GMTV Start a debate

[newwie]

Hi,
Did anyone see GMTV this morning had a guest on that had suffered depression i know its not the same as us but they had a representative on from mental health team and they are reccomending not prescribing anti-d's and prescribing excerise.
What do you guys think about this?
I think myself that she said that gp's are too keen on prescribing anti-d's at the drop of a hat i agree with that as it always seem's the way take these now go away?
Opinions welcome.
Newwie

[X]

My GP has referred me on an exercise scheme which I do alongside taking the anti-ds. To be honest, I haven't felt any benefit from the exercising (apart from the obvious fitness). The endorphins that have been released by the exercising have been short lived in the first couple of weeks. Now I don't even notice any difference, and I am onto my fifth week now. I am going to the gym three times a week, and am putting my heart and soul into it - so I am trying.

It did say mild to moderate depression on GMTV!?!

Best wishes

Sue

[collette]

hiya Newwie,
Good idea to start a post on this. I was advised by my HV to get exercise. But trouble is getting the motivationto do this.

The bbc news also ran a wee story on this as well as GMTV I noticed. I think as Sue said it is really only incase of mild to moderate depression, and PNI in me feels different to what I would think of as "normal" depression if u can say such a thing.

Don't want to hijack your post, but I also saw on Gmtv how Posh Spice has regained her pre pregnancy figure in 5 weeks!!!!!! no wonder we feel pressured as new mums in so many ways. maybe i will start a new thread about this as well.

anytime i have went for a walk with jacob i do usually feel good after it but it doesn't last forever. i think the anti ds are important too in helping your mood.

lol collettex

[time]

As collette said it is finding the motivation to do any excercise not to mention the time.
I am pretty busty normaly between pre-school, playschool, toddler group and all the daily household chores. I dont have the time to do excercie. I do pilates of a tuesday evening as and when i get chance but it isnt easy with hubbys shifts as well as the motivation.

i usually find that all i want when the girls go to bed is to curl up infront of the telly (or pc)! Someone did say to me once why dont you go to the gym but i never have the time, i am too busy doing the best i can looking after my girls which i am sure you all agree can be pretty tough in itself when you feel low. If i am having a bad day the last thing i want to do is excercise - more like crawl into a dark hole.

Anyway running after children is a lot of excercise. I once used a walkometer and i had done 3000 steps by 9.30am.

Anyway i will stop the thread hijack now

Take care

[francoise]

hi girls

i think exercise is good but my god its feeling upto it , affording the gym , getting the time , loads of stuff , i think im not really into spining round cans of beans in the kitchen every spare five minutes , plus my back kills me when i do the ironing or lift the baby up , yeah i agree exercise is a good thing for mild depression but for us i think it needs something alot more and talking has to be in the top few priorities for this surely , yeah exercise is always good if we can but i doubt if it would help extensively

fran xx
,

[Veritee]

Yes of course it si good for anyone, but if you are as ill as some women with PNI feel there is an extra factor

You have to have the motivation to go and do this exercise and if you had this motivation, you probably would not be as ill.

Posh is not ill and I think the suggestion to do exercise, this applies to people who are a bit down or have mild to moderate depression - not real clinical depression PNI or other mental illness.

My friend diagnosed with bi -polar for instance has been given a 'prescription' for the Gym. our gym is a very expensive one so this is worth a few hundreds at year at least,

I am sure if she went it would improve how she feels but she is on a 'down' stage at the moment and can not motivate herself to use it hardly at all.

But when she was 'up' manic she was in the hospital gym every day and would have spent all day in it if they had let her.

So it is not just about having access but if you are ill, it is sometimes not possible to get the motivation.

So I think it is not very helpful advising women with PNI to exercise as they almost need to get well to want to do it or for some even be able to leave the house to do it.

So take exercise if you can but if you do not feel up to it, do not beat yourself up over it.

All the best

Veritee

Having said this - I am just as bad as I complain about my weight and do not have PNI to blame for having no motivation

I do not have PNI anymore my baby was a long time ago and I did get back my weights after a while , but I am 11 stone due to my disability ( Like time I did not used to need exercise as the amount I did in a normal day was equivalent to a work out a day, but now can not walk except at a snails pace and with walking aids so I have to take the initiative to get exercise as I can not walk but I can use a cycle machine or indeed my bike and I have an exercise machine in the garage that does not hurt my leg.

So can you all encourage me to use it. I need to substitute the walking I used to do as do not want to reach 20 stone one day!!!

Shall we start an exercise club? – I am sure it will be as successful as the weight watchers one – but it may be a laugh to report what we do!!!!
Thanks

[Vikki]

Hi, I think I am going to go against the grain here! I think I would welcome my GP offering me aprescription for exercise, so long as it was at a gym with a creche.

I miss going to the gym, it gave me something to focus on, but with time restraints and lack of funds, it was one of the luxuryies that had to go. I don't beleive that exercise alone will cure pni, i think meds do have their place, but if something like this was offered alongside the meds, and the other treatment, i would gladly takeit!

[Jane]

Hi Newwie,
Never watch GMTV so missed it!
Before I had Lewis (1st boy) I used to use gym at work & go to step classes) but I was single then & had more dosh. Think its a good idea, but not a cure on its own. I remember I did use to get a buzz once I'd done something!!
I suppose its getting motivated too, I just seem to lack that drive now?(& look like it too!!!)
I'll join your exercise club Veritee, might not be too much excercise at first, you know, just a few trips up & down staircase to start me off, reaallyy slloowwllyy.
Love Jane xx

[francoise]

no vikki
your not going against the grain , i agree with you and i think we all would take it up if it was free and they had childcare provisions , yeah we know the benefits , its just pni is too serious for just that i think , but yeah its brill if free and so expensive and hard to get to and childcare and oh well u know the story , but yeah veritee what can you do though , with your leg i mean , tell us what stuff you can do and im not sure jane but i think stairs are out for vee , i could be wrong though

love fran xxx

[time]

I'll join the excercie club. Does excercising my mouse finger and typing fingers count? They are pretty active so it wouldnt be too hard!

Time

[francoise]

yeah time and if we do it right we could some more humour here and there and then we could exercise our mouth muscles to at the same time eh , and we have a beer to thats even more

fran xx

[Veritee]

Well thats it then - please put your names down for the exsecise club and state what exsercise you will be aiming at a week - I'll start it under sex and stuff as sex might be part of my routine now Barry is home, I do nto see why finger exsecises can not be part of it or lifting that wine glass or beer - feel free to join me.

But seriously

No your right Vikki

This is a good point, now you put it like this I realise that lack of the funds to join a gym that can be very expensive is a big factor ( I bet Posh has a fully fitted gym at home so she did nto have to leave it to get in shape ) It is a factor for me , If I could aford the gym I would go with my friend and I am sure she would go if someone went too, but none of her friends can afford it.

And I can see that just because my friend does not use her prescription for the gym – and I wish she would as it is a really good deal, she can go fee anytime and her child can also go swimming too and one day a week a cpn runs a surgery in the gym for patients that have been referred though the mental health team –

So this it does not mean that other would not. Some might not but many may use this and it would be nice to be offered it in conjunction with traditional treatments and antiDs.

I am sure it does have a positve benefit , even if only becasue you lose soem weight and feel better about your more toned body.


If someone with bi-polar can get this I would have thought that PNI sufferers could get it too, and as I live in a very rural area of Cornwall perhaps it is available elsewhere too!

I have often found that even GPs do not always know all what is possible in alternative type treatments and until you ask for something – they do not find out as they are very busy people. My friend got her prescription from the mental health team, but if they can do it in an area I would have thought a GP could?

Perhaps all of us who think we could benefit from a prescription for the gym Could go to their GP and ask if this is possible?


– and this include me as while I do not have PNI I have limited mobility and could really do with the extra push a membership in the gym would give me as I can not get my exercise by walking but I could do upper body stuff instead on gym machines.

So I am going to make an appointment and ask.

I’ll let your know what happens

All the best

Veritee

[time]

You are probably right Veritee about gps but in all honesty my gp never knew that i suffered. My hv does but i was always afraid it would go on my medical records that i had depression. Maybe it would be better if the hv could offer more things. Mine is great - she put me in a post natal 6 week pilates course ( i have mentioned it in previous threads) and a few years ago post natal women were offered reduced prices at the lesure centre which also has child care.

I always worry about leaving my girls with strangers tho. It is ok with playschool and preschool but chreches always frighten me. Maybe im just paranoid.

[X]

Hi All

My referral for the exercise sessions was through my GP. Depression is one of the criteria for the scheme, so that is why I have been prescribed it!!

After the initial 10 weeks, the GP will receive a report from the scheme co-ordinator.

Good Luck everyone, I hope that your GPs are helpful and do refer you.

Best wishes

Sue

[newwie not logged]

Just to let you all know that pni is a illness that they do prescribe fitness on prescription on in my area as i have been given the oppurtunity to do this but have not got the chilcare provision and veritee because you have a dissability you too can get it.
All you have to do is visit your gp and they will prescribe it for you.
My area and the following areas definetly do this
Teesside including middlesbrough,thornaby,stockton,hartlepool,Billingham.
And i know there is many more that do it i will find out about cornwall as my brother is a social worker and he has just moved there to redruth so you have a nice social worker there as it seems to be a lot of you guys are down there.
Good luck everyone
newwie