Can anyone say anything to help me alleviate my totally fear of antidepressants - could they possibly turn my life around?

[Fairytoast]

Although I have suffered from anxiety all of my life I’ve always turned down the offer of antidepressants as I fear them greatly. Over the years I have tried (literally) all alternatives and have spent a small fortune on therapy, supplements, alternative therapies etc but very little has had a massive or long lasting impact.

I have reached a point in my life (well, if I’m honest it’s been the last 6 years - they have been hell) where I am completely and utterly consumed by this anxiety (and if I’m honest, depression too). It’s on a day to day basis and the only relief from it is sleep.

I have terrible health anxiety along side all of this which is probably my main reason for shying away from AD’s, any slight side effect sends me into a frenzy.

The other huge issue that I have is my daily gut problems (25+ years diagnosis of IBS). These digestive problems control my life. I can not emphasise enough just how controlling these gut issues are for me (mentally and physically). Again, I have tried everything available to ease this but my gut/brain connection is strong and I am starting to believe only antidepressants can break this but I am petrified they will upset my stomach even further, especially as the main side effects of AD’s appear to be diarrhoea of which I have a huge phobia over.

Can anyone help ease these fears, have you taken antidepressants and they have made you life better? I really don’t want to go into the later years of my life continuing to be consumed and controlled by my mind and body. I help care for my dm who suffers from Alzheimer’s and I need to be strong for that and atm I am not.

Please do consider it, you have tried lots of alternatives and are struggling so do what you can to hopefully help to make things easier for yourself. I would assume if in pain or had to take medication for your heart etc you would and this is no different just because it is to do with your mind. Wishing you all the best 🙂

I think you won’t know unless you try them. It’s one of those medications that have different effects on different people.

I took Prozac when I had PND and in two weeks I felt normal again.

Ive been taking them again (different SSRI) for menopause and divorce. Though the effect is less pronounced than when I had PND, I still think they help.

I have read that there is some off label use of antidepressants for IBS. The idea I think is that stress makes IBS worse.

I think the first line for IBS are the older antidepressants (Tricyciclics? TCAs) I’ve taken them once and I think they have more side effects. Second line is the newer antidepressants (SSRIs).

Perhaps Google this first and ask about this when you see your consultant.

I take mine an hour before bed. It also helped to stop my 'meno 3am insomnia'.
I've never had any zombie like feelings at all.
I guess it would be worth chatting to GP and considering is you don't get on with anything else.

I have IBS and I don't recall AD's affecting my gut at all.

I'm glad they've looked into it. Were you treated for SIBO? It's treatable with anti biotics.

Another thing I've found helps (and helped) with anxiety was breathwork or meditation. Recommend the One Deep Breath app (free version) and the women's meditation network podcasts. I still use them now to keep me levelled and up my use of them when under stress.

Iirc duolexitine is one of those anti depressants that are especially good at targeting anxiety. Do speak with your doctor about the options - and your worries.

I don't think you have anything to lose. You can always stop if they aren't for you.

I am fairly anti-medication. Not in a conspiracy theory level way, but just I don't like extra stuff to worry about, remember, putting extra stuff in my body, etc. I rarely take a paracetamol unless I'm truly ill. I was really resistant to trying ADs. I was on citalopram and fluoxetine like 20 years ago and I didn't get on with them. But it got to a place where I was desperate after a family estrangement and trauma (plus COVID).

My GP put me on a small dose of sertraline. Honestly, the world of difference it made. There were side effects - mainly just restless legs when sleeping, which was noticeable and annoying, but nothing more than that. But it really took the edge off and made me able to cope with life and sort myself out.

I stayed on them for a year or 18 months and then took myself off because I'm not a fan of taking tablets and I felt like I was ready to move forward and didn't need them long-term. That was probably about a year and a half ago now and I'm still very happy with the decision to take them and to stop when I was ready.

I also have a GI condition (an issue with my pancreas, but similar to Crohn's, symptom wise as largely affects my small bowel). ADs didn't cause me any extra GI symptoms. And actually, addressing my mental health issues and stress (anxiety is huge for my GI system), it's helped a lot with my symptoms. Sounds wanky, but sound healing and breathwork have also helped hugely. You're right about the brain-gut connection and the vagal nerve. My GI issues will be lifelong, so they aren't going anywhere unfortunately, but improving my mental health has only had a positive impact.

I’m not resistant to antidepressants, I’m petrified of the potential side effects due to my long standing physical symptoms and health anxiety.
My digestive system upsets me every day and I can only just about function with my day to day life as it currently is, I’m scared they will upset my stomach further more and then I can’t work/won’t get paid.
It’s a vicious cycle of worry/symptoms which I know I need to break and feel antidepressants are probably my last hope with this but I can’t help it, I’m scared to take them.

I do believe this is my problem, I really want to be able to get a grip of the anxiety in the hope it will help settle my gut issues and then I can work on my diet (I am already under a NHS dietician). I have currently buggered up my microbiome from years of restrictive eating.

Thank you rainbowsparkle28

Isheabastard I did try a TCA (Nortriptyline) for the IBS bit like you, I had too many side effects. I think I need to try a SSRI.

NotMarriedToAHouse that’s reassuring. Tbh, I am at a point now that I wouldn’t care if the AD’s didn’t actually ease the IBS as long as they helped me to not actually care or worry so much about the symptoms!

StBrides I was given Rifaximin for the SIBO but they made me very unwell so was advised to stop them. I practice meditation every day with the Calm app. I’ve booked to see the GP next week so will ask her about my medication options.

mindutopia thank you, good to hear they didn’t upset your stomach.

So many strong drugs have side effects that wear off after a few weeks. It's easy to give up because you think they will persist.

My niece was started on a dose so low they made no difference to her anxiety/OCD. However when they upped the dose a month later they kicked in straight away and she is transformed.
In hindsight it seems the GP knew what they were doing and the low dose helped her body get used to the drug and she had none of the usual side effects.

But this is just your anxiety talking, and that's the thing you need to treat.

I've been on ADs myself in the past (mirtazapine) and the side effects really aren't that bad. I was very tired for a few days after I started, and over time it did cause some weight gain (which came off after I stopped - this particular AD is known for that). That's it.

Overall it was a very positive experience because it pulled me out of an awful hole and helped me to feel like myself again.

Citalopram for anxiety literally changed my life. Took two weeks to kick in, then I had one manic day (our house got sooooo clean!) and thereafter they just took enough of the sharp edge off the worst things that I was able to face up to and deal calmly with a few things that were problematic in my life.

Came off them for a while, went back on them when I needed to. GP very supportive.

Catastrophizing is a symptom of anxiety. IOW, your excessive, disproportionate worrying is a symptom of your disease and needs to be treated.

My "head meds," as I call them, have changed my life completely. Side effects are minimal; just understand that, like all medications, the exact type and dose might need to be adjusted at first until you and your GP are satisfied.

I have never had any GI side effects, and I've been on an SSRI and an SSNI since 2008.

If you had a heart problem, you would take meds for it. You have a brain problem. Take the meds for it.

Following as I have the same issue. It’s terrifying and debilitating and I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

Fellow sertraline Queen here, hi!

@Fairytoast great username ❤ I've been on antidepressants for over 20 years, when I'm on them I'm much happier and calmer, much more rational with my anxiety, I take 200mg every morning so it doesn't affect my sleep pattern and whilst im on them my mood is much better.
Anxiety will cause depression, its a snowball effect and depression is the outcome ime, however, the anxiety around ADs stops people for accessing them. I've tried about 8 different kinds now and sertraline works for me, I had a few others along side it over the years but just on the sertraline now and I'm doing so much better for them!
Also had the least effects with sertraline and most of the anxiety lifted almost instantly.
I'm sure you've thought to yourself things such as, "I'd take a painkiller if my leg was broken", but that aside, I think this to myself, "why would I limit my own quality of life?" And I can't even answer it. So I don't.

Treat yourself, your mental health with more kindness than you do, a bit more each day, say something nice about yourself, have a longer 2 mins soak in the bath, remind yourself how strong you are looking after your DM and remind yourself you deserve a life without anxiety that cripples you, see if that helps you make the journey to ADs any easier, recognition you deserve to be happier 💐

I took full dose citalopram for a bit and never had diarrhoea.

I went through 6 antidepressants before finding one that suited me for various reasons but none of them ever gave me an upset stomach. If you don't get on with them, you just stop taking them.

I take citalopram too, I did feel a little nauseous at first but no diarrhea or sickness at all.
I previously tried escitalopram which wasn’t good for me, within a week of cutting it down a I was back to normal. So if it does have side effects, you can gradually come off over a few days. and no lasting effect.

Thank you everyone, even though the thought of AD’s leave me feeling so anxious I will discuss them with my GP on Monday.
I need to do something, I just can not carry on living like I currently am and nothing else that I am trying is helping sadly.

My dd had gut issues through anxiety.

We removed the stresses = school, she was in sixth form

The stomach pains have now on the whole stopped.

She is also on sertraline and it's made a massive difference. She is working

Part time Doing her hobbies again smiling. Communicates.

She is also ASD.

Oh and side effects have been minimal.

She eats with them and is better if she takes
Morning because of sleep pattern but if she skips a day occasionally nothing terrible happens.

That’s good to know HeBeaverandSheBeaver thank you. I hope your dd continues to do well.

Taking Sertraline has totally changed my moods for the better. I did get loose stools but asked Dr to prescribe me loperamide too and it did the trick for the first two weeks while I was settling into them!

I live off Imodium anyhow due to my IBS so always have those in. I am really hoping they don’t exacerbate my gut issues though but I suppose I will never know unless I try them.

Yes sertraline has changed my life (panic disorder). I've been on it 2.5 years now and no plans to stop as long as it keeps working. It's amazing and I don't know why I resisted it for so long. Weaning on was difficult for me but doesn't seem to be that bad for everyone and was worth it!