I have a question to anyone on antidepressants?

[WheredidIputmymarbles]

What would you say to someone who needs them but is absolutely petrified to take them for fear that the side effects will make their already shit life worse than it is?

I have tried everything, literally everything to help with this vicious cycle of anxiety/depression/IBS/exhaustion etc but nothing helps.

I would like to hope that antidepressants would/could help even if it’s just a little bit but every time I pluck up the courage I will look at reviews (I know I shouldn’t be I am drawn to them) and see statements like, ‘they gave me terrible nausea and diarrhoea’, I retreat back into myself.

I have awful IBS and health anxiety and the overwhelming angst over the possibility of taking something which could make me worse just stops me every single time but the truth is that I am only living a half life so it’s all crap anyhow.

I have so many responsibilities and shit going on but I trudge through the day in my own weird opaque bubble not really living at all (pretending too) but secretly napping when I can and wishing for the day to end so it becomes dark and I can sleep and block the world out. I would sleep 20 hours a day if I could.

I don’t want to live the rest of my life like that (and certainly don’t want to bring my family down with it either), but I hate my bloody brain so much for shoving extra fear in the way over a medication which may help me.

Has an antidepressant helped you? We’re you fearful? Did they give you bad side effects? I could handle them not helping but the side effects I can not deal with!

rainbowninja Sadly, I have had my fingers burnt when it comes the functional medicine route. I wasted £200 earlier this year, I had consulted with a lady who claimed to have experience treating anxiety, gut disorders and Perimenopause but I felt she conned me, which sent me further into depression. I couldn’t afford to see a functional practitioner now, I have contacted several and their fees are out of my reach.

Really sorry to hear that @WheredidIputmymarbles I had a similar sort of experience with a naturopath so I understand where you are coming from. I found the functional route a bit more precise, they recommended dietary change but also did a stool analysis so there was a bit more information to go on so to speak!

Rainbowninja I was so very much hoping to find someone like that, I should have looked into it a bit further before jumping in feet first, I suppose.

After putting it off for years (had counselling/cbt) I started Citalopram 10mg just over a month ago. The first couple of days I felt more anxious, but that quickly settled and I have no side effects. My mind feels clearer, and I am no longer crying everyday! My only regret is that I didn't start them 10 years ago! Good luck op.

I think the main thing for me was not to think too much about side effects. A lot of the side effects seem to overlap with anxiety symptoms anyway. I just decided not to think about it and cracked on, because something had to change.

It was about 4 years ago now and it's 2 years since I gave them up. I literally can't remember what side effects I had at the time, but I do remember exactly the moment I first enjoyed something again.

I was terrified of side effects but the high level anxiety and depression made me go for it, I took fluoxetine for 2 years then stopped to have my 2nd child, not long after she was born I restarted fluoxetine after a few years tho they stopped being effective and I’m now in duloxetine, given my high health anxiety I’m surprised at how little side effects I actually had, I felt quite sleepy and a little spaced out in the beginning but I have been on them for 16 years and I can’t see a time when I won’t take them. They just calm me right down and helped me through the death of my dad and a miscarriage in the same year. I realise
hou won’t want to hear the length of time I have been on them but I can honestly say I could not function without them. Please give them a try and if you can have some support for the first few weeks so you can rest if you need to. Good luck

Sure, Daparox.

@WheredidIputmymarbles I guess that’s the joy of hindsight, I wasted a lot more money than you if it makes you feel any better 🙈 did your person do any testing or was it just dietary advice?