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Low mood/no motivation

Posted , 9 users are following.

iris46
iris46

I'm sleeping and eating well. I shop and cook too. I phone friends, and I read. But my mood and motivation will just not lift. Been on 200 mg Sertraline for 8 weeks. My doc says some people can take 3 months. Is anyone else finding these symptoms the last to lift?

Also.....does dull weather affect your mood? I just feel my life is on hold and I have no part to play

1 like, 41 replies

41 Replies

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  • lillie46665
    lillie46665 iris46

    Posted

    I'm on 200mg sertraline because I started on 50mg and worked my way up to 200mg it did take about 3 months

    Hang in there

    Lil

  • vivienne76607
    vivienne76607 iris46

    Posted

    hi iris i am still on 150mg sertraline and it has been nearly 2 months from 25mg from start then 50mg, 75mg , 100mg now 150mg but still dont feel the benifit yet and have to go back to doctors next friday to see if i need to change my medication as he said it can take months confused
  • sue58256
    sue58256 iris46

    Posted

    I know in the winter months and dark nights i get very low and for some reason i have always hated the monthof january with a passion come the end of feb I start to pick up 
  • laura08496
    laura08496 iris46

    Posted

    dear iris, i am sorry to read about your low mood and motivation. i can relate to that for sure. and your medication that takes so long to kick in....my goodness, 3 months? that is a very long time waiting for the med to work. please hang in there. like lillie says, it did take about that same amount of time before she got results. and when it comes to the weather....i believe we all are affected by the weather. even happy people are affected when its crappy out. that is just natural. and....i think you are amazing. i really do! you are sleeping well, eating well, shopping, cooking, reaching out to friends, and reading...and so on, and so on. it might not feel like a big deal, but girl, i think thats fantastic! i havent slept, ate, shopped, cooked, called a friend, or even had the ability to read a whole page of a book before i've decided to throw the book out the window. i get so frustrated. everything you do, are my goals. i hope to get there someday. soon would be nice. but your mood is still low. i am hoping that changes for you quickly. give yourself credt where credit is due! it cant be that easy for you to accomplish everything you mentioned! you are working hard to get better. i am impressed. before you know it, the meds will work, and your mood should lift. just hang in there for now. and be proud of yourself for doing everything you do! wow. i am still amazed. i hope you will feel better. i think you have inspired me. i should cook something for dinner this evening. i would feel better about myself if i could do more than make peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches! oh, and i make a great bowl of cereal..if the milk hasn't gone bad. Please feel better!  truly, laura
    • iris46
      iris46 laura08496

      Posted

      Hi Laura......kind words. Thank you. I started off with fish fingers and oven chips. Then salmon in an oven bag with chips. I have used the slow cooker twice this week and had two stirfrys. I use frozen veg! Hope you get well soon......oh nearly forgot, I made a get well card yesterday.
    • laura08496
      laura08496 iris46

      Posted

      so you made a get well card? i love home made cards. i make many for birthdays, christmas, and so on. it takes more time than going to the store and buying one. somedays it takes about 10 hours to produce a card. the drawing is so good for my depression. i get a great sence of accopmlishment. dont you?
  • rich32120
    rich32120 iris46

    Posted

    Just be glad you can still function in a regular social life. So your sitiauton cant be that bad. Clearly since you still have hobbies and friends
    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 rich32120

      Posted

      Rich please don't act like that everyone deals with depression differently and Iris is doing everything she can to help herself

      Lil

    • rich32120
      rich32120 lillie46665

      Posted

      Just saying she sounds like the complete opposite of depression.
    • rich32120
      rich32120 lillie46665

      Posted

      No, she sounds like a normal person functioning with what she does. Then again people have better sitiauton. And of course doctors are going to push pills, they make money and the pharmaceutical company makes money. That's all I have to say
    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 rich32120

      Posted

      Look I've had depression for decades if it wasn't for doctors pushing pills I'd be dead.

      Anxiety can be controlled without medication Severe depression cannot

      I have always been able to function with depression on the whole holding down a job I can't with anxiety

      Everyone is different

      Lil

    • iris46
      iris46 rich32120

      Posted

      Believe me, I've been very poorly. I lost my only brother last year....I was in NZ and couldn't get back to UK for funeral. Then in July I was resuscitated in an ambulance...had blood clots on my lungs. I got well in November but had another bereavement in March. To be honest though, I've never felt well enough to be sarcastic. Get the hint
    • iris46
      iris46 rich32120

      Posted

      No, I'm actually doing what is known as self-help and using some determination. Try it
    • syracuse
      syracuse iris46

      Posted

      Hi Iris. As this this exchange shows, there is so much misunderstanding about depression. The fact that you are able to do a few reasonably normally things will persuade some people who don't understand that there couldn't possibly be anything wrong with you. Too often depression is confused with being miserable. On the face of things someone suffering from depression can seem very happy and all-together but only the sufferer will know what's going on inside. Keep taking the Sertraline - there is still plenty time for it to start to kick in. Good luck!
    • iris46
      iris46 syracuse

      Posted

      Thank you.....kind words. Yes, I do feel thoroughly miserable, tearful and unmotivated but I try to help myself. We cannot sit back and wait for the meds work....I know we all have to be proactive as part of our recovery. I think my first fault lies in reading articles which put time scales on recovery. I got disappointed at 6 weeks and at 8 weeks. I also try to give myself positive experiences each day.....going out, meeting a friend for coffee, but then get upset when I don't feel any better for it next day. My doc reassures me that Sertraline is slow but very effective. I would hate to have to change meds and start again.
    • iris46
      iris46 syracuse

      Posted

      Syracuse....How long can it take for Sertraline to kick in? I am desperate not to have to change meds. Been taking it 8 almost 9 weeks, tho the doc said it could take 12. Can it kick in after 12? I'm also starting acupuncture. It is supposed to help depression
    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 iris46

      Posted

      I think if the doseage is put up it takes a big longer to kick in effectivley

      I started on 50mg and each time it was put up it took another few weeks to settle properly

      Lil

    • syracuse
      syracuse iris46

      Posted

      Up to 12 weeks is not unusual Iris. If you get very far beyond that without feeling any benefit you should talk to your GP about the dosage or maybe trying an alternative medicine. Different types work in different ways for different people. I eventually settled on Fluoxetine which has worked brilliantly for me. Good luck!
    • iris46
      iris46 lillie46665

      Posted

      Lil I'm almost 9 weeks on the highest dose......I've started feeling so weepy. I'm at my caravan......everyone gone home now. I done want to go home because I will be on my own there.....at least I can hear birds here. Are you in the UK Lil?
    • iris46
      iris46 syracuse

      Posted

      I suppose another 3 weeks could turn things around for me. The thing is, I had a passion for making cards.....that's all gone now and I'm worried incase I don't get that motivation back. For some reason I'm crying non stop virtually. Surely, (this is my logic) if I switch meds they will take over where Sertraline left off? Are you in the UK?
    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 iris46

      Posted

      Hi Iris

      Yeh Im in Derbyshire

      Can you not get home if you feel better there?

      Ok Is was about 3 months total for it to work for me but it only took 3 weeks going from 150mg to 200mg for it to work for me.

      Everyone reacts differently but it is up to you if you feel overwhelmed 

      then go back and speak to you doctor.

      Ive been on 5 different anti D's and only 2 have worked properly

      I know how difficult it can be

      Take Care

      Lil

    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 iris46

      Posted

      Have you consider counselling just to give you a bit of a lift?

      I had CBT for my anxiety and have been referred for a more robust form for my depression.

      A year ago if you had told me I would consider therapy I would have laughed in your face but it really helped me

      Lil

    • iris46
      iris46 lillie46665

      Posted

      I've tried counselling but to be honest I get as much satisfaction talking to you and others, who have experienced it all. When you say low mood was last to lift, were you weepy. I had acupuncture on Wed and cried ever since. Do you now find pleasure in hobbies etc ? I loved to make cards, but can't get back into it....it was my lifeline!
    • iris46
      iris46 lillie46665

      Posted

      I'm going through a weepy phase!! Did you? Had acupuncture on Wed and cried ever since.....hope it's making all my stress come out. Since I upped my dose, I've had 4 teeth out, had pneumonia, and now vertigo, so I've hardly had a chance
    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 iris46

      Posted

      Ive had depression for decades the anxiety started last year the docs say it was because the medication I had been taking for years had stopped working.

      So first I had to get past the bit that I thought I was having a heart attack did not want to leave the house at all got a lift to doctors and back did all my grocery shopping on line didnt want to do anything that involved leaving the house or mixing with people

      Then they changed my meds 50mg of sertraline started getting myself out of bed and showering 100mg started cleaning the house etc

      150mg started going out shopping and stuff more but still had a fear of crowded places and public transport and all this time my motivation is still low I was doing things because I had to not because I wanted to.

      Got very angry all the time

      Then moved up to 200mg I started taking more attention to my appearance started calling friends and family more often and then started going to my walking club again which I love.

      Booked to go to Canada to see my sisiter so yeh it was a slow process but it came out good

      Lil

    • vivienne76607
      vivienne76607 iris46

      Posted

      hi iris  i am the same as you!  i am on my 9th week and going to doctors this friday to see if sertraline has finally worked, i am on 150mg now and dont feel any benifit, so you are not on your own xx
    • lillie46665
      lillie46665 iris46

      Posted

      Acupunture sounds interesting let me know how it goes.

      Oh God yeh I would be laughing at something one minute then crying my heart out the next

      I still get low days but on the whole its much better

      Lil

    • iris46
      iris46 vivienne76607

      Posted

      Vivienne I'm on 200 mg. 150 worked for me in November and I went to NZ. But I'd had a big row with my daughter and we were distant for 3 months. It was after we made up that the stress came out. I've had a lousy TEN years tbh. 2007 my husband died, 2008 dbl mastectomies. 2010 my son went to NZ. 2011 diagnosed with chronic leukaemia. No treatment yet. My brother was ill for two years and died Jan 2015. I was in NZ and couldn't get back for funeral. Then last July I almost died from blood clots on my lungs. Was just getting better when the throw with daughter happened. I went to NZ, had lovely time, had new Windows fitted, then mood dropped again. Got the inc dose of meds. During those 8 weeks I've had four teeth out, had pneumonia and now have vertigo. Can you understand why I'm low?
    • iris46
      iris46 lillie46665

      Posted

      lil I have sent you private message. Click on envelope at right hand corner
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