Sertraline and any other AD's Support Thread Part 2

[PackItInNow]

Just a continuation from the original thread, which is due to finish soon. Anyone and everyone needing some kind words, and hand-holding, are more than welcome .

Sorry SI is self injury - same as self harm. I actually call it self harm if I talk about it, but SI when I type it.

I actually don't get a release from SI which is part of the battle (although the intrusive thoughts stop briefly before re-starting), I am looking for something I can't find, and yet I keep doing it. Which makes me stupid. I am working with my psychologist and CPN to develop better ways to deal with my feelings than trying to SI. When I SI I am not upset, it is not a reactive or impulsive act, it is just there all the time nagging away at me.

My psychologist explained it best to me. Nobody would choose to put their body through what I have and do put mine through, nobody would choose to spend 4 months in a psychiatric unit because of their self harm, nobody would choose the feelings of utter utter shitness that come when I do yet more damage to myself. So while yes, I choose to do it in the sense that nobody puts the razor into my hand, I am doing the vest very best I can and sometimes I feel without options and SI. All the stuff I do with the mental health team helps to get me there and trust me, I work impossibly hard to do it. Like you said about your access course - the hard things are worth doing :)

Right I need to spruce up my husband's essay!

Good morning Fluffy, just a quick bip on here before I take the rascals to school and I head off to college.

WRT the thoughts of SI, do they seem to come from nowhere or are they constantly there?

Morning, I'm still here just lurking. I'm trying to figure out and understand my depression. The mental health nurse is comin to see me tomorrow to discuss things and to maybe up my dose.

Hello all

Packitin I'm doing English with Creative Writing and I love it. I had a full day yesterday and enjoyed myself. It's so good feeling back to normal.

Hiii :) just posting to say I've been on fluoxetine for 3 months now and the side effects have eventually stopped n I feel happy as Larry :) and dare I say it..normal!! Lol :-D just keep pushing through the side effects, they do get better :-D xxxxx

Good evening ladies . Rumours, Sunny, Sammi good to see you here after a bit of time away. Anyone fancy a and a ?

Have you been on here before Sammi or are you new to the thread? I don't remember you being on this thread, but saying that I probably couldn't remember what I had for my lunch today .

evening ladies....

thanks for that sammi - that throws a life line for me. I just want to feel normal again.

i have had a few better days lately. I have started running again - i went for a run on monday and ive been again today. im about to reward myself with a radox bath in a bit....

i struggled to get up again this morning but once i did i dressed immediately, instead of slobbing about in pjs - and i drove to take something to DS at uni which is a 2 1/2 hour round trip...while there i cleaned his flat. Came home and went straight out for a run (no time to talk myself out of it)

im starting to see a glimmer of light on the horizon - i have been taking sertraline for 5 weeks but just recently on a higher dose of 100mg....im by no means feeling 100% but at least i am managing to wash and dress again.

Sunny the English with the creative writing sounds like a great opportunity to use different words to describe your moods. Maybe you could keep a diary describing what you ate, when you ate it and your moods before and after. It may uncover a pattern that may also uncover a trigger you can work with to get better.

Good evening Vicar, fancy a ?

thanks packit a would be lovely.

My SI thoughts are never ending, finding it hard to get through the days because I feel very suicidal. I have seen my CPN today and she spoke to the psychiatrist and I have been prescribed 50mg of quetiapine to take as well as the sertraline, I am a bit nervous about taking it, don't really want to but I know I should. I go up to 100mg of sertraline in 3 weeks as well.

I had lunch with my friend today which was nice, and then had a potter around town with her. I feel rubbish but I figure I may as well feel rubbish out of the house. I have another essay to tart up tonight for my husband so I will be busy :) It is reminding me of being back at uni myself and I have to say, I am so so glad I have finished!! Respect to you ladies doing it. But then part of me thinks that maybe a Masters would be fun, I must be crazy.

I am wondering if I need to step away from this thread because I have pretty severe mental health problems and I don't want to seem negative or pull people down.

sammi I am glad you are feeling better :)

sunny I have an English degree - good choice! What year are you in?

Oh vicar I have just seen your update, so so pleased things are a little brighter for you :)

Hi Packitin that's a good idea - I'm determined to get healthy this year and improve what I eat and how much I exercise.

fluffy I'm in my first year so it's the 'easy' bit :) The other students are great, they're making me feel young again.

Well you won't be pulling me down.

Please don't step away from the thread . We are here to try and help and support each other. I, for one, would miss hearing about your day and becoming more understanding about your MH problems. I'm not on this thread to judge you or let you pull me down.

Even if you did, I would have a better understanding of how you're feeling. Besides the point of this thread is a place for support for MH problems, a place to vent our frustrations about our MH problems, and to hopefully to gain an understanding about how poor MH can affect each individual

My last post was to Fluffy. Saw the forecast for tonight and the temperature is to go down to around -1 degrees. Had to put the kids hot water bottles in their bed to warm them up. Apparently N.I/UK is meant to get an Arctic cold front coming in from the north.

Why do people have conversations and either end up talking about babies, relatives, food, cars or weather, in general? Hmmm, ach well, we have to talk about summat .

Vicar, I went looking for some biccies then realised that I've eaten most of them. I guess my diet will be starting on the same day..............tomorrow .

Here vicar have .

evening all :)

just stop by to give u all a big wave & hug to anyone who needs it

pack the whole infection thing sounds horrid but glad to read you beat it hands down :) ur right about all the past stuff too & deep down I know it's true as well but somehow I still can't let off of the horrid past/memories! I think there must be a chemical in my brain that switched on & causes my brain to go into a major meltdown mode. I have been wondering whether I should donate my brain to science to help with research . I'm sure I'm barking mad!!!

fluffy vicar u both sound like ur doing great. at least u both r venturing out of the house & getting back some normality :)

fluffy I hope pack won't mind me saying this but u don't need to feel u need to step away from the thread. I dont think I've been anymore positive when posting either but it helps to put it down in writing and share. it's also good to hear helpful tips from others. on my bad days when I'm a lurker & dont feel I have anything to say I just read through what you all talk about & that on its own helps me.

all this uni talk has got me thinking I really need to go back & finish my degree (BSc Biochemistry). I did my first 2 years & stopped in my final year. I've looked into doing it with open university but don't feel I could cope with such an intense course now but at the same time think it will be good to keep my mind occupied

Pain, if you go for it, you'll be setting yourself up for a better chance of a job in the future. We can't change our pasts, but we can certainly lay down some groundwork to set ourselves up for a better future. Not only that, but I find that my mind definitely shifts, from focusing on the negatives in life, to concentrating on something that sets me up for better job prospects and I'm constantly learning new things every day .

I have gone back to my past, in a sense, and am now questioning and curious everything. That's what Science is about. To me it's about asking questions in order to improve things for all. Think of how far medical technology has come. I really don't think that it would be as advanced if someone didn't question certain aspects.

TBH, I question life in general and how some things can be improved. Sometimes I figure out some different answers and sometimes I don't, but it won't stop me thinking about it IYSWIM.

Anyway, I'm off to bed as I've an early start and need to be down at college in time for a pre-class cuppa.

Good night ladies and I will catch up with you tomorrow at some point .

Take care y'all .

good night pack and a good night to all u lovely ladies too

pack I'm definitely going to be thinking about finishing my degree seriously :)

ive not read the latest replies properly but i want to address fluffy - dont step away.

if you are going onto 100mg sertraline then ask to do it now - it has honestly made a huge difference in me - within a few days of doubling the dose i felt it. Im not out of the woods - i know that - but i am starting to see the light.

ask if you can do that now.....dont wait a few weeks. and keep posting - there is nothing you can say that will make any difference to our own lives - this is a sounding board fluffy - use it.

Morning ladies [smiles]. I'm up and ready to deal with whatever crap life decides to throw at me today. Bring it on world, I'm ready for ya!!!!!

Sorry folk, went a bit daft there .

How is everyone today? I hope you're all hanging in there. Just listening to Russell Watson's Where My Heart Will Take Me (theme tune to Enterprise). Brilliant song and very inspirational.

Right, I'm off to college now, but will be back later. Take care ladies .

Saw the lovely nurse this morning and I'm going to start 100mg of sertraline tomorrow. I'm also going to be seeing her for at least the next 6 months for therapy. I feel so tired just now, we did a lot of talking today and now I'm exhausted. Thankfully ds2 is being good day on his potty watching mr tumble, but I have to do the school run soon.

Hi Rumours, hopefully that 100mg will be all that's needed to get you going in the right direction. Sometimes we can talk for Britain and be fine, but when our moods and emotions are low, we can talk loads and be absolutely knackered after. It can take it out of us at times.

The thing is, do you feel that all the talking did you any good? In other words do you feel better for talking to the nurse?

Hi just popping in to say I'm still lurking, thanks to all you ladies that post encouragement every day it really helps, I really admire people who can post positive advice for others even when they are fighting their own battle so thank you

Hi packit yes the talking did help thanks