Depression and switching from citalopram to sertraline

Hi Bob - thanks so much. What you say makes sense. I'm having a hard time being patient, because I feel so lousy and because my previous meds kicked in much more quickly (but they were not SSRIs; the switch from imipramine to citalopram was done so gradually I barely noticed anything). So I am frightened that the sertraline won't work and I will have to start the whole nasty process all over again. I am seeing the doc on Wednesday so I won't make any changes till I've talked to him. Thanks so much for your input - really helpful.

i was on 30 mg of citapram last time i was depressed i came off them as i felt great then 6 months after bang i was depressed again but worse so im on 40 mg of citrapram this time and 10mg propolo i think there called 4 anxierty and still im not 100% but better than i was 6 weeks ago,it somtimes can be a long process but we will feel right in the end i promiss,stay strong and never give up

Thanks, Gary -- you stay strong too. Good to have the support of the people on here.

Hello Ronne

You know where we are, good luck Wednesday

BOB

Be patient and do not worry

BOB

Kim, thank you so much! Yeah, you are SO right about the stigma. I grew up with a mentally ill mother, and the shame and secrecy were awful -- I am determined that I will be open about my depression, because there is no shame in it, and there is no shame in taking medication. Thank goodness for it! Thanks for your reassurance, too. Good to know that it does work eventually, and that it worked for you. Take care.

 

I started taking it in the mid 90's, and there was no computer in the home to look up the side effects of Zoloft. I'm sure I had issues when starting, but since they mimic anxiety and depression, it's hard to differentiate the problem from the side effects back then. Nowadays it's information overload, and that tends to heighten anxiety over any med, especially if you have anxiety to begin with.

My main issue has always been anxiety, but depression was added in the mix as a secondary diagnosis. There's quite a few people in my family that have anxiety, but most don't take meds, or refused to even get checked out. I felt odd being the only one on meds, and couldn't understand why other family members could go without them. That definitely made me feel like a weak person. Once I stopped taking Zoloft, I felt really good for awhile, but anxiety kept creeping in so I stayed on xanax. However, I slowly stopped doing things that I could do while on Zoloft, but didn't notice it at the time. Now I'm back to not driving, can't go in the store by myself, and all the other lovely things that come with anxiety. In fact, now I'm afraid of trying Zoloft again, because of the info that's out there. Leave it to anxiety to make you afraid of something that could give relief. It's a vicious circle.

Sorry to hear you're facing all this again, Kim. I know how crippling that anxiety can be - I suffered with agoraphobia when I was younger, and am scared of it coming back. What information about Zoloft is scaring you? 

I've become agoraphobic once my mom passed last May. It started with stomach issues that I've had for years, but very intensified. I would end up in bed for a week or two, and was given antibiotics. That kept happening until this last March when I got really sick, sick enough to scare my doctor. In May my gallbladder was removed, but it took an extra incision, because the gallbladder was fused to my liver. The recovery time was okay, but I stayed in my bedroom. The incision above my belly button wouldn't heal properly, so I ended up with antibiotics, and more stitches which eventually tore. Well, they tore my skin because of the way I would sit. I ended up having to lay flat or on a slight incline until that sucker healed. It finally healed fully some time in July. I've had 3 upper respiratory infections recently, which were back to back. Currently, my sinuses, throat, and lungs are bad, so I'm on a antibiotic. My doctor wants to test my hormones because I keep getting waves of heat that come over me, but quickly leave. Of course he's thinking menopause, but this started not long after surgery, and doesn't happen while on antibiotics. Personally, I think it's either for the infections, or from the gallbladder being gone. So, now I've basically been in my room for a year, unless I have a doctor's appointment. It was never an everyday thing, but that's what it has become.

With all of this down time, I do think about my mom a lot. I own a duplex, and my mom lived downstairs from me for 18 years, it was basically like one big house, so I was hands on for absolutely everything when she got sick. She went from diagnosis to death in 6 months, 2 months after her 67th birthday, and 3 days after my birthday. After she passed, I would wake up gasping for air, and my heart racing. The dreams, or bad memories were way too real. My shrink said it was heightened grief, with symptoms of PTSD. The nightmares are gone, and so is the waking up gasping for air, so most likely that means that the PTSD symptoms are gone.

My shrink thinks I'm still on Zoloft, because I never told her that I wanted to try coping without it, mainly because I didn't want her to take away all my meds. Plus, I wanted the safety net of having Zoloft handy if I couldn't go without it. Now that I'm considering going back on them, it's the start up effects that scare me. Once on them, my emotions are pretty numb, so I would probably try a small dose, and stay on just that if I could get over the initial fear of taking them. lol That's pretty much the short version of my story.

Oh, Kim, my heart goes out to you - what you have been through!! I can relate to a lot of what you say - the stomach issues, the gallbladder, the respiratory stuff - all these are issues for me too (gallbladder removed 9 yrs ago; also a hysterectomy 24 yrs ago). The middle-of-the-night panics too. And I'm so sorry for the loss of your mum. In my case, I think I am in part going through very, very delayed trauma reactions to things that happened when I was a child - my mother was mentally ill, and my childhood was unhappy and scary - and I couldn't get any support because I wasn't allowed to talk about it. 

I can imagine how traumatic your mum's death was for you, coming relatively suddenly and after you'd been so close. I hope you got support and were able to grieve properly - sounds like you are still grieving now; some losses take a really long time to get over. I hope you have people around to support you - friends, family. If you do decide to go back on the Zoloft, I really hope it helps and the side effects aren't too bad. You have immense courage and strength to have gone through all that.  Stay strong - I wish you better and better days. Wish I could reach out and give you a hug. 

Does Wellbutrin help with anxiety?

I don't think Wellbutrin is available in the UK. 🙁

It seems to help with the anxiety Kim...(yourscreen name is funny)...LOL

I just googled why Wellbutrin is not available in the UK

And I found that another drug that is just like Wellbutrin IS marketed in the UK...called Zyban.

Hope that helps.

And do you smoke cigs? Cause I just read that the UK is not likely to prescribe even Zyban for depression but will prescribe it to quit smoking.

Wellbutrin is well known in the US for helping to stop smoking as well.

Thanks, Missy - will talk to my doctor about this. That drug is not used for depression here, only to help with stopping smoking. But worth checking out! 

Quit smoking 35 years ago, so that won't work... I'll mention it to my doctor, see what he thinks and whether it's possible to try anyway. Thanks, Missy. 

Quitting smoking is HARD....you are very fortunate.

I hope your Dr. helps you out.

Hello I was a sixty a day manin the seventees I stopped cold turkey and have never smoked since then.

I still sometimes get offered a cigar over Christmas and never take it.

Mind I will never forget the gunge I brought up after a while uug, never again

BOB

WOW....good for you..