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Author Topic: Your experiences of antidepressants please  (Read 1820 times)

Misstowers

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Your experiences of antidepressants please
« on: January 11, 2019, 07:13:54 AM »

Morning everyone.

Just wanted some straight forward pro and con experiences of antidepressants for perimenopausal depression. I know that some have been them for a while before peri or meno but I wondered if anyone had started on them for the first time during peri or after meno as a treatment for depression or anxiety related to this awful period of our lives.

I'm 42 in peri for a while now, taking a low dose of sandrena and 12 days of prog. I posted on here back in nov as I had a terrrible week where (perhaps overdramatically) I thought I was having a breakdown, although I came to realise  it was a lack of prog. Once I took prog the fog lifted straight away. Great! I thought...

however I'm still having bad days and  I seem to be up and down faster than a whores knickers. I can't pin point any specific cause related to where I am in my cycle (like before), it's just seems to be coming on without cause. I'm so tearful and irritable, my concentration is bad and memory recall is pathetic.

I exercise regularly, have cut out booze, eat really well, I practice yoga and am doing everything you are ‘supposed' to do to boost your mood and cope. Still taking my hrt.

Yesterday I felt hopeless and fantasised about running away. I have a lot on my plate which doesn't help, 4 kids and my mother living with us, and I work full
Time. I think this is stressing me out but there's nothing I can do about that (other than take some time for me which I try to do with exercise).

I was thinking that maybe antidepressants might level me out a bit and help me to cope with the day to day.

Any advice or opinions would be much appreciated.

Thanks ladies x
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Woodlands

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2019, 08:17:50 AM »

Hi Miss towers.
Sounds a hectic life- I too was running a home, working and three children when peri hit me at 47. I then discovered my now ex was having an affair and neally had a total melt down.
Starting Citralopam has been my saviour, six years in March and I stay on it to remain well..... I have had a tough 5 years losing a son to suicide....
All the best
Woodlands xx
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Misstowers

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2019, 09:11:36 AM »

Hi woodlands, thanks for the reply. I don't know how you deal with losing a child. My heart goes out to you. It must be a living hell.
I can relate to how you felt about the affair, as my ex husband also had an affair which broke up our family 8 years ago, and at the same time my dad was dying of cancer - somehow I managed to keep going and was ok, I don't think I would have coped at all if that had happened during menopause.
I'm now with a very supportive man and we had another child together, life is good, which makes me feel even more terrible for feeling like I do sometimes.
It's good that antidepressants have helped you.
Were there any side effects for you on citralopram?
Mostly I'm worried about the sexual side effects as my libido is not great now and I don't think I could cope with any more damage to it.
And anxiety which I've heard it can cause...
Thanks x
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CLKD

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2019, 12:53:01 PM »

Firstly, talk to your partner about lack of sexual interest.  Not being a mind reader, it needs to be broached.  There's a page about 'hints for husbands' here somewhere, worth printing out to hand over ;-).

You are busy.  Can you delegate to the children?  Is your Mum healthy?

I had depression from 1988 and medication helped.  The sadness that I felt prior to each period was different and definitely hormonal.  If you feel that medication would help give it a whirl for 6-8 months, then review.  Regardless of whether it's hormonal, depression and anxiety are that: depression and anxiety.  I suffer with both clinical and organic depression.
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Misstowers

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2019, 06:43:07 PM »

Hi CLKD,

My mum is depressed - stemming from many bereavements and her health is not the best so she relies on my emotionally as well as physically, she takes antidepressants and has done for 8 years. It's a massive strain. My husband is really great, and we are really open with each other about everything, including me not wanting sex as much. He couldn't do more for me to fancy him in truth. I think all the kids in the house don't help in that respect but before my peri men we were able to find time so it's definitely a hormonal thing. My meno consultant suggested testosterone if I saw him privately, I may go that route, just too expensive right now.
Thanks for the advice about doing a trial - I think I'm guilty of seeing things in quite final terms - either I do this and it is the answer, or not, when in reality I could see what happens over 6-8 months.
I'm scared of becoming dependent and somehow it altering my brain chemistry permanently but I guess that is ignorant of me.
Anyway, thanks for the reply, I'm at the meno clinic in feb but if this blue patch continues I think I'll go speak to my gp.
Have a good weekend everyone!
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CLKD

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2019, 08:19:06 PM »

I fought against ADs for years.  Acceptance was difficult.  But they gave me a Life again.  I had watched my Dad on many different ADs over the 1960s and 70s but medication has improved so much. 

You are unlikely to become addicted and quite honestly, Quality of Life is far more important.   I had to change from one to another and it took 9 weeks of gentle reduced dosage for me to stop the 1st so it can be done. 

It may of course 'alter your brain chemistry' : for the better  ;).  I too am black and white, little in between  ::)
« Last Edit: January 13, 2019, 05:23:10 PM by CLKD »
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Woodlands

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2019, 10:57:42 PM »

Hi Ms towers.
I'm glad to be well and happy on Ad's as when my eldest now angel son was born I had full on PND.... Almost admitted for MH care.... Boy it was scary... I fought hard but battled on without meds of any kind and did my RGN training with a new born baby.....
When I hit rock bottom in 2013 I just wanted to feel whole, safe and well so meds had their place then..... No plans to come off and you would never detect I have a MH issue.
I practice mindfulness and solution focus so if I want to achieve something I plan to steps it takes to achieve the outcome..... I push on even on low days as I won't be beaten....
My libido.... Opps is through the roof and thankfully I have a willing partner :) xx
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Misstowers

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2019, 05:22:41 PM »

Hi woodlands thanks for sharing that. Your story and the others above seem positive- AD have helped you. My mum takes them and they have certainly saved her. Thing is when she has tried to come off them it's a nightmare and she has to go back. I'm going to discuss it with the consultant at the meno clinic in feb, and see what they say, as I'm not sure I should be applying estrogen, maybe that is what the issue is.... I had a great day yesterday for no apparent particular reason - it's so random and confusing not knowing how I'm going to feel from one day, or hour, to the next. One day I feel like a goddess and the next like a pile of dog poo 💩 helps to know we're not alone though.
Thanks
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CLKD

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Re: Your experiences of antidepressants please
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2019, 05:27:05 PM »

What is your Mum taking?  If it's one of the older ADs she may have difficulties stopping. However, her brain may also require support, which is why she has to have them.

When I had to change the biggest worry in my head was "If I feel ill I will have to re-start" and it was difficult.  Once I realised that those feelings didn't a) continue for more than 24 hours and b) didn't get any worse each time the dose was reduced, I was able to relax more.  It took 9 weeks.  You need to ask what the most difficult part of stopping is for your Mum.  Is she stopping without reduction? without supervision?  Are the withdrawal feelings the same as why she was initially prescribed them.

If they are helping her why does she need to stop anyway? There's too much put on stopping medication!

The brain requires support.
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