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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask your experiences of anti depressants?

93 replies

Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 08:36

I've been prescribed Sertraline by my GP and I'm a bit sceptical having never taken anything like this before.

Can anyone here who's taken this type of medication before tell me if you found it helpful? Did it work, did you feel better etc?

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock · 23/05/2019 11:21

I started steraline in February. I find them really good, I was on flouxentune for years.
I have pmdd, I had my period today, I was shocked as I was slightly hot headed but not bad at all in comparison to other months, each month has improved since February.
I had a very dry mouth and headache for a few weeks, but again the mood change outweighs these side effects.
The only thing I found as a negative but again it is improving already is the increased appetite, I assume I had a high metabolism, was naturally slim.
I have always weight between 7 and 8 stone, I have a takeaway once a month but I found myself having dinner, then ordering a takeaway in work, scoffing lumps of cheese, chocolate, fizzy drinks, I put on over a stone in 8 weeks.
I started jogging again 6 days ago and clean eating, it is falling off me.
Stock up on healthy snacks, batch cook, stay away from fast food, use your new energy to move rather than scoff, you should be ok.

EmeraldShamrock · 23/05/2019 11:22

I take it at night. I had crazy dreams to begin with but again it has passed.

differentkindofpenguin · 23/05/2019 11:52

Keep an open mind and give them a chance. As others have said, they take a few weeks to start working, also if one doesn't work it's well worth trying another- there is no magic pill for everyone sadly! My friend swears by fluoxetine for instance, it just makes me feel incredibly sick and kills my appetite!
Antidepressants are a part of my life now, I have come off several times, but depression takes hold after a while so im resolved to being on them for life.
They help me keep my head above water so I can get out of bed and wash. I still need to go to counseling, exercise and look after myself. But I can definitely say they saved my life !

SupaNintendoChalmers · 23/05/2019 11:57

I found antidepressants very helpful at the time when I took them, except they made me extremely tired and lethargic to the point I lost a job at the time because I simply was too tired to get out of bed. But the antidepressants meant I didn't really mind losing my job, everything just seems manageable, but things that you should actually be upset and concerned about kind of seemed unimportant for me. Made everything grey.
When I went off them though, my depression was still gone but energy etc returned.
Everyone has different side effects, i was even on a really low dosage.
It's always worth trying and making sure you allow it the time it needs to balance out and start working initially.

LongingToBeByTheSea · 23/05/2019 12:33

I just started taking Sertraline a week ago OP. The first few days I felt a bit 'spacey' and nauseous but it's gone already.
I haven't taken anti depressants before either and was actually quite resistant to the idea as like a previous poster, I just have too much on my plate. I can't change my situation so the Dr felt I just needed something to help me get through for a while before I burnt out completely.
Interesting to read other people's experiences so thank you for posting OP Thanks

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 12:43

Thanks again, it helps hearing from others who are in similar situations.

I feel slightly reluctant too, I guess I just never expected to need them. I feel a bit sad that it's got to the point where I do. But I know it's nothing to be ashamed of.

The anxiety and I guess depression, has a very obvious trigger in my case which has been my miscarriages. I'm hoping the more I work on that with the hospital, the better I'll feel as well in conjunction with the ADs.

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock · 23/05/2019 12:51

There is so much shame and stigma to antidepressants it is awful. They are a life saver to me.
If the GP thinks they might be good for you, don't feel reluctant.
If it was medicine for blood pressure, it wouldn't need a second thought.
I don't sweat the small stuff.
Give them more than 3 weeks, I hope you feel yourself soon. Flowers

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 13:37

Thank you Flowers

OP posts:
Baddabingbaddaboom · 23/05/2019 13:48

I'm currently weaning off sertraline. I was on 100mg due to depression. To start with it felt like my brain was going to explode with pressure but after a couple of weeks that didn't happen anymore and I started feeling better. They allowed me to cope through a very difficult time and deal with the cause of my depression without taking away my life. Weaning off isn't as hard as I thought, a few bad days and some headaches (and feeling like my brain will implode!) but for me it hasn't been as bad as I was told. I really hope they help you x

SerenDippitty · 23/05/2019 13:55

I have been on citalopram for anxiety and found it extremely helpful. It can’t do anything about the source of my anxiety but has got me more into the frame of thinking “it hasn’t happened, it may not happen, if it does happen I will cope”.

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 13:58

it hasn’t happened, it may not happen, if it does happen I will cope

This is exactly what I need help with.

I go off as if something has definitely happened or is fact even when it hasn't/isn't.

I just can't accept that anything good could possibly happen to me so expect bad news constantly.

OP posts:
MaMisled · 23/05/2019 14:11

I took them for disabling OCD when I had 3 DC under 4yrs. I was on them for 8 years in all and honestly dread to think how life would have been without them!

TheNewSchmoo · 23/05/2019 14:12

I've recently been prescribed these for anxiety. Took 50mg for a month and just stepped up to 100.
I take them at night and am fortunate that the only side effects have been indigestion and weird dreams for first few weeks. Completely gone now.
I really, really didn't want to give in (as I saw it, incorrectly, in my head) and take them. Turned out to be the best thing I've done. I feel like me again, I'm having fun, I'm not driving myself crazy worrying about every little thing, and I don't physically feel any different, just a lot more positive and confident in myself.

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 17:02

Thanks I think I'm going to start taking them at night before bed.

OP posts:
DuffBeer · 23/05/2019 17:47

I tried it when suffering with intense panic attacks. Unfortunately it just exacerbated the problem which I just couldn't cope with, so I came off them.

Wingingit9212 · 23/05/2019 18:00

I find they really help. If I ever forget to take them (bad, but I have a brain line a sieve) I can really tell. Need to get my dose upped though x

vampirethriller · 23/05/2019 19:52

I would be dead without them. I should have taken them years before I did. I've been on sertraline for 6months and no side effects at all but before I was on trazodone and that was good, but made me sleep very deeply.

Gth1234 · 23/05/2019 19:57

I take a tiny dose of mirtazapine. I struggle to sleep without it. I could stop easily, but I sleep better with it. It's a tiny dose, half a 15mg tablet a day. Not sure of the strength of some of the drugs mentioned but 30 -50mg must sedate you quite heavily.

BettyCrockaShit · 23/05/2019 19:58

I was on it for around 18 months/2 years following a hard time managing OCD. It helped in the sense that it took the 'edge' off my anxiety and reduced my feeling of need re. compulsive behaviour. (I should say this is probably also attributable to a long stint in CBT.)

While it was beneficial in helping manage these behaviours, I did find I lost my 'spark', which was noted by a number of close friends and family. Everything just felt a lot duller than it did before and my positive emotional responses felt a lot more muted.

This is just my experience, though. Hope you get on well with the Sertraline - if not, always go back and pester the docs for an alternative.

Itellpeopletogoogleit · 23/05/2019 20:00

I take sertraline and it's been bloody brilliant

RainbowMum11 · 23/05/2019 20:01

It can take a few weeks for them to take effect & there can be side effects which are worse in the first few weeks so you need to persevere.
I don't want to sound dramatic but I wouldn't be here without ADs.

icannotremember · 23/05/2019 20:02

I take mine at night. I took them in the morning the first few days and that was a terrible mistake! But years ago when I was on fluoxetine mornings were better. Its trial and error really, you just have to find what works for you and try to get through the first difficult days.

Mammylamb · 23/05/2019 20:05

It’s made a massive difference to me.

But, I warn you, the first few days I found dreadful: nausea, insomnia and worse anxiety.

But, after a couple of weeks I was much better

Lwg87 · 23/05/2019 20:10

I started it at 20 weeks pregnant with my second child. It’s been brilliant. Stick with it and wait for the cloud to lift

Cryalot2 · 23/05/2019 20:19

I think my dh takes this and something else.
It has made a big change , not just for him but for the rest of us.
It is just a medication he needs that works .