depression

Hi, How is everyone doing? Me ok. Lately I have been having alot of depression lately. Especially yesterday, depression was because I have my ilesctompy (sp). And because I went to see my uroglist (sp) last week was told that the radiation did alot of damaged to my bladder that down the road I might have to catherize (sp) myself. I am not to excited about it but I know I cant do anything to change it. Trying to be positive.......

Hello so sorry to hear that. This is so hard. I am having a similar procedure done in the next few weeks and i am so afraid and depressed. I find myself crying all the time. Prayer helps. You are right we are blessedtobealive. Please hang in there..

Whatever it takes, Blessed. Radiation caused problems with my wife's lung. That was 8 years ago. Somehow she still manages to make an awful lot of noise. Acceptance and adaptation got her extra yardage. Making the most of your life's constraints pays big dividends. Besides, what are the options? PB

Blessed to be alive is surely a great name as well as a wonderful sentiment. It summarises a wish to be and stay positive that we all would aspire to. As I get older and all physical body parts seem to be progressively giving up I am still holding on to your basic concept of life (for the moment) being a better option than the alternative. Best wishes Bill

YES! be positive! it's what will get you through each day. And remember.... Be Blessed! Stay Blessed! and be a Blessing! I'm sending you lots of love positive energy!! andsoitis.

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Stay in the game and don't allow any of this to beat you down. Everything on this earth is temporary. Hold on stron gto your faith knowing that God will never give you more than you can handle. I'll remember you in my daily prayers. Blessings always.. We are you earthly support network.

Hi Blessed - had a lot of radiation damage to the bladder myself. Just went through a 17 hour surgery in December to fix two fistulas - 17 days in the hospital over the holidays. No one to come home to,except my dogs(son is away at school). Could barely walk - thank God for home health care and friends! Surprisingly had only one day of gut-wrenching self-pity and hopelessness, and I am a person who has lived with depression all my life. Must be the challenge that keeps us going. I find it helps me to read inspirational(I don't mean religious) books: right now I'm reading David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. About how being the little guy or damaged one can be an advantage in this life. Hang in there! :)

Thank you Pinky for your words of advice. It is greatly appreciated. I also have my daughter, son in law and grandsons living with me. And my daughter and I are consistently butting heads all the time. I hoping and praying they are moving out soon. So I can have my house back to ourselves with my 14 yr old daughter and 11 yr old son.

thank you everyone for your words of encouragement. I appreciate it so much. I went to see an ostmy nurse because I was having problems with the wafer etc, I would end up with a lot of leakage. I knew I was doing everything right, he applied the same way. Nothing else he could do that I haven't done. The only thing he did was give me some different tape.I go see my dr on Tuesday :)

Hi blessed, so sorry to read your news. I've been self catherterising for 5 yes due to an accident I had, its not as bad as people think. I Use a 'speedycathertor' its no bigger than a lip gloss and its very discreet and easy to use. Keep strong its just another rud on the ladder ???? its step we take makes us stronger Taz x

Hi Blessed, I totally understand drifting back and forth with depression. I was recently admitted to the hospital because I had blood in my pouch...not from the stoma, a GI bleed. I literally freaked out. I thought...not this again...I have had enough. The last time I had GI problems, we know the drill...I am here now. Anyway, after several tests, no food, medications and lots of blood draws, the docs determined that I had two small ulcers. Where did I get these ulcers I thought? I eat well, take care of myself...live a balanced, maybe boring lifestyle and this again? Not typical of my personality, I said to the staff that I was leaving the hospital, d/charging myself...done, finished, leaving. I took some calming meds too. My husband could not believe it. I am usually happy, upbeat, joking. I was sick and tired of all of this...I really was tired and just plain upset. Anyway, they actually discharged me afterall because my ulcers stopped bleeding and my blood levels began to rise again. Thank goodness....I am hoping for the best and am taking the meds that they prescribed. The medical staff believes that these ulcers were a result of the baby aspirin that I take daily due to a problem I had with the UC meds two years ago. I am home now...three days...no blood and feeling well. One day at a time....so it is said. Thanks for listening:) Have a wonderful weekend.

Hi well I was just thinking of seeing a psychologist or having a regular counselling session. I have been through very personal incidents that have to tell somehow. I am afraid words would spill out of me one day and to just expose my past myself to the wrong person at the wrong time. Meanwhile, I am afraid of being doped on mental treatments. I have trust issues and I have always heard of mistrust while dealing with a mental therapist. Have taken amitriptyline -10mg -for arthritis pain, It also works as an antidepressant in high doses. Been only on 10-20 mg doses, and yeah you will wake up as you been mixing all kinda of smoke and drinks the night before... lol . These side effects only last for couple of weeks till you get used to the treatment. A month after, The drug seems to work somehow on the mental side from my perspective!. Better sleep, better appetite, less anxiety and less nightmares!!. The one that would like to share is you may lose interest in alcohol and recreational drugs which is a very positive step. I have neither considered seeing a psychologist nor a therapist before, but sometimes you need this sort of drugs to change your brain chemistry to pull you off the black hole that sucks your life inside out!!. I have not seen any therapist yet but will do so in the near future. However, i have not had the experience yet. But from the way how I found antidepressant may work. I will assume mental therapy is a managed drugs programme, and it has no difference between any other drugs that u can pick up from the street. The official ones are just been involved in an official therapy plan with adequate dosage and monitoring. Make sense??? Will appreciate if someone who's had been through mental therapy to comment on this. ThanksBe well

Hey darious, I'm not sure what it is you're asking. But there are two kinds of mental therapy. One is a Psychologist (they can not prescribe drugs) the other is Psychiatrist (they can prescribe drugs). But basically, as far as the treatment, they both do the same thing. Sit and listen and ask questions and comment. There really isn't anything else to it. If you see a Psychiatrist they will start you on a medicine that they think might help after talking with you the first time. Then they will up the dose if they don't think it's helping. But none of the drugs are hallucinogens or anything that will mess with your mind. They just help do, pretty much, what you said up there. Better sleep, better appetite, less anxiety, etc. It's mainly just someone you tell anything to and don't have to worry about it getting back to the people in your life that you can not tell everything too.

P.S. There are some things they have to report to the authorities. For instance, if they feel you are a danger to yourself or someone else. It's a law they have to report. Otherwise you can say anything and it won't leave the office.

For what it worth, Darious, I would much rather be addicted to counseling than to a lot of commonly prescribed medications. To a certain degree, counseling is a form of guided reflection. So, what's to lose? After all, the unexamined life is not worth living according to Socrates. He may have a point. PB