Sertraline reduced by nurse

[minianonymouse]

So I’ve been on sertraline 100mg for 9 years with no problems.
my latest review, the mental health nurse told me that the max I should have been on it is 2 years (even though I get a yearly review)
she cut me down to 50mg and said that like a diabetic that has to alter their diet, I need to learn to take responsibility 🙁 she also said I was at a greater risk of dementia which I’ve tried to research but there’s not much evidence of this.
she mentioned CBT (but didn’t actually offer this) which I’ve had in the past and it didn’t help.
that was a week ago and today my mood has really dipped-is this withdrawal and it might go away?
I can’t face going back to how I felt before I started sertraline, I’ve been bothered with mental health issues my whole adult life and I honestly thought I could stay on this medication forever 😞

Yes, that's an awful thing to do to someone. Please go to your GP practice TODAY @minianonymouse See the presccriptions clerk, and say you want it putting back up to 100, and the nurse had no business dropping it to 50! (She should be able to pass this on to the GP for him/her to do it.) Also make an appointment with the GP at the same time just in case it doesn't get done. Bloody hell, this is an outrage! I hope you're OK.

Why do some people think it's OK to fuck about with peoples mental health like this?! Would they drop someone's epilepsy meds, or diabetic meds, or asthma meds?! I agree with a pp that the practice manager needs contacting about this. That 'nurse' needs retraining!

I have asthma and have been palmed off with cheap nasty inhalers before, that I am told do the same job even though they cost £2, and the one I have been using so far costs £18. Obvious bollocks, and the cheap ones NEVER work. So I go to my GP and get it put back. Every. Time. They have changed it 4 times in the past 6 years (to a cheap and nasty one) and it really fucks me off. I am due an asthma review in 2 weeks, and I'm dreading it coz I know the fuckers are going to try and change my inhaler to the cheap one again!

Good luck!

I would make a complaint.

She sounds dangerous tbh.

@BatchCookBabe what are the cheaper inhalers?!

OP, agree with advice here, keep taking 100mg if you have sufficient to do that.
long term Setraline lover here, it keeps me ticking over nicely.

When I was last restarted on medication I was told for long term stability I needed to stop coming off my medication once I feel a bit better and commit to taking it for an absolute minimum of 2 years. I've since been diagnosed with bipolar so I'll be on medication probably for decades if not life, it's been nearly 15 years since that discussion with my GP and I've stayed on my medication throughout staying on medication was the only way I have gained stability and made progress with my life.

I'd absolutely complain about a nurse reducing your medication like that.
I've had issues with my mum and the GP/pharmacist at her surgery not wanting to prescribe her medication suggested by her consultant. She gets side effects but the consultant determined that the consequences of not being on the medication at that point in time was worse than her experiencing the side effects. I was lucky to be there when they phoned and could stress the importance of her restarting the medication for as long as she could tolerate it. It really frustrates me when changes are made based on a little bit of knowledge and not taking in the full picture

UPDATE: I filled out an online consultation form and the GP has got back saying she has reinstated the 100mg dose.
think in future I will be having reviews with the doctor.
Thanks so much for all the replies, I probably wouldn’t have been so proactive getting the prescription changed without you all

That's a great update, I would hope the doctor has spoken to the nurse, you can also make a complaint to the practice manager and say you only want a doctor to review you in the future. The nurse although not a rmn will have done the nurse prescriber course and should know better than to just cut any drug dosage by half.