Can a gp prescribe me something other than anti d's?

[Purplerainbow2]

Trying not to drip feed or make this really long and boring, was on anti depressants for a long time on and off 10 years, due to how I was being treated by my first husband. So I'm not new to to them. Due to issues happening I couldn't control went to gp 6 months ago asking for something to help me 'cope'. He put me back on anti depressants, sertraline I think. The side effects were horrific for me, not mild. Anyway I came off them as they made me worse. Life is unbelievably stressful at the moment. I'm having major issues with ds1 with school and his own mental health and I'm getting no support with it. I'm finding every thing is getting on top of me, I feel like I have blinkers on. I can't focus on anything, can't motivate myself to do anything. My life is revolved around ds and school. He is only there part time at the moment and sometimes not there at all. So I do the school run, by the time I've got back out washing out etc it's time to walk back to get him. Then give him lunch, another chore and time to walk back to get my other dc. Then the usual evening routine. I know this isn't forever but I'm constantly in a bad mood? Everything and everyone (including dh as he is useless at the moment) is really annoying me. My family are useless and no support whatsoever. I have a great friend but she has her own health problems.

If I go back to the GPs, can they give something that isn't anti depressants?

Have you tried rhodiola? It's natural, just like St John's Wort but I find it really helps me when my anxiety is so high I get palpitations. As long as I take it every day I soon see results

Iv not heard that wibbly, is it herbal? Where do you get it from?

Iv tried everything I can find OTC.

Tricky don't beat yourself up about the exercise. My DC's are all grown up lol and don't need me and DH is off sick so is really a SAHD (to me!) at the moment so evenings are free.
But I do think AD's have an impact on weight gain.

Purple, DH does morning school
drop off & I pick up in afternoon. I do normally drive usually because I am in a rush on my way back from work. I would like to try & walk it a couple of times a week especially when the sun's out.

I know how you feel, I often feel annoyed by everyone. I get really overwhelmed by everything that needs doing in the home & for the children. I never know what to do first & end up getting upset as it all just mounts up. This is what I'm like on ad's so goodness only knows what I'd be like off them lol! I don't think they're helping though. They make me feel emotionless and slightly detached from things.
I want to try alternatives like the diet & exercise but I am just finding it hard to get started.

The propanolol might help you if you're struggling. Maybe ad's just don't suit some people.

Do you find anti d's just sort of make you feel like your flat lining? Don't get any other real emotion? I did hence why I hated being on them.

Good fats and fish oils are supposed to help with mood? Don't know if you've tried that?

Maybe baby steps with the excercise? I don't know what your work is like but can you go out at lunch time and have a walk? Since it hit lighter in the evenings, straight after dinner I take at least one dc for a scoot . Our estate is quote hilly, we chose a route depending on time or how tired I am and I make sure I keep up with him, so I'm basically power walking! Even just 10-15 minutes. Doesn't have much of an impact on the rest of the evening but does is good!

I've taken propranolol too. It's worth a go to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety. I also took fish oil supplements alongside the propranolol.

I took the propranolol regularly (2x day) during a major stressful life event and now keep some handy just in case.

Hope you find a solution and feel better soon.

Yes Purple I feel pretty emotionless on ad's, just feel irritable most of the time.

I have just started taking fish oils as I read that they can really help with depression. Not sure how much you need to take for it to have any effect though.

I like that idea of going out after tea for a bit and I think dd would love that too as she's just learning to ride her bike. Just need some decent weather now to get out!

I finish work at 1.00pm every day so don't get lunch break. My plan was to do some exercise between work & school pick up but there always seems to be something else that needs doing; food shopping, admin to catch up on, housework.
My gp told me it is important to make time for exercise but I always seems to have other stuff that needs doing and if I don't do it I end up feeling more stressed.

I know what you mean, there's always something to do!!! Maybe just set yourself 15 minutes to start? Then say to yourself 'after that I will sort the washing/clean bathroom/wtc...' So that in your head your still in control ? I don't know about you but I do faff! I'll start bathroom get side tracked and then realise an hour has gone and Iv not actually got a lot done!! Maybe make yourself a little rota? So you can see you WILL get certain jobs done between 1 and achool pick up?

Thanks Sphin, I do hope when I finally get gp they have different options.... Prob will just tell me the usual!

I've been feeling very strange this afternoon. I am sooo restless, I can't focus on anything, I've just been flicking between websites & worrying about random things.
I can't even focus on dc's & have just had tv on all afternoon paying them little attention. In fact I can't wait for them to go to bed 🙁
House is a tip which makes me feel worse but I can't find the motivation to tidy it up.

I feel very odd. I've started reducing the fluoxetine by missing every third day, been doing that for about a month. Could it be that? Does anyone else ever feel like this?

Tricky it's been a while since I came off anti d's under doctors supervision and it took months, a very slow tbibg but it was fine. When I was put on them 6 months ago and took myself off them, what I thought was slowly but wasn't compared to doctors, I felt very odd. Does the gp know your coming off? Could it be just that or is your anxiety higher than normal?

Yes GP is ok with me stopping if that's what I want. I told her the lack of sex drive was affecting my relationship and although DH is very kind and understanding, I feel I'm causing us to not be as close and I don't want that.
GP's idea of coming off was much quicker than mine. The way she said to do it I'd be off them in about a month but I know I need to go slow as been taking for so long. I haven't noticed feeling any different until today. My anxiety is very high and I feel really spaced out. So hard to tell what is drugs related and what is actually me!

Purple, how did you go about reducing them when you came off & how long did it take? I'm a bit scared now that I'm going to be dependant on them.

I get mine from Amazon. I look for the ones with the highest content and the best reviews. It's really helped. I do need to remember to take them every day though

Thanks wibbly, any particular seller?

Tricky I can't remember what does I was on but I did the miss the third day maybe 2 weeks and then I think I did 2 days on 2 days off for about 2 weeks then probably took one every 3rd day and then once a week. I too was worried about coming off them but as I wasn't particularly happy on them o figured I had nothing to lose?

I personally think (and I know many will disagree) anxiety and depression, although often go hand in hand, are 2 different things. Anti depressants sort out a chemical imbalance which causes depression.... I don't think anxiety is the same.

Perhaps you need to look at other options if your struggling with the anxiety? Perhaps what wibbly suggested? I'm going to look into that. As you know, anxiety is a vicious circle that we need to be able to break...

This is the one I am currently using and I am very happy with it nature's way

I also recommend magnesium as lots of people are deficient which can lead to anxiety and I take a high dosage of Vit D from the same place aswell

Rhodiola, magnesium and high dosage Vit D are my secret trio

Thank you Purple that's helpful. It's really nice to be able to talk with people who understand on here. None of my friends know about my anxiety problems so I feel completely alone with it usually which then makes me even more anxious! This has really helped.

Thanks wibbly. I take magnesium and vitamin d already for my back (chiro recommended) and it helps for that. I shall order some of that stuff too!

Tricky do you have one close friend or relative you could Confide in? I don't have many 'friends' as such but my best mate is great, she knows my struggles, my family don't, they aren't really interested. I find having one person who I can Confide in in RL when you just need to get out of the house and a cuppa helps. Do you have someone you trust? It helps to offload now and then. But I do understand I really do.

You never know, one of your friends may well struggle with anxiety themselves. People don't tend to talk about it, there's such a stigma attached to depression and mental health and there shouldn't be!

Iv bought some wibbly, when do you take yours? Iv read conflicting things online. Some say empty stomach first thing as it interferes with sleep, lady in health shop says it HELPs your sleep?! I don't get enough sleep so don't want to risk interfering?!