After a tuff year I recently developed general anxiety and low mood.
After two months on citalopram not working I have been swapped to sertraline for the last month.

My mornings are still bad but I now find my mood and anxiety levels improve over the course of the day.
My main problem is a complete lack of motivation to do anything other than lay about on the sofa.
Cycling is not an option not only because of the lack of motivation but I would not trust myself as I generally feel spaced out.

Any positive experiences of this medication please.

chip – I’m sorry to read that you’re still struggling. 🙁 Have you thought of requesting a full blood count and asking for a copy of the results? It could possibly throw up some vitamin or mineral deficiencies that need addressing.

Yes, it’s bloomin’ hard to be motivated but it’s even harder to instigate change. Keep posting and do hope you find some answers.

Thanks,
my Doc did send me for bloods as part of a general health check, what she tested for I don’t know.

I had recently lost all interest in this forum as I had in many things,
But of late found myself back here and even posted in the bike forum, which in itself I think is a sign of some improvement.

I have allways been quite headstrong but at the moment I am easily overwhelmed.

chip – ask your Surgery for a print out of the test results, this should only cost pennies. I can understand feeling overwhelmed, what worked for me was taking control of my health issues as I realised that I was the only person who had any interest in resolving it. That was the turning point for me.

E-mail in profile, feel free to get in touch. 🙂

I will ask at my next appointment,
Thanks.

Check out some of my recent threads and posting on other threads. Seems a lot of us are having problems at the moment.

I’m back to work on Wednesday after 3 weeks off with anxiety and depression due to work issues. I was prescribed an antidepressant but after reading peoples experience of it decided I didn’t fancy the potential side effects and haven’t used them.

Strangely, taking control of that situation, plus 3 weeks off work and feeling like I’m starting to take control of that issue, has helped. Plus a couple of conversations with the GP and initial talking therapies assessment team, where I got lots off my chest to someone with no vested interest, that really helped.

Still a work in progress, though. Health niggles are under some control, few family issues still in the air, and work won’t be resolved until I change jobs, but I’ve found a light for my tunnel. Not looking forward to work on Wednesday mind 😐

My anxiety was triggered by worrying about a headache I had for several weeks,
before that I was pretty happy with my lot.

I hope Wednesday goes well for you.

i have taken sertraline to try and help with my depression,but am now taking furoxetine.

i had similar issues as yourself chip taking sertraline,i felt like i was in some dream state (although i feel that mostly all the time any way)it was just making it worse.

have a word with your doctor about what you are feeling,they will be able to recommend an alternative medication,advice.

i hope you feel better soon chip.

Thanks raceface,

Been on it for over a year now. absolutely positive experience. First couple of weeks were…interesting. A few points where I felt like bursting out crying the middle of the street for absolutely no reason. Once I got beyond that it’s absolutely fine and has definitely helped me. I came off it briefly and the coming off period was pretty up and down, again with random outbursts of emotions. After a month or so off it I decided I was better on it so started again. I’m on a 50mg dose.

Glad to hear of your positive experience boardingbob,
I was on 50mg for a week before being upped to 100mg.

My mood can fluctuate from from moderately happy to feelings of sadness back to happyish in a course of minutes at the moment.
But that said I am definatly feeling better since taking it but strangely functioning less.
Before I was carrying on despite feeling down and anxious but now to the unsympathetic eye I appear to be just very very lazy. 😀
Which brings its own guilt.

Morecash I have read your recent posts thanks.

Stick with it for a bit longer, for me it didn’t really make much difference for the first 6 weeks. I found it took the edge off of the depression / low self esteem, but also took away the more positive feelings. Having very little variation in my feelings wasn’t great either but it was better tan before and it enabled me to start sorting out the underlying issues.

I was on it for around 2 years and have finally stopped. It certainly helped with the actual depression bit but did gave terrible lethargy etc but this may have been down to numerous other factors.

All in all positive for me because I’m no longer on it and, for now at least, not depressed either.