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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:
autumnleaves15 · 23/05/2019 20:25

I was on citalopram for a while when my dad was terminally ill and I struggled to cope. I was already signed off work at the time and to begin with I felt so much worse with the side effects but they did settle after about 3 weeks.

I felt better but a but numb in general. I didn't ever feel particularly happy or sad at any time, just a sort of stable non-feeling for the time I took them.

I weaned myself off just after my dad passed away, cutting the dose and was fine. (Probably should be done with doctor advice). I was careful though in my cutting down. I eventually felt the emotions come back and felt they helped at the time but haven't needed them since.

Be mindful of your feelings and think carefully about when the time might be to stop and explore other options if your circumstances have changed.

They help if used correctly.

I hope you're feeling better soon OP!

megletthesecond · 23/05/2019 20:26

Dreadful experiences. They don't suit me.
Amytriptaline made me nauseous and sleepy. Seroxat made me attempt suicide three times one summer. Stopped over night and never touched them again.

bridgetreilly · 23/05/2019 20:27

Those saying they came off slowly, how did you do that? A lower dose or taking every other day?

Both, but most importantly, AS DIRECTED BY MY DOCTOR. She even said that if I felt I needed to go back to a higher dose for a couple of days, to do that. Which I did at one point. I was on 20mg of citalopram and took 3 months to come off it and about 5 months to feel completely stable without it.

JaneyJimplin · 23/05/2019 20:33

I'm on 100mg sertraline. They make me feel normal, which is a bigger thing than it sounds. I can just live my life. I dont feel wonderful or ecstatic, I just feel perfectly ok. This is a huge relief after feeling like life wasnt worth living for so long, and every single thing feeling like monumental struggle.

I was ok for side effects tbh. I started on 50mg and had some nausea and jaw clenching, but nothing dramatic. Increasing to 100mg gave me very occasional waves of nausea for the first few days, then I was fine. I do find i clench my jaw, particularly later on in the day for some reason.

But that's a tiny price to pay for feeling human and being able to cope.

Proseccoinamug · 23/05/2019 20:36

I’m on 200mg sertraline daily.

I did have side effects when I first started taking it but they subsided within a fortnight. I’m so glad I decided to start taking it. The difference in my mood, motivation and thinking is amazing.

LyndzB · 23/05/2019 20:41

Helped me definitely. For the first 3 weeks I did feel sick, but was worth it to feel myself again. Everyone has different experiences, and you will probably feel strange to begin with.

My misconception I had was that I thought they'd make me ecstatically happy. But they didn't, they evened me out and made me more calm, which is what I wanted.

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 21:01

Great thank you :) I feel a bit more confident hearing that they helped so many of you.

It seems to just be a case of working differently for some people and you'll only know if you give them a go, so I will.

I've taken two days worth now and the only side effect (I think) that I've noticed has been a bit of an off tummy, not sick but the other way... Blush

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock · 23/05/2019 21:28

Oh yes I forgot about the off tummy.
3 weeks of constipation. Smile
The GP advised me to take them at night, you dreams will be strange, though again only for a week's.
Do update in a few weeks, hopefully your worries will be gone, great things happen when you're not distressed.

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 23/05/2019 22:50

Mine is the opposite of constipation right now Blush

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock · 23/05/2019 23:26
Grin
Nat6999 · 23/05/2019 23:58

I got put on sertraline, it didn't suit me at all, I persisted for a month but it made me feel awful. I got changed on to Mirtazapine, it's been great, no side effects & I feel better. I've been on it a year now.

LemonTT · 24/05/2019 00:06

DP was put on a form of citalopram for depression and anxiety. It was transformative. He had a few weeks of odd side effects, twitchy, still, excitable, itchy and serious. We joked about these which would have been inconceivable before he went on them. Now he is fine, better even. He also did exercise and he refocused on his hobby (yes I am standing up for the male hobby on MN).

And, here comes the odd one our sex life improved because he changed his work life balance and wasn’t a stressed out grumpy workaholic.

It took him a few weeks and one false start to accept medication. His GP really took their time with him and got him to realise it was time to take the meds. Sooner you start the sooner you get better.

AutumnColours9 · 24/05/2019 00:37

Life changing for me. Been on them for a few years and don't want to stop. Negative voices have lessened. First couple of weeks I had massive pupils and craved chewing gum. Also nausea and headaches. Stick through that it goes away. Good luck.

catgee · 24/05/2019 00:37

I've taken citalopram previously but it didn't really work for me so I have been on lexapro (escitalopram) for about 4 years. I had every side effect on the list when I started taking it - night sweats, insomnia, constant yawning, nausea etc and for the first couple of weeks my depression and anxiety symptoms were actually heightened but once everything levelled out it has been a life-changer for me. I conceived my son whilst on 20mg and he was born with no issues (he's now a crazy 2 yr old) and I have now reduced my dosage to 10mg which is enough to keep me level.

janetforpresident · 24/05/2019 00:45

Hi I just wanted to add my experiences- I don't take the same medication but a different anti-depressant. They have been amazing, made such a difference to how I feel and how much joy I get out of life. I have taken my meds on two occasions for PND. I try to always comment on threads like this because I feel so strongly about the positive effect an anti-depressant can have. Yes there is a stigma but you have one life and if something can help you to appreciate it and enjoy it then why on earth wouldn't you take it? If you had sight problems you wouldn't refuse to wear glasses.

OP I wish you every success with your medication. Give it time- for me it took 2/3 weeks but it can take longer. It's nothing to be ashamed of.and it's not a reflection on you or the life you lead, it's a medical condition.

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 24/05/2019 08:54

Thanks all, these are all really helpful Smile

Did anyone else feel a bit like a fraud? I feel like in my day to day life, no one would know I needed this sort of help. I can still laugh with colleagues and friends, people who don't know my situation would, I think, believe I was absolutely fine.

It's only really my parents and H that know the real pain I'm going through.

OP posts:
namechange0123 · 24/05/2019 08:57

Sertraline 50 mg for more than 1 year, depression and anxiety. It worked great after 2 weeks with no side effects besides a mild weight gain.

Trying to come off now and it's awful but don't think about that yet, it's totally worth it

namechange0123 · 24/05/2019 08:58

No one is a fraud if a medical professional decided that it would be the best for you.

BertrandRussell · 24/05/2019 08:59

“Trying to come off now and it's awful but don't think about that yet, it's totally worth it”

Can I ask why you are trying to come off it?

BertrandRussell · 24/05/2019 09:00

it's not a reflection on you or the life you lead, it's a medical condition.

This a thousand times.

namechange0123 · 24/05/2019 10:02

@BertrandRussell

Because it started with PND and after 22 months from birth I feel better, but haven't lost the baby weight despite diet and exercise efforts (I have just completed the Manchester half marathon, so it's not that I don't try).

I'm convinced pills have impacted my metabolism (but this is completely subjective, plenty of people stayed the same or even lost weight, so that's not something to worry about for the OP) and I'm disgusted at myself at the mirror, so this doesn't help.
Also, I want to setup a family life insurance but basically all providers reject me for this.

HollySniffs · 24/05/2019 11:31

So is the consensus that you should expect weight gain?

HollySniffs · 24/05/2019 12:08

People may think that's a superficial concern but weight gain affects my mental health massively.

Original poster
Ohkayyy · 24/05/2019 12:25

I don't know if it's just me or whether it's just whilst the side effects are making themselves known but for the few days I've taken them, my appetite has been less/not there at all, rather than more.

It may change when I get used to them though I guess!

OP posts:
helpconfused · 24/05/2019 12:27

I'm 100mg Sertraline. I felt funny, sort of spaced out and feeling sick in the night, I was also very hot, this only lasted for 3 days. I take them before bed. They are holding me where I need to be right now, I have been on them for a year, tried to come off twice but not able to (other issues in my life)