Meds

MilsyRose

independent_ said:

MilsyRose said:

independent_ said:

Yeah @MilsyRose I think the benefits have to massively outweigh the risks for them to prescribe. I think in my case by the time I get through the waiting lists, I’ll be 18 anyway and would probably be a hell of a lot worse if I had no support at all. But they’re watching it very closely 

Mhm. My mum wants me on them but they were like nope.

I guess they must think it would put you at risk more than it’d benefit you @MilsyRose and they are risks which are taken really really seriously for a very good reason. 

Perhaps but they don't know everything though.

independent_

GreenTea said:

Ah that's good that tablets are already in your routine.. ( I mean not good but like good as in your use to taking them at a certain time already)

Is there anything we can do to help with distractions?

Yeah it’s good that it’s already part of my routine @GreenTea, GP mentioned the importance of making sure to take them reliably every day so that helps with that
I’ve been listening to a lot of music today that’s the main way I relax  

GreenTea

independent_ said:

GreenTea said:

Ah that's good that tablets are already in your routine.. ( I mean not good but like good as in your use to taking them at a certain time already)

Is there anything we can do to help with distractions?

Yeah it’s good that it’s already part of my routine @GreenTea, GP mentioned the importance of making sure to take them reliably every day so that helps wit@GreenTea

I’ve been listening to a lot of music today that’s the main way I relax  

 Music is good! Well done!! See if you can discover any new tunes you like  


Yh Taking them the same time of day is really really important. 
Remember if you struggle with the side effects or anything, you can contact your GP before the 2 week appointment

Mel_

I'm on sertraline and for me, I had the worst side effects on here the first week... I don't want to mention it here but they eventually calmed down. I can't say these ones are working at all so I think I need to change them again. Hopefully, if these don't work you can request another x

independent_

GreenTea said:

independent_ said:

GreenTea said:

Ah that's good that tablets are already in your routine.. ( I mean not good but like good as in your use to taking them at a certain time already)

Is there anything we can do to help with distractions?

Yeah it’s good that it’s already part of my routine @GreenTea, GP mentioned the importance of making sure to take them reliably every day so that helps wit@GreenTea

I’ve been listening to a lot of music today that’s the main way I relax  

 Music is good! Well done!! See if you can discover any new tunes you like  


Yh Taking them the same time of day is really really important. 
Remember if you struggle with the side effects or anything, you can contact your GP before the 2 week appointment

That’s really good to know. Thank you. 

I’m just listening to my local radio atm aha. 

independent_

Mellyy99 said:

I'm on sertraline and for me, I had the worst side effects on here the first week... I don't want to mention it here but they eventually calmed down. I can't say these ones are working at all so I think I need to change them again. Hopefully, if these don't work you can request another x

Thanks for sharing that @Mellyy99 it’s been interesting to hear different experiences with it

Jellyelephant

I am on sertraline and find it helpful. Took a while to get a combo of meds that works for me but I am happy with my current meds 

independent_

Jellyelephant said:

I am on sertraline and find it helpful. Took a while to get a combo of meds that works for me but I am happy with my current meds 

Thanks @Jellyelephant long time no speak, by the way - I hope you’re doing alright 

independent_

I’d been getting on ok with these with only minor side effects but tonight I honestly feel soo much worse mentally, I was warned about this effect but I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. 

Zen

@independent_ I experience that too, thinking the side effects where fine and then all of a sudden I felt awful. It goes away, trust me. Sticking with my meds was the best thing I ever did for myself, even if the beginning was really tough.

Being given the meds gave me a sense of hope that I would feel better again and I was exited (and nervous) to start them. When I took them and all the side effects started, I was devistated. I didn't think I could reach any lower but I did. But the side effects did stop after a week or so and I started to feel so much better, even more so than I would have imagined.

My Psychology teacher explained to me what was happening to give me a bit more understanding of what was happening in my body. She told be that sertraline works by kind of draining the serotonin which makes you feel really low. But it then fills it back up again to a level higher than you previously had. So once you have gone through the first stage, you should hopefully feel much better. 

I was prescribed the wrong dosage at first, your supposed to start small and work your way up but I was given a large dosage straight off which impacted the side effects a lot. A doctor told me that if I could make it through the side effects stage then it was be worth it and, in my opinion, he was totally right!

I know that you may not feel that you have much fight in you if youre feeling low but dig deep and keep pushing on! Of course, if you don't think sertraline is for you then you can always speak to your GP again, same goes for if you need a hand getting through the side effects. Antidepressants take around 6 weeks before you get their full effect so it may be worth giving them a chance.

Do whatever feels right for you ❤️

independent_

Eleanor said:

@independent_ I experience that too, thinking the side effects where fine and then all of a sudden I felt awful. It goes away, trust me. Sticking with my meds was the best thing I ever did for myself, even if the beginning was really tough.

Being given the meds gave me a sense of hope that I would feel better again and I was exited (and nervous) to start them. When I took them and all the side effects started, I was devistated. I didn't think I could reach any lower but I did. But the side effects did stop after a week or so and I started to feel so much better, even more so than I would have imagined.

My Psychology teacher explained to me what was happening to give me a bit more understanding of what was happening in my body. She told be that sertraline works by kind of draining the serotonin which makes you feel really low. But it then fills it back up again to a level higher than you previously had. So once you have gone through the first stage, you should hopefully feel much better. 

I was prescribed the wrong dosage at first, your supposed to start small and work your way up but I was given a large dosage straight off which impacted the side effects a lot. A doctor told me that if I could make it through the side effects stage then it was be worth it and, in my opinion, he was totally right!

I know that you may not feel that you have much fight in you if youre feeling low but dig deep and keep pushing on! Of course, if you don't think sertraline is for you then you can always speak to your GP again, same goes for if you need a hand getting through the side effects. Antidepressants take around 6 weeks before you get their full effect so it may be worth giving them a chance.

Do whatever feels right for you ❤️

Thank you @Eleanor that’s really interesting to know how it works in the brain, I’ve done some psychology so interested in this stuff aha.

I’ve been started on 50mg, physically I’ve been fine mostly felt a bit sick off and on and tired but ok. Despite being tired though it’s really hard to sleep so I think that’s part of the problem.

I just didn’t expect it to affect me like this. Like even though I was warned about it idk maybe I just thought it couldn’t get much worse from before I was on them. 

It’s really reassuring when you say it does get better it’s really hard to see that right now. 

GreenTea

independent_ said:

I’d been getting on ok with these with only minor side effects but tonight I honestly feel soo much worse mentally, I was warned about this effect but I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. 

Sending hugs lovely. You've got this. We are here for you to help you through this. 
Do you have anything in place to help you when you feel this way?

independent_

GreenTea said:

independent_ said:

I’d been getting on ok with these with only minor side effects but tonight I honestly feel soo much worse mentally, I was warned about this effect but I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. 

Sending hugs lovely. You've got this. We are here for you to help you through this. 
Do you have anything in place to help you when you feel this way?

Thank you @GreenTea  

Not really honestly I just have to distract myself somehow which can get pretty hard sometimes. 

GreenTea

independent_ said:

GreenTea said:

independent_ said:

I’d been getting on ok with these with only minor side effects but tonight I honestly feel soo much worse mentally, I was warned about this effect but I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. 

Sending hugs lovely. You've got this. We are here for you to help you through this. 
Do you have anything in place to help you when you feel this way?

Thank you @GreenTea  

Not really honestly I just have to distract myself somehow which can get pretty hard sometimes. 

Anything we can do to help?

independent_

GreenTea said:

independent_ said:

GreenTea said:

independent_ said:

I’d been getting on ok with these with only minor side effects but tonight I honestly feel soo much worse mentally, I was warned about this effect but I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. 

Sending hugs lovely. You've got this. We are here for you to help you through this. 
Do you have anything in place to help you when you feel this way?

Thank you @GreenTea  

Not really honestly I just have to distract myself somehow which can get pretty hard sometimes. 

Anything we can do to help?
I might go for a walk with mum. Honestly just chatting on here is really helpful  

GreenTea

Okay, I'll be around if you need to chat, and on general thread too

independent_

GreenTea said:

Okay, I'll be around if you need to chat, and on general thread too

I’m also going down to my partner’s later, he’s really supportive which is good.

GreenTea

That sounds like a good plan

independent_

I’ve had to stop taking these meds I’ve no hope now that anything will work. They made me feel so much worse and I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was so hopeful. Even the thought that it’d be better in the long run didn’t make it better 

GreenTea

independent_ said:

I’ve had to stop taking these meds I’ve no hope now that anything will work. They made me feel so much worse and I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was so hopeful. Even the thought that it’d be better in the long run didn’t make it better 

Did you speak to your GP first? It's totally normal to feel worse before better on medication and it takes a while to settle

Hope you are ok

independent_

GreenTea said:

independent_ said:

I’ve had to stop taking these meds I’ve no hope now that anything will work. They made me feel so much worse and I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was so hopeful. Even the thought that it’d be better in the long run didn’t make it better 

Did you speak to your GP first? It's totally normal to feel worse before better on medication and it takes a while to settle

Hope you are ok

Yeah @GreenTea she said I could either try to push through or if I was really struggling just stop. It’s really hard knowing it’s normal but having to get through it is really really hard and I just couldn’t do it at the moment. 

GreenTea

That's fair enough. I'm sorry it didn't work out are they offering any other support?

independent_

GreenTea said:

That's fair enough. I'm sorry it didn't work out are they offering any other support?

@GreenTea I’ve been referred for therapy but my GP said the waiting lists can be quite long so im not sure 

GreenTea

independent_ said:

GreenTea said:

That's fair enough. I'm sorry it didn't work out are they offering any other support?

@GreenTea I’ve been referred for therapy but my GP said the waiting lists can be quite long so im not sure 

Ahh ok, we are here for you if you ever need a chat 💕

independent_

It’s just horrible because I was so hopeful and now in my head it feels like nothing will work 

GreenTea

independent_ said:

It’s just horrible because I was so hopeful and now in my head it feels like nothing will work 

You can try again. There's lots of other medication to try and there's other things too like therapy

independent_

@GreenTea I guess it’s reassuring to know that the medications are an option for the future if I think it’s right to try again. I’m not ruling that out but at the moment, when I’m really struggling anyway, feeling worse was particularly hard. I thought I couldn’t get any worse. But yeah it’s good to know it’s an option and there are others. My GP is really understanding too which is amazing. 

Thank you so much for all the support it’s really appreciated  

GreenTea

Just have to take it one step at a time, we all react differently to things, the medication you were on, wasn't right for you at the time and that's totally ok. It's good to hear your GP is understanding. Hopefully your GP can help you find the right medication, therapy and any other support when you are ready