Suffering with Depression/Bi-Polar

I was misdiagnosed with depression from the age of 15 until the age of 28. I was then diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. The doctor I saw and still see is, Dr. James Harvey, in Fort Worth. I love him! He is a GP, and can recommend any counceling he thinks will help. I have never had a doctor talk with me and listen to me the way he does. My husband and I are so gratefull for him. It it because of him that I was able to have my son. I never would have been able to have a baby before I was treated for the right illness. Good Luck!
Oh, he is with Texas Health Care.

4116 S Carrier Pkwy Ste 250
Grand Prairie, TX 75052

Phone: ###-###-####
Fax: ###-###-####

She is an excellent person/doctor

Hi N.,

I know by experience that this is pretty trying on you and your family. I have 3 children that went through this...adult children. I did go the doctor with them however I chose the natural route. Depending on your circumstances you can do that or Meidical and natural.

I recommend Bryan the certified nutritionist at Healthy Approach. He has helped us countless of times. Our Medical doctor was going to put my youngest son on some really strong medication for his depression and mood swings, however we took him to Bryan and he gave him instructions with some minerals and told him that within 2 weeks he will feel normal and should not have any mood swings. We tested it and it was just like he said. My son never had to take any of the prescribed medications. The same thing with my oldest son. He was on all the bi-polar meds and more...it made him almost nuts and he could not sleep at night. We got advise for his condition and get him on a nutritional program...that boy was able to sleep again and act like a normal human being...he was very aggressive before that.

God bless you.

M. D.

Bryan gives free 30 minute consultations and you can get on his calendar by calling the store at ###-###-####.

Dear N.,

Since I don't know what part of the Metroplex you are in, I can't recommend a doctor, but I CAN recommend that you find one quickly and start getting treatment. Several of my family members suffer from depression, and one is bipolar, so I am a close observer of those who suffer from both diseases. If your doctor recommends medication, I suggest that you continue to take it. I also suggest that, after you find a general practitioner, you ask for a referral to a psychiatrist who can better monitor the medication.

I've already said a prayer for you. I can tell that you are going through a rough period. Moving can be difficult even for those you don't suffer from depression! (I know. I'm a Realtor and am married to a builder. We have moved many times!)

I also suggest that you join some sort of group, so you can start making friends in the area. You will find that Texans really ARE friendly people. I hope, eventually, you will like living here.

Church is always a good place to start, and this area has lots of good ones! Our family goes to Fellowship. There are campuses in downtown Dallas, Fort Worth, Grapevine and Plano. We go to the main one in Grapevine.

Good luck and God bless,

Deb D

I have a wonderful psychiatrist and she's very flexible with making appointments. She pretty much saved my life about 5 years ago when I had horrible PPD. Anyway, her name is Dr. Lacy Edmonson and her phone number is ###-###-####. She is in Dallas.
I also know of a therapist to go to that is in Arlington. Her name is Elizabeth Reed. Her number is ###-###-####.
I hope you get the help you need and deserve. Good luck.
~B.

N.,
I have been suffering from depression for a while through woman problems endometriosis, and other problems. I was wandering if you ever heard of the Acai berry from the amazon. It is said to heal all sorts of things well give you a source of your fruit and vegetable intake. I was wandering instead of using all these medications the doctor prescribe us why not try this product I am selling. or just get some Acai berry at the health food store what ever helps see if it will help you with out all those medications. I have a friend that was in a car accident and she was depressed and hurting alot her friend gave her a juice that has acai berry in it and she put it aside and well she was just at wits end one day and decided to open it and she has been feeling very healthy and able to chase her grandkids around. Well just trying to help. Maybe it might help. I know taking all those medications sometimes cause a depression especially when weening yourself off of them. I am going to be drinking the juice hope that I can write you back and I will have be telling you how I feel and hopefully it will work for you. I am a mom of two one is 19 1/2 step son and my daughter is six years old. I hope this helps you. sincerely S.

N.~
I used to suffer from depression myself so I joined a gym and use the weights and the cardio to "feel" normal again!! I would honestly suggest finding a gym with a daycare so that you have your boys right there with you, but you get some time to yourself. It isn't easy being a SAHM so please try to hit the gym 4-5x per week so that you have 1-2 hours to yourself those days! It works, I promise!! Let me know if I can help anymore cause I am a personal trainer also!!

Medical Clinic of North Texas, Dr. Audrey Morrill

Go to this site, put in your name, email and complete the questionnaire. It will save your life and marriage - guaranteed! It's way cheaper and BETTER than counseling!! We've done three counselors and a pastor...I promise this will help and the next class is November 20:
http://www.sosinc.org/register.php
Much luck!!

Forget a General Practioner. I suggest you contact Dr. William T. Goldman, Psychiartrist, in Southlake. I too suffer from Depression and Anxiety and my daughter is BP. Seek the support and guidance from someone who is an expert in the area of medication and these issues. He can also make therapist referrals. They work together. Contact me for additional info. Best of Luck. K.

Dr. Lawrence Pivnick his number is ###-###-####. His office is in the RHD Medical Complex 635 and Josey Lane. He's helped me with the same thing and feel free to tell him I sent you. Good Luck!
D. Coplin.

N.,
I don't believe you should see a general practitioner for this issue. They are good, but are not specifically trained to treat depression or bi-polar issues. If you believe you are suffering from a depressive episode and have bi-polar disorder, you need to treat more than just the current depression symptoms. I would suggest the Meier Clinic in Richardson. They have trained counselors, therapists, and psychiatrists who deal with issues like these every day. I think sometimes we are too quick to medicate ourselves and others without finding out WHY we are feeling the way we are.

If you see a therapist along with a psychiatrist, they can work together to best deal with any issues you may be facing. Since they are in the same office, they share the file which makes it easier to coordinate your care.

Here's the information:

Meier Clinic
###-###-####
2099 North Collins Blvd., Suite 100
Richardson, TX 75080
http://www.meierclinics.com/Home

The vitamin Niacin is an antidepressant. We get some niacin from our diets, but some people require higher doses. Bill Williams, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous was one who took niacin in slightly higher doses and found it cleared up his depression that he'd struggled with for years. He wanted to treat all the alcoholics in the AA program with this vitamin, but the medical establishment shot it down, they didn't believe that a vitamin deficiency could cause depression, it couldn't be that simple. Anyway, you can google niacin and depression and see some articles. There is also a great Oestopathic Dr named Andrew Saul who has lectured about this. I just purchased a DVD called Foodmatters where he and other Drs spoke about the affects of nutrition. He told about a woman who was so depressed all she could do was sit and stare in a corner. She couldn't really function. Her family gave her high doses of Niacin and within a short time (something like a day) she was up, talking, and eating at the dinner table. Her Dr was outraged that she was taking this supplement, so he ordered her off. Her family stopped giving her the supplements and she was back in the corner.

If you choose to go this route, take a good quality brand of No Flush Niacin.

K.

Hi, N.. Thanks for sharing your problem. I feel your pain. Depression is real and very frightening. A great place to go is The Minirth Clinic in Richardson. The phone number is ###-###-####. They have literally saved my life. I don't know how soon you could get in, but if you explain your situation, that will try to get you an appt. asap. Hang on, there is help out there.

My best to you!
S.

Hi N.,

Do you have a OB/GYN that you like? Mine helps me with my depression/anxiety issues. I'm not sure where you are exactly, but Christina Dooley (OB/GYN) in Denton is great. I like my GP, too: Linda Yeatts. She has a holistic approach that I like. Hope that helps.

Hi N., my family sees Dr. Turner in Dallas at Medical City. I ask for the assistants, they are so good. Jenny is the sweetest, but Michelle is very nice too and of course they are very good. I have anxiety and a couple other medical probs and they've always been so good about helping me out and if you have to have a referral, they're good about that too. I took Wellbutrin and it litterally made me crazy, I would be sitting at my desk and just feel like I'm going crazy. I'm on Cymbalta now and it's helped tremendously, it's for depression/anxiety. I hope you feel better soon.

My family and I use Dr. Eric Hoffman with Family Healthcare Associates. We have gone to him for about 11 or 12 years. He and his staff are wonderful! They are very professional, yet at the same time very empathetic and understanding. Dr. Hoffman has dealt with all kinds of health issues with our family and I believe he would be able to help you, or steer you in the right direction if he felt he couldn't take care of your needs. Good luck, and if you need someone to talk to don't hesitate to message me and I will be happy to send you my number.

K.

As another person wrote, depression and bi-polar are two different conditions.

A GP should be able to help you initially. If that doesn't work out or your doctor feels you need further evaluation, your doctor will be able to refer you to a psychiatrist.

You don't mention where you live, but any GP should be able to help you. What you are feeling is widespread and you are not alone. Especially with 2 little boys and a move to the DFW area ...

When we moved to DFW from Kentucky, I had 3 doctors in one year before we found a practice. They were in Irving but have moved to Colleyville in recent years. My PCP is Margaret Walter, DO. My husband sees M. Dennis Bell, DO. My daughter used to see Marilyn Justice, MD. I saw Dr. Justice last time I was ill, because my doctor was not available. Other posters have suggested dietary supplements; Dr. Justice worked in that field before she went to medical school.

The practice is Colleyville Medical Associates. Their phone number is ###-###-####. There are also three other doctors on staff, so if you live in the vicinity, one of them should be able to see you.

You didn't mention if you have insurance or what kind you have, but they take almost anything.

I would highly recommend that you see a good certified nutritionist. Most depression and mental disorders are from problems in the body, not in the mind. Deficiencies of nutrients
as well as toxic metals are the cause of most problems with the mind. I have a great nutritionist and functional endocrinologist
who can get to the root of the problem. Her name is Michelle Burris at ###-###-####. Please try this route first. T. O'Connor ###-###-####

In regard to the post about taking Niacin, I've read that you have to be very careful about the dosage. The recommended daily value is 20 milligrams, and you can get niacin from eating chicken breast, tuna, veal and fortified breads and cereals. It's virtually impossible to get too much niacin from the foods you eat, but taking too much in the form of a supplement could cause side effects like flushing, itching, excessive nervousness, headaches, intestinal cramps, diarrhea and even liver damage. Please be careful with this option.

Eating a healthy diet, getting daily exercise (even if it's just a 30-minute walk), and getting a good night's sleep on a regular basis can do wonders for your state of mind. Years ago I thought I was going crazy, and a big part of it was not sleeping through the night. My doctor referred to it as "housewife syndrome" or "the hurried wife syndrome" and said he could prescribe Ambien for sleep or Welbutrin. I did not want to be on an antidepressant, so I chose to try Ambien to help me sleep. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it has been perfect for me. I sleep through the night, but can be wide awake if one of the kids needs me during the night, and then can go right back to sleep. I don't have to take it every night, but when I do I usually just take half a pill. Best of luck to you!

Hi N.,
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I too, struggle with depression. My OB-GYN has prescribed some RX for me so you might try that as well. What area do you live in? Depending on that, I can give you specific names that might be close.

Hang in there. You're job is a tough one right now - staying at home with 2 little BOYS. Give yourself some credit and continue to talk it out. If you'd like a referral to a counselor, I'd be glad to do that too. Also, check out new life ministries on the web. They have some great resources.

Take care,
J.

N.,

I know of great supplement that is safe and effective with out the side effects of medication. I have met many with same issues who got great result. Let me know if interested and I will give you the details.

Wishing you all the best.

A.

Please get your thyroid checked (as should anyone before they are Rxed anti-depressants). Low thyroid function is highly under-diagnosed in this country since the pharmaceutical companies make a whole lot more money on all the other drugs that just address the symptoms of low thyroid. Low thyroid is very, very, very often triggered by childbirth. The doctors need to test TSH, Free T3, Free T4, TPO and anti-thyroid antibodies. If they just test TSH, they are not being thorough since TSH is a pituitary hormone that tells your thyroid to produce the T4 and T3. You can have a normal TSH and still have low values of T4 and T3. T4 is very, very important for brain function and T3 is very, very important for energy. Both impact sense of wellbeing.

Unfortunately, very few doctors in the DFW area have a clue about this. I use Dr. Sheila Horsley, whose south of Ft. Worth. There is also a fairly good doctor in Garland area. There's also Dr. Launius in Lewisville who will also Rx the anti-depressants IF thyroid treatment doesn't help. If those docs won't work for you, then you'll need to be very pro-active and make sure whatever doctor runs all the right tests. There is also a Texas thyroid Yahoo group (with lots of Dallas members):
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Texas_Thyroid_Groups/

Also, it's very important to note that low thyroid function has long term negative health impacts and also impacts the health of any future children. Also, if untreated, peri-menopause which starts in late 30's/early 40's for many will hit you like a ton of bricks. At that point, most docs just tell you that's the way it is when in reality you just need your hormones balanced with bio-identical hormones.

Hi N.,

I understand what you're going through. I suffered from depression for all my adult life until about 4 oe 5 years ago (I'm 48 now!) until my GP put me on Celexa. It helps me so much. I don't know where you live, but I'm in south Grapevine, and I go to Max Health just off Hwy 121 in Colleyville. The doctors and PA's there are wonderful. You can usually get in the same day, and they take walk-ins. E-mail me if you want their names and the phone number.

A. in Grapevine

Hi N. - You are not alone! Do you know that people like Winston Churchill, Ludwig van Beethoven,Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and Albert Einstien - just to name a few, also suffered w/Bi-Polar Disorder? Brilliant people! They weren't as fortunate as we are to live in a time where we have medications available to treat it. You may want to check-out Patty Duke's story about her battle with Bi-Polar and how her life has changed since she has it under control.

A common trend with people affected by Bi-Polar is that when the individual begins to feel better - in other words, on the high side, they stop taking the meds. Sounds like that is what you did. Big no-no - must stay consistent on the meds. No, I'm not a doc, but I've had plenty of experience with this. My hubby was diagnosed with it several yrs ago (by Dr. Frank Minirth). It apparently runs in his family.

I'm going to 2nd the advice that you received from Shelly D, by HIGHLY recommending Dr. Frank Minirth. He is a world renowned Christian psychiatrist. He has written 40+ books - some of which you have probably heard of - i.e. "Happiness is a Choice". We are so BLESSED to have him in the DFW area!!! He is located in Richardson at 1200 E. Collins Blvd - very easy to find. The website is www.minirthclinic.com. He has radio programs and is on TV occasionally on Daystar.

Dr. Minirth is not your typical doctor/psychiatrist - he's so sweet-spirited, caring, and will make you feel comfortable - like you have known him forever. I truly hope that you give him a call. You will not regret it! There are not words great enough to say about Dr. Minirth. I am believing God's BEST for you! D. O.

I have also suffered from this problem I took lexapro and it worked great but I too stopped taking it and now the problems are back. I know everyone is different but when I went back to the DR they put me on Cymbalta and it worked at first then I gained about 70 pounds and had horrible nightmares and scary thoughts, so be careful and stay in touch with your DR to control these things, Anyway a really good and understanding Dr is Chris Clark in Plano/Richardson I believe it is now called Regional Hospital it is on Coit, his office is in the Medical Building there it used to be called Baylor of Richardson.
Again his name is DR. Chris Clark and is a General Medicine Dr. I do not have his name or number but you will find him I am sure if you google him.
Best wishes
H.

I don't know what side of town you are on but Dr. Harold Eudaly is VERY good. He's older but he's been treating depression before most of the doctor's here were born.
Despite being older he is "up" with the current medications and treatments. He will also go to bat for you with the insurance companies if you have a problem with denial of coverage say for a particular medication. Oh, and the best part is I didn't have to have pre-authorization or approval for 20 visits or whatever with my HMO.
Just as important is his staff is WONDERFUL! They are kind and friendly.
His office in the tall bank building by Ridglea Country Club off Camp Bowie Blvd. (6300 Ridglea Place, Ste 814) and his number is ###-###-####.
Give him a shot and see what you think. I didn't think I would like him but I reall do.
I hope that helps.

I take Abilify, but you really need to see a Pschiatrist for your med mnagement if you want the best care. They are usually easy to see if you tell them that you are not getting by.

Lighthouse Family Medicine in Colleyville is good. Dr. Lecroy and i think his wife practices there also. They are fairly easy to get in with. Hope you get the help you need. God bless you.

Hi N. - I'm so sorry for what you are going thru. I think my DR might be able to help you. He treats my entire family (including asthma, bi polor, depressing, ADHD, allergies, etc). Please get help soon, there are many drugs out there to help us. I've been on antidepressants for about 10 yrs, recently had to change due to not be able to sleep, my DR was wonderful - I told him I needed something w/a lower co pay and he worked w/me until we found something that worked an didn't cost me a fortune. I don't have bipolar, just depression. Hubby is bipolar and takes PRISTIQ, which is working very nicely for him. He used to take CYMBALTA - that worked well, but he couldn't sleep. Best of luck to you.
here is my DR Info - make sure when u call - to ask for your appt to be with the DR, as he also has a PA there, she is fine for minor stuff.

Dr Ekweani
###-###-####
3550 Parkwood Blvd Su A205
Frisco, TX 75034
Board Certified Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine...
FYI - His clinic is open 9am to 10am - M thru F, 10am to 10am SAT.... I LOVE THAT PART...
take care,
D.