Med advice

Does anyone have advice on meds that help depression and pain symptoms. Thank you in advance.

Depression can be caused by many different things. So in order to treat the depression, you have to treat what is causing it. For example, those with major depressive disorder may benefit from an antidepressant, while someone with bipolar may benefit from a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic if an antidepressant doesn't work for them. On the other hand, if you're a very anxious person to the point the anxiety is crippling and giving you depression because you feel hopeless about fixing your anxiety, then you want to treat the anxiety first with an anxiolytic. Similarly, if you're depressed because you can't concentrate in school and you're flunking out of your classes, then the depression may be situational (i.e., the direct result of the effects of poor concentration) and thus can be "cured" with a stimulant or other concentration-enhancing medication.

So, long story short... There are different types of depression -- situational and chemical -- but if you can't pinpoint the cause of the depression, then you may not be able to effectively treat it.

Edit: And sometimes pain is a physical symptom of depression, anxiety, etc.. So even with physical pain, it may not always be useful to treat it with a narcotic, Tylenol, etc.

hi. tramadol (Ultram, others names, too) is a pain killer that also has some reuptake inhibitor activity....before the DEA delcared war on opioids and anything that might make someone, somewhere "high," there was a little bit of research on using tramadol 'off label' in psych indications. it is I think -now- a controlled substance, and there are also drug-drug interactions to consider, but....if I recall correctly, it isn't considered as 'addictive' as, say, Vicodin...I think refills are technically a possibility.

again...-before- the opioid situation hit the fan, there was also interest in other pain killers (opioids) for psych probs, with or without physical pain involved. That makes sense, because back in the 19th century, morphine, opium, even heroin (while it was legally available) were used in various psych conditions, especially what would today fall under 'severe depression.' of course...the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a lot of lives ruined by dependence on potent opioids and the subsequent gov't crackdown, so...

there ya go. in terms of 'conventional' treatment, tricyclic antidepressants , such as Elavil, are sometimes helpful in reducing pain and depression+anxiety. tricyclics can be harsh, and they're often fatal in OD, but...they are sometimes an option. a more modern option might be cymbalta, which carries its own set of adverse effects, but...probably (?) safer than a long term tricyclic. maybe.

medical marijuana can help psych probs and pain. in the us, the legal situation seems to vary from state to state, but...some people swear by it, and it can reduce or eliminate the need for Rx drugs, sometimes.

Cymbalta is a very effective antidepressant for many people and it can alleviate physical pains that come with depression. It helped me for years.