PND just been diagnosed Sertraline, anyone else?

[pollyparis]

I have a three and a half month baby who is gorgeous but have become increasingly anxious depressed through lack of sleep ( when I'm not sleeping and everyone else is I am manically cleaning or doing chores) and was finally given some sertraline to help me cope yesterday - feel bit of a failure for not getting through without falling in to this rut, is anyone else in this position? Am panicking its going to make me worse and I'll zone in to cardboard cut out mode hmm Is anyone else on this drug and how is it going?

Polly

I had to reply to this as it rang bells... ive had post natal depression with both my kids and been on various depressants the last one i was on was sertraline. for me it worked just as well as the others i had taken, it really depends on the person and what gram your taking i ended up going to the highest dose possible, i came off it myself which i shudnt of done really as i should of slowly reduced my intake but i dont like being on pills as like yourself you feel like a failure but also you get stereotyped and put into a catergory... but like i said it really depends on how your body reacts to it we are different...xxx

Hiya,

I started on sertraline about 6 months ago, I had 3 children then and was very anxious.

It really, really helped. Don't feel like a failure, mental ailments need treating just the same as physical ones, you wouldn't feel bad accepting paikillers for a crippling painful back would you? :)

The first week taking it I was knackered and I had a funny side effect, I kept gagging!

Bt after a few weeks i felt so much better :)

I hope you do too x

Feeling a failure is part of the PND, you aren't but it is hard to be objective right now.

Sertraline was a wonder drug for me (Citalopram was a nightmare). I started feeling better very quickly, had no side effects and came off it with no problems at all. It was nothing short of marvelous for me especially as my other drug experiences put me off (I have lots of therapy too which helps - I think the combination of the two is really the winner).

It is very personal what will work for you, so fingers crossed Sertraline will be a good fit... if not (bad side effects, no change after a decent period of time etc.) don't give up but go back to your GP and insist you try something else. Don't be fobbed off either and see a different doc if necessary...

You will feel better soon, the main thing is is that you are addressing it, the most important step of all.

Can I please second everything Lucy101 says.

Sertraline was a god send for me, CBT helped sort the wider issues and give me coping mechanisms and I had no problem coming off them.

The trick is not to rush off the tablets. I believe the recommendation is 9 months and like I said, get some therapy too as it will be invaluable.

I didn't regress and didn't experience PND with second child. I hope you are as lucky, but if you have any doubts about their effectiveness please go and see your GP again. There is no stigma in being on antid's, they are medication to treat a condition the same as any other medicine. You have done fantastically well to recognise you needed help and brave to ask for it. Things don't get better overnight but you will start to feel better very soon.

I took this for PND, it is marvellous stuff. It really, really helped me - I could sleep, I could think.

I was on it for a year in total, the 3 months at the end was spent gradually lowering the dose I was taking.

Please don't feel like a failure, it took me 3 days to work up the courage to actually start taking the tablets but I am so glad that I did.

Thanks so much, you have all really helped.So good to hear positive experiences, I'm on day three slightly dazed, constipated (hey small price) and crossing my fingers! We're off to go and get baby her next lot of immunisations and I already feel like I for once won't be walking in blubbing. Tho its scary taking it it's got to be better than how I was, and its bloody brilliant to hear all your successful stories,Thank you, made my day much better x

glad pollyparis keep your chin up it will get better and when ever you feel down cos u will get those days come back on here and speak to us lot dont ever feel alone xxxxxxxxxx

pollyparis - just to say I'm proud of you, you're doing the best thing for you and your baby by taking the tablets. My son was four months last week and I've been on the pills for PND for two months and feel soooooo much better. I do still get some down days, but I never feel like I can't cope. I wish you all the best x

A message of warning. I had PND over the summer, massive sleeplessness, I took sertraline one night (my first tablet) and was UP ALL NIGHT! I felt like I was totally wired. Apparently your meant to take them first thing in the morning.

I was so freaked out I didnt take anything after that, and luckily symptoms gradually got better.

Good Luck x

I have recently started taking Setraline - been on them for 2 weeks now. I am on 50mg - let me know how you are getting on will you? x

Ps I have felt nothing as of yet - no side effects or positive effects either, but my councilor who I am also seeing says that I should allow about 1 month to start seeing an improvement