To try an anti depressant

[inkworks273]

I’ve been feeling terrible for months now. I’m exhausted all the time. Sleep doesn’t help. I wake up, I have a headache and feel like I haven’t slept.

My full body hurts. My muscles burn. Just going a walk with my son is exhausting. As is getting dressed, getting him dressed, going to the shop. Everything feels like a mammoth task and it’s just easier to stay in our pyjamas all day.

The worst thing is the brain fog. I feel like I’m thinking with the light turned out in my brain. I have no mental clarity. My memory is awful. Everything is fuzzy. I get flustered easily.

I’ve had loads of blood tests. Thyroid, b12, iron, folate, blood sugar etc and everything is normal.

My doctor wants me to try an anti depressant for a month to see if it helps. My husband thinks I’m just being palmed off.

Our son is 18 months and the plan has always been to try for another baby which I’m guessing I can’t do if I’m on anti depressants? On the other hand I feel so bad, I don’t know if I could cope with being pregnant anyway.

Wwyd? Any advice/experience would be greatly appreciated.

I have fibromyalgia and your symptoms sound exactly like that! Amatryptaline is an antidepressant that is regularly used for fibromyalgia.

@wewillmeetagain Thanks for the reply. Fibro hasn't been mentioned by my doctor but I agree I do have some of the symptoms. I don't seem to have any of the pressure points though so not sure if that rules it out?

The anti depressant he's prescribed is sertraline.

I've been on antidepressants for years (currently Mirtazapine). I've found they really help, but I would say it could take longer than a month to really know that they're working for you.

I also take sertraline but for depression. It's very good in my opinion. Maybe give it a try and see how you get on?

Sertraline is okay if you get pregnant on it. And it’s fine for breastfeeding I’d say go for it. Worth a trial. Some people have more somatic symptoms of depression.

Have you looked at chronic fatigue syndrome? Your symptoms are exactly the same as mine and When I read up on it it was a lightbulb moment!

Thanks ladies. I think you're right that's it's worth a try and it's good to know pregnancy is still a possibility.

@kerosene20 I have heard of cfs and it's definitely a possibility. I just feel like that's the diagnosis doctors give you when they can't find anything else wrong.

@inkworks273

Thanks ladies. I think you're right that's it's worth a try and it's good to know pregnancy is still a possibility.

@kerosene20 I have heard of cfs and it's definitely a possibility. I just feel like that's the diagnosis doctors give you when they can't find anything else wrong.

That may be the case but it’s a very real illness and needs to be managed as quickly as you can really. Mine started after my last pregnancy.

@kerosene20 How have you been managing it? Have any drugs helped?

Hi op very similar symptoms to you - unrefreshing sleep is horrible.

I've been on citolapram for two years - symptom free no side effects - gotta be worth a go op best of luck

What supplements do you take OP? Right now, are you taking a high dose vitamin D? Something like 3,000iu?
I have heard that GPs take blood tests but the threshold is low. They say OK.

@Warsawa31 So the anti depressant did help with your symptoms then?

@DianaT1969 My vitamin d level was 50 nmol. I did some research and found that was quite low (doctors normal range is 30-70). I've been taking 10,000 iu D3 as well as some k2 and magnesium.

I also take a b complex and extra folate.

It would depend whit antidepressant you were on as to whether you could ttc. But don't make assumptions or random guesses. Why not just Google it?, I take antidepressants and tbh I find it offensive that people make random guesses about them.Also should you be ttc while feeling like shit?

@Plussizejumpsuit Aren't you a delight.

No I probably shouldn't be ttc at the moment which I did mention in my op. It's just upsetting because I always thought I would be pregnant with no 2 by now and I feel like I'm running out of time.

Yes, I can and have googled it but I was just hoping to get some advice from real women with real experiences.

Seems like you're just trying to be offended.

Yea the Anti's helped me immensely - but my main issue was depression and anxiety to be fair - lack of energy unrefreshing sleep were all symptoms of it - takes a few weeks and be prepared to
Feel a bit out of it for a while but it will settle

Just on the subject of ADs and TTC, I was on Sertraline whilst TTC and asked the GP. He said it was fine and I didn't need to stop taking it.

Didn't seem to prevent or delay pregnancy at all, got pregnant fairly quickly and pregnancy was fine.

@Warsawa31 Yeah I'm just not sure if depression is causing the symptoms of if the symptoms are causing depression. I think it's worth trying it to at least rule it out.

@PositivelyPositiveAboutNothing That's great to know thank you. Obviously I'd speak to my doctor before ttc anyway but that's really helpful.

[quote inkworks273]@Plussizejumpsuit Aren't you a delight.

No I probably shouldn't be ttc at the moment which I did mention in my op. It's just upsetting because I always thought I would be pregnant with no 2 by now and I feel like I'm running out of time.

Yes, I can and have googled it but I was just hoping to get some advice from real women with real experiences.

Seems like you're just trying to be offended.[/quote]
What cos I'm telling like it is? It's a fair enough state to say you shouldn't make assumptions when you know nothing about something. Also when a quick Google would address the issue its abit fucking much.

Yeah I'm jsut fucking looking for shit to be offended about? Why they fuck would I do that? Seems like you're looking for something yo get pissy about when someone challenges you slightly

But yeah you carry on chatting inaccurate crap about antidepressants adding to the stigma. Gold start to you and I'm the delight?!

Have you had covid? Could this be long covid.

Also I think this year is very difficult. I'm exhausted all the time and very lethargic, sore stiff body etc. Im putting it down to the current situation and prelonged stress.

@Plussizejumpsuit

"Our son is 18 months and the plan has always been to try for another baby which I’m guessing I can’t do if I’m on anti depressants?"

I could see where you were coming from if I had stated it as a fact but I was asking a question. Isn't that how we learn? You could have easily taken it as an opportunity to educate me on the subject but instead you decided to be rude.

I thought this website was for getting advice, and supporting each other. There was absolutely nothing wrong with me coming here and asking a question.

You also seem to be the only person I have offended.

@Crakeandoryx It does sound like long covid but I haven't had it as far as I'm aware. No fever, cough or loss of taste/smell. Not even so much as a cold.

I think you're right about this year exacerbating symptoms. It's hard not being able to see people or do things which might help take your mind off it all.

With CFS It’s all about pacing and basically changing the way you live unfortunately. I take painkillers and recently started an anti depressant but not due to physical symptoms. I would feel palmed off if a dr thought it would solve anything physically
.

Sorry you're feeling like this OP.

Did your blood tests include hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, FSH)? I'm sure you don't want to think about it if you're ttc, but the exhaustion, brain fog and aches and pains can be symptoms of perimenopause even if periods are still regular and you don't have any of the "classic" hot flushes. (Knackerdness and brain fog were the main ones for me!). I just mention because you think you could be "running out of time" suggesting you're in your mid thirties (? Just guessing... Sorry if not!) and it is possible for peri to start around then, though on the early side. Not impossible to have another child, obviously, but if this is the issue it may be worth flagging with your GP.

I would say it's worth a try OP. I have used antidepressants and found them helpful. The one you've been prescribed is safe in pregnancy too.

There's absolutely no need to be so rude @Plussizejumpsuit, OP is asking a perfectly valid question on a discussion forum.

@NotAnActualSheep I don't think any of that was tested so thanks for pointing it out. I'm 34 so I'll definitely ask the question.