Anyone recently started antidepressants and wants to chat/share progress and support

[Sleepy21]

I have posted a few times on MN about recently starting Sertraline, asking for others experiences - just wondered if, like me, there were any new/recent starters who wanted to just chat and post on their progress, challenges and good bits too! I find it really helpful rather than just thinking about it alone. Would love to connect with others who are still adjusting on any anti-depressant x

Hi all, can I join?

I’ve been on 50mg of Sertraline for just over a month now, it’s definitely helping but I have a review after I’ve been on it for at least 6 weeks to see if my dosage needs to go up a bit as I’m still having some bad moments.

For me my mood definitely started changing with hormonal changes in my 40s but earlier this year I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. I had successful surgery in June and thankfully didn’t need any further treatment. The rollercoaster of how fast everything happened this year just totally messed me up and going into medically induced menopause has obvious caused even crazier hormonal swings (thankfully I’ve been okayed to also have HRT which is pretty uncommon after the type of cancer I had).

So far the meds have helped calm my brain down quite a bit, it was in constant overdrive before. Things aren’t perfect but overall it’s helping.

Yes please - great to have you on here! Very sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis, sounds like a very tough time but pleased you are now on the other side. You must still be trying to process it all. Glad to hear that the sertraline is helping. Will you be starting HRT soon, or wait until you’ve reviewed your sertraline doseage?

It really is as so many of the symptoms overlap! I kind of think it perhaps a bit of both at this stage? I probably should have persisted with the HRT

I was actually put on the HRT before the Sertraline. It has helped with some of the menopause symptoms (the hot flushes are still bad but a lot more manageable than before) but the mood swings, depression and anxiety were still really bad. They’ve definitely mellowed with the Sertraline so I’m on the right track at least.

Glad to hear it’s been working for you, makes me feel more positive as I was ready to give up yesterday!

Thank you. Sorry for the delay! I’m hoping to be put on hrt tomorrow actually. I came off the sertraline on 22.7 and was actually doing fine. Saw my counsellor on 19.8 then started my period and my anxiety went utterly off the scale. And then nothing would stop it. My DH was trying to help me but I carried on so I had to go back on it. I’m convinced it’s hormones though as I had this during my pregnancy. How’s everyone else doing?

God. The hormones really make it difficult to know what’s causing the anxiety.
I had the anxiety even though I was on Everol conte for 5 years. My doctor asked me to come off the HRT as she thought the synthetic progesterone might be exasperating it.
My anxiety didn’t improve so I upped my sertraline and have switched to venlefaxin in desperation.
Im seeing a therapist but DEEP DOWN I think my hormones are driving the despair.
Im also waiting for an NHS appointment with a menopause clinic. It’s so complicated being a woman x

Same, I had a lot of anxiety during my pregnancies so makes me think there’s def a hormone connection! Doing ok thanks, trying to take it day by day and not think too much ahead but it’s a challenge 😫do let us know how it goes with the HRT tomorrow - fingers crossed!

So complicated! And it’s exhausting for us all trying to get to the bottom of it, navigating doctors and meds etc. I sometimes look at my husband and think, gosh you have it so easy because you don’t have any of this!

Just found this thread. I’ve been on propranolol for just over a week now for work related anxiety (teacher!) Stress/panic attacks (and high blood pressure stuff going on as well - I’ve been given other medications for the blood pressure).

Never had any sort of health issues in my life before this! I’m all over the place with the shock of it all to be honest 😢

I don’t know anything about this kind of medication or how I’m supposed to feel whilst taking it.

Would be nice to check in here and see how everyone is doing x

Definitely give it some more time. My first review was 3 weeks in as the doctor said I wouldn’t really start to see a benefit until around then and while a dose increase was mentioned then, apparently it can take 6 weeks to see the full effects of each dose so that’s why I’m waiting until then to see if I need it upped or not. The HRT seemed to take a while to properly kick in too and it’s horrible when you think it’s not helping.

I'm going to visit my GP and request antidepressants soon. I've had a very difficult couple of years. I'm providing 24 hour care to an elderly parent, no partner or children and only one sibling that despite living locally leaves everything to me. My dog died recently too. The loneliness and anxiety is crippling.

I've been taking Kalms Lavender for a couple of weeks but don't think they are going to be enough!

That sounds really tough: sorry to hear things have been so bad recently and about your dog - pets become family. Have you got a GP appointment lined up?

It’s hard to take isn’t it when it all comes out of nowhere! How’s the propanol working for you? The doctor gave that to me as well to help with anxiety symptoms. I hope this week has been a bit easier for you x

Just thought I’d update that the sertraline has finally kicked in - either that or my hormone levels have changed! feeling better and more like myself - that low feeling has gone. How is everyone else doing?

That’s great! Really glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better.

i thought i was totally fine but went back to work this week and i just cannot concentrate for love nor money. I’ve got so much to do and i am totally unable to settle down and actually do it. Hoping this passes soon or i will be in trouble!

That’s great, so glad you stuck with it and it’s helping you now. It does feel like forever at first.

The first time I realised that there were no mad thoughts flying in overdrive around my head it was amazing.

Hi there. Day 6 of 50mg Sertraline. Having been on Citalopram intermittently for 20 years for depression it's a complete change over. I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety also so feeling quite low. Can't really tell if I've experienced any side effects yet as I don't sleep past 2am most days due to having Reactive Hypoglycemia and an elderly dog with Cushings. I hope we all start to feel better soon

Thanks for your reply @Sleepy21, I really appreciate it. Not yet, I think my GP has some new online triage form to complete.

I took Prozac for six months about 20 years ago when I was going through a tough time - redundancy and relationship breakdown/house sale. It helped to get me out of the rut and start moving forward. I stopped as it started making me very tired and the GP was very unhelpful. She said it wouldn't do that and to either take it or wean myself off which I did.

When I get anxious, I ruminate and pace around a lot. Strangely, the daytime is worse. I feel better after dark.

I've just got far too much on my plate for one person to handle with very little support. Last time, the Prozac made my mind sharper, less anxious and showed me a different way of living. I'm thinking of asking for that again.

@Lulu98. I know how difficult it is looking after an elderly dog on top of everything else. My rescue dog died recently and she had been waking me up multiple times since I adopted her years ago. She stopped doing it the last six months when she got very frail and started to sleep through. I've since wondered if she had Cushings (another thing for me to ruminate over). The vets prescribed incontinence syrup and anti-inflammatories. I wish I'd got a second opinion from someone else.

@vitevite. I know what you mean. When I'm anxious, I ruminate, pace around and waste a lot of time. I've got so much to do! The daytime is the worst. At night it eases off and them I'm rushing around to catch up.

I've been on paroxetine for many years, it helps to take the edge off I think. There seems to be so many different types of antidepressants so I wonder why we are all on different ones?

Thanks! I’ve been prescribed patches but they didn’t have them at the pharmacy so going back to collect them tomorrow. Feeling shattered today. Went to theatre last night. Got last train home but was stuck due to problems on line so DH had to rescue me and I was out early this morning. All of this though I’m tired has taken my mind off stuff and the thing today was for choir which I haven’t been to over summer so a reminder of how my mental health is always better when I’m doing my hobbies. Have had diarrhoea though sorry for tmi.
@Sleepy21im so pleased they’re starting to work for you

How is everyone doing? I felt like I was doing ok but then the past few nights I’ve been waking in the middle of the night and my head is full of worries, unable to go back to sleep then up at 5ish for a full day. Going to increase to 20mg of citalopram on the weekend. Anticipating a few weeks of this disturbed sleep and increased anxiety before things hopefully get better 🙏

Sorry to hear your sleep is being affected - everything feels harder if you’re tired. I hope a dose increase helps in the long run - fingers crossed!

I am doing ok thank you, back at work and feeling better for having my mind occupied. Although @vitevite I am also having trouble with concentration - it was better today but yesterday was terrible!

I hope everyone else is doing good and things are getting better - be great to hear updates on how you are all feeling x