Poll The Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS Mood Disorders Poll

[Cort]

[fright]

[/fright]A large study (see below) recently suggested a strong immune event or condition such as an infection or an autoimmune disorder increases one's risk for depression. In this poll we ask if you're ever been diagnosed with a mood disorder, and if you were, when it happened - before of after coming down with ME/CFS or FM.

Check out Depressing Consequences: The Infection Mood Disorder Connection Revealed

 

[Emma Peters]

I think this poll is a little difficult to answer, in my case at least. I was diagnosed with Fibro about 5 years ago, but most of my symptoms had been there off and on for years before that, just to a lesser degree. I actually don't know how long I've had it! I had the same with my anxiety/depression, I wasn't diagnosed until years after it started, I think with a lot of people they don't get a diagnosis until their symptoms get really bad. I was diagnosed with depression before I was diagnosed with Fibro, but I'm not sure what came first...

 

[Cort]

I think this poll is a little difficult to answer, in my case at least. I was diagnosed with Fibro about 5 years ago, but most of my symptoms had been there off and on for years before that, just to a lesser degree. I actually don't know how long I've had it! I had the same with my anxiety/depression, I wasn't diagnosed until years after it started, I think with a lot of people they don't get a diagnosis until their symptoms get really bad. I was diagnosed with depression before I was diagnosed with Fibro, but I'm not sure what came first...

Good point - hard for those who didn't have a defining moment or month or period when FM or ME/CFS suddenly revealed itself in all it's glory - which makes me think of another poll....

 

[Folk]

I was diagnosed with a mood disorder afterFMS. I'm just trying to decide if it was correct or not...

 

[Cort]

Not an easy choice. Mine was easy - an MD diagnosed me with depression and then a psychologist said no way!

 

[TigerLilea]

[fright]View attachment 478

[/fright]A large study recently suggested a strong immune event or condition such as an infection or an autoimmune disorder increases one's risk for depression. In this poll we ask if you're ever been diagnosed with a mood disorder, and if you were, when it happened - before of after coming down with ME/CFS or FM

You need an option for "I was misdiagnosed with a mood disorder before ME/CFS".

I consider fatigue, sleep issues, pain, etc. to be "symptoms" of CFS/ME, not sickness behaviour. I do not have a mood disorder nor do I suffer from depression - I have an illness that is not yet understood by medical science.

 

[Justarose123]

Well if I wasn't depressed before enough, I certainly am now after reading this article. Lol
I was diagnosed clinically depressed after I had a severe reaction to MRSA.
I always held out a little hope that I would at least mentally feel better soon but now you've gone and crushed that one Cort? I miss my old love able silly glass is always half full me....I really do..now I'm stuck in a rut 24/7 with this u recognizable grouchy, moody woman... If I have to live my life with her I don't think I want to? How's that for depression? Lol ...what can we do about it? Why am I taking antidepressants anyway? Every article you post it seems I am connected someway, low Testersterone, prior's infections viral and bacterial, Cervical disc problems, female history problems, low D, prior mono, EBV, how can we all have the same connections? Or are these co-links the cause to our disease??

 

[Cort]

Well if I wasn't depressed before enough, I certainly am now after reading this article. Lol
I was diagnosed clinically depressed after I had a severe reaction to MRSA.
I always held out a little hope that I would at least mentally feel better soon but now you've gone and crushed that one Cort? I miss my old love able silly glass is always half full me....I really do..now I'm stuck in a rut 24/7 with this u recognizable grouchy, moody woman... If I have to live my life with her I don't think I want to? How's that for depression? Lol ...what can we do about it? Why am I taking antidepressants anyway? Every article you post it seems I am connected someway, low Testersterone, prior's infections viral and bacterial, Cervical disc problems, female history problems, low D, prior mono, EBV, how can we all have the same connections? Or are these co-links the cause to our disease??

Oh no!
Well if antidepressants aren't working - maybe anti-inflammatories are worth a shot. It's going to be interesting to see what Jarred Younger comes up with on that accord. (He's testing a lot of anti-microglial/anti-inflammatories) Maybe something good???

 

[Katie]

Very interesting topic. I was dx with depression after my 2nd child and a 6 month course of anti-d's seemed to turn things around. But life kept getting in the way and eventually I was back on antidepressants. I had two major infections, one when I was 17-took nearly 2 months to recover and the next a year after I had my 3rd child-chicken pox that time. So maybe a combination of viral, genetic and environment played a big part in my chronic depression, FM and ME/CFS.

 

[Annemarie]

When reading this, I kept going, yes! Yes! Yes! I have been trying to explain this for so long, and am so glad that someone raised the issue in a public forum, and in a much better way than I can. I have been called moody, unsociable, rude, and a few other things, but it gets to a point where i feel I am going to fall over with exhaustion from all the over-stimulation. Even when I go shopping, I can very quickly start to feel anxious and then completely drained.
All these things cause major problems. My husband is very social and always want to invite people over, including his grown-up children and their friends and spouses. They simply cannot understand that I sometimes just cannot participate in the socialising. I may just sit there and not say anything, which makes them call me rude, and a few other things, and when I can't take it anymore and leave to go upstairs, it causes major conflict. I have tried to explain, but it is a waste of breath. I am going to share this article. Thank you!!

 

[lisapetrison]

Mold exposures can be associated with depression. Here is an article about that.

www.paradigmchange.me/wp/fire/

 

[KCSaltz]

Hi Cort! Thanks for the polls. I really appreciate knowing ...
I needed this one to allow for more than one answer. Mood disorders were both correctly and incorrectly diagnosed after SEID; multiple times, come to think of it.

 

[CountingMySpoons]

I dealt with anxiety and depression (more the anxiety) off and on for several years before I was diagnosed with Fibro. I also had about a year where I had strep every 6 weeks and Epstein Barr. That was still several years before but at the same time I don't feel like I was ever totally healthy after that year.

 

[Cort]

Hi Cort! Thanks for the polls. I really appreciate knowing ...
I needed this one to allow for more than one answer. Mood disorders were both correctly and incorrectly diagnosed after SEID; multiple times, come to think of it.

Oh jeez that made me laugh. Nothing is easy in ME/CFS or SEID. Mood disorders were both correctly and incorrectly diagnosed after SEID....of course that would happen.

 

[Cort]

I dealt with anxiety and depression (more the anxiety) off and on for several years before I was diagnosed with Fibro. I also had about a year where I had strep every 6 weeks and Epstein Barr. That was still several years before but at the same time I don't feel like I was ever totally healthy after that year.

Anxiety and/or depression - who knows maybe from inflammation??? then a strep infection and finally EBV. Sounds like a real set up to me...similar areas of the brain engaged and engaged until the reset button was finally pushed.

 

[Justarose123]

Could inflammation actual do that?? Had Mono severe at 13 enlarged spleen and liver, 106 fever...16 had strep throat numerous times after first onset...bronchitis frequently...then pneumonia ...now my doctor say's I have ebv high filters showing it's reactervating often. I know I had the MRSA before chronic fatigue.....but I also remember having high white blood cell count often along with swollen lymph nodes. Do you think there could be a connection? I ask because my grandson who is 10 has a lot of anxiety and he has the opposite pr opposite problem of having low White blood Cell count? Rita

 

[Cort]

Could inflammation actual do that?? Had Mono severe at 13 enlarged spleen and liver, 106 fever...16 had strep throat numerous times after first onset...bronchitis frequently...then pneumonia ...now my doctor say's I have ebv high filters showing it's reactervating often. I know I had the MRSA before chronic fatigue.....but I also remember having high white blood cell count often along with swollen lymph nodes. Do you think there could be a connection? I ask because my grandson who is 10 has a lot of anxiety and he has the opposite pr opposite problem of having low White blood Cell count? Rita

Inflammation definitely can contribute to mood disorders. It appears to do so in about 30% of those with mood issues. Studies suggest that gut inflammation in particular can contribute to anxiety. I don't know about your grandson. His low WBC could indicate immune exhaustion I guess - possibly because of some infection (???) - which could contribute to anxiety.

 

[Patty May]

When reading this, I kept going, yes! Yes! Yes! I have been trying to explain this for so long, and am so glad that someone raised the issue in a public forum, and in a much better way than I can. I have been called moody, unsociable, rude, and a few other things, but it gets to a point where i feel I am going to fall over with exhaustion from all the over-stimulation. Even when I go shopping, I can very quickly start to feel anxious and then completely drained.
All these things cause major problems. My husband is very social and always want to invite people over, including his grown-up children and their friends and spouses. They simply cannot understand that I sometimes just cannot participate in the socialising. I may just sit there and not say anything, which makes them call me rude, and a few other things, and when I can't take it anymore and leave to go upstairs, it causes major conflict. I have tried to explain, but it is a waste of breath. I am going to share this article. Thank you!!

So sorry you haven't seen the understanding and compassion you NEED when you are sick. It's so difficult to deal with stress of any kind, let alone daily. Support groups, this blog and others help you to know you are not alone and have a lot of resources for educating those around you. You are NOT rude, you are "normal" for a person with ME/CFS &/or Fibromyalgia. Keep your chin up and you can just smile & nod when you have to be social!

 

[Cort]

This is

but it gets to a point where i feel I am going to fall over with exhaustion from all the over-stimulation. Even when I go shopping, I can very quickly start to feel anxious and then completely drained.

All these things cause major problems. My husband is very social and always want to invite people over, including his grown-up children and their friends and spouses. They simply cannot understand that I sometimes just cannot participate in the socialising. I may just sit there and not say anything, which makes them call me rude, and a few other things, and when I can't take it anymore and leave to go upstairs.

is just so evocative and I can relate so well. ..The overstimulation just ramps everything up...causing irritability and ultimately exhaustion. I hope we're all around when they figure this out - it's going to be fascinating..(That's probably small reward!)

Anyway thanks for posting this...it really struck true.