If you have depression PLEASE try Omega 3 tablets

[Objection]

I have suffered from depression for about 8 years, bad self-harming, I-want-to-die depression. I've posted about it here sometimes (different name) and MN has dragged me through some rough patches.
The anti-Ds the doctor gave me didn't work, therapy was a long waiting list and a game of hit-or-miss with psychologists.

My mother (who has depression too) recommended Omega 3 tablets, she said they worked miracles.
I didn't believe her. I thought they worked for her like a placebo and therefore wouldn't work for me.

She bought me them anyway and forced me to take them.

Within a week, I was feeling much brighter, in a month I was off the Anti-Ds. Its now been six months and I feel fine almost all of the time.

I would recommend them to everybody who has depression, they are so so good.
(The max strength ones are the ones you need and yes, they are huge. It's like swallowing a suppository!)

I get these

Please try them, even just for a week.

Thanks for the tip, I agree it's worth a try! I'll get some for my DH.

I am trying to manage my depression without antidepressants, having finally come off citalopram this summer (after being on them for over 6 years). I am taking St John's Wort, vitamin B, and zinc, but I will add Omega 3 too.

Can I ask a personal question, though - I have taken fishy Omega 3s before, and I ended up burping fishy burps, which was bleurgh. Do these Boots ones have the same effect?

I take Boots Vegetarian Omega 3 (flax seed oil). Do you know whether it would have the same effect?

BTW, please use omega 3 with great caution if there's any question of bipolar depression. I tried it and it affected me just like most antidepressants--agitated, irritable, deeply suicidal, mixed with high mood.

Vitamin d can sometimes help too, holland and barrat do an omega 3 + vitamin d supplement.

Yes, fishy burp is a side effect.
Two options:

1. Take them before you go to bed, they'll be "gone" by the time you wake up
2. Take just before a large meal.

I'm afraid I don't know about the vegetarian version - I just know that the super strength (1300mg) ones were, literally, a life saver for me.

That is good advice - thank-you Objection, and thank you for the warning, dontrunwithscissors. I might try the H&B version with vitamin D - thank you mittens.

my doctor recommended these too and also folic acid and iron. Have not been too regular in taking them as it says take with a meal and not really eating but will try to now ...

I'm so pleased that it has been so helpful for you, Objection. It must be worth a try for everyone, and it certainly makes sense: as far as my dim understanding goes, our brains are pretty much made out of these sorts of fishy oils and it stands to reason that giving ourselves a good supply of the brain's raw materials has a chance of helping it to function properly, even if there are other processes going on too with depression that need other forms of medication. Any form of healing is improved by good nourishment.

I think I will buy some. Fishy burps notwithstanding.

I'll take the fish burps over the depression any day.

I do have to take them every day and I really do notice a difference when I stop taking them, even if just for a day or two.

You don't have to take them with a meal - it just helps the fishy burp thing. Before you sleep works well.

My mum actually freezes hers and takes them frozen - they are pretty well digested by the time they've melted so no fishy burp there either.