To not want anti-depressants (Have you ever been on them?)

[R2221]

I'm really struggling with mental health issues. Had 1 round of CBT, it helped a bit, but I'm back to square one. My problems are mainly around rumination, anxiety and excessive worry.
At a previous appointment a couple of months ago, my GP suggested I go on low level anti-depressants. A close friend of mine was on anti-depressants for a while. They made her very sleepy and she put on a lot of weight. Putting on weight makes me very anxious as I have traumatic experiences of bullying around my weight. ( I was over- weight, but later I turned to exercise and healthy diet. I'm in healthy BMI range now). Also, I have to get up on time to do the school run !

Please can I ask for your experiences in taking anti-anxiety/anti-depressants? Did they help you recover? Did you eventually become your normal self? How did you feel while you were taking them?

Any advice is gratefully received! Thank you.

I’ve been on citalopram on and off for nearly 20 years. I feel so much better on it, more like myself.

I find that when I’ve changed doses, including when I’ve stopped or restarted, I have a 2 week emotional rollercoaster and then everything settles again.

I took citalopram for a year for anxiety. I lost wight as it killed my appetite totally. I also felt worse before I felt better, but it was very short lived. Some life changes and I was able to come off them.

They helped me to function.

I took Citalopram at a low dose for a year and it really helped. When I felt ready to come off them, I stopped every 4th, then every 3rd pill then cut them in half. It was no problem at all. I'm a teacher who gets up early and has a busy & stressful job. I was fine.

If you need it, take it. Nobody bats an eyelid any more. If you broke your leg and used crutches, people would be sympathetic. This is just the mental health equivalent. I hope you go for it and start to feel better very soon

Another one on citalopram.

You wouldn’t say no to a cast for a broken leg why on earth would you refuse medication for a “broken” brain?

I need anti-depressants perhaps every 3-5 years or so for six months. They pull me out of completely crumbling. The older I get the better I am at recognising when I need them.

It’s medication your brain needs to get better. Do not for a second hesitate in getting better.

Thanks all. Very reassuring.
I'll talk to my GP again.
@Dee1975 What was yours? I'll ask my GP for it :)

Sertraline has been a life changer. I was an anxious mess before taking it.

Citalopram changed my life and gave me myself back. No weight gain or side effects other than low libido which I think is common. Sleep like a log tho.

Mirtazapine causes weight gain & sleepiness. SSRI's (Citslopram, Sertraline, Prozac) do not.

I was on sertraline. I was on it twice (stopped for a pregnancy). Both times I had side effects for a few days. Dodgy tummy and felt really spaced. But only for a few days. Would start taking it before the weekend / when you have a few days off work. I’m not on it anymore- but I do miss it! I was more positive about stuff. It doesn’t make you ‘happy’ all the time or anything. You just return to ‘normal’ peaks and troughs with mood. Rather than swinging from one extreme to another. And I was less stressed about stuff.
You have nothing to lose by trying :-)

I've tried just about every SSRI til I found one which worked (and saved my life). None of them made me gain weight.

Put it like this: which is likely to be more damaging long term, the ongoing mental illness, or the potential you may gain some weight?

If you can live with the mental illness and find coping mechanisms, then don't try medication. If you can't, then you need to either explore other options (different types of therapy - CBT isn't for everyone or all conditions) or accept that there are some medications which may make you gain weight (and speak to your doctor about avoiding that).

I should add, I'm now on citalopram and it really helps with intrusive thoughts, worry etc, but that CBT didn't do much for me even though it's supposed to be good for that kind of issue!

Felt dreadful for the first two weeks on sertraline. Started at 8 stone six, still eight stone six four months later. Feel a lot better.

Citralopran is ace...i understand why people are reluctant but i think that's to do with stigma....luckily people are more open about it now.

I took fluoxetine for severe PMS. It did make me very tired at the end of the day and I lost a ridiculously amount of weight very quickly, mainly because I was too exhausted to eat dinner. That being said, if there was no other alternative I would not hesitate to take it again as it did really help.

50mg sertraline is my daily brain multivitamin. Absolute life saver. Was so stressed and anxious beforehand and now I'm just... chilled. All the time. It is marvellous. No longer get the Sunday blues before work, no more sick belly from nerves and the voices that ruminated in my mind have fucked off.

I put off antidepressants for 10 years. I went on sertraline a year ago and honestly - it's saved my life.