Depression and Anxiety at an older age

Currently fed up with endeavoring to navigate the hoops. Are doctors really as ignorant as they appear? I know it is the system. The system is destroying lives. The 6 month check-up thing is a joke. Yes, I am fed up with being patient!!!

@parus My mind read "being a patient patient"......lol
Ginger

@parus
You need your doctor to culture your urine so it grows out the bacteria to test which antibiotics will kill it. Antibiotics are damaging to just pick and hope.
Good luck and hope your well soon.
Jake

I’m new here also I’m 82 and have depression and anxiety most of my life it was worsewhen I worked but still not good I’m taking lexapro and .05 ml. Of Clonazepam it helps it never really goes away

@dorisbrown411 Good evening and welcome to Mayo Connect. We are glad you are here. Our group of mentors and moderators do not have medical training. Our experiences are personal. From them we have learned compassion and have volunteered to help others.

It appears that you have had a long battle with anxiety and depression. Do you have a goal that you are trying to achieve? How may we help you? Are you dealing with some medical issues as well as the emotional ones.

My battle with anxiety become a huge elephant in the room as I dealt with my small fiber neuropathy (SFN).

What brings joy to your day? A visit with family or friends? A hobby or artistic endeavor? Help us get to know you.
And now have a peaceful sleep. Chris

My mom is 65 and has battled depression for a long time. Zoloft worked well for a while until it didnt. Then she went through a whole host of medicines, including effexor and cymbalta and abilify and neurontin and others i cant remember. She developed really bad, Parkinson Esque tremmors. She went in patient at a hospital and was safely weened off of the various meds. Then she tried remeron and that made her zombie ish. Now she's back on Zoloft. Dr says sometimes if you take a break from zoloft and go back to it, it works well. She's on day 4 of 150mg and her mood has not changed one bit. She still has the crying fits and that internal shaking feeling off and on but not every day. I know it's early but i'm praying constantly that this does the trick. I'm worried about adding more meds to the zoloft regimen, or switching meds.

Hi, @motormouth79 - wondering how your mom is doing today?

Thank you for asking. I spoke with her an hour ago
and she said she’s not feeling the panicky anxiety yet. Yesterday she felt it al day. Today it hasn’t kicked in yet. But the test will be when 5pm rolls around. That’s usually her bad time. She got her Ativan refilled so she can take it if she feels really bad.

I guess I spoke too soon. She tried to drive to the store to distract herself and noticed the car was low on gas. She started crying and couldn’t stop. I distracted her a bit on the phone. She said she tried doing laundry or cleaning and just couldn’t focus enough to continue. She took her Ativan bc she just couldn’t stand the anxiety anymore. This has to end soon. Praying it’s all related to the increased dose of Zoloft.

I know if I allow friends/family/professionals how fearful I am it would be misunderstood. Truth is there is nothing anyone can do. At times I don't want to do anything or don't feel like it. Finding I no longer trust much of anyone. I suppose it is the age thing and having difficulty dealing with so many changes and endeavoring to handle things. I have not a clue at this point!! I feel for those of you caring for your older family members with depression and anxiety as "we" can be difficult and we don't really mean to be.