Even though I am losing weight, trying to eat right, ok, not eating too much but doing protein shakes, I feel down. It is not that I am mouring the foods I no longer eat, but I can't sleep and when I do then I wake up late for work. Even with 4 alarm clocks. Things that I used to care alot about I really don't give a crap anymore. I have been getting disconnect notices from like my cell phone...the problem is that I have the money to pay it, I just don't. I normally have a very clean car. Mom got into my car on Sunday and asked what happened. It was trashed inside. It took all that I had to clean my car on Sunday.

I am on anti-depressants, but I don't want to eat, sleep, work, or really do anything. I am divorced and live with mom to help her out, she is disabled. I just signed up on match.com sunday night and have 4 guys that want to meet me. You think I would be flying on top of the world, but I am not. My co-workers said I looked very rough today...LOL! Gee thanks guys! I am going to get my haircut at lunch to try to perk me up....is anyone else having anything like this going on?

Sounds like depression to me. Have you had your meds evaluated lately? Could it just be residual effects from the surgery? Are you exercising and drinking your water and working on the protein? How about taking a multi-vitamin? the exercise really does help with depression/lack of motivation. Hope some of this maybe serves to at least remind you of something that could help. I too suffer from depression and the more I stay in and am not involved in something, the more susceptible I am to falling into depression. Hope you're feeling better soon!

yup, sounds like depression to me too. Please don't wait to deal with this. I knwo the visious cycle of depression. We don't want you in the downward spiral!

Are you getting enough protien?? My doc told me i would feel run down if i didn't. I am with everyone else i think you should have your meds evaluated.

Keep posting!!

shagamelic

Keep posting and get out an about when you can. Go on those dates girl and get keep moving and if you do Pray that the Lord helps you in this time..

Hi Tammy,

I am not a doctor, but it's my (limited) understanding that the types and amounts of foods we eat can have a direct and immediate impact on the brain chemicals we produce.

Your much-reduced food intake is probably changing the amount of seratonin and dopamine your brain is producing. It's likely that you (and many on this board, and in the world) were self medicating by supplementing your anti-depresants with food-induced chemistry.

Your body probably can't keep it up any more on the amounts and types of foods you're eating now. Go have your levels checked. If you're taking an SSRI it may just be a matter of a small tweak and you'll be right as rain.

Be well,

LizzyD

Thanks all for the advice! I appreciate each and every one of you. I will have them draw blood here at my office tommorow morning.

My mom is concerend too. In fact she made me dinner, oatmeal with extra vitamins in it, skim milk before hand, then sent me to bed at 9 pm. ME! I am 40 years old and was sent to bed last night by my mommy...LMAO!!!! Of course, I couldn't sleep until some time after 1:20 am this morning. I had a Starbucks Frappachino light Affogato for breakfast and baked fish and a green bean for lunch...I have enough left overs from my Luann Platter at Luby's to eat the next 4 days. I hardly ate anything, but I did eat protein.....

Not that its for everyone BUT when they put me on paxil & than later on zoloft they both made me feel worse. Infact I even was one of the people that had thoughts of not living anymore. This all took place during my divorce. I eventually took myself off of everything . I don't recommend that because in some cases you need to be weined. But I did it cold turkey, it had only been about 3 to 4 mnths I think. Anyway the first week or so it was hard but than I started to do more stuff & care about what was going on around me. Most importantly wanted to live. The drugs were actually making me more depressed than just dealing with my problems with a clear mind & body. Sometimes, like with mine, the answer is to just tough it out & not to go to meds for help. Everyone is very different but I thought you should hear what happened to me. I hope your feeling better soon. Oh & as to my shrink - I lied about still taking the drugs for months & he said how much better I was getting;0) Than I eventually told him as well that I wasn't going to continue to come & I was O.K.- Good Luck to you

I am on anti-depressants, but I don't want to eat, sleep, work, or really do anything.

Time to get off the anti-depressants. I'm not sure those things were meant to be on long-term, just through your difficulty, whatever it is, till you feel you can take the reins again. And I know you can handle life, Tammy!

Anti-depressants are a god-send. I KNOW they really do help and I'm a big supporter of taking them when needed. But I also have the opinion (not a medical opinion, btw) that when it's time, wean off and quit them!

My father took Paxil for a time and it was great! He was having anxiety attacks. He described it as that feeling you get when you first remember that you forgot something...the panic, the gasp. He would have those all day long. The Paxil really helped it. So he kept taking it, even past his divorce, his business re-structuring, several moves, the construction of his home.

After a time, when everything settled down, he got more and more lethargic. Bills past due, he had hird someone to run his business and neglected to keep up with it and eventually had to let his employees go because he wasn't on top of things...he just neglected them! And slept. And he has sleep apnea that wasn't diagnosed at the time and that lack of good sleep sleep was a vicious cycle.

So he weaned off the Paxil. He had to re-learn how to deal with stress...he'd get frustrated enough to want to kick something but talked himself through it by recognizing it, and he is doing much much better now.

What he went through sounds VERY much what's happening to you. You can't really explain it, but it's almost as if you don't worry quite enough! Time to wean off the anti-depressants.

My B-I-L had a similar experience with anti-depressants.

Call your doc. THAT'S whats wrong.

OH my gosh! I just scrolled down and look at all the posts since I started typing my reply!! I haven't read them yet, but it's looking like you are getting some good advice. Good luck, Tammy!

Well, for what it is worth - here is my opinion.

I don't think anyone can say whether or not antidepressants are for a particular person or not - some will never need them, some for a short time, some for a lifetime. Some people that need them, will need to try a lot of different "recipes" to find the one that is right for them.

I have friends and family that will take them for the rest of their lives - and THAT IS OK! - If it works for them and if it works for you - good that you found what makes you feel better.

My story with antidepressants is similar to I'll Succeed's - I had situational depression from a bad relationship ending - and my Dr. perscribed effexor (BTW - the actuall med is irrelevant, because they will be different for everyone) - I started feeling worse. I called my PCP, and he told me to double my dose - Getting Even worse and without even seeing me, he upped it again. I was also VERY BAD!!! suicidal thoughts - One of my friends scooped me up and took me to a inpatient overnight stay - Within 24-48 hours I had all of the meds out of my system and WAS FINE! 3 months later, under a much more watchful eye of a psychiatrist - I tried paxil, within 2 days, same downward spiral. However we found that Wellbutrin worked fine for me. No problems at all. No I don't take anything and haven't for a few years.

But - dont think that all of these drugs are the same. Some may work for you while others may not. maybe none at all is best. But make sure that you see a psyciatrist who understands how these meds work and not your PCP!

Most importantly - get out of bed, go for walks, DO NOT PULL ALL OF THE CURTAINS SHUT!!, let some light in! and keep posting here and finding the support you need. You will find a solution, maybe just time, but this will pass!!

Good luck and hope to hear you are doing well soon!!

Please see a medical professional. It is hard for anyone to have the right answer. Many people truly do have endogenous/internal chemical imbalance that requires the additional help from anti-depressants. There is also situational depression which may pass, as referred to above. Cognitive behavior modification may be necessary to move yourself out of the lethargy/ lack of motivation mode. This takes much determination and honesty with yourself. But, none of us can really give you that answer, you need bloodwork, possible consultations/therapy, etc in order to diagnose and treat and I'm sorry to inform you that this too takes time. Either way, if you attack it head on with the determination to move out of it, it CAN be done!

Poor girl! It can be rough when you start dieting. I agree with the other girls, that you need to really look at what you are eating. You need protein, fat and carbs, just try to eat the right ones. If you get off balanced, you really can feel sad and depressed. Goodness knows we've all experienced it when we went on crash diets. Henceforth the name crash! So don't be too discouraged, but do go and get your blood tested. Give yourself a little time and a little attention and I'm sure you will feel better soon.