I don't want to take the meds.can I do this without them?

[Privateandconfidentialplease]

I have read some of the posts on here and the leaflet contained within the sertraline tablets. I wasn't keen on taking them anyway but I have been trying to deal with my increasing anxiety and depression for a year or so and I am not doing very well.
But the side affects really worry me. I know lots of people just get common side affects but even those worry me, let alone the rare ones. I hate taking anything, especially things that will make me feel ill or interfere with my periods. Yeah, I guess that is what is worrying me. That and putting on weight. I am feeling miserable about my weight anyway so I don't want to make it worse.
I am just scared of how this would affect me. Maybe I will have another go at dealing with this myself. The doctor has put me on the list for cognitive behavioural therapy so maybe that will help. I only saw the doctor today as I just couldn't go before now. I reached my limit last Friday so had to ask for help finally.
Does anyone know whether cognitive behavioural therapy is good? I don't know anything about it.
Did anyone put on weight with sertraline? And did it give you irregular, painful periods? or any other side affects aside from sickness or tiredness?
Thank you, I don't have anyone in RL that I feel i can confide in. I keep swinging from wanting to manage myself, to taking the meds if it means it helps.

Dr went ok.increased meds to 150. He said I am doing all the right things and hopefully this level of sertralin will help and that in turn will help the cbt and exercises to work.

Today was ok but I was a bit down. Relaxation exercises worked earlier for my anxiety so that's positive.

How has your day been wrongtrouser?

Hi Private. That sounds positive with your gp appt and meds. Increasing the dose sounds a good plan. Good that the relaxation exercises are helping too.

Hope you are not worrying too much about the family do. Keeping the propanolol to hand sounds a good idea.

My day has been fine - first day of children back at school so quiet.

Hello everyone

Just to say big well done on taking the meds. I took Citalopram after a lot of persuading and I truly wished i'd taken it sooner.

My stubbornness about not taking it owing to fear of side effects etc meant I was given an antipsychotic that did have awful side effects - and gave me an untreatable movement disorder Tardive dyskinesia. I was one of the very unlucky people who had an extreme and rare reaction, so I'm not telling you this to scare you at all - just to confirm that antidepressants are ok.

Antidepressants are ok and pretty safe. Antipsychotic drugs, while life savers for many, aren't really as safe and their effectiveness and method of how they work isn't completely understood. I wished I'd taken the antidepressant sooner but hindsight is a wonderful thing. 😖😔

Wishing you lots of best wishes.

Hi Private, how are you getting on today? I'm fine, hoping for some warmer weather -it's really cold here.

Sorry to hear about your experience NooNoo, that sounds awful. I hope you are getting on okay now.

I can't write tonight. :(

I hope you are okay Private. Please don't feel there's any pressure to post if you don't feel like doing so xx

Hi wrongtrouser. I have not been able write lately.I just felt down, anxious and so so tired. I woke at 12.30am Friday morning. A little better yesterday. I was really anxious this week.I tried the relaxation exercises like muscle relaxation, meditation and mindfulness.sometimes it helps but often for a very short period of time. I even took propranolol on Friday but didn't notice it getting better. I desperately wanted to call in sick most the week, I felt shakey, exhausted and on edge. But we are short staffed with others off, so I didn't want to let them down.
I have been anxious about these home changes.it all finished today so maybe now I will be less anxious about it.
On the plus side I have done quite a lot of sorting out tidying up in preparation for home changes so my house is tidy for the first time in about 8 years! :)
Also-I don't feel any pressure to post on here.:) it has often been the only thing that keeps me going. I don't know what I would have done without you and mumsnet. Truly.

I don't feel I can really talk to my brother about it, as you know I told him and he spoke about God a lot and since then I have found that though his heart is in the right place it's not helpful or supportive. He doesn't think ad's or propranolol should be taken. I told him about the cbt meditations exercises and got the impression from what he said that it was weird hippy stuff that wouldn't work. My dad is supportive but admits he doesn't know about it and doesn't push me which is great. Though I hardly ever speak to him.every fortnight maybe? My friend is great and lovely but she is also busy with work, family and socialising, plus I don't want her to think I am miserable and not want to see me. My oh, well he doesn't get it but he is beginning to understand more and pick a up the slack with the kids if I can't so that's helpful.
I am going to sleep now. (Ha ha, send me luck :) )
You got your wish, the weather has warmed up nicely today.xx

I hope you got a better night's sleep Private and hopefully are feeling better now your house stuff is finished. It's good your oh is starting to help out more when you are not so good. That sort of support is so important. How are you getting on with the increasesed ads dose? Do you think it is helping?

I do think the meds are helping. It is improved from last week.

I must admit I think the tiredness is really getting to me.I can't remember the last time I slept properly the whole night through. I used to wake early and just chill in bed, staying relaxed but lately I feel uncomfortable in bed and toss and turn to get comfy and then I end up feeling aches and pains in my shoulders and back. I think I will get up and go downstairs if I feel like that again. Then I can relax on our comfy sofa and listen to something relaxing perhaps.

I have the large family event on next week so I am anxious about that. I try not to think about it. Once that is over with I think my anxiety levels will settle.

I also think I have got in a cycle of being tired so I grab the unhealthy things and then my body responds by feeling rubbish. I know I would feel better if I ate better but it's easier said than done.

How are things with you wrongtrouser? I must admit I like the cooler weather. Probably the only person that does!

Well I came down at 5am so I wasn't tossing and turning. I will do that again. I don't know how to put into words how I have been feeling these last few days. I have no motivation. I just ate biscuits and chocolate with a cuppa. I need to stop shoving this unhealthy food into my mouth.Oh bugger. I told myself I wasn't going to eat shit today, I was going to do my physio exercises and eat healthily. Clearly I wasn't listening to myself. :(
I don't think I have been this tired before. Not even with new born babies. Hmmmm. Can you give me a motivational talk to help me?
Sorry to moan. I am really not a moaner in rl.
My brother thinks I should tell my mum about this. I don't want to. I have considered it but my mum really stresses me out alot. She goes on and on and wouldn't let it drop. Oh agrees and understands. My brother said how would I feel if the situation was reversed wouldn't I want to help my child. I tend to feel guilty a lot and this made me feel bad. I am not my mum, I don't react like her. I know when to shut up. I do love my mum of course, sometimes she can be great but, recently especially, she is stressful. I won't tell her.
Ok.I am going to take my jobs and exercises in small steps.I can do it.
I honestly don't know where I would be right now if I didn't have this thread. Probably under my duvet in bed, calling in sick and crying.

Hi Private. Sorry to hear you are so tired. I think you are doing that thing of being really harsh on yourself and then getting into a cycle with it. If you've had a really bad night and are knackered, I don't think eating some chocolate and biscuits is such a crime. It sounds like on the whole you are really good at getting exercise, doing your activity etc, far better then me. Try to be a bit more accepting of yourself if some days you don't feel up to it. My energy levels are pathetic and I have fought against this for years. Now I try to just go with it, and when I am shattered just accept that and try to properly relax and rest. I think it is more productive in the long run.

Also, I think sometimes if you take the pressure of yourself, it actually becomes easier to do the right things, if that makes any sense. Example - house sorting/tidying too daunting, can't tackle it. Give up. Oh, I'll just move these bits and pieces around as I don't have anything I need to do. Stealth house sorting. Perhaps that's just me though

My advice re your mother, from what you have said, would be not to discuss it with her. If your experience is that your mum won't be able to be supportive and understanding, and will add stress, then I think it's best to not put yourself in the situation of expecting support where you probably won't get it. I hope that doesn't sound harsh to you mum (obvs I don't know her) but from what you say, it doesn't sound like it will help to tell her.

Have you got your cbt this week?

And Private, you are not moaning. It's good to talk about how you are feeling

I hope you have a good day Private. It's lovely and sunny here so I am hoping to get some gardening done.

There are free online/phone talk services that you can access. I don't know what area you are in but in my area it's called iTalk. You can refer yourself and don't need to be referred by your GP. This is a link to the one in my area which is southern health. www.italk.org.uk If yiu are in a different area try doing a Google search

Dodie, thanks. I am having online cbt at the moment.

Wrongtrouser you are right I am harsh on myself and I should be kinder to myself. I will try your stealth tidying technique :)
I had online cbt today. I didn't think it helped too much today. Maybe it's because I am having an extra tough few days. I am very tired and I think it's making me more down which makes me lose motivation and think I am a failure. I am turning off my kindle in a minute and going to relax myself, try to read a book or something and get to sleep early. Last night I went to bed late stupidly thinking I might wake later but it didn't work! :) aaagh never mind.
It was a lovely day today. I love watching the birds. As I am outside alot I will have to start using sunscreen soon.

I hope you've had a good day Private. I've been out in the garden a lot - it's been lovely. Sorry to hear you are not finding the cbt very helpful. Perhaps once you have your family do over with, you will get more out of it.

I had a good night sleep! Oh yeah :) briefly woke at 4am but went back to sleep for the first time in ages. Woke at 6 and lay there relaxed til half past.no tossing and turning or being uncomfortable. I was actually happy too. For the first time in a long time. I have been fine all day.motivated to do my chores and it feels great. Really tired now though.
I agree, once the Do is over things will be better. I have loads of work sheets to do for cbt so I shall start that tomorrow.
The therapist said I have 4 sessions then possibly another two. I have had 3. I don't think that's alot.
Anyway, glad you are ok and chilling in your garden.it's raining here I don't mind tho.we need rain.

Well I woke at 2.40am and drifted off for an hour.I laid there and gave up at 5am and went downstairs. Was worn out first thing but my mood did perk up a bit. I had a funny turn at school drop off. Light headed and very very shakey. Luckily I got a lift home and managed to cover it up but I rested for a while whilst reading the therapist worksheets.
About the therapist, she sent me all this stuff on worry. It is different to anxiety. I don't really worry.I feel anxious and I don't know why but I don't actually know I am feeling anxious about xyz. I don't really know how helpful the sheets will be.it talks about me giving examples of what I worry about but I don't really.or do I? I don't know. I don't think so.I am anxious about my activity that I once loved and was passionate about but I don't know why.I don't think of a particular worry...I just feel anxious.I guess I am anxious about social situations but once again I don't have thoughts about it.just anxiety. If I really try to think why I don't like socialising I can think of a few reasons.
I am babbling now, Sorry. Going to turn this off soon.
I hope you have had a good week.

Hi Private. Hope you got a fair night's sleep. You seem to be saying that your anxiety is more of a physical thing, rather than being due to worry, which is thoughts. So if you try to identify your thoughts when you become anxious, you can't identify any particular thoughts, but if you think you can identify possible reasons. But these reasons are not the thoughts giving rise to the anxiety at the time. Is this right?

The model of cbt is, as I understand it, about thoughts affecting emotions and physical reactions, and about how to change/challenge your thoughts to break this cycle. But if the anxiety is not caused by conscious thoughts, it"s going to be difficult to use this method, I think.

Have you tried explaining to your therapist that your anxiety is not worry based?

Perhaps you should concentrate on the relaxation technique type parts of the cbt which it sounds like you have found more helpful.

Hope you have a good day Private.

Hi Private. I found this with CBT - I was advised to have a worry hour and save what I worry about for then. I struggled to identify where my anxiety comes from as he was using examples of money, work, tangible things which I don't worry about as have no reason to! My anxiety has increased due to hormones (menopause) so that's very different. I do use techniques to calm myself when the anxiety gets overwhelming as wrongtrouser suggests xx

Thank you joto.I find muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditations really help me.
Hi wrongtrouser.how are you on this rainy day? I have a bug so am wiped out on sofa.I called in sick and someone else is kindly picking the kids up.I have done nothing all day and it feels great! :) I did a fabulous meditation and actually felt waves of calm and relaxation wash over me. After that I drifted off to sleep for half hour. All is quiet in my house, I don't have to move or do anything and it feels nice.
I did my activity Sunday.for a very very short time.but I did it so I am taking the win. Yesterday afternoon I took time out for myself. I sat in my son's room at his desk by the window with a cuppa, of course. Watching loads of birds in the garden. I read through lots of the cbt work sheets that the therapist sent to me and found some really helped me. I will post more later as I have low battery on my kindle. But I felt like I made some progress.I had had a great conversation with my friend on Saturday and found that helped too.
I have found myself shaking quite noticeably at times. I know it can be a side affect of the meds and a week or so ago I did increase my meds so could that be it?

Hi Private. I hope you are feeling better with your bug but it sounds like you are feeling better in yourself even so. Sounds like it was good to talk with your friend
I am doing fine, I've had a busy couple of days with work so a bit tired but okay.

I don't know about the shaking. I do it sometimes - just my hands/arms, perhaps it is the ads?

Is your big family do this week? Are you feeling okay and mentally prepared for it?

Hi OP and everyone, i have just come across this thread. My GP have prescribed me 50mg on sertraline and I'm very nervous about taking it. I've heard good and bad things but I feel so scared to even take one. I really don't know what to do.

Happygirl-I know exactly what you mean. As you can see from my posts i felt like that too. I am glad I took them though it took me a week to pluck up the courage to do so. I knew something had to change in my life. Are you going to have therapy or anything?

Wrongtrouser-I have got the big family thing this weekend and you know, I think I can do it. Right now I feel okay about it. Who knows as it gets closer. I am anxious about it but not enough to reduce me to a teary wreck like last week!
Make sure you take time to rest too. :)

Had cbt today.it was ok. She has sent me some good worksheets and I will see her in 2 weeks ish. I feel a bit up and down today.

How are you?x