Antidepressants advice

[Surfdayssun]

HV has asked the GP to contact me and thinks I need to start antidepressants. I’m so down, tearful and just......flat, is the only way I can describe it.
She said the GP will discuss options but if anyone could give me any advice, what they were given, any side effects, how quickly they worked etc I would really appreciate it.

That's exactly what I think happened with me - part of the instant feeling better was the relief, knowing I'd start to feel better soon, and having taken some control. Good luck!

I need to discuss things properly with OH. He has asked if I’m ok and I’ve told him I feel sad but don’t think he quite gets it. But I’m also not very good at explaining my self and don’t know how to approach it.

I’m on sertraline 50mg (another AD) (for the second time in my life!) and honestly it’s helped me so, so much - thankfully I didn’t have too many side effects - even if you do they should settle down - and please do give them time to work - at least 4-6 weeks before you’ll really feel different - hang in there and stick with it and well done for reaching out to your GP/HV - that’s often the hardest step - nothing to be scared of, I don’t know many people who aren’t struggling in these times, let alone with babies or trying to home school kids etc. It’s been a hard old slog! Take care

@Namechange200121 thanks for your reply!!
Great to hear that it’s really helped you. The GP said usually at least two weeks to see any different but good to I should wait it out a bit longer just to see if things settle. I lm having lots of ups and downs and on the up days I’m almost convincing my self that I’m fine and don’t need them. But on the down days I’m a mess. Not sure I’m making rational decisions.

It’s very easy to think on the good days, I’m fine! But please don’t stop taking them yourself and certainly not without weaning off them with the doctors advice as coming off ADs cold turkey can make you feel worse than before. I’m a bit of an advocate for whatever helps. If you had a headache, you’d take paracetamol. If you had IBs you’d take buscopan, if you had muscular pain you’d take ibuprofen.....to me taking ADs for mental pain is exactly the the same, there really shouldn’t be any stigma about them these days - life is tough right now, sometimes we just need a bit of help. I find ADs help you see the wood for the trees. Sometimes being in the centre of your sadness or anxiety or panic means you can’t see things clearly, I find they can help lift that fog to help you work through things with a bit more clarity x

@Surfdayssun

So the GP has prescribed me Citalopram (might be spelt wrong) really hope the side effects don’t make me feel worse than I do now

My DH was put on this, 40 mg (now on 30mg). He was reluctant to go on AD’s but the GP told him not to be ashamed, and that 1:3 people in our village are on them. That made him realise how common it is. He said it made him tired, but I think it made him relax and he caught up on sleep that he hadn’t been able to have due to anxiety. My DH is on them forever. He has been told to stay on them.

And it took 4 weeks to see the first signs of them working, but he got better every month up to 6 months.
They were life saving for him.

I haven’t been to get them from the pharmacy yet. I’m still plucking up the courage to go. Then it will be another effort to convince myself to take them. Sounds daft because everyone has told me they will help me and I know they most likely will but in my head I feel so unsure.

Like someone earlier said, it’s like taking paracetamol for a headache.
You have a problem and you’ve been offered the probable solution.
As a wife of a person who denied their MH problem for years, I ask you to consider how your problem effects those close to you 💐

@DinosaurDiana this is so true. I know that how I’m feeling at the moment is altering the way I’m looking at things. I can see it in everyday situations, like my concentration and decision making therefore I think my ability to think logically about what I need to do has been thrown completely off. I know I need to do what’s best for my family too though.

So I picked up my prescription today and realised they have prescribed 20mg tablets to take once a day. Will this dose cause more side effects than the 10mg. DH is being amazing which is making things so much easier. I took the first tablet about 3 hours ago and definitely feel sick 😷

Mad as it might sound, try not to think about it too much, 20mg is still a pretty low dose (my DF is on something much higher, I forget how much!)

Any side effects will settle but don't get too worked up about it, you're in control now.

Take them in the morning if you can as I found they kept my mind busy if I take them later in the day.

I’ve felt horrendous all night, really nauseous, light headed when ever I stand up. DH got me to eat a few bits of toast this morning and felt slightly better but still really off balance and can’t stop yawning. Do you think I could drop down to 10mg for a few days until I get used to it, I honestly can’t feel like that again but I know it’s important I take them.