the UC books and get off the internet (which can sometimes scare you more than help) and go read a funny book or watch a funny movie.  If I've learned anything over the past year of having UC, its that you can't let it run your life and invade your thoughts.  I know that sounds difficult when you're spending half the day in the bathroom, but sometimes you just have to shove it into the background to keep your sanity.

Good luck with your decision and let us know how it works out!! 

I never took antidepressants, but I have spoken with a therapist. I found this extremely helpful in dealing with my UC. Sometimes I think we all try to spare those close to us of the details and repercussions (physical and mental), but with a therapist you can really pour your heart out and get great support if you find the right one. I am certainly not against antidepressants, but I would really recommend speaking with a therapist, it has been invaluable to me and has helped me to find a more positive outlook about my future. She also has helped me develop better coping skills to help me deal with UC.