AD tiredness

[londonsquirrel]

I have been on a few different antidepressants in mh life - had Sertraline and citalopram for a while. While working well for my depression, at around a year into treatment I started feeling very tired no matter how much I slept. SSRIs mess with the REM sleep phase and you just end up less refreshed as you wake up. This is quite a debilitating thing - you wake up, but already tired. Also, since REM is moved closer to the wake up time, I remembered my dreams really well, and it added to the whole tiredness of walking up. It felt like the day has just begun, but I already had so much to process from my dreams!
Same thing happened to me on duloxetine. It was amazing for my anxiety, giving a lot of clarity and confidence for whatever problem was ahead of me. But after a while that debilitating tiredness was in my life again, turning me into a zombie. I have gradually weaned myself off duloxetine over the summer and now I feel so much anxiety, like never before.
I need to see a doctor, of course, but can anyone relate? And share some positive stories about dealing with the tiredness caused by the AD?

I can totally relate. I'm on fluoxetine and was on low dose quetiapine. Earlier in the year had a major relapse and every time I saw the psychiatrist both meds were increased. I got to the point where I couldn't get through the day without needing a nap and constantly had this heavy tired feeling. I've reduced the meds myself and feel better and much more alert. I'm just being really careful atm to keep things simple.

Thanks for your reply @Ilovedogs1 !
I managed to get an appt with a psychiatrist, so that is a plus.
I don't think I want to go back to the AD though - I am so afraid of them causing me to be a zombie. Both being anxious/depressed and tired after waking up is debilitating. And do not really know which is worse... Is there an alternative?..

@londonsquirrel I didn’t know that AD’s have that impact on your REM sleep but it makes sense. I’m currently weaning myself off a cocktail of meds - Sertraline, Mirtazapine and Zopiclone. Despite being on lower doses of all of those now, I feel awful when I wake up. The anxiety kicks in immediately. Ironically my thoughts are definitely more anxious and depressed when I’m tired.

Do your doctors suggest anything for that dreadful morning anxiety @rainbowninja ? The morning I wake up I literally think about the end of the world...

After my experience this year having a complete mental breakdown and having meds increased pretty much everytime I saw the psychiatrist and pretty much feeling like a zoned out zombie I decided to reduce my meds myself and try to focus a bit more on relaxation, meditation, exercise and sleep. Overall I'm feeling better. Still having anxious periods and thoughts but I was having them on the meds anyway. Final straw was when I saw the psychiatrist for a meds check and she asked me how I was getting on with the sertraline which I haven't been on for over 10 months.

@Ilovedogs1 well done for taking your health into your own hands. That’s sort of where I’m at, feel like a zombie but still anxious so doesn’t really
help 😂 going to carry on tapering my meds and finding more natural ways to cope.