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[Dyan]

Hi mags,
My psychiatrist is the only medical person I trust as he was the one, after 38 years,to diagnose my OCD,treat me and got me back to feeling human again.
The GPs here were treating me for depression which along with anxiety,is a symptom of OCD.
I get an hour with him ( private, so I'll have to pay) but what the hell!!!
You can't put a price on your health.

I hope you too get some comfort.
You will get there.
It's just going through it that is the hardest part.
Dyan X

[mags]

HI  Bev and thanks for the info on the msg-how lovely that your children want to use your blanket as a snuggler! I can remember attempting to knit a baby cardigan for one of my children years ago and dropped so many stitches that it was a disaster-my mum had to rescue it for me-she was a fabulous knitter and could rustle up a garment in a day without a pattern! Love Magsx

[Hurdity]

Hi mags

Your anxiety certainly sounds as though it could be hormonally related especially if you suffered from PND.

Prof Studd, who has researched female hormones for many years has this to say:

http://www.studd.co.uk/postnataldepression.php and them menu on the right

or
http://www.studd.co.uk/depression.php and again look at menu on the right

It really sounds as though you need oestrogen lack of which can have an enormous effect on mood (ie lower it). The depression and anxiety while on Femoston conti could be due to progesterone intolerance which some women unfortunately suffer from. With conti HRT you take it all the time (progestogens).

How old are you and how far post-meno? Have you thought of re-starting a cycle? This way you would have weeks of oestrogen only and then a shorter time with the progestogen part to minimise the negative symptoms. At least you would know if this was the cause.

Did you have the heavy bleeding investigated? Maybe it happened while you were peri? Usually, in the absence of other causes you would be given extra progesterone to deal with heavy bleeding ie a higher dose or for longer - but this might not suit you.

The way I see it, if your anxiety and depression are due to (or made concerning or debilitating through) lack of hormones, then it is better to replace the hormones than become dependent on an anti-depressant). Personally I would go down the oestrogen replacement route (and this is what most gynaes should recommend) before continuing with the ADs.

Just some thoughts and maybe you could talk to your doctor about this again or be referred to a meno clinic where you could speak to a gynae?

Hurdity  x

[bev567901]

What sort of day did you have Mags, how are your sertraline side effects at the mo? Bev x

[Dyan]

How are you today Mags?

[mags]

Hi Bev and thanks for asking how I am-had a rather bad morning yest, very tearful and anxious and  very low- managed to get downstairs at about 11ish am and stayed up for a couple of hours but didn't get dressed and didn't want to do anything- my mood lifted slightly later on but still couldn't get dressed and didn't want to eat-had a diazepam earlier and it took the butterflies away for a bit but still didn't feel right. My sister said that I should make myself go out for walks when I feel bad but I feel that I just can't do it as I am so low. The nausea is still there and as I said-Ican't eat or even fancy a cup of tea or coffee. I know I need to give the sertraline time to work but because all of this has gone on for so long-almost constant this last year-I feel I will NEVER  feel right again- at least in previous years it would be on and off and so would get some respite. Feeling much the same today and praying just to get through the day. Hope you have a good day and sorry about all the moaning-Love Magsxx

[mags]

Hi Hurdity and thanks for your post, yes I agree all of this is hormonal but felt so awful on the femoston that it put me off trying it again- there is also a breast cancer family history to consider although my GP had said that the thinking had changed on the link between HRT and breast cancer. I am 57 andT will be two years post meno next Jan. The bleeding was investigated but no cause was found. Will look at the thread you suggested and thanks again for your help-Love Magsx

[mags]

Hi Dyan and thanks for asking how I am- rather rubbish as you will see in my post to Bev - awful anxiety, flatness and sooo low that Iam still in bed-just don't know what to do really-how are you feeling? Lots of love to you-Magsxx

[bev567901]

Mags stay in your pj's I am only dressed today as I am going to CBT. You came downstairs yesterday celebrate that. It is a slow acting drug you have good & bad days. Your sister sounds well meaning but she hasn't walked in your shoes. I had a crap day yesterday did nothing.  Take your diazepam it is a normal thing with sertraline don't feel bad about taking it (how much are you allowed per day?) Just take each day as it comes. Try & eat a bit as it will help the nausea & anxiety. You will feel better eating something no matter how sickly you feel. You will get your appetite back soon. Just set yourself a little tiny goal & if you do it great, if not you might do it next time. What dose of sertraline are you on & what time do you take it?  It is a slow process. Do you get the terrible diarrhea?  Just take each day as it comes. I am still waiting for that magic moment to arrive I have set myself 8 weeks I hope I am right. Take it easy on yourself how you are is normal on this drug, I think I watched the entire of 4Od on my laptop the first few weeks. I felt safe in bed. Take care & don't be hard on yourself. B x

[littleminnie]

Hi Mags, sorry you are feeling so bad. It's a vicious circle because if you don't eat you feel sick and he anxiety is worse because you feel sick.
I know you don't think so at the moment you will get better. When I was at my worst a few years ago I couldn't get out of bed either and when I did I couldn't wait to get back when I did.   I was off work 3 months.
I'm back to my normal self now.
X

[daisie]

Hi mags,reading your post sounds like everything I started with I was in such a mess 4years ago, with anxiety and depression ,had to get the doctor out to see me he put me on Prozac ,they made me worse I finished up having to phone the emergency doctor as it was the weekend ,told me to go to the hospital and pick some Valium up ,I could not even get out of bed my partner had to go ,I only took one,then when Monday came I called the doctor then he put me onto amitriptyline,I was like you could not eat felt sick didn't want to get out of bed,after a while when the amitriptilyne kicked in ,my appetite came back I slowly started to pick up ,I can't tolerate the Ssri ads they make me feel so sick ,but the amitriptyline does give you an appetite they help you sleep as well ,you do feel drowsy next morning ,that tends to wear off through the day ,Iv found out that the other kind of ads I cantolerate better than the newer ones,4years later I'm still on them I have improved,but the anxiety does kreep  back up now and again I just go with the feelings now and don't fight it ,I still get days where I don't go out or feel like doing anything ,it's such an awful thing to have ,it takes away the person you used to be Iv learnt to live with it now ,I think ,if the sertraline does not work for you ask the doctor for one of the older types of ads you never know ,but I do know your appetite will come back take care x daisie

[CLKD]

I so wanted to be 'normal' but was spending day after day after .......... getting dressed around 5.00 a.m. then sitting; because I didn't dare move/eat/drink in case it made me feel worse    ....... Radio 2 was in the background and one morning I realised that I had smiled at something on the Jimmy Young Show    ......... it took a while to realise that the anxiety was not with me for so long into the day and that the drugs were working.  Little steps 

[mags]

Thanks to you all for your great support-Bev I am taking 5mgs Diazepam twice a day but am worried about addiction as I have been on and off it since Dec last year when the Doc prescribed it with HRT- Aand have had more prescriptions since-but she has said it's ok to have it.I take my sertraline in the morning-50mgs but don't have diarrhea-just nausea and no appetite which is compounding the nightmanxiety.Will try to eat something to see if it helps. So Sorry that we all have to go through this hellish  nightmare but at least we can support one another. Hugs to you all for replying-Magsxx

[Dyan]

Mags - you don't have to do anything at all.
I would push myself and push myself to go out but no more.
You have an illness and if you had a bad cold you wouldn't feel much like going out would you?
Let your body do want it wants.
That's what I'm doing until I get to see my Pychiatrist this Friday.
I just wish it was tomorrow.
You have to let the AD do it's work.
A lot of the time you can feel worse before you feel better and it's such a bad time but you WILL
there.
My daughter has been great.
I feel so guilty that it's half term and I don't want to go out but she says she doesn't mind that we'll have more half terms together- bless her!
Hang on in there.
How long have you been on the setraline mags? X

[mags]

Hi Dyan and thanks for your kind words- I don't feel so bad now about not doing anything-well meaning friends have suggested forcing myself out of bed to feel better but I just can't do it- a counsellor even said it to me which made me feel even worse-you are right, this is an illness and if it was flu you  wouldn't make yourself go out. I have been on the sertraline for  just over three weeks so  I suppose It's still early days.  I hope all goes well on Friday- talking about your daughter reminds me of when I started with all this years ago-my daughter was still at school then and had to miss out on doing things with me during half terms etc and I used to feel guilty too-but as your lovely daughter says-there will be plenty more half terms - Love Magsxx