Anybody else have Seasonal Affective Disorder?

[nlk]

I have had it my whole life. I know my father has it too and recently moved to Florida. He is like a totally different man!

I live in Michigan. My business is here and there is no option to move to a sunny place right now.

I’m am so tired of feeling this tired!!! Some years are better then others. This year sucks! As soon as day light savings hit I instantly wanted to climb in bed and sleep until spring.

I hate feeling like this. I hate having to force myself to get out of bed in the morning. If it wasn’t for my kids I just wouldn’t. I’m so tired I literally can’t function some days. I am on a D supplement but it doesn’t ever seem to really boost me up like it should. I think I am going to have to go to light therapy but I was under the impression that unless your insurance covers it the light boxes are really expensive.

[grayarabpony]

Light boxes aren’t that expensive. Our Suntouch Plus cost about $120.

[SmartAlex]

I began supplementing Vitamin D over a year ago. I really think it helps. Maybe you need the loading dosage?

[nlk]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;6704018]
I began supplementing Vitamin D over a year ago. I really think it helps. Maybe you need the loading dosage?[/QUOTE]

How many units is that? I am taking what the Dr told me too 2 years ago off of blood work.

[Sansena]

Oh, yes!

My suggestion is to get out in the sun whenever you can, with as little clothing as you can (of course THAT’ll happen in MI in winter!).

Also, I’ve just discovered this supplement “Energy Revitalization System”, which is a gnarly powder you mix into a beverage of your choice. I suggest just plain cold water, and suck it down daily. Whether it’s the boost of D, or the mega Bs, I’m much more functional when I take that. I’ve been on it about 2 weeks regularly now, and I’m not certain but my skin seems to be a bit miffed… little red dots. But barely noticeable, so I’m continuing.

Give it a try. I think you can find it on Amazon for <$30? Not sure.

I’ve been perusing CL for a light box…

[SmartAlex]

[QUOTE=nlk;6704034]
How many units is that? I am taking what the Dr told me too 2 years ago off of blood work.[/QUOTE]

That’s probably a more accurate method.
Loading dosage is something like 40,000-50,000 iu a week. When I began taking it, it was mid summer and I am outside in shorts and shirtsleeves a lot so I figured I didn’t need the loading. Last winter (admitedly mild) I did not suffer the usual lows. This year has been OK so far too, although I’ve never been a morning person.

[sadlmakr]

Seasonal Effctive Disorder.

Yes I have had it for years. My cardiologist put me on 5,000 units of Vitamin D and also vitamin B 12. It took a while to take effect but I have not had any more Winters curled up in a ball under the blankets. It has done wonders for me.This is my third Winter taking it and I am not depressed. Give it time to work. It is not instant. And also try to get in the sun whenever you can. You might invest in a broad spectum light too. That helps. My kitchen used to be a dark hole. I put in florescent lighs and it is nice to be in there now. They take 4 tubes each so I did not put broad spectrum light tubes in them but just having those on helps. Hope you get to feeling better…

[pony4me]

I have it, but it’s almost totally under control now. First thing, get a light box NOW! Mine is set to gradually brighten the room starting 15 minutes before my alarm goes off. My the time I have to wake up, the room is very bright. No more headaches caused by having to get up while it’s dark!

Next thing is to get some direct sunlight during the day. It’s probably dark when you go to work and dark when you get off, but find some time in the middle of the day when you can sit in your car, with the window down on the driver’s side, and your shirtsleeves rolled up, so you can get direct sunlight on your arm. I usually do this at lunchtime, and eat in my car so I can get the most sun. It helps tremendously. I also take vitamin D occasionally, but I don’t see a difference when I do or don’t.

Good luck, and hope you feel better soon!

[pony4me]

And light boxes are not that expensive. I think mine was around $125 eight or ten years ago, and it’s still working just fine.

[nlk]

Sometimes I think people just feel I’m crazy! “Yeah I’m tired ALL the time no matter how much sleep I get because the sun isn’t out enough” It tool the Doctors YEARS to figure it out when I was younger. Got tested for everything under the sun and then one day the Doctor was like “well there is nothing physically wrong with you ( obviously didn’t check my D levels…) and it’s always in the winter SOOO you have seasonal depression.” That was it that was the extent of what I was told and he didn’t even give suggestions to WHAT to do about it ( this was 15 or so years ago) It wasn’t until I was older and read more about it on my own that I understood it was a D deficiency ( and in more recent years that it is not a unique disorder but rather and manifest of major depression…)

It’s just so frustrating feeling like this with no really explanation. My husband gets it but doesn’t at the same time. Him being a very motivated organized person it really bothers him when I can’t function long enough to do the dishes on my days off ( we share household chores) but there are days when it is all I can do to take care of my children!!!

I think I’m going to head back to the Dr. this year for a blood work up. I will invest in a light box BUT I am out during the day as horses are my job. I leave my blinds next to my bed open so I can get the light first thing in the AM ( that gradual brightening. ) I do not get up before the sun! I noticed it helped this summer to get me out of bed earlier but I’m not getting the same affect now ( I get up at 8:00)

[beaujolais]

I get SAD in the summer and am good in the fall and winter. Summer is an awful season. It’s too hot to do anything, the heat takes the energy out of you, your skin burns = no joy. Also, I have fibromyalgia and react terribly to heat, sun, light, noise, etc.

Sorry for all you not feeling well. Can someone trade me my summers for your falls & winters, please?

[grayarabpony]

OP some people don’t MAKE enough vitamin D. Get a blood test, if your vit D levels are low then supplement, and then follow up with another test to see if you’re taking enough.

[Pasde2]

[QUOTE=sonomacounty;6706765]
Summer is an awful season. It’s too hot to do anything, the heat takes the energy out of you, your skin burns = no joy. [/QUOTE]

You might consider asking to have a vitamin D test included the next time you have bloodwork done - if your level is low, that could explain the tendency to burn. I have friends who have always burned in the summer unless they took extreme precautions, but since discovering their low D levels and taking supplemental D3 (ask your doctor -supplementing with D3 seems to be infinitely more effective than supplementing with D2), they’ve gotten through the last four or five summers without burning at all. Plus, no SAD in the winter! All of their doctors were happy to have the test done and completely on board with the supplementation - talk to yours, you might be surprised! Over the last ten years, routine testing and supplementation with D3 has gone from “weird, wacky, and unusual” to “yawnmainstreamyawn.”

[GrayTbred]

Another Michigander here

…sympathetic to your SAD woes. This state is not just dark, it’s perpetually overcast.

But on the bright side (bad pun intended), the return of daylight in Mich. actually precedes solstice. According to the Weather Channel, we’ll get our first afternoon minute back at sunset (from 5:01 p.m. to 5:02 p.m.) this Saturday, Dec. 15.

[nlk]

[QUOTE=GrayTbred;6709458]
…sympathetic to your SAD woes. This state is not just dark, it’s perpetually overcast.

But on the bright side (bad pun intended), the return of daylight in Mich. actually precedes solstice. According to the Weather Channel, we’ll get our first afternoon minute back at sunset (from 5:01 p.m. to 5:02 p.m.) this Saturday, Dec. 15.[/QUOTE]

You just made my day Day after my b-day too! This foggy, drizzly weather this past two weeks has been horrid!

To the poster above I have had blood work done, I am deficient, I am on D3. I work outside (barn)as well so no being in an office from dark to dark.

My dad also suffered through this ( they didn’t figure it out until AFTER they diagnosed me! Then the light bulb went off in my Moms head!) They moved to Florida last fall and my Dad is a totally different person!!! I don’t thin my Mom well and truly got how debilitating this is until she saw the change in my Dad. It’s easier to say someone is lazy or grumpy then understand that they have a depression disorder that correlates with the seasons!

[nlk]

[QUOTE=sonomacounty;6706765]
I get SAD in the summer and am good in the fall and winter. Summer is an awful season. It’s too hot to do anything, the heat takes the energy out of you, your skin burns = no joy. Also, I have fibromyalgia and react terribly to heat, sun, light, noise, etc.

Sorry for all you not feeling well. Can someone trade me my summers for your falls & winters, please?[/QUOTE]

I’m sorry you have to go through that too No matter the time of year it sucks! It’s easier to stay bundled up inside in the winter though.

[s65horsey]

A few years ago a doctor told me to go to a tanning booth during the winter time and didn’t explain why. She was treating me for depression caused by a thyroid disorder at the time and thought I needed to work on relaxing but I think there must’ve been something in my vitamin D levels that she didn’t properly explain because my new doctor found I’m severely deficient in Vit D. I tend to be fine in the summer but literally one week I’m ok and then next I’m not. I’m still attempting to figure all this stuff out and only recently did the doctor say seasonal affective disorder. I looked up the symptoms and they fit me completely. I never could understand why I crave bread in the winter time. It made no sense to me.

So I am also being trialed on prosac, it is an older anti-depressant that has some weird side-effects but there is research to show that it can work. So far I haven’t seen any side effects and I feel better (but I’m also doing other things so it might not be the drug).

One of the other things is regular amounts of sleep, so don’t sleep for 10 hrs one day, 8 the next, 6 the next, try to get 7 (or 8) hours every day. This is difficult for me because if I don’t have a reason to get up in the morning, I don’t, but I moved in with my brother so I could figure out what was wrong with me and his kids are morning kids so just by them being up means I tend to get up regularly as opposed to what I used to do when I lived on my own which was sleep a lot in the winter.

I have thought about moving to Florida so it is interesting to hear it worked wonders for your dad. Good luck and if you need to talk, let me know! I’m struggling right along with you!

[NWEquestrian]

Sam-E. And Vit D.

Sam-E is naturally found in the body. It is also good for folks who have high liver values.

Vit D speaks for itself. My levels were drawn (this is a quick and inexpensive blood test by the way). I moved from FL and MS to WA state 3 years ago. During the prolonged fall and winter, I got depressed and gained weight. I had the blood test and my vit D level just read <4. That is REALLY low. She put me 50,000 U a week X 8 weeks and now I am on 5000 U a week forever. Since I’ve been on it I’ve had fewer migraines, body aches, and an entire attitude adjustment.
My friend who had been on Prozac and Cymbalta for years and kept having side effects was put on Sam-E instead. She hasn’t dealt with her depressive symptoms in almost 2 years.

[Jaegermonster]

What is Sam-E

[OneGrayPony]

I’ll fourth the Vit D. Find the best time to take it btw. If I take it in the morning, I can’t sleep. At night? I sleep like a baby and wake up with a little bit of spring to my step.

My Dad is the exact opposite. Probably depends on your metabolism speed