After another crisis of losing my temper and getting very angry/shouty with my family then feeling terrible I made the slightly maverick decision to stop taking Sertraline. It just doesn’t seem to be working the way it should.

I stopped cold turkey 4 days ago and I feel a lot better. I wouldn’t want to encourage anyone to do what I did as it’s not recommended, and Sertraline has definitely helped me in the past, but I don’t think long term use has much evidence to support it. Seeing a doctor next week but my plan is to try and manage my mental health with meditation, exercise, creative activities etc which I’ve been totally unable to manage recently.

We shall see. Things looking brighter though. If anyone is at KMF this weekend I will be wandering around with a camera trying to look professional. 🙂

Good luck Grum 👍

After a particularly down couple of weeks I had a very long conversation with a GP that has resulted in a suggestion of counselling and prescription for 50mg Sertraline. When I told my wife I broke down and felt shit all evening and I barely slept last night. My wife is an eternal optimist and sometimes her support doesn’t hit the spot but she was really upset that I talked to the GP without telling her, even though it was a spur of the moment decision to do so.

As my weight is part of the problem, I’m concerned with the comments about weight gain on Sertraline. Is it a specific side effect caused by simply taking it or a result of the altered mood, a bit like alcohol dropping inhibitions, meaning people are less bothered by the over eating?

After a particularly down couple of weeks I had a very long conversation with a GP that has resulted in a suggestion of counselling and prescription for 50mg Sertraline. When I told my wife I broke down and felt shit all evening and I barely slept last night. My wife is an eternal optimist and sometimes her support doesn’t hit the spot but she was really upset that I talked to the GP without telling her, even though it was a spur of the moment decision to do so.

As my weight is part of the problem, I’m concerned with the comments about weight gain on Sertraline. Is it a specific side effect caused by simply taking it or a result of the altered mood, a bit like alcohol dropping inhibitions, meaning people are less bothered by the over eating?

I’m by no means an expert, but I suspect that weight gain can’t be caused by people being ‘less fussed’ about things, but it’s by no means a given.

Personally, being free of my Anxiety / Depression has given me the energy to really embrace my fitness / eating plan, although during the first few weeks when my system was getting used to it, I did lose a lot of enthusiasm for it, but that said, I often do when the nights draw in, it may have not been a factor.

I’m a few months into it now and I’m not brave enough to say this is permanent or just an up-swing, but I haven’t been this happy for years, and better still, rather than it making me complacent, I’m more determined to resolve the core issues of my mental health and the secondary issues that caused the ‘breakdown’. I really didn’t want the pills to just paper the crack and make it easier to handle an unhappy situation, I wouldn’t have taken that with both hands a few months ago, but I’ve got a clear plan now.

Saw this thread was back again.

After a particularly grim few weeks in and out of work with my anxiety sky rocketing I’ve finally stopped putting it off this morning and I’ve got an appointment booked with the GP in 2 weeks time. It’s mostly the anxiety rather than depression this time,so that’s “better”.

The prospect of being comfortably numb for a while is increasingly looking like the least worst option.

I put on a lot of weight when I first started taking Sertraline.

I am trying to think why it happened.

I think that my appetite really increased and I was not aware of how quickly the weight was piling on. I think that if I had been aware of this side effect, I could have made a conscious effort to try and curb some of the excess eating.

My son and daughter are on Sertraline as well.

My daughter is on it for anxiety and intrusive thoughts. She has been on it since the summer and it has helped with her anxiety levels.

My son is on it for society anxiety and obsessively analysing his thoughts. He has been on it for a few weeks and he has told me that he has started to feel slightly better. He is also going to receive some counselling through his university.

Our brains and bodies evolved, they weren’t designed and sometimes they need help to get back to normal.

Fwiw, my main reason for not wanting to try meds when I was last having issues was due to the worry of the weight gain – I’m a bit chunky anyway, eating is my coping mechanism, I could see it going badly wrong.

Luckily my GP at the time was great, took my concerns seriously, gave me time to realise that nothing was improving without the meds, and put me on a low dose of Citalopram partly to minimise the risk of weight gain. Presumably took longer for the meds to kick in at the lower dose (5-6 weeks)

Anyone worried about side effects needs to discuss it with their GP – see if there’s an alternative to minimise the chances.

I’m a bit chunky anyway, eating is my coping mechanism, I could see it going badly wrong.

I’m the same. I’ve just gone back on Keto because it’s the only thing that has worked for me so I’m hoping that will keep me on the straight and narrow.

YMMV i didn’t gain weight on sertraline, but i have since i went on to mirtazapine, but that was also at a time of major stress for me and not much physical activity (writing a masters thesis whilst working full time and going through a break-up)
It’s not a given that you will get any if the side-effects mentioned on this thread. My main side-effect from sertraline was night-sweats and shivering.

The benefits of being on these drugs far outweigh the negatives when I wasn’t on them.

If you do get side effects or they aren’t quite hitting the mark then speak to your doctors. Mine have been brilliant, adjusting where needed to get it right for me.
I’m now on 30mg mirtazapine daily and not feeling any side effects from that, i would suspect at my next review in two weeks i’ll need to bump up to 45mg daily, but i’m feeling a lot better having finsihed my withdrawl from sertraline and gotten used to the new one.

Supposedly it’s Blue Monday today (marketing bullshit) how’s everyone doing? Hope everyone’s doing well.

I’m dead pleased to report, after completing my counselling with Mind UK just before Christmas, I started to taper off the ADs. We starts couple counselling on Friday, which sounds like it’ll be a barrel of laughs, but hey ho, I’m sure it’ll be worth it.

Also completed a professional qualification I’ve been putting off for months, and I’ve completed the first draft of my first CV in two decades, I still can’t write about myself very positively, but I’ll get there.

Am I fixing the symptoms of my mental health issue, or the cause? If anyone knows, answers on a postcard please, but I’m, feeling positive, looking forward to spring, and a list of other stuff I’ve got lined up, just in case I ever feel like I’ve got nothing to look forward to again.

I was just thinking about this thread myself and checking in with people. For me, so far so good coming off the mirtazapine. I have bad days. weeks even however I have reached a point where I can accept that and just ride those times out.

The plus side is I can concentrate better, sleep better most of the time and modulate my moods much better. With the mirtazapine I was either up (most of the time) or down and angry. I couldn’t really hit any point in between.

Feel there’s a way to go yet though and I may relapse however I can just about see light at the end of the tunnel also.

Been up and down in the last few weeks. MrsMC has agreed I can look for a less pressured job at a lower pay, so kind of looking for an easier life.

I’ve always felt these drugs are an artificial fix and dont address the core issues that are causing depression in the first place. It’s cause and effect really, and you can end up in a state of worry about how you would feel were this crutch to be removed.

As such I reckon the likes of CBT and other therapies do more good than chemical interventions, which always have their own side effects to deal with.

Hiya. Hope it’s found well for Grum, I missed the stuff a month ago. Hope everyone else is okay too. Lifes good here. If it wasn’t blue Monday in a world pandemic with the chance of 2 young kids having to be home schooled again for a bit I’d be sacking it off. As it is, I’ve put a repeat prescription request in but feel good and will try coming off in a month I reckon.

Pretty sure I can’t blame it for my weight gain…. Baby number 3 (now 19mo) and WFH have caused it for me!

Cheers neilnevill and everyone else. I am doing ok. An update:

I have generally found being off the sertraline better, but it’s not been plain sailing. Out of the three scenarios of low dose of sertraline not really doing much any more, high dose of sertraline but feeling out of it and lots of side effects, and no sertraline – no sertraline is the best one for me at the moment by some distance. I am finding winter tough though and starting to find depressive thinking coming back a little. I am feeling less brain-fogged and more able to actually get on with some stuff though – also managing a bit more exercise.

I’m strongly considering trying out microdosing psilocybin instead however!

I went through the whole rigmarole of a referral for potential ADHD diagnosis which came back as negative which has taken up a lot of time/energy and left me feeling rather drained and like I may have been on a big wild goose chase that I have involved friends/family in too. I was trying not to make assumptions but was pretty convinced I had it and was very hopeful it might be a key to unlocking some kind progress with chronic depression which years of pills and therapy hasn’t really shifted much at all. The NHS (well actually ‘Psychiatry UK’ subcontracted by the NHS) consider the issues I have identified as being potentially part of ADHD as purely depression/mood related, not ADHD.

I have some issues with the NHS diagnostic method (you have to have had at least some of the symptoms since childhood but my memory of childhood is very poor and children are often very good at masking) but I don’t know whether to try and pursue it further. My feeling is that I probably do have ADHD to some degree and for people like me who are generally struggling with life but just about managing the NHS don’t really have the resources to help and the threshold is very high to qualify for treatment.

Anyway, sorry for the essay! Hope everyone else is doing as well as possible. Longer, brighter days are coming at least 🙂

I’ve always felt these drugs are an artificial fix and dont address the core issues that are causing depression in the first place. It’s cause and effect really, and you can end up in a state of worry about how you would feel were this crutch to be removed.

As such I reckon the likes of CBT and other therapies do more good than chemical interventions, which always have their own side effects to deal with.

I do not think it is a simple as that. Yes ADs are an artificial fix however they can be literally life saving. Mrs D would likely have committed suicide without them and whilst I am too stubborn to take such a route I would have been (and I was in) a very very dark place before taking them and wouldn’t have left the house for something like a CBT appointment anyway.

No, they do not necessarily fix the underlying issues as such but they can give you that first bit of mental clarity to begin the journey and I would not want anyone to be put off the idea of ADs on the premise they do not achieve anything. They are a really important tool in the box in dealing with depression and anxiety.

No, they do not necessarily fix the underlying issues as such but they can give you that first bit of mental clarity to begin the journey and I would not want anyone to be put off the idea of ADs on the premise they do not achieve anything. They are a really important tool in the box in dealing with depression and anxiety.

Definitely my experience, calmed the chatter in my head to the point that I could engage with talking therapies successfully, but took 2-3 months

I’ve always felt these drugs are an artificial fix and dont address the core issues that are causing depression in the first place. It’s cause and effect really, and you can end up in a state of worry about how you would feel were this crutch to be removed.

As such I reckon the likes of CBT and other therapies do more good than chemical interventions, which always have their own side effects to deal with.

Well, yes they are, but I wouldn’t have put it so bluntly myself… We could argue of course that insulin is “and artificial fix and doesn’t address the core issues” of an over-active immune system.

Mental Health issued can be caused by a huge variety of things. Personally I ‘treated’ mine at first with CBT, which addressed some of the symptoms, and allowed me to manage them, at least for a few years, but I was always just waiting for a crisis to come and topple me over, when it did I wanted to end my life and the ADs gave me to breathing space to carry on doing all the things we all have to do to carry on, and start treatment for the core issues, but not everyone can, some people need to use ADs for years, some need to take them at different periods in their life and some people will need them forever. They don’t cost the NHS a huge amount of money, they don’t cause a lot of side effects, well past first few weeks or when they right ones are found and they don’t cause long term harm, so other than a bit of social stigma, there’s really now reason to stop taking them if you don’t want to.

Not everything they do is completely positive, for me the same ‘stuff’ that causes my anxiety, seems to be the ‘stuff’ that gives me my drive – I’m hoping to get my drive back when I’m done with them, without the anxiety. If that’s not possible, I’ll keep taking them.

I also believe anti-depressants have saved my life on more than one occasion. Arguably it’s a sticking plaster but sometimes you need a sticking plaster. The evidence suggests that they are effective for most people especially if combined with some kind of talking therapy.

I’ve come off sertraline recently but I’ve found it very helpful in the past. I think there is still a stigma around being on medication for mental health issues which is deeply unhelpful/dangerous.

How’s everyone doing?

I’ve been thinking for the last week or two about coming off the Citalopram. I’d have swore it was 6 months, but it’s over 8 now. Not a long time, but long enough.

I’m doing okay at the moment. Coming off a long weekend away with my Wife, I’m clam, confident, happy, all that good stuff. My Marriage nearly ended in December, horribly, but we’re back on track now, doing a lot of the things we should have been doing before.

Work is good, another really rough ride, but we’ve made a lot of changes to make it interesting and rewarding again, mentally and financially.

I’ve got a summer to look forward to, Morzine with the lads, Croatia with the family, plus birthday celebrations and even a new car Friday, a bit of a dream buy that I’ve been chasing for years and years.

Really, I shouldn’t be in any rush to stop, the major downsides are weight gain, and a little lack of motivation sometimes, anxiety can be a good driver, and yeah having a rest from it and stopping to smell the flowers sometimes is great, but I do like to get stuff done.

What’s withdrawal like? I’m on Citalopram, 30Mgs a day.

I can’t remember if I said it earlier in this thread, and frankly, I’m too lazy to go back through all the posts, but I returned to 50 mgs of Sertraline, and have decided that I will simply stay on for the rest of my life if that’s what it takes. As others have said of themselves, it’s not a magic fix for everything, but it definitely lends me a degree of steadiness from which I can work through other things better. In the past, I have gone up as high as 150 mgs, but 50 seems just about right. And I am grateful.

I intended to revisit this thread. I’ve managed taper back down to 50mg which I was a bit worried about having read about side effects. But thankfully I had no issues and no downsides. Not sure I’m ready to ditch it completely though.

My first time on Citalopram, only 20mg to reduce the weight gain issue (the binge eating causes enough of that) it took me a long time to come off it, maybe 5-6 months. My mistake trying to do it at the start of winter, and then a few hurdles life threw in the way.

I’ve been back on it (20mg) and signed off work for 6 weeks now. Only just starting to feel the effects, sleeping better and a little calmer. Had a bit of a wobble mid ride with the club on Monday evening on a vaguely technical section that had me off and walking.

Got an occupational health meeting by phone tomorrow so shitting myself about that today. Logged on to the work laptop yesterday and frankly had no grasp or understanding of the bollocks I’d been copied into and had a “would be easier if I wasn’t here” moment but it passed.

Two texts from boss have just pinged up on my phone that I might brave a peek at later.

But I’m getting 3-4 rides in a week, redecorating a room for my daughter to move in to to keep busy.

Seen a job I’ve always fancied come up – I’ve all the people skills they require but none of the technical/legal knowledge (entry level jobs requiring specific experience 🙄). Will brush off my CV at the weekend and take a punt on it.

I’m a bit similar viewed to Saxon rider currently. After coming down from 100mg to 50mg there have been times where I feel I could try cooling off, but there are also times I feel 50 barely enough. Huge amount going on, stressful work stuff (timely thread reappearance after today!) And an insane amount of family stuff that is sounding like an episode of ‘our tune’ when I go over it, so I think now is not the time to come off. As time goes by I feel less guilty about that.

Best of luck mctd, sounds like an opportunity to try for at least

Thank you for prompting me on this. Was meant to similarly check-in with people. I’m doing OK at the moment. Still off all meds which I am pleased about although I absolutely understand why people may choose to stay on them. If I needed to I would do likewise but at the moment I am just about coping.

I have bad days, even weeks, however I can now spot when I’m in a bit of a rut and try and do something to move me back out of it; go for a nice long walk, go flying, listen to some music (properly listen – shut myself away for a couple of hours). I am also trying to consciously enjoy the up times too.

I am resigned though to having to deal with and manage depression one way or another for life though and if I need to get back on the meds I will without hesitation.

I am resigned though to having to deal with and manage depression one way or another for life though and if I need to get back on the meds I will without hesitation.

I think this is where I am at too. I stopped the Sertraline in January and have had far more lows than prior, so the levelling out it gives me is noticeable. I’m not ready to chuck in the towel on being off the meds yet but we’ll see. I was particularly low on Sunday after a weekend away with my best mate doing the Enjoyro. It was really good, but I was still beating myself up over how ‘poorly’ I rode and couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment. The logic brain said: “it’s the first time you’ve done it;you’re not as fit as you could be but you didn’t come last; it was good fun; weather was great; trails were great; company was excellent as usual” etc etc.
Depression said “you’re a fat waste of space; you’re unfit; you’re shit; you’ll never be any good” etc etc.
Its just very tiring. I’m permanently knackered.

Anyway, I’m still getting on getting on, so I’m good in this very moment. Road trip for work to Edinburgh there and back tomorrow and I like the drive up thru Coldstream so looking forward to it (if not so much the work part).

Stay safe/well folks. Talk if you need to. Don’t if you don’t. 🙏

I Recognise those feelings of self doubt or failure. Seeing that helps a little as the recognition of them , the ‘mindfulness’ ( poncy but descriptive word!) means you can then try to not let them rule you. Sounds like you managed that so well done!
I’m a bit low right now after a poor performance review today, but recognising it, talking to my wife, and I’ll self indulgently drink tea and watch TV tonight without any guilt once the kids are in bed. I have just helped the eldest, 6, with her reading and it is wonderful what a little thing that fills your mind for s moment does for pushing out the horrid thoughts!

Depression said “you’re a fat waste of space; you’re unfit; you’re shit; you’ll never be any good” etc etc.
Its just very tiring. I’m permanently knackered.

I recognise that. 8+ hours a day at work, being told how well I’m doing, but just not feeling or believing it.

Brains are rubbish sometimes.

I’m looking at going back on to Citalopram. Wether I will or not I’ll see after a couple of weeks off on holiday.

Stressed in work, Stressed out with the news and just feeling absolutely burnt out.

Not a joy to live with currently as I’m mega snappy and jumpy

I’ve just had an awful nights sleep, 4 year old with ear ache. Unfortunately for me the tiredness is really amplifying yesterday’s feelings. Thinking about a GP consult.

Hi Folks,
I’ve been on Citalopram for about 6 of the last 12 years (two/three occasions). I found it quite difficult to stop taking, and eventually did this through a very long and gradual taper. I’ve been anti-depressant free for just over one year, but I’m currently struggling bit and thinking of having another chat with my GP about options.
I’ve felt very flat and exhausted since December. GP signed my off for 8 weeks (burnout, work related stress and depression) 5 weeks ago, but I don’t feel like anything is changing. I’ve been exercising and getting out as often as I can, but continue to feel exhausted and just not bothered about stuff. Support from work has been non-existant… especially disapointing given that I’m an NHS mental health professional!

I’ve got some reservations around the Citalopram: I know it’s helped me in the past, but I always felt a bit emotionless… no lows and no highs. Maybe try something else?

Modern life eh?

That’s part of the problem isn’t it! Modern life and these feelings of down/up/angry/reserved are a normal part of it, it’s hard to recognise when it’s a problem.

I recognise that. 8+ hours a day at work, being told how well I’m doing, but just not feeling or believing it.

Brains are rubbish sometimes.

With you there @MoreCashThanDash

In fact I had to complete a reflective-something for work recently, and my boss and their boss both said I’d done myself a massive disservice. Knowing is one thing, but feeling & believing it is something completely different. We’ll get there. Someday. 🙏

We’ll get there. Someday. 🙏

Aye, we will.

Had an interview with occupational health this morning, which actually wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. She was fine that I may take another 2-6 weeks to get the meds right and “stable” enough to consider going to back to work. She was not impressed that my boss had asked me to check my work emails once a week just to see what was going on with the team and the department, given that work is my main trigger.

Had a great 20 mile gravel ride after that to clear my head – bluebells and wild garlic in the woods, lambs in the fields, some guarded by alpacas, got up close to a couple of herons, buzzards and the local herd of White Park cattle. Felt fortunate to have all this on the doorstep and be well enough to go out and enjoy it. Then started beating myself up for having mental health issues despite all that.

Meh!

That’s part of the problem isn’t it! Modern life and these feelings of down/up/angry/reserved are a normal part of it, it’s hard to recognise when it’s a problem.

If I’ve spent the last few days staring at a wall and wanting to hit the “Off” button… that’s when I know it’s a problem. Admittedly, probably a bit late by then!

Exactly.

Haven’t really read much of this thread but just wanted to post up… I’ve been taking Mirtazapine for about 6 years, initially for depression, however 3 years ago my anxiety started coming back and slowly has gotten worse. As my depression had been ok, but anxiety getting worse, and the fact that I really didn’t want to be taking meds for such a long time I decided to gradually come off the Mirtazapine (spoke with Dr). I’ve been off it now for a couple of months, depression is fine but the terrible anxiety is still there, panic attacks and avoiding a lot of situations is making my ‘life’ quite crap. So spoken to Dr again, got some counselling lined up and going to start on Sertraline (just waiting on pharmacy to tell me to pick them up). Over the last 12 years of dire mental health Sertraline is one of the few meds I haven’t taken. I’m hoping it really does benefit me as other options have been tried and failed (long term).
I hope I don’t get too many side effects, I had awful nausea with Citalopram, weight gain with Mirtazapine (though other factors contributed to this) and others that just didn’t help me at all. So please, keep your fingers crossed for me!

Good luck houns 🤞 first two weeks were the worst for me with side effects so you may have to weather the storm. But nothing too unpleasant apart from utterly insane dreams 😵‍💫

Thanks. I can hack most things, just not nausea like I had with Citalopram

I get really bad bruxism when I take anti-depressants. I’ve tried a few and it’s always the same.
I have it all the time anyway but the pain gets unbearable when I take anti-depressants.
Has anybody else had this and have you found a a-d that doesn’t give you this?