Diabetes and Depression

[Yvonne Burns]

Hi!
I really appreciate this site. There are so many compassionate, inspirational people out there.

There have been posts about depression and diabetes. Do any of you take antidepressents? I suffered for a long time with a continuing sense of impending doom. A very knowledgeable and kind endo informed me of the connection between the two D's. He told me that the issue is about the need for more seratonin for the diabetic. He suggested an antidepressent. I was resistant at first. I did not want to take yet another medication. However, I relented and it has made a HUGE difference.

I feel so much better. My blood sugar is easier to control and my hormonal fluctuations are far less severe.


I know that this issue is controversial but I wanted to share my experience. Even if one person benefits from my little story, it is worth it.
I wish all of you good health!

--Yvonne

[BriOnH]

Serotonin can not be measured qunatitavly like bg (unless the patient/animal is disected), and there is no evidence of a direct link between serotonin and diabetes. The link relies on having a chronic condition. Whenever anyone develops a chronic condition they are x more likely (i forget the exact numbers) to develop anxiety, depression, and mental disorders. When a person develops 2 chronic conditions they are >50% likely to develop mental illness, 3 chronic conditions is up by 95%. There is a book by a girl named Dr. Tracey that links bg levels to mental illness, and claims that all mental illness is directly related to bg levels, but imo she is a quack, and with her logic all people would be nuts and diabetics would be in asylums.

I am on paxil and it works well but want to come off it. I've tried coming off before and it has been worse then ****. I'll probably be on it the rest of my life. I am on it from PTSD from hypos when younger and a fear of having them.

[liz32]

My mother has had issues with mental health...depression these last few years and as one watching from the outside...if you need the medication please take it! Anything that will help you feel back to normal is worth while. I think all people want to get off medications that they are on long term..there are day's when I think I'd like to stop my insulin and pills. Reality is that these medications make life easier to live with. It's very hard on others to watch the ones you love suffer with drepression or other mental health issues. My mom always wants to get off her meds but she is so much better on them. I say all this to say that it's great to share your story and never feel ashamed of taking meds to help. I'm in support one hundred percent!!!!!
LIz

[Cyborg]

I took Wellbutrin for awhile for diabetic depression. It's a real condition that can lead to physical ailments. Depression needs to be dealt with. The medications do help and the good thing is that you can get past the depression and off the meds later. The brain uses more glucose than any other organ in the human body. I firmly believe that my wildly fluctuating bg numbers, with nightly lows, etc. were a major contributor to my depression. Once I was able to get my bg under control, with much help from my pump, I was able to easily stop taking the Wellbutrin.

[Nejeda]

Hi!
I really appreciate this site. There are so many compassionate, inspirational people out there.

There have been posts about depression and diabetes. Do any of you take antidepressents? I suffered for a long time with a continuing sense of impending doom. A very knowledgeable and kind endo informed me of the connection between the two D's. He told me that the issue is about the need for more seratonin for the diabetic. He suggested an antidepressent. I was resistant at first. I did not want to take yet another medication. However, I relented and it has made a HUGE difference.

I feel so much better. My blood sugar is easier to control and my hormonal fluctuations are far less severe.


I know that this issue is controversial but I wanted to share my experience. Even if one person benefits from my little story, it is worth it.
I wish all of you good health!

--Yvonne


I take antidepressants and mood stablizers... I actually went through more then I take now. We joke around my house that if I had to go through a drug test I'd fail! But they have me on Paxcil and Adderal... after going through almost everything from A to Z.

[am1977]

I think there used to be a stigma about depression and/or taking anti-depressants. But it seems more and more to be coming more common. In the past, I have tried different meds out in hopes that they would help me... I guess I had/have what some might say low grade depression at times.... kind of where you just feel blah :hmpf:. I'm not taking anything right now, b/c I didn't find anything that really made a difference, but I'm not opposed to it. If it's going to help you feel better and even do better dealing with this disease or life in general, it's SO worth it :wink:

[jillsp]

I took Effexor XR for almost a year. I had just been diagnosed with Hypothyroid and my sugars were out of whack at the time. The pills helped me over the hump and then I was able to wean off. They only other time I considered going back was after having my baby. The whole post partum thing, but I ended up getting through that on my own. I'm all for doing what makes you feel better....