Important info you need to be aware of

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If you are depressed there is some important info you should be aware of........

Aerobic Exercise is vital.

Get educated on the proper diet for depression, a great deal of study has shown that diet effects mood.

Get your thyroid checked, get checked for Lyme Disease,diabetes, Mononucleosis etc.

Depression can be caused by many diseases.

A variety of diseases an affect mood and lead to depression. Illnesses that affect that brain—such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease—can cause depression. Depression also frequently co-occurs with heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Depression can also be a symptom of a medical condition. For instance, depression often occurs in diseases that affect the immune system or the body’s hormones. Hypothyroidism, a condition caused by low levels of thyroid hormone, so commonly contributes to depressed mood and fatigue that it should always be ruled out before depression is diagnosed.

Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Depression
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/depress ... htm#abstop


This site has info on these tests
Endocrinology
Gastrointestinal
Immunology
Nutritional
Metabolic
http://www.gdx.net/home/assessments/fin ... epression/

Chronic Stress May Help Cause Depression

ALCOHOL causes depression

Medicines can Cause Depression

Prozac is the least likely SSRI to cause negative side effects and withdrawal. And it is the least expensive as well.

Bipolar disorder also known as manic depression can first show up as depression. Antidepressants may cause "switching" from depression to hypomania or mania, Mood destabilization and psychosis.


Damp, Moldy Homes May Cause Depression
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/ ... ekey=83595

The link between light and seasonal affective disorder and light therapy
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/season ... er/MH00023

Depression and Mood Disorders, many causes
http://www.gdx.net/home/assessments/fin ... epression/

The above site has info on these tests
Endocrinology
Gastrointestinal
Immunology
Nutritional
Metabolic

Assessment Categories
Gastrointestinal Assessments
Assessments of gastrointestinal function include the renowned Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis and several other tests and panels yielding important information about the ecology of the GI tract, including intestinal wall integrity, small bowel bacterial overgrowth, yeast presence, immune function, parasite activity, specific intolerances, Helicobacter infection, and vaginal health.

Immunology Assessments
Assessments of immune function include the revolutionary Comprehensive Antibody Assessment, with its unique reporting of IgG antibodies for delayed reactions as well as IgE for immediate reactions.

Nutritional Assessments
Nutritional assessments range from Elemental Analysis (toxic and nutritional element levels), Amino Acids Analysis (of 40+ amino acids critical to healthy metabolism and detoxification), and Essential & Metabolic Fatty Acids Analysis (addressing the most widespread nutritional deficit in modern life).

Endocrinology Assessments
Assessments of endocrine function evaluate the body's ability to regulate itself through hormone action. Tests include evaluations of sex and regulatory hormones and the Bone Resorption Assessment.

Metabolic Assessments
Metabolic assessments measure the body's detoxification processes, oxidative stress and antioxidant defense capabilities, and cardiovascular health (with a comprehensive array of independent markers). There is also a Cotinine Assay to identify the nicotine metaboline and pinpoint a cause of recurrent infections or allergy in children of smokers.


Depression and Mood Disorders
Feelings of hopelessness, chronic apathy, and low energy levels are some of the crippling symptoms of depression. Depression can appear as a consequence of a life change such as divorce, death of a family member, or loss of work—or it may insidiously unfold without a clear cause. For this disorder, the well-known adage, "sound body-sound mind" reveals a simple basic truth. That's because depression is commonly intertwined with a vast number of diverse conditions and illnesses--and uncovering potential imbalances can be a powerful tool for an effective natural and holistic approach to emotional healing.

Depression and Amino Acids: The building blocks of protein, amino acids are crucial source material for the production of important brain neurotransmitters. Imbalances can result in several major dysfunctions of the central nervous system linked to depression.

Depression and Thyroid Function: A substantial portion of patients with depression suffer from thyroid hormone imbalances that may make them more treatment-resistant.

Depression and Allergy: Depression seems to predispose individuals to increased immune hypersensitivity to a wide range of food and environmental allergens.

Depression and Melatonin: Imbalances of the pineal hormone melatonin are linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder and other mood and behavior problems. Disrupted secretion patterns of melatonin can also seriously interfere with sleep, worsening existing symptoms of depression.

Depression and Adrenal Hormones: Overly high levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol often underlie the biochemical pattern characteristic of depression, particularly when stress and obesity are also part of the clinical picture.

Depression and Digestive Function: A faulty digestive process can result in the malabsorption of key nutrients necessary for maintaining healthy mood patterns and overall feeling of well-being. Overgrowth of certain intestinal yeasts such as Candida albicans can also trigger mood swings.

Depression and Toxins and Nutrients: Overexposure to heavy metal toxins like lead and mercury have been clinically shown to induce a psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Mineral nutrient imbalances can also cause resistance to treatment.

Depression and Glucose and Insulin Tolerance: Fluctuating blood sugar levels, particularly in diabetic patients, can result in increased depression, tension, and fatigue.

Depression and Fatty Acids: Fatty acid deficiencies could significantly contribute to symptoms of depression, particularly in those at high risk of omega-3 deficiencies, such as alcoholics and post partum women.

Depression and Female Hormones: Birth control pills or patches can cause depression Female hormone imbalances may help explain why women are much more prone to certain types of depression than men.

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http://tribes.tribe.net/depressionhelp/ ... b87aad725b

I don't buy for an instant that Prozac is the SSRI least likely to cause problems, as I a) hear a LOT of bad stories about it's side effects, and b) hear a LOT more about negative side effects from prozac than from any other SSRI. It seems to be at the top of the list of SSRIs that *make* people suicidal.
___________________________________________________________

Prozac has the longest half life.

ALL antidepressants have a long list of side effects. All can cause suicide.

The following study had A LOT of flaws. But it is probably a good comparison of drug to drug. As you can see below only 14% of people on Prozac will experience withdrawal. Many of the worst side effects happen during withdrawal. SSRIs with the shortest Half life have the most side effects. (The Risk of Suicide is highest when ever there is a dose change, either increasing dose or decreasing dose.)

In a study done in Finland entitled
“Antidepressants and the Risk of Suicide, Attempted Suicide, and Overall Mortality in a Nationwide Cohort”

By
Jari Tiihonen, MD, PhD; Jouko Lönnqvist, MD, PhD; Kristian Wahlbeck, MD, PhD; Timo Klaukka, MD, PhD; Antti Tanskanen, PhLic; Jari Haukka, PhD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63:1358-1367.

The researchers came to the following Conclusion:

“Among suicidal subjects who had ever used antidepressants, the current use of any antidepressant was associated with a markedly increased risk of attempted suicide and, at the same time, WITH A MARKEDLY DECREASED RISK OF COMPLETED SUICIDE AND DEATH.”

Upon closer examination of the data, an interesting pattern emerges.

First, only people with past suicide attempts were included in the study. However, Many people who had not been previously suicidal and who were taking the drug for other reasons, have been reported to take their own life's wile on antidepressants or wile in withdrawal, weeks after quitting the drugs.

Such as Peter Hearn who was Given Prozac for Insomnia: (Not for Depression). Mr. Hearn hung himself wile on Prozac and yet suicides like his would not have been included in this study, because he had not been previously suicidal.

Another problem is with the follow-up study. The study does not tell us how soon after quitting the drug, the suicides happened.

People such as 22 Year Old Perry Constance, who was Given Lexapro for Back Pain and Killed himself wile in Withdrawal, would have fallen in to the No current use category, which when added to the current use category, was actually larger then the never use category.

(You can read these stories and many more at)
www.ssristories.com


Here are the raw data for actual suicides
never use 351
ever use 251


Here are the raw data for actual suicides during follow-up.
never use 272
ever use 330 (current use + No current use)
current use 198
no current use 132

As you can see, in the follow-up data there were more suicides among those who had used antidepressants at some time, then among those who had never used antidepressants.

But it is when we compare the Relative risk of different SSRIs (Effexor is a SSRI and a SNA) that the pattern shows its self. The longer it takes for withdrawal to kick in, The less risk of suicide we see in this study. Some one on prozac who had quit 2 weeks before could be in a severe withdrawal. Yet such a person would be placed in the No current use category. (Prozac is also the least likely to cause withdrawal.)


Order of risk of suicide in Finland study. (See chart below).
Effexor had the highest risk. Prozac had the lowest.

effexor, (Venlafaxine)_________highest risk
Luvox, (Fluvoxamine)
Paxil, (Paroxetine)
Zoloft, (Sertraline)
Celexa, (Citalopram)
Prozac, (Fluoxetine)__________lowest risk

Notice that the study's reported order of risk, is exactly the same as the order of the Typical onset of withdrawal.

It is highly unlikely for this to be mere coincidence.
(The same chance as rolling a 5 sided die, 5 times and rolling 1,2,3,4,5 in order)

Drug____________________ Half life______Typical onset of withdrawal
effexor, (Venlafaxine)__________5 hours__________Day 1 or 2
Luvox, (Fluvoxamine)__________15.6 hours________Day 2-3
Paxil, (Paroxetine)____________21 hours__________Day 2-3
Zoloft, (Sertraline) ___________26 hours__________Day 3-4
Celexa, (Citalopram)__________35 hours__________Day 3-6
Prozac, (Fluoxetine)___________4-6 days__________2-3 weeks

(SSRIs with the shortest half life have the highest
Frequency of withdrawal reactions).

Frequency of withdrawal
Drug________________Half life__________Frequency of withdrawal
effexor_______________5 hours_____________78%
Paxil Paroxetine_______21 hours_____________66%
Zoloft Sertraline _______26 hours_____________60%
Prozac” Fluoxetine_____4-6 days_____________14%

Clearly Prozac would cause the fewest withdrawal related suicides.

It is clear that there is a strong connection between withdrawal and suicide.

Another group left out of both parts of the study, was all subjects with psychosis,
Yet psychosis can be a sign of severe withdrawal or a bad reaction to the drug.

Re: Prozac has the longest half life.

Sat, September 29, 2007 - 10:53 PM

Hundreds of thousands of people tell nightmare side effects stories at the effexor petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/ ... ?effexor&1

15246 Total Signatures so far.

http://www.petitiononline.com/oky71/petition.html
The paxil petition

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/ ... cgi?lilpro
The prozac petition

Antidepressants are not as safe as the drug makers want you to believe. All SSRIs and SNRIs can cause lot of problems

Another thing to remember is that Prozac has been on the market longer then any other SSRI. It takes time for the negative stories to come out. A SSRI must be on the market long enough for large numbers of people to be coming off the drug. The drug makers know this and rework the drug so it can be put back on the market under a new name. Such as Wyeths’ reworking of venlafaxine (effexor) coming up with Pristiq (desVENLAFAXINE Succinate) When the exclusive rights run out they are ready with a new version.

http://www.wyeth.com/news?nav=display&n ... 39706.html

It will be awhile before the public starts to hear the horror stories on Pristiq.
When effexor first hit the market, all you heard were positive stories. But take a look at the effexor petition. Read the signatures.) and you will be chilled to the bone.
http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/petition.html

Many doctor are unaware of this problem. Plus the drug reps always hype the newest most expensive drugs. It is amazing how many doctors do not understand why new is not necessarily better when it comes to drugs.
http://www.sideeffectsthemovie.com/mtinterview.php