different types of depression?
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different types of depression?
| Tue, 11-02-2004 - 7:54pm |
Hey everyone! This is my first post on this board.
I am writing because I finally went to see my doctor after weeks of symptoms that I could not make excuses for (constantly fatigued, unexplained weight gain, difficulty concentrating, etc.). He told me that it is possible, though not likely, that I have hypothyroidism, but I am most likely depressed. Of course then I left the office feeling really horrible (fat and depressed!).
I have been seeing a marriage counselor (as a couple and alone) since June and she has NEVER brought this up to me. When I told my husband about what happened today he said, "She says that to me all the time." I swear she never said it to me. Why wouldn't she?
Anyway, I suffered from depression on and off from the time I was 12 until I was 19. I am 23 now. What I am experiencing now is NOTHING like what I went through as a teen. When I was growing up I was overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and despair, I was completely co-dependent on ANYONE who would let me latch on. Now it is almost like I have no emotions and I want to do everything on my own.
Anyone ever go through something like this? I am really at a loss as to what I should do. Except that is, to stop seeing that marriage counselor!
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
-Kristin
I am writing because I finally went to see my doctor after weeks of symptoms that I could not make excuses for (constantly fatigued, unexplained weight gain, difficulty concentrating, etc.). He told me that it is possible, though not likely, that I have hypothyroidism, but I am most likely depressed. Of course then I left the office feeling really horrible (fat and depressed!).
I have been seeing a marriage counselor (as a couple and alone) since June and she has NEVER brought this up to me. When I told my husband about what happened today he said, "She says that to me all the time." I swear she never said it to me. Why wouldn't she?
Anyway, I suffered from depression on and off from the time I was 12 until I was 19. I am 23 now. What I am experiencing now is NOTHING like what I went through as a teen. When I was growing up I was overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and despair, I was completely co-dependent on ANYONE who would let me latch on. Now it is almost like I have no emotions and I want to do everything on my own.
Anyone ever go through something like this? I am really at a loss as to what I should do. Except that is, to stop seeing that marriage counselor!
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
-Kristin

I have hypothyroidism and depression is a common side effect when you are not receiving treatment. Have you been tested for it? It's a simple blood test and results are back soon.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism include:
fatigue
depression
low body temperature (always cold)
weight gain
dry or itchy skin
coarse, dry hair/hair loss
slow heart rate
constipation
poor memory
trouble with concentration
hoarseness/husky voice
irregular/heavy menstruation
muscle aches
infertility
high cholesterol
goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)
If you think you may have hypothyroidism (it's very common, especially in women 5-7 months postpartum and after the age of 40) talk to your dr. and get tested. If you test positive you will be put on synthetic thyroid (synthroid or levothyroid or the like). It will probably take a bit for you to be placed on the correct dosage but keep persisting (you should know if you're feeling better after about 6 weeks of being on the meds) until you feel "yourself" again.
There also is a thyroid board here at ivillage: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/listsf.asp?webtag=iv-bhhypothyroi&nav=start
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Katrina
Our family website: www.members.shaw.ca/ckbosch
I am pretty sure I was suffering from hypothyroidism while I was pregnant with my daughter (3 years ago) because my eyebrows stopped growing on the outside! However they have since come back (thank goodness).
Hmm, never knew about the hoarseness as a symptom...I thought that was just from teaching all day!
Thanks again.
-Kristin
When I had hypothyroidism I also had zero sex drive and I had no family history of it either. In fact, my 80 year old grandmother was actually diagnosed with hypothyroidism AFTER I was! lol. So I guess it was in the family, I just got it first!
Let me know when you get your results back :)
Katrina
Our family website: www.members.shaw.ca/ckbosch
As it turns out my doctor called with my test results. That was fast! Anyway, everything is normal.
I am truly in shock. As sick as it is, I was kind of hoping for something to be physically wrong with me to account for all these symptoms. Now I am just confused.
It is funny because I felt like crap before, but now that it has been pointed out to me, I feel worse.
-Kristin
I know exactly how you feel. Before I was first diagnosed they tested me for many different physical problems, and I also wished that there was something tangible I could blame my depression on. When I was finally diagnosed with double depression and GAD, I felt worse than ever before. Somehow it was easier to be sick in a physical way then to admit that there was an emotional basis to how I felt. It actually took a full blown nervous breakdown before I realised that it was real. It took even longer to acknowledge it to other people. I remember that the two weeks after I was diagnosed were the worst. It felt like having my illness named made it more real and more painful.
You had mentioned that this experience with depression is not the same as what you experienced before. I think that it is entirely possible that you are reacting differently to your depression this time around. You are a different person than you were as a teen, so it is reasonable that you would deal with things differently. Also, the stressors that a teen deals with are very different than those of an adult.
Good luck in getting things straightened out, both with your marriage and with this depression issue!!! I hope you keep us posted on how things are.