I was on Citalopram OP, then it stopped having much effect, GP gave me Sertraline, I gave it a go but literally felt rough just after one day so refused to touch it. That's the thing with having anxiety is that the moment I felt rough my anxiety just leaped!
Having had two lots of counselling, then two lots of CBT and neither of them addressing the issues, I was referred for psychotherapy. After waiting months and getting lost in the system I decided to go private, and have done so for the last 9mths (and am now off meds too). It means I get continuity. The NHS could only offer me 6 sessions of counselling/CBT each time and then I had to self refer and go back on the waiting list and then would see someone different and would start back at square one. This was making me worse rather than better as it just fed into my anxiety again (some of my anxiety is health based).
I still get good and bad episodes but I do feel I'm starting to understand myself a lot better and it's giving me confidence to address my issues and move forward.
OP, if you feel safe on the meds, then stay on them. Maybe try something else though as Sertraline doesn't seem to suit and you've given it a good go. I'd also as you say, ask about CBT, but also about a longer term therapy and support alongside the CBT. CBT does involve you taking steps to challenge your beliefs and it is meant to be a short course to enable you to learn how to do so and to continue doing it after you have completed the course.
A good website to try is MoodGym, it'll give you some insight about challenging negative thought patterns and what CBT encompasses. https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome
Excellent post! Everyone thinks that a pill exists to cure their problems but the fact is - in most cases - there isn't a suitable pill. Correct diet often provides the most effective and healthiest solution. Drugs often make matters worse. Pharmaceutical companies are in business to sell drugs. They don't want a cure; they want you to keep taking drugs all your life - the more the better - and many doctors get financially rewarded for prescribing them.
I must say that my experience is that medication, particularly Sertraline for chronic anxiety and depression, has given me a new life, and that is the case for many people. In my case the problem is genetic with two other members of my immediate family also on A/D's, and there is no way that it could be cured or controlled by diet alone. I am quite happy to continue taking Sertraline indefinitely on a low maintenance dose as for me, the quality of life it provides is well worth it. Nobody should have to put up with depressive illness when there are treatments that help.
I've been on Citaloptram, Sertraline and Fluoxetine. Citalopram gave me dry throat/dizziness and insomnia amongst others but the insomnia soon wore off and I was sleeping 16+ hours a day. Citalopram didn't help much with the depression and I ended up on a really high dose, 80 mg a day if I remember right, but it was a few years ago so that might be wrong. It started making me think that people in shops were talking about me so I changed to Sertraline.
Sertraline was great but I was going to work, coming home at 5 PM then sleeping until 7AM, repeat ad infinitum. I never felt like my brain was firing on all cylinders and would get confused about stuff, even when it was explained I sometimes couldn't get my head round it. Worked great for depression though! It was like being in a calm bubble. I had to give up driving because I didn't feel like I was mentally sharp enough.
Moved onto Fluoxetine which was the same to be honest... still slept constantly. I was working full time throughout it all because I didn't want my employer to know and it was a real struggle, I'd come home and and question whether I could carry on. I was exhaused all the time.
This was over a period of 3 years and on the 3rd anniversary I decided to come off them as I was feeling better. Wasn't too bad to be honest, maybe took 6 weeks or so but I had to take one tablet every fortnight ish for months after otherwise I'd get a horrendous headache. I had put over two stone on because of the tablets but that still hasn't shifted! To be honest I could do with going back on them, hence being awake at 12:30 am beating myself up for everything I've done/said for over the weekend instead of being able to sleep but I can't be doing with the exhaustion. They did do their job well - I'm totally different to what I was before taking them. I don't think depression ever goes away in some people though.
I was on sertraline for depression and anxiety. Felt it controlled my anxiety, but felt so tired with it, never helped at all with my depression or mood swings. Doctor has put me on prozac. Feel my mood has lifted a bit bit I feel so nervous on it. My anxiety has went through the roof. Hopefully this side effect will pass.
What Martin and sweetpeanut say is true, the literature is out there to support it if you take the time to read. Many, many illnesses can be cured or vastly improved with the right nutrition, but it's not what people want to hear because popping pills and passing the responsibility is easier.
That said, I've suffered with mental health issues for 22 years and am currently on sertraline, quetiapine and atenalol to help control the symptoms. I know what I should be doing but doing it is the hard part, as is often the case especially with mental illness.
Oh and well done sweetpeanut, I have nothing but admiration for you.
Because the one thing I have zero tollerance for is anti-medication agendas. I know my mind and body better than anyone and so if I say I need to be on something for my own safety I don't know why people can't respect my beliefs.
I know I can't controll what people will post in a thread but there you go. I have every right to blank replies I find deliberately unhelpful for MY situation.
Anyway, I do not want to debate here. I'm continuining to feel better than I was when I posted the OP and for that I'm grateful. Thanks so much to the posters who were respectful.
I appreciate you trying to help, sweetpeanut, but I do need to be on something and that's the honest truth.
I would be a severe risk to myself if I wasn't.
GPs have an array of meds they can give out i am on Citalopram 40mg which works okay perhaps now you have had a brief spell away from a med that worked for you try taking that again.
Perhaps suggest Prozac or seroxat (this did not work for me)
Have if you are suffering badly asked for a short supply of Diazapam whilst waiting to find a med that works, if you only take it in dire emergencies and do not rely on it thats okay for short periods.
I also found CBT fairly good to do,ask your doctor if he/she thinks this might help.
It will take you months for an appointment to see a specialist the waiting list is
Long.
Do take plenty of time to discus options with your doctor,CBT is more readily available in my experience then waiting for specialist help IE Physchiatrist
GPs have an array of meds they can give out i am on Citalopram 40mg which works okay perhaps now you have had a brief spell away from a med that worked for you try taking that again.
Perhaps suggest Prozac or seroxat (this did not work for me)
Have if you are suffering badly asked for a short supply of Diazapam whilst waiting to find a med that works, if you only take it in dire emergencies and do not rely on it thats okay for short periods.
I also found CBT fairly good to do,ask your doctor if he/she thinks this might help.
It will take you months for an appointment to see a specialist the waiting list is
Long.
Do take plenty of time to discus options with your doctor,CBT is more readily available in my experience then waiting for specialist help IE Physchiatrist
Thanks so much Richard, this is all really helpful. I'll make a note of what you've said and will be sure to bring it up at my appointment.
Thanks so much Richard, this is all really helpful. I'll make a note of what you've said and will be sure to bring it up at my appointment.
Hope you're doing okay at the moment.
Yes thanks i am doing ok at the moment,:) i am on the cit and have a small supply of Diazampam.
I did actually start to self medicate using alcohol which ended up with me being de-toxed in Hospital and now being completely alcohol free ,that was my wrong choice.
Hope you find something that works for you,its been a 15 year battle for me on and off,and even earlier before being diagnosed.
you don`t need to be so rude when people have taken the time to share their experiences and information, there are other people reading this thread who might find peanut and martin`s contributions helpful.
When choosing an anti-depressant it's very much about finding one that isn't going to give you problems from side effects as all the anti-depressants do very much the same thing by working the same way. A particular anti-depressant that gives one person noticeable side effects may well produce very few if none at all when prescribed to someone else.
GP's in general aren't experts in anti-depression medication but there are psychiatrist's out there that are.
I was on Citalopram which wasn't working, my GP then prescribed Sertraline which just made my anxiety far worse and then Mirtazapine which wasn't any better.
So I asked my GP to make me an appointment with a psychiatrist, he mentioned seeing one at a previous appointment. A really nice man who listened to my whole life story which took an hour. He decided that I should receive CBT and change my medication to Venlafaxine, he even went to the bother of leaving the room and asking a more experienced member of the team their opinion which was the same.
The initial dose was 75mg Venlafaxine, changing medications was a horrible experience and I just got worse ( this is very common initially, it can take 4-6 weeks to start feeling better) went back to see my GP who had received the letter from the psychiatrist with their recommendations who then increased the dose to 150mg.
5 1/2 weeks on from starting the Venlafaxine and the anxiety is virtually gone and the depression has reduced significantly.:)
I've had five one hour sessions of CBT they may have helped a little but for me I think it's been the change in medication.
I have been on prozac for about a month now. I feel it has made my anxiety worse but my mood is quite a bit better. I was at the stage were my depression was so bad and my mood so low I can put up with the anxiety for now. At least I can get out of bed in the morning ok, and a don't feel sleepy all day. Suppose different medication respond to others in different ways.
you don`t need to be so rude when people have taken the time to share their experiences and information, there are other people reading this thread who might find peanut and martin`s contributions helpful.
When it's thoughtless posts like sweetpeanut's and agenda pushing preaching like the other person, I'm not going to just agree with it to be nice.
you don`t need to be so rude when people have taken the time to share their experiences and information, there are other people reading this thread who might find peanut and martin`s contributions helpful.
Like me for example. I'm finding their contributions very helpful.
When choosing an anti-depressant it's very much about finding one that isn't going to give you problems from side effects as all the anti-depressants do very much the same thing by working the same way. A particular anti-depressant that gives one person noticeable side effects may well produce very few if none at all when prescribed to someone else.
GP's in general aren't experts in anti-depression medication but there are psychiatrist's out there that are.
I was on Citalopram which wasn't working, my GP then prescribed Sertraline which just made my anxiety far worse and then Mirtazapine which wasn't any better.
So I asked my GP to make me an appointment with a psychiatrist, he mentioned seeing one at a previous appointment. A really nice man who listened to my whole life story which took an hour. He decided that I should receive CBT and change my medication to Venlafaxine, he even went to the bother of leaving the room and asking a more experienced member of the team their opinion which was the same.
The initial dose was 75mg Venlafaxine, changing medications was a horrible experience and I just got worse ( this is very common initially, it can take 4-6 weeks to start feeling better) went back to see my GP who had received the letter from the psychiatrist with their recommendations who then increased the dose to 150mg.
5 1/2 weeks on from starting the Venlafaxine and the anxiety is virtually gone and the depression has reduced significantly.:)
I've had five one hour sessions of CBT they may have helped a little but for me I think it's been the change in medication.
You've really been through the wringer, glad you are feeling better now. Thanks for such an insightful post, I really appreciate it.
I think saving up and going to a prviate psychiatrist even just for a one time opinion on medication might be something I need to seriously consider.
I think saving up and going to a prviate psychiatrist even just for a one time opinion on medication might be something I need to seriously consider.
The one I saw wasn't private, he was at another practice locally
When I told the GP that I wanted to see one he put my details in the system on his computer and I just had to wait to be contacted and an appointment arranged, the same with CBT.
It seems random for me to bump this thread but I just wanted to take a moment and apologise for being so rude to some people when this post was still active. I was going through a truly terrible time of things and was not myself, but that's no excuse. I am very sorry to anyone I snapped at when you were just offering suggestions. I hope you'll accept my apology.
To add, I've gone back on Citalopram and although it's only been just over three weeks, the transformation is amazing. I feel like a person again. My anxiety issues are still there but I am mostly managing them. Being back on an antidepressant that is calming and effective in the right way has really opened my eyes to just what a God awful mess I was on the Sertraline. The time I spent with that drug in my system is easily going down as one of the very worst phases of my life, it really was a shocking and devastating experience.
For anyone who is considering taking antidepressants of switching, make sure you educate yourselves first. If I had any idea what Sertraline could be like I would have avoided it like the plague.
For anyone who is considering taking antidepressants of switching, make sure you educate yourselves first. If I had any idea what Sertraline could be like I would have avoided it like the plague.
All Anti-D's can have side effects so to be fair, you won't know until you try them. Sertraline has saved my life, I'll never come off it but other meds were not good for me.
Anyway, glad you are feeling better and it was very nice of you to come back and apologise. (Not sure I would have )
Glad to hear you are feeling better Wuthering. I didn't post in the original thread but had read it because I was also on Sertraline for some time (unlike you I didn't have too many bad side effects, that is until my dose was increased and I had terrible nausea - but I found it still helped my depression very much). I too am now on Citalopram and hoping I won't have any adverse reaction to that.
I think drugs work differently on different people so it's quite impossible to predict side effects before you start taking them, but I hope you get on ok with your Citalopram and continue to improve.
Hi.
I've been taking Sertraline 50 mg for 6 weeks for P.T.S.D. and emotional stress caused by my psychopathic/narcissistic (ex) boyfriend and I have had no side effects. Possibly any side effects resemble the trauma caused by my ex and I haven't noticed them.
Since taking them I have felt no difference really apart from my mood lifting slightly.
Oh, I have been having terrible nightmares about my ex since taking the tablets but I have terrible nightmares anyway caused by the P.T.S.D.
Sorry they are making you worse.
Oh, just remembered, I've been suffering from headaches during the night since taking them.
I am seeing a private Councillor, and that seems to help. The NHS waiting list was too long a wait for me.
I'm glad the citalopram is working well for you. I personally love sertraline, it lifted my mood, got rid of my anxiety and I could actually sleep. It was amazing but I had some physical side effects so had to come off (I wasn't bothered by it but my GP wasn't happy). I'm never going to be able to take sertraline again now, gutted.
It's strange it had such an adverse effect on you but unfortunately you just don't know until you try. To be honest, I was so desperate before I was started on it that I don't think your story would have put me off, I was willing to try anything as long as there was some faint hope it would work.
Comments
Having had two lots of counselling, then two lots of CBT and neither of them addressing the issues, I was referred for psychotherapy. After waiting months and getting lost in the system I decided to go private, and have done so for the last 9mths (and am now off meds too). It means I get continuity. The NHS could only offer me 6 sessions of counselling/CBT each time and then I had to self refer and go back on the waiting list and then would see someone different and would start back at square one. This was making me worse rather than better as it just fed into my anxiety again (some of my anxiety is health based).
I still get good and bad episodes but I do feel I'm starting to understand myself a lot better and it's giving me confidence to address my issues and move forward.
OP, if you feel safe on the meds, then stay on them. Maybe try something else though as Sertraline doesn't seem to suit and you've given it a good go. I'd also as you say, ask about CBT, but also about a longer term therapy and support alongside the CBT. CBT does involve you taking steps to challenge your beliefs and it is meant to be a short course to enable you to learn how to do so and to continue doing it after you have completed the course.
A good website to try is MoodGym, it'll give you some insight about challenging negative thought patterns and what CBT encompasses.
https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome
I must say that my experience is that medication, particularly Sertraline for chronic anxiety and depression, has given me a new life, and that is the case for many people. In my case the problem is genetic with two other members of my immediate family also on A/D's, and there is no way that it could be cured or controlled by diet alone. I am quite happy to continue taking Sertraline indefinitely on a low maintenance dose as for me, the quality of life it provides is well worth it. Nobody should have to put up with depressive illness when there are treatments that help.
Sertraline was great but I was going to work, coming home at 5 PM then sleeping until 7AM, repeat ad infinitum. I never felt like my brain was firing on all cylinders and would get confused about stuff, even when it was explained I sometimes couldn't get my head round it. Worked great for depression though! It was like being in a calm bubble. I had to give up driving because I didn't feel like I was mentally sharp enough.
Moved onto Fluoxetine which was the same to be honest... still slept constantly. I was working full time throughout it all because I didn't want my employer to know and it was a real struggle, I'd come home and and question whether I could carry on. I was exhaused all the time.
This was over a period of 3 years and on the 3rd anniversary I decided to come off them as I was feeling better. Wasn't too bad to be honest, maybe took 6 weeks or so but I had to take one tablet every fortnight ish for months after otherwise I'd get a horrendous headache. I had put over two stone on because of the tablets but that still hasn't shifted! To be honest I could do with going back on them, hence being awake at 12:30 am beating myself up for everything I've done/said for over the weekend instead of being able to sleep but I can't be doing with the exhaustion. They did do their job well - I'm totally different to what I was before taking them. I don't think depression ever goes away in some people though.
I'm feeling much better today, I think letting it all out helped a great deal so thanks very much to everyone.
I've booked an appointment with my GP for the 18th so will see what he says. Fingers crossed.
Why be so downright rude?
What Martin and sweetpeanut say is true, the literature is out there to support it if you take the time to read. Many, many illnesses can be cured or vastly improved with the right nutrition, but it's not what people want to hear because popping pills and passing the responsibility is easier.
That said, I've suffered with mental health issues for 22 years and am currently on sertraline, quetiapine and atenalol to help control the symptoms. I know what I should be doing but doing it is the hard part, as is often the case especially with mental illness.
Oh and well done sweetpeanut, I have nothing but admiration for you.
Because the one thing I have zero tollerance for is anti-medication agendas. I know my mind and body better than anyone and so if I say I need to be on something for my own safety I don't know why people can't respect my beliefs.
I know I can't controll what people will post in a thread but there you go. I have every right to blank replies I find deliberately unhelpful for MY situation.
Anyway, I do not want to debate here. I'm continuining to feel better than I was when I posted the OP and for that I'm grateful. Thanks so much to the posters who were respectful.
GPs have an array of meds they can give out i am on Citalopram 40mg which works okay perhaps now you have had a brief spell away from a med that worked for you try taking that again.
Perhaps suggest Prozac or seroxat (this did not work for me)
Have if you are suffering badly asked for a short supply of Diazapam whilst waiting to find a med that works, if you only take it in dire emergencies and do not rely on it thats okay for short periods.
I also found CBT fairly good to do,ask your doctor if he/she thinks this might help.
It will take you months for an appointment to see a specialist the waiting list is
Long.
Do take plenty of time to discus options with your doctor,CBT is more readily available in my experience then waiting for specialist help IE Physchiatrist
Thanks so much Richard, this is all really helpful. I'll make a note of what you've said and will be sure to bring it up at my appointment.
Hope you're doing okay at the moment.
Yes thanks i am doing ok at the moment,:) i am on the cit and have a small supply of Diazampam.
I did actually start to self medicate using alcohol which ended up with me being de-toxed in Hospital and now being completely alcohol free ,that was my wrong choice.
Hope you find something that works for you,its been a 15 year battle for me on and off,and even earlier before being diagnosed.
you don`t need to be so rude when people have taken the time to share their experiences and information, there are other people reading this thread who might find peanut and martin`s contributions helpful.
When choosing an anti-depressant it's very much about finding one that isn't going to give you problems from side effects as all the anti-depressants do very much the same thing by working the same way. A particular anti-depressant that gives one person noticeable side effects may well produce very few if none at all when prescribed to someone else.
GP's in general aren't experts in anti-depression medication but there are psychiatrist's out there that are.
I was on Citalopram which wasn't working, my GP then prescribed Sertraline which just made my anxiety far worse and then Mirtazapine which wasn't any better.
So I asked my GP to make me an appointment with a psychiatrist, he mentioned seeing one at a previous appointment. A really nice man who listened to my whole life story which took an hour. He decided that I should receive CBT and change my medication to Venlafaxine, he even went to the bother of leaving the room and asking a more experienced member of the team their opinion which was the same.
The initial dose was 75mg Venlafaxine, changing medications was a horrible experience and I just got worse ( this is very common initially, it can take 4-6 weeks to start feeling better) went back to see my GP who had received the letter from the psychiatrist with their recommendations who then increased the dose to 150mg.
5 1/2 weeks on from starting the Venlafaxine and the anxiety is virtually gone and the depression has reduced significantly.:)
I've had five one hour sessions of CBT they may have helped a little but for me I think it's been the change in medication.
When it's thoughtless posts like sweetpeanut's and agenda pushing preaching like the other person, I'm not going to just agree with it to be nice.
Like me for example. I'm finding their contributions very helpful.
You've really been through the wringer, glad you are feeling better now. Thanks for such an insightful post, I really appreciate it.
I think saving up and going to a prviate psychiatrist even just for a one time opinion on medication might be something I need to seriously consider.
Okay, fair enough.
I hope then posters who try and convince me to come off the meds will not mind if I just ignore them in that case.
When I told the GP that I wanted to see one he put my details in the system on his computer and I just had to wait to be contacted and an appointment arranged, the same with CBT.
To add, I've gone back on Citalopram and although it's only been just over three weeks, the transformation is amazing. I feel like a person again. My anxiety issues are still there but I am mostly managing them. Being back on an antidepressant that is calming and effective in the right way has really opened my eyes to just what a God awful mess I was on the Sertraline. The time I spent with that drug in my system is easily going down as one of the very worst phases of my life, it really was a shocking and devastating experience.
For anyone who is considering taking antidepressants of switching, make sure you educate yourselves first. If I had any idea what Sertraline could be like I would have avoided it like the plague.
All Anti-D's can have side effects so to be fair, you won't know until you try them. Sertraline has saved my life, I'll never come off it but other meds were not good for me.
Anyway, glad you are feeling better and it was very nice of you to come back and apologise. (Not sure I would have
That is always good to hear.
It's a relief to start feeling normal again when you find something that does work as you can reach a stage where you lose hope.
I think drugs work differently on different people so it's quite impossible to predict side effects before you start taking them, but I hope you get on ok with your Citalopram and continue to improve.
I've been taking Sertraline 50 mg for 6 weeks for P.T.S.D. and emotional stress caused by my psychopathic/narcissistic (ex) boyfriend and I have had no side effects. Possibly any side effects resemble the trauma caused by my ex and I haven't noticed them.
Since taking them I have felt no difference really apart from my mood lifting slightly.
Oh, I have been having terrible nightmares about my ex since taking the tablets but I have terrible nightmares anyway caused by the P.T.S.D.
Sorry they are making you worse.
Oh, just remembered, I've been suffering from headaches during the night since taking them.
I am seeing a private Councillor, and that seems to help. The NHS waiting list was too long a wait for me.
It's strange it had such an adverse effect on you but unfortunately you just don't know until you try. To be honest, I was so desperate before I was started on it that I don't think your story would have put me off, I was willing to try anything as long as there was some faint hope it would work.