system
What is the treatment for extreme depression?
human
Hi there, to anyone out there who can help?? This is my sheer letter of desperation, and in need of HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!  - hopefully whoever is reading this will pass this on and keep this letter forward as I need to fight for my dad in some way as he is fighting for his life. Please take the time to read his story, and perhaps someone out there can hear my calling and assist me… Here goes… My father whom is 65 years old, a man of incredible strength , super fit at his age, strong , motivated and helpful in more ways than words can say to others, had fallen seriously ill !!! My mother passed away from cancer suddenly in 2 weeks being in hospital they also found out the cancer too late, she died on the 24 April 2008. We all went thru bad depression, but all have recovered... so first thing before anyone diagnoses my dad’s problem related to my mom’s passing is wrong. That I can promise you. So on to getting to the bottom of my father’s terrible road … of illness My dad started to show signs of shortness of breath , and he seemed to be using a lot of his neck muscles to do the work,  from being a super fit martial artist , to being short of breathe on walking distances became odd.  He complained about being so tired all the time, he just could not sleep enough even though he was sleeping regularly and often in the day too. his appetite started to subside  from being a very big eater  loving his red meats , to having lost cravings for any such  food , and at times skipped many meals , and over the past few months had been losing weight ,  of course to some extent being alone since my mother past had a bit of an effect ,  however all of us children sent him to three different GP doctors and he had blood tests done and apparently all was fine. They informed him it was possibly anxiety and stress, depression, and put him on anti – depressants, of which made him even more tired,  so he would take them occasionally but did not finish his course.. Also in beginning he would lose a bit of his voice and try clear it when he spoke ,  doctors thought it was reflux , ulcers and heartburn , prescribed nexiam , He always complained about his tummy, his stomach gave him a lot of problems first would be constipated and then it would be diarrhea, he kept on saying it felt like a blockage of some sort... but continues with some laxitives. He went back to the doctors a few times complaining he was not getting better , they kept giving him vitamin b injections and prescribing more meds … He then tried a natural route of which I suggested, he spoke to a holistic doctor and gave him a good few different natural anti biotic etc... After a few weeks he felt a little better, but still not well, he just seemed to be getting worse. Back at doctors and said he had high blood pressure, he had days when he was dizzy and bad headaches, and his muscles cramped a lot. Those where all his symptoms … Now after my mother passed he moved up to the lodge (farm ) where he was quite far away from us in the city and drove frequently up to see some clients of what he had left , he lost much work due to his health . On this particular day , he was not well he stayed over at my brothers house and eventually could not sleep nicely through the night , he had to sit in a chair as it felt like he could not breathe he said it felt like his stomach was causing much discomfort and could not breath when laying down . He was very stubborn too and does not like doctors and has never been to doctor or hospitals in his life as he has been super healthy all his life. His biggest fear was hospitals. On the 14 JULY 2010 After much convincing and him finally agreeing he was seriously ill, we took him to hospital where they did x rays and put him on a drip in casualty, upon awaiting results etc … his blood pressure dropped to a severe low that they had to have him elevated as to not incur and brain damage and loss of blood to the brain, they gave him adrenaline and volvuven to stabiles blood pressure and he then went in to respiratory arrest. Because my father does not have medical aid and we were at a private hospital casualty, we had to call on Johannesburg general hospital known as charlotte maxeke hospital. And try getting a bed in the ICU ward over there. Thank goodness he was accepted, but he has to be intubated in the mean time at the casualty, with a pipe in his throat.  And he was unconscious, the doctors consulted and said he was unable to be transported to the government hospital as one he was unstable to be and secondly we were awaiting a bed for him at the hospital. The doctors had informed us on my father’s state and told us that it was between GOD and the Medicine and that was the hope we got... The following day my father opened his eyes and was awake, the government hospital had a bed ready for him. He was transported to the hospital, and was admitted in the ICU ward there. They had mentioned he had pneumonia in both lungs etc, they treated him and within a week he went from being intubated and respiratory arrest to being discharged into a respiratory ward for two days, and then discharged on 22 July 2010 with some anti biotic to take home and scheduled further follow ups to be conducted thereafter.  However on the 23rd July just the next day he was not feeling too good again, we got a ICU nurse to stay with him and we monitored him, but he was not coping and started breaking into a sweat, eventually we took him back to hospital however they would not take him back straight away and we had to go through the casualty which was terrible, the attending doc on that night was terrible, left my dad, and we had to queue.. Instead of prioritizing patients... my dad was given oxygen mask, however starting to sweat even more and becam lymph and passing out battling to remain conscious... I begged and pleased and my brother too tried to speak to the doctor whom did not want to help , eventually one of the male nurses and practicing doctor a young man helped me , and said we need to intubate your father , at that point I had to help assist in the recuss room , and the again the main doctor on duty simply did not lift a hand to help… although the young man was not completely well trained , he managed to sort my father out and  eventually a lady doctor from respiratory ward whom knew my father’s case  had assisted and reprimanded the on duty doctor for his  lack of assistance.. Finally dad was intubated and stabilized; he had to stay in an open room in casualty stable until; a bed was available in the ICU ward. And was admitted in the ICU ward on the 24 July 2010 for the second time. Till Today he is still in that same place … he has had many doctors and professors and academics’ from that hospital have a look at him, they have done ct scans, Mir’s and have been told they have done every test that they can, I have asked and requested a list of the tests done and the results, and awaiting this.  We have been reassured these are all the good  best doctors and the professor is apparently well known and the “guru”… sadly that my father’s case seems to be one of a rare kind and the cannot  get a definitive diagnoses for my father  , he has had a cervical fusion done to release compression that was on nerves ,  he has had a tracheostromy  and is on a ventilator , they have suspected it be “MYSTHENIA GRAVIS” ,  and have been treating him for this , he has lost so much weight , during all this he has incurred episodes of respiratory failure again as they try wean him off ventilator and then  the co 2 levels  go up so much that he has also been in a comatose state , for two days , and he has severe up and down days ,,. Some days he looks like he responding well to the medication, and some days looks terrible, there has been so many tests and most of them have been clear and negative to anything …. So the closest is the myasthenia gravis of what I am told. They do physic on him every day I am told and that they try sit him in the chair but some days he is too ill to do so but they say it is mandatory to his improvement and progress; they also have him on plasma dialysis. During the time he has been in hospital  he has incurred a bedsore of which first operated on in theatre , proper post maintenance was not done and the bed sore got worse , so more debridement had to be done. Again they had to take him to theatre to debraid and cut the bed sore which is situated just above his bum towards the lower back.   Just before the op, he had lost so much blood from the bed sore they had to give him 23 units of blood. At this point his bed sore is not as painful as it was, however now he has diarrhea that has been for 6 days now, when it began they even put a catheter in his bum coz it was so uncontrolled, dad has not eaten in a very long time and has a feed tube in. he drinks lots of fluids. At this point however helpful doctors have been whether comforting or not... this is about my father and he is fighting he is not giving up, he says he wants to get better and as he is fighting... I am fighting here for him too, I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP!! SOMETHING, GOD TO BLESS THE DOCTORS WITH MORE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH DAD, ,  no more tests have been scheduled as far as I know , says the one doctor , so now what ?? They cannot say if dad will live or die, get better or get worse they do not know… it may not be their fault, but I think somewhere out there in the world will help me in my desperation!!!! I am not giving up!!!! And I will not rest until I get an answer!!! I would rather know what is wrong with my father, either they fix it or our family can prepare for the worse … but not to know!!! Is not fair!!! … If they can find out how a person died in an autopsy... how can they not know when a person is alive!!!????? In this day of technology!!! PLEASE SOMEONE ANYONE!!!! MY FATHER AND OUR FAMILY DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO GO TO A PRIVATE HOSPITAL OR INCURR ANY OTHER COSTS. ALREADY THE COSTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL IS STARTING TO ESCALATE AT A HUGE PACE.   I DO NOT THINK THE DOCTORS HERE HAVE NOT TRIED THERE BEST!! BUT MAYBE THEY JUST NEED SOME ASSISTANCE AND HELP!!! WE HAVE LOST MY MOTHER JUST 2 AND HALF YEARS AGO!! WE CANNOT LOOSE MY FATHER TOO!! HE WANTS TO FIGHT AND GET BETTER!!! HE IS NOT DEPRESSED, HE IS TIRED OF BEING A GUINEA PIG AND WANTS TO GET BETTER AND KNOW WHAT IS WRONG!!! CAN ANY ONE HELP???!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! I have done a facebook  group for him as well which I update on progress from the time of his admission. My e mail address: YYYY@YYYY if you can help or  advise me or suggest anything !!! please please help !!!!!
gpt
DearWe understand your concernsI went through your details. I suggest you not to worry much. Anxiety and Depression is known to create physical fatigue and mental fatigue. You are anxious about those series of life events which kept you at the edge of toes,  which is giving you these series of symptoms. Disappointment in unexpected life happenings can cause anxiety and depressive symptoms are you are experiencing. Understanding those disappointments may be of help.  Researches have shown that medicines alone cannot cure mental disorders. Psychotherapy to have life style changes, Yoga and meditationn to streamline thought process and  metabolism can be practiced for easy and permanent cure. Contact a psychologist for further information.If you still need my help, please describe the whole problem in detail and post a direct question to me. I shall definitely help you with psychotherapy techniques to over come your problems.Hope this answers your query. Available for further clarifications.Good luck.