Been a while...Karen..Katecogs

Hi Dengirl

Yes, still here

Sorry, didn't see your earlier post and sorry to see your having a rough time of late.  Yes you can get a blip this far in - though it took me 6 months to recover I'd still get times after that when it'd come back - tiredness does it to me.  Sometimes things will drag you down - could have been your menstrual cycle or maybe you were overdoing things?

If you try and let the feeling just be there, tell yourself its just another blip and it might happend occasionally still, try and relax towards it - let go of any tension throughout the day, get to bed on time and get plenty of sleep, eat healthily, exercise a little and get out and about.  All in a relaxed manner.  In time this blip will pass.

You've had a good 4 months and that feeling will come back again.  I'm sure this blip is temporary.

Haing good and bad days whilst having this blip is normal too.  You're body is getting over it.  Often when we get a blip we tense against it, so try and release that tension, float along ... I'm sure it'll go.

K x

This month has been up and down. I had my IUD taken out 2 days ago and have been experiencing mood swings. Did you ever have to up your meds? I'm afraid it has stopped working?

Hi katecogs

I hope you don't mind me getting in touch, i'm new here. I am 48, have PCOS, depression and anxiety and lost my Mum a year ago (have now lost both my Mum and Dad...I have a very supportive husband and daughter.....but its not helping me right now for some reason. I've been on Fluoxetine for 12 weeks now (started on 20mg, upped to 40mg by dr 3 weeks ago now) and I feel like i'm feeling worse than ever, periods constantly and all over the place with cycles and heavy bleeding...dr thinks prob perimenopause-had abdominal scan last week and all seems fine. I initially was on Zoplicone alongside the Fluoxetine for a few weeks...and there were a few days where I felt cocooned and positive and happy and very calm...but since stopping the Zoplicone, i've gone hugely downhill. I am barely going out, in my pyjamas all day and just feeling awful...haven't cried for a few weeks...but its ALL I feel like doing at the moment. Something tells me to keep with it...mainly because i'm frightened of going on another AD...but the cons are currently outweighing the pro's right now. I have pain in my stomach from anxiety every day, feel very very low and am just not interested in anything at all. The med has also afected my sex drive and orgasm, my appetite....and I feel lost and so low. I'm not seeing my dr until a few weeks from now as she's off on holiday...i've seen you helping many people and just wondered if you could help at all. Many thanks. x

Sorry for the late reply - had to change email passwords and emails stopped and am still missing some.  Ah well.

No I didn't have to up my meds.  The meds don't stop working, but life situations can affect things temporarily plus there's still that up/down period most people go through.  The ups/downs can last for many months.

Hi LJK68

Hey, I don't mind at all - that's what we're all here for xx

Sorry about the loss of your mum - I know how that feels to have lost both parents.  Grief can last a long time, and of course being permenopause doesn't help.  Yes I had the same at menopause time - cycles all over the place etc.  Having depression and anxiety can also affect periods too.

12 weeks is quite early days on these meds still - it can be months before you start feeling any benefit.  Some people start feeling well 3-4 months, and some much longer.  We're all different, and our bodies react differently to the meds.  It is really hard to keep on persevering when you feel like absolute rubbish, but progress is often hidden for ages, even though it is happening - you just can't see it.  It is best to keep on with one meds for months and so many people give up too early and swap to another thinking it isn't working.  You won't know it'll help until you've given you body long enough to see.  Took my son 9 months to recover on these - he started noticing teensy progress around the 3 month mark, which slowly built up, disappeared, came back etc up until he completely recovered.

When I recovered, I started getting little glimpses of feeling normal, completely at peace, happy ..... then it was gone again.  These glimpses seemed to happen late evening on most days, and over the months the feeling started to happen in the afternoon, then the mornings, and finally I began waking feeling like it.  I still got bad, dark days too when I felt like I was back at the beginning again, but they slowly got less until they eventually stopped happening.  This took bout 6 months.

Zoplicone I believe helps insomnia, and you can get withdrawal from it when stopped.  This might be why you're feeling so down.  Did you stop it abruptly?  Also increasing Fluoxetine will give you side effects again too, so again you might be feeling the effects of that.  It will wear off and your body will settle down in time - I know its a tough time at the moment.

Hey, pyjamas all day isn't a bad thing.  If that's what you feel like at the moment, then embrace it ..... saves on the washing   A nice duvet and TV are good too.  When my son was recovering we went walking every day, even though he didn't feel like it.  Fresh air, nature, exercise is all such a good healer.  A little walking exercise helps to release endorphins, our feel good hormones, and also helps to burn excess andrenaline which feeds the anxiety.  It won't stop immediately, but a regular walk is good.  We also got our son interested in a club/group - he started music and went every week, again he didn't talk to anyone, did it like a robot ... but he was doing something.  This all helps whilst your body adjust to the medicine.  My son's doctor said sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone just a little .... just push that boundary a teensy bit, which he did with walking and the music, and slowly he began enjoying doing it - he still plays music now.  He still had dark days, but they began fading.

Pain in the stomach is quite normal.  When we have anxiety, it seems to make our stomachs churn, affects our appetite and can cause indigestion.  The meds can also make the stomach hurt.  You might be quite tense and holding your tenseness in your stomach.  Try and release the tension in your body - it helps to soothe.  See your doctor though if you feel its getting worse - always best to get checked.

Sadly these type of meds do flatten the sex drive, but it'll be for now.  Once you're better again, you can reduce them and come off and all those side effects will righten themselves.  For me, it was a small price to pay for my happiness and well being.  Concentrate on getting better for now - just on yourself.

Regular visits to your doctor is good.  She needs to know your progress.

Yes, do keep with these meds - it is a tough road to follow, but you will get there.  These meds really will help.

Keep in touch xxxx 

Hi, I am blown away by your response...I really am, you have helped me so much and I actually took the dogs out with hubby yesterday and breathed in that fresh air and it did help....got myself new pj's...that look more like loungewear so I feel a bit more dressed LOL!...and overall since i've come on here 3 days ago, it really has made such a difference. I have had a few good days now for the first time in 12 weeks...and i'm going with it. I'm trying to relax and go with things good or bad and just let them happen and kind of give permission for that to happen if that makes sense... I genuinely cannot thank you enough for your help and will read what you've told me over and over as it shows the absolute kindness of people, in your time of need and its the most wonderful comfort. Thank you xxxxx

Katecogs is truly the best. She has helped me through some of my hardest times. The information is gives is so true! I didn't see results on the meds till 5-6 months. It was exactly how she described it moments here and there that were good. As you can see I always come back to her. I've been doing good the last 6 months and hit a rough patch which makes your anxiety go crazy thinking the depression is coming back. I did have some life choices that happened this month that probably attributed to it though. My husband had a vasectomy which we know we don't want anymore children but to know it's permanent makes me sad. I had a IUD removed which messes with your hormones and it's the anniversary of a miscarriage that hit me really hard in 2013 (5 months pregnant). I'm starting to feel better now so I'm hoping it was just a bump in the road to my recovery! I hope you start feeling better soon!! Take care of yourself!

Thank you so much Katecogs! I can always count on you to make me feel better! I have been feeling better the last few days. I did have some life situations that probably attributes to the rough patch. My husband had a vasectomy so that makes me sad. It was both our choices but I guess because it's permanent. I had a IUD removed which probably messed with my hormones and it was the anniversary of my miscarriage! I hope you and your son are doing well! Just know you are very appreciated on this site and help many ppl! A true gift from God!

Hiya, Thanks so much for sharing with me, I am so sorry for your loss, it's just heartbreaking. Your words give me so much hope. I too had 2 miscarriages, one at 3 months and one at 4 months and then my husband had to have a vasectomy as the consultant said it would be too dangerous for me to go through another pregnanacy as i'd had a pulmonary embolism...I loved him so much for doing it...and then mourned the finality of it...I know-it doesn't make much sense does it? I think its because I have PCOS and it was so hard to get pregnant...but I am beyond blessed to have my much longed for daughter...who's now 18!, and a very supportive husband and that is all that matters. I love reading your words as it really does help beyond words and it encourages me to keep going. When you feel good you just want it to keep happening...and to know that in the end it will, is an inspiration. Thank you so so much and I hope that you continue to feel better. X

Hi LJK68

This is such a good site for support.  There’s nothing quite like chatting to people who are going through the same or have recovered.

Keep walking - even if you don’t feel like it or enjoy it.  It’ll do your body the world of good even though you may not notice it.  You will begin to enjoy it and feel the benefit.

New pj’s/loungewer!!!  Way to go!  I’m often found in my pj’s at home - I love putting them on as soon as I’m home as they’re comfy.  Nice to treat yourself.

Glad to hear you’re having a few good days.  Remember, they might disappear, but don’t worry as its quite normal.  They’ll come back.  Yes relaxing really does help.  When we’re anxious we tend to tense towards it, so ‘letting go’ helps to lessen the anxiety.  Practice letting go as much as you can, and especially when you're feeling bad.

It does get easier.

K xx

Hi Dengirl - thanks for your kind words - I just try to do my little bit like many others here too 

Life situations do indeed disrupt our bodies, and in turn makes us feel anxious and/or depressed again.  These situations would make anyone feel something, but because we are prone to anxiety it makes this horrible illness rear its ugly head.  As time goes by and your recovery get stronger, life situations won't be felt as bad becuse your body will be able to cope as anyone else would.

I felt exactly the same when my hubby had a vasectomy.  Our family was complete, so was the most sensible thing to do.  But I found myself feeling sad too - probably because it was an end of an era.  Emotions eh .... Yes hormones are a curse at times aren't they - from when they start raging through our bodies as teens right through til menopause.  Anniversaries are difficult - its been 7 years since I lost both my parents now ... its got easier over time.

Thanks my son and I are doing really well.  We're both off meds completely now - I came off a few weeks ago and am now taking an over the counter natural SSRI called 5-HTP and l-tyrosine.  Feeling good.

It might be you one day passing on your knowledge of this illness and meds 

Thank you so much for all your kind words and support, I can't tell you what a difference it has made to me. There are such good people in this world and you are certainly one of them X

No problem - hope it goes well.  Keep in touch. xxx 

Hello, katecogs. Don't know if you remember me. Just saw your post. I haven't been automatically get notifications for posts for some time and had to google to find the site again. I'm glad you and your son are off the ssri's and doing well. I eventually want to come off altogether, but am now sloooowly weaning down. I was taking 40mg daily and am now taking 30mg one day and 20mg the next, which amounts to 25mg daily. I am doing well, but still think I need more time at this dose before reducing again. Did you go onto the 5-HTP and l-tyrosine immediately after having stopped the SSRI?

Hi Jaren

Yes I remember you. How are things?

Yes I didn't get notifications for a while either - apparently slipped off the radar or something so Admin told me??

I spent a year coming off these meds and reduced by 5mg at a time by breaking up the meds then crushing the last teeny piece. Went from 20mg / 15mg / 10mg / 5mg / 2.5mg / 1.25mg / 0 spending 2 months on each dose and had no withdrawal this time.

Yes I started 5-HTP and l-tyrosine as soon as I'd stopped as was only on a smidgen at the end.

Don't be in a hurry to stop meds - the slower the better. I'm doing ok on 5-HTP etc and taken them since August. Had the odd day when I felt unsure and out of sorts but think it might have been due to lack of sleep (it does affect me).

Thanks - my son is doing well too 😀

K x

Sorry - Karen not Jaren 😳 My laptop is broken so am on phone and fingers are a big fat for the keys!!

Aargh - BIT fat, not big fat ..... seriously?! 😆😜