Anxiety

[HizzyBxx]

Hi mumsnet,
Finally made an account after years of Google searching questions which brought me to great threads on here giving me answers!

I have my smear test tomorrow and I’m debating talking to my nurse about my anxiety, she is qualified to prescribe in terms of medication etc..

For as long as I can remember I have had heightened anxiety, my mum is agoraphobic & I was her carer from a young age. My anxiety has always just been part of me and I’ve never known any different.

I had a very traumatic experience with my second child, my anxiety heightened and I was too ashamed to reach out anywhere. After our third I reached out, I went on sertraline and waited for CBT.. it was useless for me - I tried two different therapists and just the whole concept in general didn’t work for me. I’m very PRO CBT & PRO talking, but talking therapies seem to do nothing because I already know what they’re going to say/advise etc and whilst I can go ahead and do all of them I just feel this heightened anxiety is always there..

The sertraline helped me, I was on 50mg per day. I felt “normal”. Even when I was panicked by something it was a numb panic that I could rationally walk away from rather than suffer in silence till it passed..

I came off of the sertraline because I felt that leaving the CBT and not wanting talking therapies must mean I shouldn’t have the medication - I felt the expectation was to come off of the medication once I was “cured”

So my question is - is going on sertraline long term and just enjoying the relief it gives a bad thing? Should you be actively seeking to make yourself “better” so you don’t need it? Will I be odd for refusing talking therapy’s if I do speak to her tomorrow?

So sorry for the waffle - defo trying to get it all out

Hugs XX

Anxiety sucks. There are plenty of people on long term antidepressants, not everyone finds talking therapies helpful.

You absolutely should speak to someone about restarting medication. However, a smear appointment probably isn’t the time. It’s a limited appointment and the nurse very likely won’t be able to give you the time you need to discuss this during a routine smear appointment. Also, not all prescribing nurses would be able to start someone on AD. There is a huge difference between them prescribing contraception or antibiotics for a UTI & starting someone off on AD, even if you have had them in the past. By all means mention you feel you would like to restart on AD and ask if they are able to book you into a GP slot, bypassing the reception, hopefully they will be able to unembargo a slot and book you in.

Thank you @Isgooglebroken for taking the time to reply!
Sorry I should have added I have a double appt booked tomorrow as I have a few other things I need to discuss (psoriasis check etc etc), my nurse is also a mental health nurse & is the clinician that prescribed them initially beforehand - but of course will book another appt if needed!

I definitely wish I'd stayed on SSRIs. For some reason, I felt I was better and therefore didn't need them. Big mistake. I don't think there is anything wrong in staying on them indefinitely if it's beneficial. There are no prizes for coming off, believe me.