Can antidepressants change your life?

[MyheartgoingBoomBoomBoom]

For the better?

I have most probably spent most of my adult life cutting my nose off to spite my face by not trying antidepressants for long enough but I am petrified of side effects.

The truth is that despite struggling with anxiety, ocd, depression and a very poor mental health for most of my life, I am terrified of antidepressants.

I have terrible digestive issues which has been made worse by a bacterial overgrowth but also exacerbated by the vicious cycle of anxiety over the digestive symptoms and the actual gut symptoms. It really is a very vicious cycle.
My greatest fear would be that the antidepressants will give me diarrhoea (I have the fear of diarrhoea equivalent to Emetophobia and it is ruining my life).

Over the years I have been offered Sertraline, Citalopram, Duloxetine and just recently Escitalopram but I never take them as they all list diarrhoea as a very common side effect, this absolutely freaks me out. I appreciate this seems irrational to many but as someone who has suffered daily gut issues for 25 years it’s a real and genuine fear for me. I can just about conduct my life with my horrible symptoms, if they became any worse it would push me over the edge.

I have exhausted all non-pharmaceutical methods to reduce my anxiety and digestive symptoms (counselling, CBT, hynoptherapy, reflexology, mindfulness, yoga and literally everything recommended for IBS).

I have reached a bit of a crisis point, I need something to help. I have a lot of stress right now as I help care for my DM, she suffers from Alzheimer’s and that alone is causing me so much anguish, this disease could go on for years and it is slowly chipping away at my mental and physical health.

So can I ask if antidepressants helped you (whatever your issue was)?
Did you experience any awful side effects such as diarrhoea or nausea/vomiting (as I’ve said, these are my absolute fears).

They helped me through a rough time, yes. I didn't have diarrhoea but if I had of done I would have taken something for the diarrhoea rather than come off the anti-depressants.

I’ve gone on Sertraline for PPD and found they did help. I’ve had IBS for a number of years (just loosely follow Fodmaps now) and I haven’t experienced any so I’d say go for it. It might help you relieve the anxiety around it as well, so a win-win?

Yes, they saved my life, twice.

First after a very bad car accident involving a lorry - awful PTSD. Was given proac then an SSRI which was horrific. Saw a psychiatrist and she got me off those and gave me mirtazapine. I got my life back.

I vowed never to take an SSRI ever again but everyone is different.

Fast forward 20+ years to me suffering with peri and associated anxiety and insomnia and as I can't take hrt I was at breaking point. Was offered an SSRI and again I said no which they respected. Gave in and started mirtazapine again as that's the only thing I trust.

I'm a new woman !! I sleep, my anxiety has gone, I no longer feel down or can't be bothered. So it's again been a positive for me.

Only side effect is feeling sleepy but I time it right and don't feel groggy in the morning now.

Don't cut your nose off just because as I view it as no different from a diabetic needing insulin or an asthmatic needing an inhaler. They're not shameful so why should this be?

Hope you feel better soon.

Ive just taken my first citalopram yesterday. I've been worried about taking them. Not to the same level as you and not for the same reasons. But I hit burn-out point by trying to carry on as normal and I've decided to try them. I'm constantly worrying about something and the first week that I had them I couldn't take them as I just spent time researching and obsessing. Now that I have taken one I'm symptom watching. So far I've had a little headache that could well be unrelated. I also notices a slightly lower resting heart rate yesterday which I'm going to keep an eye on today as it seems to have gone back to normal so far.
I don't have any advice really but do understand. Could you speak to your dr about what is stopping you from taking them as they might be able to prescribe something as a back up in case that happens like the pp said.

Yes. There can be side-effects, but anxiety and depression have ‘side-effects’ too. Speak to your GP and they can go through all the options with you and you can decide which is best for you. For what it’s worth, I’ve had few side-effects over the years but the improvement in my mental health has been significant. They really did change my life.

Frosty1000 I’m in peri and it has exacerbated my issues so very much. I have tried hrt but it’s making my gut issues worse and triggering the anxiety further. I will go back to the GP and discuss my options for antidepressants.

Good luck letstryagainnow, I hope they work really well for you. I understand the checking for symptoms thing, I know I will be the same as I am naturally hyper aware of bodily sensations but I suppose I will just have to ride through that. My GP did suggest that I try micro-dosing as it may give less side effects. I should do it, I know.

Hi
I've been the same. Wouldn't take them until I couldn't stand feeling so low anymore.
Been taking sertraline for 3 years or more. Helps my anxiety.
It does however, occasionally cause me diarrhoea, bUt, not normally.
I would try it and if it causes any diarrhoea, take Imodium
Good luck op

Yes sertraline has changed my life for the better and my families too as I'm more emotionally stable.

You need to try a really good probiotic like the smart one by heights as anxiety and depression are made worse by imbalance in the gut. Highly recommend!

Thanks headcheffer sadly I can’t tolerate probiotics as I have a bacterial overgrowth in my gut and they feed off the probiotics causing more gut issues!

Hey there,
honestly antidepressants were a life saver for me. And at that point in time, it was the right thing for me to do. I had the equivalent of an upset stomach for about 3 months, and then no other significant sideffects.

But have you thought about keto? For mental health and for bacterial overgrowth.
Take a look here:

And here:

Ever been to a dietician or herbalist?

Yes, Sertraline has changed my life. At a starting dose of 50mg I felt a cloud lift and my sleep improved. Zero side effects.

I went up to 100mg which I am staying on. To be honest, I have had side effects of loose stools, occasionally pretty bad, but I have persevered and it is settling now.

Thanks. I have been low fodmap for years. Since I tested positive for the bacterial overgrowth I’ve been contemplating keto as I know it helps starve the bacteria. The problem is that I have issues with many foods including beef, chicken, dairy and eggs so it will mean being on quite a restricted keto diet and my dietician doesn’t want me to damage my ‘good’ bacteria any further.

fearfuloffluff I have and am currently under a dietician at the UCLH.

AnyFucker did you find the gut upsets were at the 100g dosage or were you also experiencing that at 50mg? Everyone I know on Sertraline have had positive effects on their mental health but has had diarrhoea - that would just about finish me off lol!

No diarrhoea at 50mg

I have / have had various antidepressants over the years, Prozac, sertraline, Amitriptalyne and citalipram. None have caused me diarrhoea/ nausea/ stomach issues, and I have IBS and have quite high doses of some of them; but all have saved my life at one point or another. Hopefully you’ll find one that will help you without the side effects.

Thanks Adarajames hopefully I’ll find the right one.

Yes. My partner is on sertraline and is a shadow of himself when not on them. They make him love life and see things in a new light. Gamechanger for him. No diarrhoea. They can make you feel more depressed and anxious for the first few weeks but this does go away

I've been on 4 different antidepressants and had no gut side effects.
They haven't changed my life ( in that all the usual stuff still happens) but they massively improve my ability to cope with life. The cloud of being overwhelmed, anxious, being unable to see the good in a day; it lifted off me, and allowed a better me to carry on with life as I wanted to.
If you tell your GP about your concerns, they can pick the best fit, and you could probably introduce it at a lower than normal dose to see if it causes any issues, before increasing up to a therapeutic dose. Even your anxiety about side effects may subside!

I've been on prozac since January for ocd and anxiety possibly caused by perimenopause. There was some nausea to start with but it settled down within say 3 weeks. Honestly I'm so much better being on it. I can cope again, handle life and generally have my zest back. It's made a hugely positive impact on me. I'd recommend trying something.

Should say, the one with most problematic side effects was citalipram which made me insanely twitchy, I just couldn’t stay still, so has to change that, the others have been fine and make my life so much better

Thanks everyone
I have made a gp appointment in 2 weeks to discuss my options.
Going to have to take something as my anxiety as been in overdrive this week and it’s making me so miserable.

I've taken sertraline twice when my anxiety was unmanageable and overwhelming.

I also have IBS exacerbated by anxiety. Including, well, shitting myself to put in plainly.

The medication was like being able to breathe deeply for the first time, sleeping soundly and my muscles relaxing the only annoying thing was to begin with my jaw clenched.

I drive a lot and when my anxiety is bad I have awful panic attacks on motorways and this just stopped.

IBS was better if anything.

Sertraline didn't change my life but it got me through some dark stages - including a time I was caring for my mum so I know how hard that can be.

Yes ... Seteraline was a miracle drug for me. I suffered with anxiety for years and resisted medication (looking back I could almost laugh ... Why did I put myself through hell for years). Tried CBT, meditation etc. Also had stomach and other niggling chronic things which have all went away now my anxiety has went away and I stopped focusing on them.

Honestly it was the best thing I ever did and I hope to be on it for life. My life feels normal now and it's amazing just to get up and go about my day like everyone else without constantly having to pep myself up to keep my anxiety under control.

If it helps I also went down a spiral thinking I'd sibo etc. It was just my anxiety