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[LindyLouLou]

Hello Yammy, sorry for the delay in replying as I haven't been on the site for a few days.  I have been on anti-depressants for a long time now so it is hard to exactly remember how I felt in the beginning.   As far as I can remember I was very tearful, shakey, no appetite and even thought about suicide as I thought I just couldn't carry on as I was.  I remember it was an absolutely dreadful time in my life, definitely felt worse than before I started taking the ADs it was a few weeks before I started feeling better.  I remember going to see my local  pharmacist who was very honest with me and said it would take a few weeks before feeling any benefit. So when I read that people give up after a few days, they really haven't given the tablets a chance.  Although of course it is understandable when feeling so much worse!!
Hope you will feel better soon.
Lindyloulou xx

[Yammy1]

Thank you  lindylou I am on day three and the anxiety s a nightmare. Only on 5mg of citalopram very low dose although I don't think I could cope with a higher dose. I'm taking small doses of Xanax to take the edge off as I Don't think I can manage without it at the moment. I really hope I can stick it out as I know I need it

[dazned]

I'm on a different AD but mine took 2\3 weeks before I felt any benefits as I recall . Hope you soon start to pick up.

[Yammy1]

Thank you danzed. Hopefully won't be too long

[LindyLouLou]

I think taking something like Xanax is a good idea, as it will help to dampen down the dreadful anxiety.  Unfortunately I didn't have that option when I started the citalopram. Forget what dosage I started on, think it may have been 10mg which was then gradually increased. I am so glad I stuck with it though and I hope you will be too. 
Lindyloulou

[Yammy1]

Thank you lindylou, I really don't think I could cope without xanax, only very small dose but it's definitely helping, hopefully I won't need it much longer. It's reassuring to know that citalopram works

[CLKD]

How you doing Roseneath? 

Nausea was my worst symptom.  My GP told me that 'Prozac' had no known side effects and I told him "I'll find some" - I DID  . 

Sometimes I feel hung over for no reason  but that passes and because I am aware that it's due to the AD, it worries me less than initially.

[Roseneath]

Hi everyone in this lovely forum. Well in the end I got the sertraline prescription but after reading the leaflet and doing some research on line I didn't take them.  For me I know I have anxiety but this is who I am and it does come and go and is dependent on what I am stressing over health wise at that moment. I was worried that if I take ADs that is me on them for life and that will be the new me. The stories of people trying to come off them were 50% terrible. And what do you know for 3 weeks I felt fine, then I have a week I am a bit edgy  and stressed (the week before my period is the worst) If it is sunny I am better, if I am on holiday I am fine. If I stay off caffeine, do exercise etc I feel better. I didn't like the way My GP was so keen to get me on sertraline like it would make all the worries go away.  When I asked about addiction and coming off  it he said just not to worry about that now, just take them and come and see him in 4 weeks.  So for now I am on 1 x 40mg proprananol per day and I think that calms me a bit. But I know this hormonal stuff is menopause so I can live with that. Of here come the kids.

[CLKD]

I take 20mg Propranolol at night. Plus my AD.  Trouble is, reading what happens to others is rarely a reflection on how we will react!  I took 9 weeks to stop taking one AD under careful supervision.  Still here ;-).   I have to take my AD for Life as my depression is un-controlled without.

Glad that you have recognised a pattern, if you can cope with the physicality of any variations then that's good! 

[lesley998]

Roseneath  - hello, I'm so sorry to hear of your battle with anxiety.  I've had a dreadful time of it too, with adrenaline/cortisol surges, over the top anxiety and, latterly, cyclical ‘madness' and anxiety which left me genuinely fearful, I felt so awful.

I just wanted to say that I take Prozac, and I don't think I will ever come off it.  It's an SSRI which is motivating instead of sedating, and also seems to help my anxiety. I've got a thread on here somewhere with all the history...but I've been off and on Prozac for years for exactly the reasons you stated.  I didn't like the idea of having to take a pill to feel normal - like I used to, and I hated the idea of having to take it for life. I looked at it as the enemy, instead of a friend. I know that sounds daft, but mental health issues run in my family, as diabetes does in others, and heart disease in others...and I've realised Prozac is just a med that I have to take in order to live a normal life.  As diabetics take insulin, and heart problems need statins.   The difference in me - off and on Prozac -  is like night and day.  Life and death.  I'm not exaggerating....I don't think I would be here without it.

I'm not suggesting you try Prozac...it works for me, but citalopram  (and ecitalopram) are newer  SSRI's, and they all work the same....but in different ways!   

But please, don't NOT take it for fear of taking it. 

Sending you best wishes and hope you are ok
X

[Biker Chick]

Hi Roseneath, I totally understand how you feel about Sertraline. I was prescribed them last year by my doctor when I was diagnosed with reactive depression. They are still in my kitchen cupboard unopened. I have been trying all sorts of other routes to help me with symptoms of the menopause and my depression. Hypnotherapy, herbal supplements, more exercise, you name it. I have referred myself for counselling but I am still waiting to hear from them. I did CBT last year but felt I got more help from my close friends. Some days I find that I can just about cope but others, like the last couple of days have been horrendous. I have been a blubbering wreck. I feel like I am actually losing the plot. My fella is useless at supporting me, in fact most of the time he adds to my stress to be honest!

Hang in there. I don't know about you but since finding this forum I have found it be a great help, particularly on bad days, there is always so much good advice and support.
I hope you are OK
Take care x

[CLKD]

There are two types of depression: organic and clinical [situational/reactive].  Trouble is, GPs and others don't always recognise that there are differences.  I have to take an AD for Life.  Hard to accept initially but now Himself and I have a Life again.  I also have clinical depression [long story short] so when my brain is low for more than 3 mornings in a row, I up my dosage in order to survive.  My GP is aware that I self-medicate.  I also have an emergency Valium-type drug and for years have taken Propranolol.  At first it was 80mg at night for 3 months then dropped to 40mg at night, which after a few years I split into 20mg night and morning: due to more increased low-grade headaches I have dropped the morning dose.

It's Trial and Error.  I am more aware of my feelings and how to deal with the medication 'as necessary' these days.  Mostly I feel OK!

Don't give up 

[Snoooze]

Hi everyone in this lovely forum. Well in the end I got the sertraline prescription but after reading the leaflet and doing some research on line I didn't take them.  For me I know I have anxiety but this is who I am and it does come and go and is dependent on what I am stressing over health wise at that moment. I was worried that if I take ADs that is me on them for life and that will be the new me. The stories of people trying to come off them were 50% terrible. And what do you know for 3 weeks I felt fine, then I have a week I am a bit edgy  and stressed (the week before my period is the worst) If it is sunny I am better, if I am on holiday I am fine. If I stay off caffeine, do exercise etc I feel better. I didn't like the way My GP was so keen to get me on sertraline like it would make all the worries go away.  When I asked about addiction and coming off  it he said just not to worry about that now, just take them and come and see him in 4 weeks.  So for now I am on 1 x 40mg proprananol per day and I think that calms me a bit. But I know this hormonal stuff is menopause so I can live with that. Of here come the kids.

You sound like me! I've had anxiety since childhood and I've never tried AD's because I know that I would panic about the side effects and convince myself I had them. I then developed Health Anxiety which was worse than just the anxiety. I have convinced myself I have so many illnesses then like you, if I'm on holiday etc I'm fine. When I started peri, the anxiety increased ten fold. I've never known anything like it, it was just constant whereas before, I would have breaks in between. I just rode it out but it wasn't easy. Since October half term holidays, something has happened, I don't know why but my anxiety has decreased. I still get it but I'm able to not let it take over. Just before I was shopping, felt a bit dizzy but whereas before my heart rate would have increased and I would have felt shaky, I was OK. I almost feel like I'll jinx it by mentioning it here but I'm enjoying this new phase and I don't know if it's all hormone led or what, but I'm happy that at the moment (fingers crossed) it has eased. I can't believe how many women on this site suffer with anxiety as I have always felt quite alone in my suffering and that friends and family don't really understand it so it's good to read on here that other women are going through the same and I hope we can all come out the other end x

[Conolly]

Hello CLKD,

How do you/GP know the difference between organic and clinical? Is there any test for organic depression or is it just a clinical (no pun intended) diagnosis? I have many issues that could be the source of a clinical depression, but how do I know I DON'T have the organic type?

Conolly X

[CLKD]

No blood test etc., when I first became depressed I asked for an explanation but no one is interested.  Depression is on both sides of my family from way back (to 1800s) so I don't have a chocolate fireguard chance of surviving on paper.  Clinical - when a person becomes depressed due to issues that they can't change or can't see a way out of, even if change is possible can be treated by CBT or medication, relaxation etc.. 

My depression is cyclical - very ill, medication, feel better, stop medication, ill .......... a Psychiatrist called to my home in an emergency situation noted that I have a 22 month pattern = organic.  When situations over-whelm me, i.e. when anxiety floors me, the depression is different: on top of the organic.

There are those that tell me that there is clinical/situational depression only - I soon kicked them into touch!!!!!  It's OK to read about illness in books and to be told how to put coping strategies into action but the reality is different. 

I have been told that depression is a 'learned' illness ........... no one can feel depression, they might act like they are depressed but someone acting won't remain depressed for more than a short while at a time.  Depression itself confined me to bed ........ and no one IMO can mimic that!

I would suggest that you make a list of your Life experiences thus far and a separate list of on-going stressful situations: then put against the latter any coping agencies that you can access in order to ease those particular stressors.