Anti-depressants & training

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  • Tracey GTracey G ✭✭✭

    Sol - You did NF10 in 2005 I think? Me and a lot of my RW friends have entered it this year. If you fancy it come and join us.

    Jean - I am not ignoring you, just have not been of AD's. But what I have heard they do make you tired and effect your running. Big Hugs Tracey

  • Thanx Tracey, might change to a different kind.
  • Jean - how long have you been on them?

    Sol - lovely to hear from you.

    HFE - it's not a failure! The important thing is for you to get well.

    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • For 5 months.Citalopram for 3 months then changed to Seroxat. The Seroxat are the ones making me lethargic. Citalopram caused tummy problems.

    I don't know whether to come off them and just be depressed but have energy or stay on them and be rubbish at running.

  • Jean - only you can make that choice but the third way would be to try a different anti-d, there are loads more out there and it's worth persevering to find one that suits you.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • Jean it might be the a/ds or might be the depression itself depending on how your overall mood is on the seroxat.  if your mood is much better apart then it may be worth staying on it until the depression is resolved (plus 6 months without relapse) and just treat your running as part of the treatment for now, i.e. go out and do it but dont set any goals for now, if you lose speed and fitness in the short term but you recover from the depression so what, you can regain the fitness and speed/endurance once you're better.  if your mood is no better on the seroxat then there are two possible options, 1) the dose isn't strong enough or 2) you might respond better to a different drug. 

    it is a problem balancing the side effects and the positive effects.  I would think it is worth persevering with the treatment because once you are better you will probably find your running improves as well as you will be in a better place to manage the enjoyment and motivation for it. by the way define rubbish, what are you measuring yourself against and why? that you get out running at all puts you in a small percentage in the country, that you do it wih depression is very good no matter how quick or how far you go, after all in the depths of depression even just going outside and walking can be very hard to do let alone do something energetic.

    Hi Sol, sounds like you're doing pretty good, watch out for the shoulds and musts but onwards and upwards as you say image

    Hi CC (not sure I can relate to HFE yet, give me a couple of days!), sorry to hear you are back on the tabs but pull up a pew and grab a tea you know you are welcome.  I vaguely remember when you came off them...  but yeah we live and learn and sometimes when we feel better and ready to move on we're not as far on as we want to believe.  are you managing to do the Tai Chi still and things like that that helped you before?  glad to hear the side effects are setling down now.

  • Staggers, and Little Miss, Thanks very much for taking time to reply, really do appreciate your advice.
  • You're more than welcome Jean, it's a very personal thing though.

    Staggs - how are you doing?

    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • Hi everyone! image

    Re: new name - I fancied a change plus holly is my favourite tree and I remember watching fantasia as a child, thinking the hippos in tutus were fairy elephants!!  Plus I do look like an elephant and I have used this name on other forums too - rather suits me I think...

    Staggers - I have been tai chi-less for a year now as I did something to my back (sciatica/piriformis?).  Been runningless for that amount of time too image which hasn't helped my mental health.  Swimming and cycling just doesn't "do it" for me.  I saw an NHS physio and the exercises got me doing normal daily stuff but still getting some odd aches and feelings.  Having to devise my own core programme now image  May have to pay to occasionally see a private physio to get sorted I think unless my GP will refer me to a sports physio or ortho person to find out what is wrong - they don't seem worried whether it is disc-related or a muscular problem image

    Must go swimming now the side effects seem to have worn off and also to gym for core stuff.  May try some cycling too...

    TTFN!

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    HI guys,

     Sorry to jump in but thought you may be able to give advice, just been prescribed quite low dose (10mg) of citalopram upping to 20mg in a week, bit nervous always refused them before but decided enough is enough, worried (the irony) about the side effects and the effect on my life not just the running, got the FLM in 6 weeks so need to know I'm going to be ok - any experience anyone?

    Cheers

     image

  • Hi JW - no need to apologise - that's what this thread's for image

    I tried Prozac and Mirtazapine which made me like a zombie so my doc put me on 10mg Citalopram last August. I hardly noticed I was on it to be honest apart from my sleep was a bit more disturbed than usual but as my sleep had been rubbish for months, it wasn't a big deal. It took over 2 months before I felt the benefit then I had a bit of a wobble before Christmas so I went up to 20mg. Again, no side effects but I have noticed my running has slowed down a bit this year. I was a 7.5 min/miler but now it's 8min. However, I ran a half-marathon last month and I've a 10 mile race tomorrow so my distances haven't suffered. I don't know if it's the pills which have slowed me down a bit or just the fact I'm getting older!

    We all react differently but I understand Citalopram is a pretty mild anti-d compared to some so it's not a bad place to start. All you can do is give it a go - if you're going to react badly to it, you'll know pretty much straight away from my experience!

    Good luck,

    Debbie

  • JWrun, you wont be the first person to complete the FLR on a/ds, there are a few people who've posted on here before and run the course, but you might have to set a different target but that is likely to be the caused by the depression itself as much as anything else.  If you've reached the point of accepting the tablets your body is likely to be run down by the stress that is causing the depression which may slow you down and reduce your stamina. (I'm assuming it's stress related as you mention "before" which suggests its not due to a recent incident).

    There are likely to be some side effects but citalopram is generally fairly benign for most people once you've settled on it, in the same way that it takes a few weeks for the tablets to have a positive effects, the "worst" of the side effects occurs during the same period as your body adjusts.

    there are various analogies about taking the tablets as you would antibiotics if you had a serious disease, I think a better analogy would be to view them like insulin for a diabetic becuase you do need to take them for an extended period compared to most other medications.  if you view them like that, that your body needs the drug to function properly rather than as a sign of weakness and a prop that might help you accept them mentally.

    hmm this has got me thinking a bit... there is plenty of evidence that in mild depression that a placebo can be as effective as an anti-depressant if all other things remain the same - this latter point being the bit people tend to miss, the treatment includes rest and a reduction in stress not just keeping going as before.  Anyway, I wonder how many of the side effects occur because people are looking for them?  I'm not saying they aren't real, i know they are from personal experience, but how much of it is influenced by expectation in the same way people have claimed that a/ds have an effect because people are expecting them to help?  So if you expect the tablets to slow you down, you go slower, or is it related to weight changes from the tablets.  just a thought and would be interested in what other peeps think about it...

    anyway, thanks for asking LMH, to be honest I'm not doing good. I'm struggling to cope anymore so i'm trying to give myself a bit of time off mentally by trying to let the difficult/negative thoughts slide through my mind, try not to analyse them... which is a lot easier to same than do.  I can sleep well one night without sleeping tabs then not all with a tablet, or just not at all. Everything is very difficult, no motivation or interest in anything, so back to basics for a little bit and see how it goes. dont try to cope just get through small bits of time one at a time.

  • (((Staggs))) sorry to hear that. I hope that it doesn't last for much longer.

    JWrun - glad to see that people do just drop in, I'd hate for this to become one of those 'elitist' threads where people feel that they can't intrude, this is a thread for anyone who needs it - well, that's my opinion!

    PF - glad to see you still around and racing!

    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • too true LHM, we've always tried to be inclusive and it must be hard for new people to come and talk as it is without us being elitist or clique!
  • for anybody who missed the small piece on mental health stigma on Comic Relief this year

    Comic Relief on YouTube

    it does raise some of the interesting issues faced when you admit to "mental illness" whether its depression, bipolar, BPD or whatever.  one or two people have already asked why Comic Relief didn't show this early on in the evening (it was shown at 12:20 in the morning).

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the welcome and the advice all, think I'm just going to take the plunge (the packet is still in my bag!) and see how it goes, it is hard to admit that I can't cope all the time on my own but i'm taking the first steps to get my life back on track and become that fun, adventurous person I once was. The doc asked if running helped and it does - just me and the road - but its all the time in between that feels so pants sometimes! image

    I shall keep you posted on how it goes

    x

  • Good luck JWrun

    I saw that piece Staggers and completely agree with those that asked why it wasn't shown earlier in the evening...

  • Oh yes - that's really shown them hasn't it? I feel nicely destigmatised now image
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • Hiya I'm on Seroxat and I feel more lethargic and i'm lacking enthusiasm, but I was lacking enthusiasm before I started taking the tablets as well...
  • welcome to any newbies on the thread image

    JWrun - I am on Citalopram.  Initially prescribed for postnatal depression (daughter is 5 now, oops) but am also taking them for migraine prophylaxis.  i ran FLM in 2007 but wasn't aiming for a time.  i don't know what you're goals are.

    staggs, thanks for posting the comic relief thing.  i couldn't stay up any longer than about 11pm, i was completely pooped.  I have been at home for the best part of the last 5 days as mini tweety has had chicken pox and have had to spend 24 hours a day occupying her so she didn't scratch too much.  i had to leave work early on tuesday and had wednesday and thursday off, so we made fairy cakes with red noses (cherries) on the top and i put them in the staff room at work along with a box painted white with red dots.  i got £29.38 which i am chuffed with.  i have the house to myself as mini has gone with her dad to take her brother back to his mums.  peace for the first time in days.

  • Hmm - The Comic Relief feature was very interesting and the timing it was broadcast maybe even more so...

     I just thought I'd let people know I've been reading along here - I hope that's OK. I've never actually taken ADs - the ones I was prescribed sat in a draw for months reassuing me that they were there if I really, really needed them - a variation on the placebo effect maybe!

    I find that running helps me massively and I realise that I'm fortunate that my depression is/was mild enough to be largely controlled by excersise and counselling along with a few other strategies. I still get frustrated though that any form of mental illness is so stigmatised, I'm running the Edinburgh Marathon in May and I'm tempted to fundraise for Mind as a way to raise awareness but I've never had any contact with them so I'm not sure how valuable they are to people. I'm also a bit cautious about making an issue of the subject at work - which is of course due to that stigma!

    Anyway, I thought it would be rude to keep reading people's posts and not let you know I was lurking - so Hi image

  • Tracey GTracey G ✭✭✭
    CatBTri - Welcome to our thread. I have never taken AD's, but do know friends outside this thread that take them. My running is my AD's, so you are not alone.
  • Cat - thanks for saying hello! Anti-d's don't work for me, it doesn't matter, it's not what the threads about any more really. I think that MIND do a great job in terms of campaigning, advocacy, information etc but understand entirely what you mean about worrying about stigma at work. I guess you wouldn't have to tell them that you were doing it cos of personal experince though.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • hey guys.  missed not being on here.  staggs thanks alot for posting the linky thing to u-tube.  I went bed at 11 so missed that.  just wish my family would have seen that. 

    any news of bunney?  trying to get back to things.  started running more and am bit more motivated.  breakthrough this week is hubby and me went to docs and he admitted he needs help with his temper and that he takes his anger out on us.  just him saying it to the doc made it real and he sees when he is hurting us now.  we going back to docs on saturday cos she said he needs ads but not until he stops drinking so much.  he has been really good and cut out all alcohol for 2 weeks.

    JWrun - I am on citalopram.  only side effects I had when starting them was nausea for a week or so but that soon settled and we are better now,  a lot more grounded.  take care x 

    (((((((((((((((((((((((((((blueroom)))))))))))))))))))))))0

  • still finding it hard,  it justs seems to never end image

    thumper had to put sadly to sleep as hes been poorly so thats 3 family members ( pets that i loved dearly ) died

    still attending day ward,  which keeps my mind busy,  they've  upped my Quetiapine to 100mg and still on Reboxitine 12mg  they say the Quetiapine should be helping with low mood and sleep , and guess it has not started i keep waking during sleep,

    and to make things worse i've only just manage to read a letter from Clinical psychologist  she cancelled  last week ,  last time i saw her was  on the 5th March and now noticed shes not coming to the 26th march , 

    the staff are nice on day ward but they always short staffed hense I normaly wait to the psychologist comes which is usally weekly, she is really good to talk to ,  at the moment i really could do with the support,  due to above events , and also Mothers day 22nd and my Fathers birthday 25th,  theres so much upset and anger inside and the way I've been feeling I'm going to snap or break ,  and its going to be to late ,  i just want it all to end ,  its not fair on brian hes getting the blunt of it all ,  and it is really still taking its toll ,

    I will try and talk to somone Thursday am ,  I've now got a new CPN/care corriader and on the Care planning approch , I know they need to know how i'm feeling but I still finding hard to open up to the day ward staff and CPN ,  because I am scared I am going to break and I'll be taking there time, I really do not know what to do anymore , my mind all over the place and messed upimage  

  • (((Bugsy))) - you know what I'm going to say - talk to the staff at the day hospital. Do you get on with your key worker? You should have 1 - 1 sessions with them weekly anyway. You are as important as anyone else there and they'd be quite upset that you didn't want to 'bother' them, especially at this difficult time. The psychologist will be back next week but I think you need something in the meantime.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • where is your anger directed bunney?  is at yourself or other people?  I get a hint that you are angry with yourself at the moment and you are beating yourself up (and down) repeatedly.  you wouldn't do this to Brian so why do it to yourself?

    i know its hard but you have to talk to  people at the ward, you're not wasting their time as you are one of their patients, you're not just someone who's decided to pop in off the street and have a chat about the weather.  talk to them as you would talk to us or yourself, they wont judge you or anything and it will help them to help you better. the first time you start to open up it will be scary, after all you've been supressing this for a long time, but it does get easier, sometimes somebody just listening and passing the tissues can help so much.  it doesn't really matter what they say as long as they let you talk and listen to what you say.

    And if you cant talk you can write, it's been said often on here that if you cant face telling someone something write it down and give them it to read instead.  it gives them information and it will let them start a conversation with you instead of you having to try to start it.

    it sounds like you are damming things up, afraid to let them out, afraid to let yourself have feelings of anger or anything, i think we all feel like that, we're supposed to just put up with everything and cope, that anything else is wrong and a failure.  but you are allowed to have anger and other negative feelings about situations and other people and you are allowed to show it.  you aren't less than anybody else, you have as much right to be happy as anyone else does.

    you say that it's not fair on Brian so you need to share the load don't you?  he doesn't want to lose you before you set off down that line of thinking, but talking to the medical staff will take some of the load off him wont it? he'll get some help from knowing that you are being helped wont he? if you cant talk to them for yourself to start with try doing it for Brian. (sorry, I know that sounds a bit hard/harsh bit maybe it will help you looking at it that way)

    (((((((((((((((((Bunney)))))))))))))))))

  • ok so LMH can say it in less words than me image
  • Tracey GTracey G ✭✭✭
    ((((Bugsy))) you must tell the staff at the day ward how you are feeling. Talking to them now will take less of their time than waiting until you break. We all love you lots on here. x
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