Feel like I need to go back on anti-depressants...
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Feel like I need to go back on anti-depressants...
Hi everyone - I'm a newbie and have learned a lot from reading all your posts. Thank you soo much! It's so helpful to hear other people's stories, because most of the time I think my family and friends think I'm crazy and that I'm just making this up. My doctors are absolutely clueless about MC. I've gone gluten and dairy free. It seems to have solved a lot but I will still get a flare-up once in awhile. I've struggled with depression and anxiety in the past and took celexa (an SSRI) for many many years. I think with all my health issues I've fallen into a funk and would like to go back on an antidepressant. But I've read about the possibility of SSRIs being a factor or cause of colitis. Any idea what antidepressants could be safe to take?
Hi Carol,
Welcome to our Internet family. The antidepressant with the least amount of side effect risks appears to be bupropion (Wellbutrin). But there is a much safer (and much healthier) way to treat depression.
Depression is a very common side effect of MC, and it's primarily caused by magnesium deficiency. The malabsorption problem associated with IBDs prevents normal absorption of magnesium. Diarrhea depletes magnesium. Corticosteroids used to treat MC deplete magnesium, and so do many other medications, especially PPIs and cholestyramione. Stress depletes magnesium. Even coffee depletes magnesium. That's why virtually all of us are magnesium deficient, and that's why depression is so strongly associated with MC.
Magnesium treats depression. Here's part of the abstract from a medical research article on this topic:
Most of us here are taking a magnesium supplement or using topically-applied magnesium to be absorbed through the skin.
I hope that this is helpful. Again, welcome aboard and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to our Internet family. The antidepressant with the least amount of side effect risks appears to be bupropion (Wellbutrin). But there is a much safer (and much healthier) way to treat depression.
Depression is a very common side effect of MC, and it's primarily caused by magnesium deficiency. The malabsorption problem associated with IBDs prevents normal absorption of magnesium. Diarrhea depletes magnesium. Corticosteroids used to treat MC deplete magnesium, and so do many other medications, especially PPIs and cholestyramione. Stress depletes magnesium. Even coffee depletes magnesium. That's why virtually all of us are magnesium deficient, and that's why depression is so strongly associated with MC.
Magnesium treats depression. Here's part of the abstract from a medical research article on this topic:
Rapid recovery from major depression using magnesium treatment.Case histories are presented showing rapid recovery (less than 7 days) from major depression using 125-300 mg of magnesium (as glycinate and taurinate) with each meal and at bedtime. Magnesium was found usually effective for treatment of depression in general use. Related and accompanying mental illnesses in these case histories including traumatic brain injury, headache, suicidal ideation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, postpartum depression, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco abuse, hypersensitivity to calcium, short-term memory loss and IQ loss were also benefited. Dietary deficiencies of magnesium, coupled with excess calcium and stress may cause many cases of other related symptoms including agitation, anxiety, irritability, confusion, asthenia, sleeplessness, headache, delirium, hallucinations and hyperexcitability, with each of these having been previously documented. The possibility that magnesium deficiency is the cause of most major depression and related mental health problems including IQ loss and addiction is enormously important to public health and is recommended for immediate further study. Fortifying refined grain and drinking water with biologically available magnesium to pre-twentieth century levels is recommended.
Most of us here are taking a magnesium supplement or using topically-applied magnesium to be absorbed through the skin.
I hope that this is helpful. Again, welcome aboard and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Welcome Carol 
I thought the same way as you a long time ago....I was so depressed about 20 months ago. I am doing tons better, albeit I think I fell into a bit of a funk during the Summer when I was at a loss to finally stopping WD for good. At one point I was against taking anything to help aide my final leap into recovery mode because I am still healing, but doing really good with it and so glad to not have that depression, anxiety, brain fog feeling anymore. When I start to feel any of that I know it is time to increase magnesium and I usually do it topically.
MC is progress not perfection....each day will get you feeling better by following all the great advice at this site
Cheers
Erica
I thought the same way as you a long time ago....I was so depressed about 20 months ago. I am doing tons better, albeit I think I fell into a bit of a funk during the Summer when I was at a loss to finally stopping WD for good. At one point I was against taking anything to help aide my final leap into recovery mode because I am still healing, but doing really good with it and so glad to not have that depression, anxiety, brain fog feeling anymore. When I start to feel any of that I know it is time to increase magnesium and I usually do it topically.
MC is progress not perfection....each day will get you feeling better by following all the great advice at this site
Cheers
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
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christimac
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 2:51 pm
- Location: Georgia
Carol, I hope you try other natural solutions for your depressive episode before choosing SSRIs.
My doctor put me on Zoloft to reduce my anxiety and stress over MC which was the worst thing he could have done!!! At that point I hadn't done any research but have now learned that it contributed to my Lymphocytic Colitis! I had only been on it for 2 months but my condition was worsening; I went off it cold turkey (which is not advised) and luckily only had a couple of days of mood issues and only a few physical effects. Evidently, with longer use the withdrawal symptoms can be horrendous! I definitely didn't want to add to my suffering.
I tend towards depression and anxiety too but try to follow a daily regime of walking outside in the sunshine and fresh air, yoga, meditation (or just quiet time), breathing, careful diet (now enforced by LC!) and supplements, journalling, reading, and so on. I'm trying St John's Wort too right now to help come of the Zoloft. My daughter is a counselling therapist and she's given me some techniques to use for emotional issues.
I hope you'll keep up the conversation here, Carol. It really helps to have someone to talk to.
My doctor put me on Zoloft to reduce my anxiety and stress over MC which was the worst thing he could have done!!! At that point I hadn't done any research but have now learned that it contributed to my Lymphocytic Colitis! I had only been on it for 2 months but my condition was worsening; I went off it cold turkey (which is not advised) and luckily only had a couple of days of mood issues and only a few physical effects. Evidently, with longer use the withdrawal symptoms can be horrendous! I definitely didn't want to add to my suffering.
I tend towards depression and anxiety too but try to follow a daily regime of walking outside in the sunshine and fresh air, yoga, meditation (or just quiet time), breathing, careful diet (now enforced by LC!) and supplements, journalling, reading, and so on. I'm trying St John's Wort too right now to help come of the Zoloft. My daughter is a counselling therapist and she's given me some techniques to use for emotional issues.
I hope you'll keep up the conversation here, Carol. It really helps to have someone to talk to.
Hazel
I did get a prescription for Wellbutrin. I'm not going to start taking it after reading all your comments. I think I just wanted it for a safety net. I've been trying magnesium and have bought many kinds. So I think I have a bunch of the cheap oxide to throw away. After reading all the research on this site, it sounds like Magnesium glycinate is the best.I'm having a horrible reaction to it though - severe diarrhea and gas. I'll be looking into the topical.
Any other tips on taking the magnesium to lesson any reaction? Certain time of day etc?
Any other tips on taking the magnesium to lesson any reaction? Certain time of day etc?
Hey Carol2121,
I've had good luck with the product ReMag. It is a mixed bag on how others here do with it. It is a liquid magnesium product that you sip in your water throughout the day. It has saved my life! You can research it and buy on line at RnAreset.com. I use it topically as well. It comes with detailed protocol on how to use and customer service is top notch if you have any questions.
I've had good luck with the product ReMag. It is a mixed bag on how others here do with it. It is a liquid magnesium product that you sip in your water throughout the day. It has saved my life! You can research it and buy on line at RnAreset.com. I use it topically as well. It comes with detailed protocol on how to use and customer service is top notch if you have any questions.
Vanessa
Carol,
That's unfortunate, to say the least. Have you tried the brand that most of us use? . . . Doctor's Best Chelated Magnesium (magnesium glycinate. If you're using some other brand, maybe it contains an inactive ingredient that causes you to react.
Another possibility is that you are extremely low on magnesium and your body is unable to normally utilize it. Chronic magnesium deficiency causes insulin resistance in the cells, and reduced insulin production by the pancreas. Under those conditions, the body is unable to normally utilize magnesium that's absorbed into the bloodstream. Without normal insulin functionality, the magnesium cannot be transported out of the blood into the cells where it is needed. It's necessary to start slowly with magnesium supplementation so that the body has a chance to slowly reduce insulin resistance while increasing insulin production. As the insulin issues are slowly resolved, the ability to handle normal amounts of magnesium supplementation will return. It may help to take vitamin D also, if you are not already taking it.
But using topical magnesium is probably the best short-term choice, because it will allow you to avoid any digestive system problems. After a few weeks of using generous amounts of topical magnesium, you might have better luck with oral magnesium. It might help to start slowly with oral magnesium.
As Vanessa has suggested, ReMag is another magnesium option (in liquid form, for either oral or topical administration). Some members have had very good results with it, and as Vanessa mentioned, others have not done so well with it. It's a very concentrated product, so you may want to wait a while before trying it because it also seems to cause GI issues for some people. In some cases ReMag can help to boost magnesium absorption when magnesium glycinate does not seem to be helping. But the downside is that it also seems to be somewhat less well tolerated than magnesium glycinate, for some of us.
If I were in your situation I would probably do what you are planning . . . try topical magnesium applications, at least for a while. After a few weeks, you might want to try sipping a weak ReMag solution during the day, to see if your body will tolerate it. If it does, start slowly and gradually increase the concentration in your water.
Good luck with this and please keep us posted.
Tex
That's unfortunate, to say the least. Have you tried the brand that most of us use? . . . Doctor's Best Chelated Magnesium (magnesium glycinate. If you're using some other brand, maybe it contains an inactive ingredient that causes you to react.
Another possibility is that you are extremely low on magnesium and your body is unable to normally utilize it. Chronic magnesium deficiency causes insulin resistance in the cells, and reduced insulin production by the pancreas. Under those conditions, the body is unable to normally utilize magnesium that's absorbed into the bloodstream. Without normal insulin functionality, the magnesium cannot be transported out of the blood into the cells where it is needed. It's necessary to start slowly with magnesium supplementation so that the body has a chance to slowly reduce insulin resistance while increasing insulin production. As the insulin issues are slowly resolved, the ability to handle normal amounts of magnesium supplementation will return. It may help to take vitamin D also, if you are not already taking it.
But using topical magnesium is probably the best short-term choice, because it will allow you to avoid any digestive system problems. After a few weeks of using generous amounts of topical magnesium, you might have better luck with oral magnesium. It might help to start slowly with oral magnesium.
As Vanessa has suggested, ReMag is another magnesium option (in liquid form, for either oral or topical administration). Some members have had very good results with it, and as Vanessa mentioned, others have not done so well with it. It's a very concentrated product, so you may want to wait a while before trying it because it also seems to cause GI issues for some people. In some cases ReMag can help to boost magnesium absorption when magnesium glycinate does not seem to be helping. But the downside is that it also seems to be somewhat less well tolerated than magnesium glycinate, for some of us.
If I were in your situation I would probably do what you are planning . . . try topical magnesium applications, at least for a while. After a few weeks, you might want to try sipping a weak ReMag solution during the day, to see if your body will tolerate it. If it does, start slowly and gradually increase the concentration in your water.
Good luck with this and please keep us posted.
Tex
You didn't say which brand you are using, but it probably doesn't matter. Ancient Minerals (for example) claims that their lotion contains:
I would assume that most commercial brands are probably similar in magnesium content. There are about 5 ml in a teaspoon, so 185 mg per tsp would be approximately 37 mg per ml. So 10 ml (not tsp) would be about 370 mg of magnesium, which is at least an RDA equivalent dose.
10 tsp would be about 1850 mg of magnesium, which would be a very potent dose. 1850 mg of magnesium would be roughly 6 times the RDA.
Here's a way to make your own magnesium lotion, if you like to do that sort of thing.
12 Reasons To Use Magnesium Lotion & How To Make It
I hope this is helpful.
Tex
Ancient Minerals Magnesium LotionOne teaspoon contains approximately 185mg elemental magnesium.
I would assume that most commercial brands are probably similar in magnesium content. There are about 5 ml in a teaspoon, so 185 mg per tsp would be approximately 37 mg per ml. So 10 ml (not tsp) would be about 370 mg of magnesium, which is at least an RDA equivalent dose.
10 tsp would be about 1850 mg of magnesium, which would be a very potent dose. 1850 mg of magnesium would be roughly 6 times the RDA.
Here's a way to make your own magnesium lotion, if you like to do that sort of thing.
12 Reasons To Use Magnesium Lotion & How To Make It
I hope this is helpful.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.