depressive needs energy boosting tips<fairly urgently>

[liveinazoo]

i have suffered depression many years.on ADs.had change meds recently
on 4th week back on citalopram and exhaustion is not the word.im so overwhelmingly lethargicim struggling to do even the most basic of tasks for my children

anyone got any advice how to pull round and get going as they are back at school tomorrow and it took me 2 1/2hours to get up today and havent acheived much else

worried how i will function for school runs if cant find something from somewhere

anyone?

Make sure you get up earlier than you hink you need so that you aren't rushed. Have a proper breakfast - alone if you need to. Have a banana smoothie (banana, yoghurt, milk and honey) I discovered that when I had this in the morning I wouldn't get wound up by things half as much (there must be something in it!).

Get an early night and try to have a proper bedtime routine. Get the kids to bed on time and without hassle, so you can have some time to yourself/with DP.

Eat lunch. Try for lots of fruit and veg, with wholemeal bread, pasta etc. Exercise - not huge amounts but at least get out into the fresh air and get your heart going.

Try to get at least 30mins a day to put your feet up with a good book and a cuppa. You are not allowed to worry or think about what's for tea etc

Hi zoo, I think some days you just have to try and do what you can. I have made myself do things (housework) over the last couple of days but could have easily sat around feeling .

I do kind of understand how hard it must be sometimes.

Try and do what you can in advance to prepare for the school.

Thinking of you.

LinaZ do you think it's the change in meds that has caused your lethargy and once the citalopram is working, the tiredness might decrease? Are you still feeling depressed or is the AD keeping that in check. If you are still depressed, it is going to be very difficult to get up and get going. I know from experience how awful mornings can be and I my kids are all grown. Are mornings worse for you as some people are better in the morning and worse in the evening.

I'm really sorry I haven't any good ideas for you. The post above sounds fine, but I suspect that you are quite a long way from following this regime. Can you get the kids to school (in PJs if necessary) and then go back to bed. Have you any pre schoolers at home - hope not!

Have you suffered with lethargy before on citalopram. Sorry to ask so many questions, and not have any answers. I do know the torment of depression though and there have been many days in the past 2 years when I have dome nothing but stare into space, although MN has passed away many a dark hour.

i think its probably the depression talking tbh although i do have fits and starts feeling very lethargic on citalopram

i have good bedtime routines for dcs and am normally very much able to get upbut flag by 2pm!

will try the bananas

i often am asleep by 9,but struggle to stay asleep

if sleep made it beter wouldnt be so bad but no matter how much i get i still wake up un refreshed

Hi zoo have found your OP and can see that extreme lethargy is troubling you - how about the depression, is that bearable? Have you managed to get the kids to school and back - if so that is hugely impressive. Sounds like a very big "chunk of time" so could you reward yourself by sofa and TV for a while, or is that not possible with the kids around. How old are the btw and is it better or worse having them around. i wonder because some moms say the kids sort of "keep them going" and others want to stay under the duvet and find the kids a real pressure.

My kids all grown up with families of their own so don't know how I'd be with the kids around, although I have had my grandchildren some days when I have not felt at all well and 2 of them are too young to notice, but my 12 yr old gr/dghtr would certainly notice so I don't see her if I'm having a bad day.

Thinking of you and hoping you will have some better days soon. NNx

NN depends-sometimes they are great coz have do somethings,at othr timesi find them very hard going and they tend to play upstairs a lot giving mum a wide berth as can be grumpy
the youngest three are 8,6 and 4

had panic attack after drop off and another picking up littlest one from nursery so not the greatest of days but i did it and thats all that matters in the scheme of things

very tired again todayi think i seriously needtgo look at my terrible eating habits as im sure junk guzzling isnt helping!
hope you are having a good day today

exercise that gets your heart rate up will help boost your energy. if you are depressed you probably wont want to do it as you will tell yourself you are too tired, but it is essential. if you can get a friend to do something with you then you will have to do it as you'll be committed. Also, if you cut back on carby foods you will feel brighter. lots of salad, veg and protein. junk guzzling will absolutely make you feel worse. not sure if it is the citalopram making you lethargic but if you start looking after yourself and find you're still lethargic then go back to your gp to see if your medication needs changing x

oh, and something i find really useful is the 'just one thing' rule. sometimes you can think of all the things you have to do and it just feels too daunting, so you end up doign nothing. But if you tell yourself you just have to that one thing right now, it is easier and you feel better because you will have 'done' something.

I'm sorry that you have been ill for so long. Depression is utterly wretched. Have you been offered any talking theraphy.

Just wondering if you can tell us a little bit about your self. Are you a stay at home mum, do you have hobbies, do you have any religion? If found it helped me doing an evening class.

I also found it helps me to have cereal for breakfast. Slow release carbohydrates help to prevent mood swings.

OMG zooare you the MNetter with 6 children! I feel tired just thinking of what you have to cope with.........it's small wonder you are exhausted. The fact that you did the drop offs and collected little one from nursery is amazing when you are feeling so crap.

I wonder why 4.00 a.m is the time we wake when feeling crap - that was always my time too when my depression was severe and I've never been a morning person. How did you cope with your panic attacks - anxiety is fear isn't it and panic attack are extreme fear (well that's what my psychologist said) and it sounds right. Mind it doesn't really matter what it means, it's just so so awful.

Do you think it's the meds making you so tired - or the depression itself - it's hard to know isn't it.Have you been on citalopram before (bit confused cus you said you had changed and changed back) and is the anxiety worse than the depression as they go hand in hand I reckon.

Woahthere is right about exercise, but I am sure you already know that - same here - I don't have nearly enough exercise, even though there is nothing stopping me. Same goes for you with junk food, but I think you need to take "baby steps" - you are not going to feel like going for a long brisk walk and then eating fresh fruit, raw veg and yoghurt every day.
I like her suggestion of "one thing rule" - SO how about walking up the stairs twice instead of once and then in a week or so you could do it 3 times and so on. Re food, maybe just cut out one junk item a day and replace it with something that is "not junk" - you will feel that you are doing something positive to look after yourself and will I think help a little.

Someone asks about hobbies - I may be wrong but I doubt you have time for hobbies.....?

Thinking of you and all you can do is "keep on keeping on" with the addition of baby steps - mine are only suggestions that worked for me on the excercise thing (but only for a time - hmm) I think walking to the paper shop is enough exercise for me as it is a 10 min round trip!

i cant drive so walk everywhere
i have 4kidsNN

one more things a good idea,it can be easy to be overwhelmed by everything

im a SAHM,dp doesnt live with us
i have no family support
i volunteer as BF peer supporter at local childrens centre on thurs after school
not good at making friends so just chat pleasantries few mums at school,hand out in GH here and have virtual friends there
i knit and bake
i dont have a sitter,never have time out/nights off

i dont resent any of that though

ti was taking citalopram since before the birth last child
was having dizzy spella a lot and gp suggested try somehtig else after i nearly fainted in the playgrond at school
was a disaster i felt so ill
am now back on citalopram and have medsfor the dizzy spells if they get too bad

sorry thats such long reply