Sertraline review tonight..

[asblackasyoursoul]

And I’m terrified they’re going to take me off it. On 50mg for anxiety and panic attacks for a year now. It’s done me a world of good and I’m like a new person. I love who I am and now I feel while taking it.

I have a review tonight and I feel so scared they’re going to want to reduce it and eventually get me off it. I’m scared.

Just say very firmly that you are perfectly happy as you are and have no desire to come off it. Point out that if you were diabetic they wouldn’t be trying to reduce your insulin!

Just push the line that since being on it you've realised how much you were struggling for a long time before starting it, and can't face going back to that for the time being. Tell them it has made a huge difference and you feel very strongly that you would like another year on it and then a review. If you can, point out examples of how losing the benefits of the medication would affect aspects of your life, eg. relationships and socialising, being productive/creative, mobility (ability to go out), anxiety levels, etc.

What indication have they given that they would be disinclined to keep you on it for longer than a year? These days, for many people, an anti-depressant that really helps is seen as a significant part of a long-term solution. Tell them that's your understanding from much of the online literature you've researched and read (namecheck MIND, the NHS website and NICE guidelines, for example). To be honest, I'd be really surprsied if you have to fight for this, it's nothing these days

Thank you guys for being so kind and helpful.

I’m worried they want to take me off because about 3 months after I started I booked a review appointment as I was mistakingly under the impression that was when I was meant to go back.
I said I was doing really well on it and the doctor started saying well in that case we’d probably start reducing it at your next review 😰

I’m also a student mental health nurse so I have a good understanding of antidepressants

Oops I didn’t mean the previous post to sound condescending, I just meant with the doctor that I have a good understanding of NICE guidelines etc

Hope your appointment went well for you OP. And I didn't find your post condescending in the slightest! I have so much respect for your profession and think your own mental wellbeing is very precious