Depression anyone?

[TTowle]

I will be on my forth dose of avonex this week. I really have not had any physical side effects, except for hot flashes. However, I am noticing that my mood is turning darker and gloomier. I will be fine one minute, and then sad and hopeless the next. Everything that I have read seems to say that they do not know if the depression that is sometimes seen with avonex is related to the medication or to multiple sclerosis. At any rate, I am going to be speaking with the neurologist about this. I have been treated for mild depression/panic attacks before and I was put on antidepressants. I can not stand the way antidepressants make me feel. Uggg

[TLC_31]

If you’ve been treated for depression before, it’s hard to blame the Avonex for your recent mood. On the other hand, you say that it’s turning “darker and gloomier.” Whatever the cause, I’m sorry you’re feeling that way.

Only your neurologist or another medical professional can help you evaluate whether Avonex has exacerbated your depression. Until you can talk to one of them, certainly consider discontinuing Avonex. Hopefully that means only a couple weeks or less without treatment, and that should have little effect on your long-term prognosis. You may ultimately need to switch to Copaxone or one of the newer oral DMDs.

[TTowle]

I am just crossing my fingers that this will pass. I am normally such an upbeat person. It depresses me to be depressed. I just wish that I could pin point where it is coming from......it could be the medication, or it could be the brain chemistry from the MS......or it could be depression from loss of mobility. I am going to try and get out in the sun for a while today. Maybe that will help.

[Seasha]

It certainly calls for a talk/visit with your doctor. I was on Avonex for 6 years, but the depression hit very slowly and kind of crept up on me at the end of those 6 years. I switched to Copaxone.

If you say you can't stand the way anti-depressants make you feel, perhaps you haven't found the right match! There are many choices and hopefully you and your dr. can discuss this as well.

Good luck~ I wish you well~

[BigA]

It's hard to know. Is there any reason you didn't go on copaxone? The number of shots should not scare you - you will get used to it.

As far as depression, it's hard to know with MS. You can be depressed because you've just been diagnosed with a terrible disease and you can be depressed as a symptom of the disease. Of course, the Avonex can do it as well.

The antidepressants can help. I took them when I was in the same situation for about a year. Then, once I was able to exercise again, I was free of depression.

[TTowle]

You know, I think you may have hit upon something there; exercise. I have been very physically active my whole life. In the past few years, I have found it almost impossible to exercise and I have gained a lot of weight because of it.

I got a bike for christmas thinking I would start riding and that might help. I have tried going short distances and found it frustrating. The nerve pain and muscle spasms are just as bad, if not worse than when I try to get out and walk.
I end up sitting at my computer all day long, indoors, out of the sunlight......definitely not good for my mood OR well-being.
** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

[Shellyrock]

My anti-depressant Lexapro

When i was diagnosed with MS ten years ago i chose Avonex for treatment. I suffered extreme chills and flu like symptoms for about three months. I also exhibited severe depression for which my neurologist prescibed me an anti-depressant named Lexapro.

I felt much better taking the anti-depressant in conjunction with Avonex and i went on to have 10 good years with taking both - no depression and no major MS episodes.

However, late last year i had a major MS episode - low vitamin D levels present. I have have now moved on to the new Gilenya tablet - 2 and 1/2 months into it i feel worse than when i was on Avonex for ten years. Who knows how this new tablet will go for me.... Avonex and anti-depressant worked so well for me for 10 years!!!

[cupcakeg]

I notice my mood swings increase usually 12-24 hours after my Avonex injection. I have been really against taking antidepressants. I feel that I can generally maintain my moods, with the exception of after my injections. It really helps me to have my boyfriend in my corner. I am very open with him about how I am feeling and ways he can or can't help and when I feel depressed. I think you should definitely keep your dr in the loop. Sometimes when I feel like symptoms are changing, it helps me to log the instances, so I can actually see if it is in fact changing and also see if there is something new going on that might be a factor that I didn't realize.

[BigA]

I think it's a recovery process after we're diagnosed. You have all the situational issues (being diagnosed with a progressive disease, being in the hospital, being off work) plus you just feel bad - after all, your nervous system has just been attacked and you're healing. Then there's getting used to the fact that we're injecting strong medication and finally whatever effects the medicine may have.

So I think you have to watch carefully. I used to be depressed for 2 days a week and learned not to listen to my thoughts the day after shot day. I think it was about 6 months before I began to crawl out of depression. So by all means, if you're feeling like it's not worth it or you're crying all day, then get some help. If you just feel crappy and that your life is up, then maybe you can wait it out