To ask for your antidepressants story's?

[anitagreen]

I suffer with OCD and anxiety but I'm wondering if my hormones are causing all of this I feel so low today and just honestly can't see a way out of this, for around two weeks before my period is due I get really bad anxiety, intrusive thoughts and irritable I really want to break this cycle but I don't know what to do, I'm so scared of dying I do not want to die at all this is all started of after I read a story about someone committing suicide and my OCD latched onto it and then I began thinking what if that happened to me?. I kept saying it won't an ignoring the thought but it's so scary and bothering me so much i honestly can't see a way out. I'm also worried to take antidepressants as I have read mixed reviews and I don't want to just go on them, but I'm wondering if I have too to help with these feelings. I'm also on waiting list for CBT but feels like that's not coming anytime soon. Sorry for the long post

Ive been on various AD's. Some were OK. Some great. And some terrible. What works for me, doesn't work for my Dad (for example) and may not work for you.

Firstly, get some headspace. Literally. Well done for writing some of your feelings down - can you start writing them down in a book?

Look for the headspace App and practice some mindfulness. If nothing else, it helps me gain some clarity when I feel it's all a bit too busy above my shoulders.

I think intrusive thoughts are "normal" in so far as we all have "what ifs" They're norma;l as long as they don't overtake your life and you want to act them out.

Have you been to see your GP?

I'm similar to you in that I can be really quite unwell prior to my period but much more stable the rest of the time. Personally I have found Citalopram helpful after years of resistance to taking meds. You just have to get through the initial few weeks (My Dr signed me off work during this phase). But I have found some therapy/counselling helpful - equally I've had a not so great experience of CBT so it would be annoying to wait so long only for it to be ineffective for you. Do you have other options such as support through work? Private therapy if you can afford it (although again I didn't really value the therapy paid for!).

Has your GP suggested a beta blocker?
That is usually what they try for anxiety disorder before anti depressant.

Do you mind me asking how old you are anitagreen?

I seemingly suffer with PMDD and after battling with it for a long time, I have been prescribed anti-depressants to take only in the second half of my luteal cycle. I've never been diagnosed with OCD or anxiety mind you, but if you feel low before your period, I can completely appreciate what you're saying.

My hormones have always been incredibly debilitating, however I could manage them by basically locking myself away for a week a month, not seeing friends, over-thinking all texts and emails that friends send me and re-reading everything 10 times so I tried to 'control' how I felt.

However after I got pregnant in 2015 and became suicidal (I had to terminate at 12 weeks as I was going to take my own life) it became unbearable every month.

I can completely appreciate your reluctance to take anti-depressants - I was exactly the same as I absolutely HATE feeling 'out of control'... if I drink, I rarely 'get drunk' and have never tried any drugs as I don't know what they'd to do me and that thought is really terrifying.

For me, I had to exhaust all other options first - that meant going to the GP and talking through all other recommendations they had before anti-depressants.

1. I tried taking evening primrose oil
2. I tried taking magnesium and zinc
3. I tried making sure I ate very healthy and didn't drink alcohol
4. I upped my exercise 2 weeks before my period was due

There was probably more, but basically, I felt I had exhausted all other options, so I was more willing to try anti-depressants as nothing else worked.

For me, Setraline has been the one that seems to work best being on / off it... I still feel 100% in control, there's no weird dream-like states and the only side affect for me, is insomnia - which isn't great, but as I'm not on them constantly, I can just about deal with.

Citalopram 10mg was not the right tablet for me at all... I felt incredibly 'woozy', even on a really low dose, also got insomnia, but felt increasingly paranoid and had the most odd jaw ache.

The Dr has suggested I try e-citalopram now - so I have that option or sticking with sertraline. I appreciate these may or may not work for you as everyone will have different side effects, however for the two I've tried - both of them DID alleviate the incredibly low feelings before my period.

@Cosmos45 I'm 25 I've never been on any medication at all, I think it's pmdd as the anxiety and OCD only occur during this time.
It is just getting a joke I feel a little bit calmer and better now but earlier and the past few days I have felt very low, I'm scared to say it but I felt depressed I usually feel fed up or bored as I'm a sahm at the moment so do have a lot of time on my hands. But I do not want to die at all, but the feelings are so intense it's like I'm being forced to make a choice to just die or something it's awful.
This usually all starts around the luteal phase of my period and then doesn't leave until a few days after the period. X

I've tried the headspace app it does work but this is another annoyance of mine it's every month I face this, two weeks of the month I'm absolutely perfect and happy outgoing etc and loving and just very calm, then it rears its ugly head again and I feel like I can't escape it.

It made me think much more about mortality after having children. Wonder if could be the same with you? You could try anti-ds but be aware sometimes coming off them can have side effects.

I think I'm at the stage where I'll try anything I've got 3 weeks to go until I can start my CBT but I'm petrified of feeling like this I'm so scared. I think I even do feel abit suicidal now which is my worst fear. I just don't know what to do anymore I really don't want to die or leave my family I really don't but I can't go through days like this x

Sertraline has been great for me. Took a while to work but definitely worth it. Good luck xx

Terrible PMT, quite extreme OCD and anxiety.

Seroxat saved my life.

Are you on any hormonal birth control? That sometimes has an effect

No nothing at all the only thing I take is 5htp at 50mg but it does nothing I've tried rescue remedy but that doesn't work either anymore x

Have you got someone you can tell when you are feeling particularly low? I tell my fiancé and just the act of telling him makes me feel a little better. Good diet, regular meals and exercise will help you too xx

Honestly, I'd look into absolutely everything else first and only then take an AD.

Reason why I say this is because my husband was on one for long-term pain after a spell of shingles and he got suicidal thoughts (a known side effect) and was just basically a shell of himself. Just stunted, uninterested. He can't remember what he taught his students during that time.
While this may all go away after a while as you get used to the AD, it's also a concern that coming off them can prove problematic.

Thankfully we figured it out in time and he came off cold-turkey after 3 weeks, but for what sounds like pmd, I wouldn't consider anything like this.

Reactive depression here. Resisted anti -d’s for years and regret leaving it so long now. Prozac brings me back up to functional it’s amazing. I’m on and off it and I’d like to come off again now but I know when I’m starting to drop back down again into the pit it’s there. I appreciate they aren’t for everyone but they definitely are for me!

I think it's more the OCD I'm not even sure anymore im just so tired of all this stress, my kids don't behave for me at all, my hormones seem so up and down its been about 3 weeks now that I've felt like this I just don't know what to do