Nervous about changing antidepressants

[AlyTab]

I currently take 200mg of Sertraline to help control my mood and anxiety and it really works so much better than my previous antidepressant (fluoxetine/prozac).

Thing is I also have an undiagnosed pain issue (which my gp thinks is fibromyalgia). Last time I saw him he asked me how I think Sertraline has been helping. I told him that it is working Well, but my mood is still low. He said that after Christmas he was going to change me to Duloxetine as it helps with pain and mood.

I'm nervous about this because I do have up and down periods with my mood, as most people with depression and anxiety do, and now that I think about it, I don't really want to change antidepressants, but I do want help managing the pain through other medications before having to be on stronger pain medications (I'm on Co-Dydramol 30/500mg).

If I end up staying on Sertraline, is there another medication for pain I can try before needing to up my painkillers? I would so appreciate any advice, sorry for the long post 😋

I used to take sertraline but a lower dose than you. It helped at first but after a while tapered off. I also struggled with side effects of very restless legs. I'm now taking duloxetine and I've had no side effects but the constant pain in my hands, wrists, shoulder, legs and feet has just about gone. I feel much better just for that reason. I also don't feel tearful all the time. No restless legs either. The only side effect is a lack of libido but I can live with that. From my experience I'd definitely recommend it for pain and depression although everyone reacts differently.

Thank you CrimbleCrackers. Restless legs are one of the worst feelings in the world! Thankfully mine have decreased but I do still get them from time to time, especially if I have a bad pain day.

I just don't want my depression and anxiety to worsen again since they Are both very severe without my meds.

Bump any advice?

Tell your GP what you've just told us. Everyone reacts differently to anti-d's. I was prescribed fluoxetine for anxiety. I don't think I'm depressed. 10 mg cures my anxiety, but a new GP wanted to put it up to 20 mg because he said 10 'wasn't even a curative dose'. I tried and it didn't improve my mood because it made me so sleepy I felt like taking an afternoon nap every day. Not good for my mood.

He was prescribing on statistics, not on my needs as an individual. If he's a good GP, he'll listen.

Aly I totally get your concerns, but try not to worry about it as much as you can.
You are going from something you know and can deal with to something new, with goodness knows what side effects, not to mention the withdrawal worries. Only natural, but don't be alarmed. When mine stopped working so well,
I went from years of the wonderful Sertraline (200mg like you) to the even more fab Venlafaxine.

No side effects, no withdrawal problems. You do the weaning/swapping over gradually so don't even notice it.

You are going from a SSRI to SSNI, which are very similar in their workings, but are a kind of new breed of antidepressants.

Good luck.

Thanks ConcreteUnderpants that does make me feel a lot better about the whole situation knowing that you found Sertraline to be very beneficial to you, and then changing to an SNRI that was even better. My main concern was the Duloxetine not working as well as the Sertraline but the only way to know is to try I guess!

Thank you!