Arthritis Support Group

The issue for me is not a medication. Pain is depressing. Waking up tired and in pain every day, as I have done for years. Not much to look forward to but years more of pain. ADs don't take away the pain, or restore any quality of life. This is not how I want to live my life.

Pain sucks the enjoyment of out of each every moment of life. Live in pain, ya, whatever.

Alot of people in chronic pain are also depressed. It can be treated and should be. My husband ,who is in constant pain is also on meds. for depression and it has helped him be able to relate to me and the children better. It may take a while for you to tell any difference but keep taking it. Hope you start to feel better, you're not alone.

I was already diagnosed BiPolar becfore my arthritis and carpral tunnel showed up. I was depressed then and am depressed even more now when the pain is unbearable. While I cannot tell people what to do I am seeing a therapist for the BP and depression, he is also aware of my pain and we discuss it a lot, I get a lot of strength just from that. When people are understood and treated it helps, the meds I am on now are helping the depression so I do feel somewhat better. The pain meds do not work much at all anymore, it is time to decide if I want to go up a step to the harder stuff or what. I will be having 1st surgery next month for carpral release then later the other hand done. I am sure that will lessen the pain a lot therefore my depression. I feel better now just knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Next year I will be having surgery for the arthritis, so I am hoping with the drs, my therapist and DS it will enbale me to get thru it all. Try to find things that make you feel good, things you can do that do not tire you out and are not overly exerting...when I do these things I feel better...just getting something accomplished is a major thing and it feels good.
hope you get better. Just spending time here in DS helps me a lot.

thanks for the people that have replied and all your advice and words of wisdom it is great to know that even with the pain and depression i am going through i am not on my own. Just home from work tonight and very very sore feet, knees and back I know because I have it in my feet I am over compensating the way I walk just wish they would do the op!!!!!!

I also have osteoarthiritis, and a combination of the constant pain and other factors of my life, I also suffered with depression. Doctor put me on 2 kinds of medication for the depression, and it did help. But now I am proud to say that I am off the medication for depression. I still suffer daily with the pain in my lower back and knee, I have little choice. I take medication for the pain, but it does not help much anymore. I am up to 800mg of IB 3-4 times a day. It is through the grace of God that I have the strength to keep going, some days I wonder how I made it through. I pray that you find a way, as I do, to deal with your day to day pain. Take care .. Lynn

As a depression sufferer on and off for 20 years, chronic pain 10 years (diagnosed with generalised osteo-arthritis 2 years ago), I know for a fact that depression is a common side effect of all chronic illnesses - whether diabetes, arthritis etc etc...its understandable when you think of what people have to cope with...I dont think I'll ever be off anti-depressants even though they're not addictive - I've got more to cope with now than I had in the past. If yours dont work (or you dont feel ok) after a couple of months ask for a change because the right one will help you cope.

Rose, no its not from the pain at all. It is part of it but its not the main cause of it. I to suffer from depression and I hate it very much. Y es I do get down with it, but I just tell myself that this is for only a bit and then I tell myself to get up and quit feeling sorry for myslef theres others out there that are worse off then me. I have gone through alot in my life and I have over come alot of it too, but yes I still have my days. I live with pain every single day since I was 15 and I am 40 now. So trust me I knwo what pain is all about. So take if one day at a time and you will be fine. talk to you soon.