Depression/pain Medication?

I have not personally used seroquel but know many people who have with success. I personally am on Celexa and really see its benefits. For your back, have you tried seeing a pain clinic? They might at first put you through similar testing to what you've already had done but they often have other medications and things to try. Often you have to have a physicians referral but it might be worth establishing with a PCP just for the referral. Besides, my OB told me that they wanted my PCP to start managing my Celexa once I had my baby, but I don't know if all OBs are like that or not. Hope this helps. I hate constant back pain. It's no fun!

First of all, do you have an actual diagnosis for your pain? It sounds a lot like neuropothy pain. (nerve damage pain) and that is very hard to diagnose. It can be totally dibilitating, and can make you feel as though you are giong CRAZY! You feel as though parts of your skin are almost numb, but hurt like a hot knife is going through you at the same time. That or many many hot needles, depending on the location. Light touch is far worse than a firmer touch. I would reccomend a pain clinic, or some type of physical therapt with a TENS unit before you do anything with Seroquil. That type of medication is called a dopamine blocker. Please, please look them up on the internet, and check it out VERY carefully. Any dose of a dopamine blocker over 1 mg can be very dangerous as it can cause another problem , a side effect of the medication called Tardive dyskenesia. It is WAY more of a problem than your original pain. Trust me. It will ruin your life, and it will NOT GO AWAY. As far as the depression part goes, of course you are feeling depressed. By all means, talk to the doctor about it. Anyone who has experienced chronic pain will tell you that depression is part of the deal. It is not possible to have chronic pain and not have some depression from it. You have lost a bit of yourself in the deal. There are things that you used to do that you no longer can do, or still want to do and can't. You are questioning the type of Mother you are. It is all part of the cycle of pain. Depression can cause real pain, so please make sure that your pain is stemming from an actual medical injury, but if you can try to find a medication that is NOT a dopamine blocker for your depression if you feel that you must be on one. They are out there. And if you REALLY feel that you need a dopamine blocking medication, NEVER, never take more than 1 mg in a day! God bless, and good luck!

Oh my goodness, I feel the same way, and I only have 2 kids! I have been off and on anti-depressants before. I experience chronic back pain, with no real concrete diagnosis. I started working outside the home just a few hours a week, which has helped me. I try to make sure to get some ME time at least once a week, which is the BEST thing you can do. Try drinking more water, getting a walk in everyday, and taking time for yourself. And, my OBGYN will prescribe anti-depressants, but I don't know if that's routine or not?? Good luck. Hang in there. Being a mom is the most rewarding and tiring work I've ever experienced!

You should get another opinion about your back.. My girlfriend had back pain for about 6 years and after seeing many doctors just had surgery the beginning of this year.. She's kicking herself for not doing it sooner.. NOT saying that's the route you should go but just to get another opinion would be good.
With that being said- 1.5 years ago I went through a VERY stressful time in my life (LONG story short my mom, MIL, and mom's 2 dogs moved in with myself, my husband, my son, my dog and my cat. My house became world war 111).. I've always been an upbeat person but something triggered in my body and I started not sleeping... Well fast forward to now and I still don't sleep well :0( Tried EVERYTHINGGGGG under the sun.... Because I wasn't sleeping my body naturally became depressed and I wound up getting on Zoloft (very low dose)... I NEVER thought I would be "that person" that took an anti-depressant but I did.... I think it helped a lot more when I first started taking it.. I REFUSE to increase my dosage and would actually like to wean myself off of it (been on for right at a year now).... I would take to your gyno first... Try doing some research with natural medicines before getting on medication...
Good luck!

Start with your obgyn who can refer you to a psychiatrist. This specialist is the best choice to decide which course of action to take. Doctors know other doctors and he/she should know who would be a good match for you.

Good for you for realizing you may need additional assistance. That's a big step. Unfortunately there is quite the stigma when it comes to mental health issues. Yet...if you broke your leg you'd be in the ER. If you got cancer you'd seek an oncologist. Neither of those situations would keep you at home, hoping these issues would just "go away" on their own. Depression is often a chemical/neurological issue where either too much or not enough chemicals are produced, they go to the wrong receptors, or they don't do the 'job' they're supposed to do. Thus, it is a real medical condition that is in your head but not "all in your head"!

Anti-depressants do not have to be a lifetime sentence. You may be able to wean off of them safely. Do keep in mind that it does take time for the effects to kick in (sometimes 6 weeks) and not every drug works the same for every person.

Schedule an appointment with a doctor you know and trust. Tell her/him what you have outlined here and see what they say. Don't be surprised if you get a referral to a therapist. Chronic pain can cause depression, especially if the person's life is significantly impacted and limited.

Honestly, you may be depressed (you would need to speak extensively with a psych to determine that) but you don't strike me as a candidate for meds. You are not going through an immediate trauma, your are short-tempered but functional day-to-day. You seem to have an overall upbeat viewpoint and the issues sound more situational than chronic and overwhelming.

You may benefit from some short-term counseling, but you may be better served by seeing a neurologist who specializes in "phantom pains".

I have never been a fan of medication for LOTS of reasons. I've done research for almost 30 years and I have seen more "harm" and side effects, toxic individuals, etc as a result of them, vs solving the problem. Medication MASKS SYMPTOMS. I've written several articles on alterntives to medication, as wel. There ARE alterantives.
Since you live in the midwest are we are dealing with such "beautiful" weather (which I'm SURE doesn't help the depression!), you might look into St. John's Wort.
I've taken it a couple of times and it REALLY has helped. The precaution with St. John's is that it makes you more sun sensitive. Again, since we have NO problem with those kinds of issues, you should be fine.

My experience is that it made my moods and behviors MUCH more stable and lots less swinging one way or the other. In addition, how much WATER are you drinking? Dehydration can make you sluggish AND you need to realize that water is essential for joint health, which includes your spine.
I'm also a posture alignment and pain management specialist who's been working with two individuals with the SAME symptoms as you have - the burning pain in the mid back region. We have SOLVED the issues. Both cases were a result of misalignment and rotation.
The chiropractor may help temporarily, but until you CHANGE THE patterns that are causing the pain, it will continue to come back. You need to re-educate muscles. If you do, then you'll STOP the compensation patterns and the pain will go away.

Go to www.EGOSCUE.com AND get yourself a copy of PAIN FREE by Pete Egoscue and go to the BACK section. It is VERY user friendly!! It give you explanations AND pictures. You should be able to find a good used copy on Amazon. I don't know of any therapists in Ohio, but it would be worth checking into. People notice a difference the FIRST time!!

Might want to take some time and read PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Rick Warren. Sounds like you need to find something you are passionate about and spend some time doing it.