Topic Title: 20 days on SJW and feeling very bad
| |  "20 days on SJW and feeling very bad"
, Sun 27 Apr 11:29
Today is day 20 and I think I feel worse than I did 3 weeks ago. Has anyone had the 'opposite' effect on SJW? I feel just hopeless today. I want to crawl into bed, close the curtains, and ignore the outside world. I have been playing 'happy' music, forcing myself to do good things for myself (bubble bath, wash hair, nature walk) but I still feel awful. I have never been a 'sucidal' type but....looks so appealing, I am sooooo tired of this. I wouldn't go so far as to take my life, as I am a single mum of 2 precious boys and I am not so selfish as to ruin their lives b/c of my depression. I feel that mabye it is the SJW that is making me feel this way? I started taking it because I felt sad all the time and every little obstacle (there are so many in my life) seemed like another 'mountain' I had to conquer. I have always been an extremely social person who entertains and is invited out by others a lot. I have noticed people withdrawing from me (friends, family) because I am not the sparky person I used to be. That hurts me as well. It is as though I am only 'valuable' to others when I am energetic and 'feed' them with my energy. NOw that I am not 'that' person it seems that I haven't got a friend in the world. My life is becoming truly pathetic. I am becoming truly pathetic. So much for my rant...what I really wanted to know is if anyone (anyone?) has felt worse taking SJW rather than better?
Posts: 9 | | Registered: Fri 11 Apr 2003 9:6 |
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| |  "Re(1):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad"
, Sun 27 Apr 19:04:
I have been using SJW for about 5 months now. I remember the relief I felt the first week I tried it. Peaceful inside.For the next 3 months though, I felt there were times that the sjw wasnt working or perhaps I was at the best that it was going to get. At 3 weeks I wanted to give up. I felt I wasnt making any progress. Instead of quiting though, I switched brands and this seemed to make a difference. After 4 months I'm doing well and feel I have my life back. I notice I dont have the bad dreams. My moods are caused more by my surrounding situation rather than chemical imbalance which is what I believe caused my depression to begin with.
At certain times of the month I still feel something brewing inside that doesnt feel normal so I add Sam-e with the sjw. It works for me within 4-6hours.
My point is(among all this rambling)if you have felt some relief with the sjw it may take a couple of months to get the full effect. So you have to decide if you want to wait it out. If youve felt NO relief at all then it probably isnt working for you and maybe you should think about trying something else suggested. 20 days must feel like forever.
[this message was edited by elizabethe on Sun 27 Apr 19:06]
Posts: 84 | | Registered: Thu 10 Oct 2002 5:53 |
| | | "Re(2):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad" , Mon 28 Apr 13:34
Thanks Elizabethe -- Reading your post made me feel better. I will continue giving SJW a chance -- at least another 20 days! I am not one to give up so easily but I was (am) feeling overwhelmed with the side effects (constant headache / wicked dreams). I will take it all one day at a time and hope for the best. Thanks again.
Posts: 10 | | Registered: Fri 11 Apr 2003 9:6 |
| | "Re(1):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad" , Sun 27 Apr 15:22
Were you depressed to begin with? Is that why you were taking the SJW? It is possible that it might not be working for you, but it is possible that it might not have kicked in.
Is it possible that the reason you feel worse now, is because of a) recent evennts in the past week and
b) lack of hope for recovery since the SJW still hasnt' kicked in?
Its just a sneaking suspicion, but that could be something.
Your going to really have to look inside yourself, and try to have a objective view of whats going on.
I would just hate to see you go off the SJW now, when your so close to it being worknig (if it is going to work). If it doens't work, then try something else. Could you describe your symptoms (before you started the SJW)? Maybe that could help paint a better picture on whats going on, and what kind of things need to be taken...
Posts: 47 | | Registered: Tue 11 Feb 2003 10:6 |
| | | "Re(2):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad" , Mon 28 Apr 13:54
Yes I was depressed to begin with....I have had depression in 1 year bouts since I was a teenage (I am now in my 30's). I have never taken anything for it though -- that is until now.
I will agree that certain situational, 'external' factors over the past few months have exaserbated my depression -- end of a relationship, financial problems, job dissatisfaction, health problems/surgery for one of my children (I have 2 aged 5 and 7yrs), my 'deadbeat' middle-aged brother moving in with me, etc. etc. As far as recent events in the past week -- nothing out of the ordinary. I also do not think I am losing hope with the SJW b/c of it not kicking in -- I really didn't expect to 'feel' better for 4-6 wks (I just didn't expect to feel WORSE).
In any case, I do appreciate your insight. I actually took an Ibuprofen tablet yesterday and realized how much better I felt when the headache was 'masked'. I am thinking today that having a constant headache for 20 days really hasn't helped. I took another IB this morning and no headache today which helped me to concentrate better at work (It IS really hard to concentrate when you have a perpetual headache!) and, of course I feel less irritable today (again, most likely due to not having pain in my head!). I will just take this one day at a time.
As far as my symptoms prior to SJW: no anxiety, underlying melancholia, no desire to do 'fun' things, insomnia, bouts of helplessness and crying, lack of motivation/interest in anything, no appetite for days, then having an insatiable appetite, irritability, impatience.....(pretty much the 'standard' signs of moderate depression really -- not debilating enough to 'drop-out'.
I keep hearing about SAM-e and 5HTP etc. These are over-the-counter medicines? ARe they 'natural' or manufactured? I don't think I will add anything to the SJW until I reach 6 weeks on it and will only take something more if it (the SJW) still isn't working.
Well, thanks again for the insight. I really DO appreciate it!
Posts: 11 | | Registered: Fri 11 Apr 2003 9:6 |
| |  "Re(1):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad"
, Sun 27 Apr 12:43
How old are your boys? Being a single parent has got to be the hardest job in the world! I feel for you. My husband has been working out of state for the past 6 months and raising the kids alone is very overwhelming, and at times frustrating. The lack of control in my life can get me very down and depressed, how about you?? I don't have any support, all of my family and friends live in another state. It's very hard, I'm sure you know.
I don't know if sjw would make the depression worse, but it sure doesn't seem to be helping either. Maybe it's time to try something else, there are plenty of other options like, 5htp, sam-e, rhodiola and don't forget about therapy. Is there someone you can talk to about the way you feel?
MJ DuPont
Posts: 523 | | Registered: Wed 20 Jun 2001 6:19 |
| | | "Re(2):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad" , Mon 28 Apr 13:58
Hi,
Thanks for your response -- I do appreciate it, immensely. My kids are 5 and 7 (both boys). As I mentioned (above) I took a simple Ibuprofen and got rid of my constant headache which oddily enough improved my spirits dramatically. I have made a commitment to seeing the SJW through until the 6th week mark. I am keeping a daily journal of how I feel both phyically & mentally and I will review that at 6 wks to see if I have truly gotten worse than before I started SJW. Thanks for your support.
Posts: 12 | | Registered: Fri 11 Apr 2003 9:6 |
| | "P.S." , Sun 27 Apr 12:20
Sorry about the typing mistakes. I should have used the spellcheck. Again, I strongly urge you to take three 500 mg. capsules of L-Tyrosine (Twinlab or any other good brand)all at once in the morning, along with B-Complex and other vitamins...If it's going to work, you should feel the results within a week, possibly 10 days. TYROSINE HAS LIFTED MANY PEOPLE OUT OF SERIOUS DEPRESSIONS, myself included. Jeanette
Posts: 130 | | Registered: Wed 25 Sep 2002 5:50 |
| | "Please try L-TYROSINE for your depression" , Sun 27 Apr 12:13
Dear Tess: SJW doesn't works well for many people, but not for EVERYONE. If you find it's not helping your depression, I strongly recommend that you get a bottle of the amino acid,ab L-L-Tyrosine in the form of 500 mg. capsules. There is MUCH information on L-Tyrosine on Google.com and a book called The Way Up From Down by Patricia Slagle, M.D., a Canadian psychiatrist, who recommends Tyrosine for her depressed patients, along with Vitamin B-Complex. L-Tyrosine has been as been successfully used for the treatment of depression for many decades and I know from MY OWN EXPERIENCE that if you will take three 500 mg. capsules a day with Vitamin B-Complex, it's likely to kick in for you dramatically within a week!!! I now sometimes combine my three SJW with a capsule of L-Tyrosine for an extra boost, but in your case, please try it instead of SJW and see if it works for you as it does for so many people. It's not expensive and can be bought in health food stores for $12 to $14 for a bottle of 100 capsules. Some people find relief with SAM-E, but I had terrible side effects from it, and besides, it's very expensive. I assure you there are NO side effects from L-Tyrosine and a psychiatrist whom I consulted some years ago said that it was an excellent natural anti-depressant for many people. Good luck. Jeanette
Posts: 129 | | Registered: Wed 25 Sep 2002 5:50 |
| | | "Re(1):Please try L-TYROSINE for your depress" , Sun 27 Apr 18:04
How do you find your energy level with the SJW and L-Tyrosine together.
Posts: 18 | | Registered: Sun 13 Apr 2003 1:44 |
| | "Re(1):20 days on SJW and feeling very bad" , Sun 27 Apr 11:44
You should avoid becoming other peoples stimulant. That could become a major problem. As I can relate. Have you tried adding SAM-e, or an amino acid?
Posts: 16 | | Registered: Sun 13 Apr 2003 1:44 |
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