Discussion & help on depression & mental health related issues

[Frang]

I haven't been for about 5 years mate, I was on citalopram for about a year, can't remember the dosage, but it was increased at one point and the only impact I felt was continuous weird dreams, really out there but neither good nor bad, and nothing else. I asked to come off it as a result, and my GP agreed but thought I was not a great candidate to try something else in terms of medication, and should focus more on other things

Perhaps its the old stiff upper lip thing, and maybe my GP's approach, but I always feel a bit self indulgent when talking about mental health at my clinic despite the fact I attend fairly regularly for routine physical checks. So much so that I don't tend to bring it up much, other than talking about what I described in the earlier post and things like stress at work. I'm not sure what to do about that really, and being an intensely private person with my feelings doesn't help either.

I was very similar ... quite an inward person emotionally really.

I don't know if its down to these meds im taking now but I seem to be doing much better regards all that.

I too was on citalopram but had to change off them because of horrible nightmares, im now on fluexitine and im finding them a lot better.

I know everyone is different , but perhaps you should consider trying an alternative medication from citalapram

 

[tommytowne]

Following me participating in this thread yesterday for the first time I'm letting those interested, know what's happened this morning.
After another night of anxiety I was determined to get a GP appointment this morning and that's what I did.
I took a deep breath and told the doctor what my conditions were due to whats happening recently . She told me to start at the beginning, not just the last week or so. Then it all came tumbling out. What has happened in the very recent past has acted purely as a trigger. She confirmed that this first step is absolutely the right thing to do.
Because of what I've told her of my feelings she's prescribed some meds and I'm to do a self referral for CBT.
That visit in itself has lightened my mood.
The only thing is that I've read the product information on the tablets and it's frightening the cack out of me so I'm holding back on them for now.
I've also phoned the CBT number to refer myself but on both occasions a recorded message says there's nobody available to answer my call.

 

[Frang]

Following me participating in this thread yesterday for the first time I'm letting those interested, know what's happened this morning.
After another night of anxiety I was determined to get a GP appointment this morning and that's what I did.
I took a deep breath and told the doctor what my conditions were due to whats happening recently . She told me to start at the beginning, not just the last week or so. Then it all came tumbling out. What has happened in the very recent past has acted purely as a trigger. She confirmed that this first step is absolutely the right thing to do.
Because of what I've told her of my feelings she's prescribed some meds and I'm to do a self referral for CBT.
That visit in itself has lightened my mood.
The only thing is that I've read the product information on the tablets and it's frightening the cack out of me so I'm holding back on them for now.
I've also phoned the CBT number to refer myself but on both occasions a recorded message says there's nobody available to answer my call.

what meds are they mate??

im sure your GP wouldn't prescribe something that would not be beneficial to you.

I was apprehensive about taking meds, and thought I would just soldier on as I was. absolutely DO NOT do this, as you will spiral in to a very dark place, very quickly like I did.

by going to the docs it shows me you must be concerned about yourself, because us men do not go to the docs for nothing . I was physically forced to go, literally frogmarched there but my parents and they sat with me making sure I actually went in.

don't be afraid of giving the medication a go, if they are not for you, then you can change them up, ive had to do this several times.

well done in going , and I hope this is where things turn round for you

 

[Tipp blue]

Following me participating in this thread yesterday for the first time I'm letting those interested, know what's happened this morning.
After another night of anxiety I was determined to get a GP appointment this morning and that's what I did.
I took a deep breath and told the doctor what my conditions were due to whats happening recently . She told me to start at the beginning, not just the last week or so. Then it all came tumbling out. What has happened in the very recent past has acted purely as a trigger. She confirmed that this first step is absolutely the right thing to do.
Because of what I've told her of my feelings she's prescribed some meds and I'm to do a self referral for CBT.
That visit in itself has lightened my mood.
The only thing is that I've read the product information on the tablets and it's frightening the cack out of me so I'm holding back on them for now.
I've also phoned the CBT number to refer myself but on both occasions a recorded message says there's nobody available to answer my call.

Take the meds lad, the doc wouldn't have prescribed them if she didn't think you needed them, if you read the product info on any medication even down to basic over the counter painkillers theirs scary stuff on them, if you do take them and you feel that they are not agreeing with you they you go back to the doc until you find meds that work for you.

 

[COYBL25]

Following me participating in this thread yesterday for the first time I'm letting those interested, know what's happened this morning.
After another night of anxiety I was determined to get a GP appointment this morning and that's what I did.
I took a deep breath and told the doctor what my conditions were due to whats happening recently . She told me to start at the beginning, not just the last week or so. Then it all came tumbling out. What has happened in the very recent past has acted purely as a trigger. She confirmed that this first step is absolutely the right thing to do.
Because of what I've told her of my feelings she's prescribed some meds and I'm to do a self referral for CBT.
That visit in itself has lightened my mood.
The only thing is that I've read the product information on the tablets and it's frightening the cack out of me so I'm holding back on them for now.
I've also phoned the CBT number to refer myself but on both occasions a recorded message says there's nobody available to answer my call.

What have you been prescribed ?

They`re required by law to provide that info on the tablets mate.

I assume you`re talking about the " side effects " in particular ?

Before they are deemed safe, the drugs are tested in clinical drug trials and every single side effect then has to be listed - even if it happened to one person in a thousand !!!.

All of them have can have some kind of slight side effect to start with - weird dreams, lethargy, weight gain, weight loss, lack of appetite, increased appetite etc.

However it depends on the person, as the medication reacts differently with different people.

Don`t be scared of them, they`re safe and aren`t habit forming.

 

[tommytowne]

what meds are they mate??

im sure your GP wouldn't prescribe something that would not be beneficial to you.

I was apprehensive about taking meds, and thought I would just soldier on as I was. absolutely DO NOT do this, as you will spiral in to a very dark place, very quickly like I did.

by going to the docs it shows me you must be concerned about yourself, because us men do not go to the docs for nothing . I was physically forced to go, literally frogmarched there but my parents and they sat with me making sure I actually went in.

don't be afraid of giving the medication a go, if they are not for you, then you can change them up, ive had to do this several times.

well done in going , and I hope this is where things turn round for you

Sertraline 50mg. The info leaflet is like a horror story. She said it would take about 2-3 weeks before things kicked in and would most likely cause nausea amongst other things. She reckoned I would be on these for six months with reviews every 4 weeks. When I asked about possibility of addiction she said not if coming off them is done in a controlled manner.

 

[Frang]

Sertraline 50mg. The info leaflet is like a horror story. She said it would take about 2-3 weeks before things kicked in and would most likely cause nausea amongst other things. She reckoned I would be on these for six months with reviews every 4 weeks. When I asked about possibility of addiction she said not if coming off them is done in a controlled manner.

yes that's the one.

I started off on them and got on to quite a high dose of 250mg.. they didn't work for me personally , but I know people who swear by them too.

as @COYBL25 has said, everyone reacts differently.

don't be afraid of giving them a go. you've got everything to gain and nothing to lose.

 

[tommytowne]

What have you been prescribed ?

They`re required by law to provide that info on the tablets mate.

I assume you`re talking about the " side effects " in particular ?

Before they are deemed safe, the drugs are tested in clinical drug trials and every single side effect then has to be listed - even if it happened to one person in a thousand !!!.

All of them have can have some kind of slight side effect to start with - weird dreams, lethargy, weight gain, weight loss, lack of appetite, increased appetite etc.

However it depends on the person, as the medication reacts differently with different people.

Don`t be scared of them, they`re safe and aren`t habit forming.

See my reply to BigBlue Nose.
Thanks for the encouraging words though.

 

[COYBL25]

Sertraline 50mg. The info leaflet is like a horror story. She said it would take about 2-3 weeks before things kicked in and would most likely cause nausea amongst other things. She reckoned I would be on these for six months with reviews every 4 weeks. When I asked about possibility of addiction she said not if coming off them is done in a controlled manner.

Every single leaflet reads like that. Like I said they are legally required to list every single adverse effect that`s happened to anyone - ever !

Go and have a read of the paper leaflet inside the box of Paracetamol, that will be just as scary !!!!

There`s an " adjustment " period whilst the meds realign the chemicals in your brain, this can cause nausea, feeling a bit dizzy, floaty for a very short time.

Setraline is a very very widely used anti depressant and that`s a low dose mate, almost a maintenance dose.

The fact that your GP has started you on a very low dose and will review every month says to me that she / he knows what she`s doing.

They aren`t physically addictive, but some people can become mentally reliant on them.

Don`t be frightened of them, think of them as " crutch " to help you through this bad patch.

You`re head can break, same as your leg or arm, try thinking of it like that.

 

[tommytowne]

Every single leaflet reads like that. Like I said they are legally required to list every single adverse effect that`s happened to anyone - ever !

Go and have a read of the paper leaflet inside the box of Paracetamol, that will be just as scary !!!!

There`s an " adjustment " period whilst the meds realign the chemicals in your brain, this can cause nausea, feeling a bit dizzy, floaty for a very short time.

Setraline is a very very widely used anti depressant and that`s a low dose mate, almost a maintenance dose.

The fact that your GP has started you on a very low dose and will review every month says to me that she / he knows what she`s doing.

They aren`t physically addictive, but some people can become mentally reliant on them.

Don`t be frightened of them, think of them as " crutch " to help you through this bad patch.

You`re head can break, same as your leg or arm, try thinking of it like that.

Thanks for your help on this, I really appreciate your comments.
I've made contact with our local NHS Trust regards self referral so can only wait now to see what happens.

 

[matchworks]

Well done for taking that first step. Take the meds and see how you get on.

 

[davids]

Thanks for your help on this, I really appreciate your comments.
I've made contact with our local NHS Trust regards self referral so can only wait now to see what happens.

As others have posted Zoloft as it's sometimes called is really mild,I was prescribed it for a bout of IBS and it worked a treat.I know how you feel,I had all the worries of the list of side effects and getting addicted and spending the rest of my life taking them. As @COYBL25 said,look at it like a crutch,they helped me until I had a diet change and then just slowly cut them down until they weren't needed any more.

 

[suggy]

It's been getting worse for me lately, especially since the break up of my relationship. Even then, I felt like I was putting on a fake happy persona when deep inside I was always feeling down and unhappy with my current state of life. I can barely sleep anymore and get about 2-3 hours a day and it just really makes me struggle throughout the day without energy and hard to keep any type of relationship even possible. I tried to go to the GP and they give me melatonin for sleeping and sertraline for my depression. I never felt any worse than I did in that week and I decided not to take them anymore because of that. Perhaps a mistake after reading some of your comments saying these are common side effects of the medication.

I just don't really have the energy these days to even go the GP again if I'm being honest and I'm not even sure if I can go through the physical side effects of sertraline again, it really made me feel pretty bad in that week and I did try and get through it but I just couldn't. Just thinking about it again makes me wanna avoid going back to the GP but deep inside I know I must overcome it to see the light at the end of this very dark tunnel I am currently heading down. I'm hoping there are other medications out there that can help me.

 

[Frang]

It's been getting worse for me lately, especially since the break up of my relationship. Even then, I felt like I was putting on a fake happy persona when deep inside I was always feeling down and unhappy with my current state of life. I can barely sleep anymore and get about 2-3 hours a day and it just really makes me struggle throughout the day without energy and hard to keep any type of relationship even possible. I tried to go to the GP and they give me melatonin for sleeping and sertraline for my depression. I never felt any worse than I did in that week and I decided not to take them anymore because of that. Perhaps a mistake after reading some of your comments saying these are common side effects of the medication.

I just don't really have the energy these days to even go the GP again if I'm being honest and I'm not even sure if I can go through the physical side effects of sertraline again, it really made me feel pretty bad in that week and I did try and get through it but I just couldn't. Just thinking about it again makes me wanna avoid going back to the GP but deep inside I know I must overcome it to see the light at the end of this very dark tunnel I am currently heading down. I'm hoping there are other medications out there that can help me.

there are lots of different variants of meds , ive had to try out several, and seem to have dialled in on the right ones now.

thing is, these meds take at least 4 weeks to kick in, yes, there are a few side effects, but overall you will benefit greatly, you just have to overcome the stigma of having to take them .. i think that's the biggest obstacle .. but believe me you will be much better on them.

every variant will have side effects, ive had dizzy spells and lethargy, but you learn how to cope with it, and I believe the symptoms have gotten a lot better the more ive taken them, unless I just don't notice the side effects now.

thing is, if your feeling this bad, then it cant hurt to try them. ive been there, I refused to take them to start with and it ended up getting very serious with me.

ive overcome the stigma that im having to take these meds now, and I openly talk about it to family and friends , I couldn't give a sh1te about what anyone thinks, its about me getting my head right and living a good life instead of being stuck in a horrible dark hole.

 

[Billy Dean]

The only thing is that I've read the product information on the tablets and it's frightening the cack out of me so I'm holding back on them for now.
I've also phoned the CBT number to refer myself but on both occasions a recorded message says there's nobody available to answer my call.

The horse has bolted already but after a couple of similar experiences I tend to tell doctors now I'm not going to read the label and ask them if they can tell me any adverse effects I should be wary of. If I look at the label first I simply won't take any medicine because it scares the bejesus out of me