Life stresses....should I up the dose?

[nh_user_447871]

Hi I've been on lustral ( sertralibe) for 2 years now. I've had some amazing results with it and settled on a dose of 75mg. A few months ago I went down to 50 and kind of felt OK. A few life stresses gave happened like relationship break up and housemates moving out and new ones moving in who I don't click with. Also my job is busy and stressful. I'm starting to feel on the edge of depression again and wondered if I should pop up to 75 again? Also the British winter doesn't help

. Does anyone have any experience?

[nh_user_382679]

This time of year is very difficult for most people but especially for those of us who struggle with depression as there is way less light, which helps make seratonin.

It's good you have identified you are going downhill before it gets a grip of you.

I would increase and come back down in the Spring.

I have increased myself as I was getting the early warning signs, struggling to get out of bed, avoiding the phone and crying at the drop of a hat.

Best to be in control of IT (as I call it) rather than letting IT control you.

C

[anon87974465]

Does your physician agree with you?

[nh_user_447871]

Thank you c. How long was it before you felt a difference?

[nh_user_382679]

My doctor (who I miss terribly as he passed away earlier this year) advised me to look at progress weekly, rather than daily.

Good days will eventually start to outnumber the bad.

I have had depression and anxiety a few times over the past 13 years or so. with each episode, I learn more. You will too.

With a broken leg it's easy, you can say, in 8 weeks your cast will come off and you'all be better.

Sadly it's not the same with a broken head. Focus on the feeling I told you about. Waking up and seeing 'in colour' once again.

No more feeling like you are walking through treacle to complete the simplest of tasks!

This afternoon I was doing the hoovering while shouting 'f*ck you depression' at the top of my voice. God knows what passers by must've thought lol.

Keep fighting! Being well again is so worth it x

[nh_user_447871]

Thank you shed. I upped the dose. It's incredible how much better I feel already. More peaceful...joyful....able to crack a joke...lighthearted....plus the ibs I have suffered since 16 years old vanishes when I'm on the right dosage . I read it can be caused by low levels of serotonin in the body too. Guess I must just accept I have lower than needed levels of this chemical and require medical intervention to help me x

[nh_user_382679]

Hi Chris,

I'm glad you are feeling better

It's likely you'll have good days and not so good days until the medication balances itself out so enjoy the good days and keep them in mind on days that are more of a struggle.

All the best, C

[nh_user_998800]

hey chris and shed, good to hear things are going ok.

im on 100mg and found that seems to be the ideal dose for me.  everyone's different of course, and 75mg certainly isn't classed as a high dose so no need to worry about that chris, and if u ever go to 100mg, again that's a pretty middle dose in my opinion and not high.

im in the UK also and it's been so dark during the days lately!  and of course wet and cold also.  i try to eat well, plenty of bananas, healthy cereal with lofs of vitamins and minerals, and i eat a can of sardines each day which is really high in EPA which is good for depression and mood etc (fish has all sorts of other health benefits due to the omega 3 etc)

anyway hopefully the winter will pass fast and the sun comes back   having lots of indoor hobbies helps me a lot during winter, and as you mentioned, cleaning is actually pretty theraputic i find (exercise and getting moving etc)

[nh_user_382679]

Hi Sparrow,

I have an energy light which really helps when the dark descends, which is pretty much all the time at the moment!

I find it especially useful in the mornings, which, for me, are a real struggle.

C

[nh_user_998800]

hey, i've never heard of an energy light, that sounds interesting and i'm always interested in learning about new things to help us out

if you have any more details/advice about them, please post here about it   eg. if there are certain brands to avoid eg. cheap brands, or if there is a certain type/strength of light which works best, etc

[nh_user_382679]

The one I have is a Philips original energy light.

Can't go wrong with that brand.

C

[nh_user_998800]

ace, thanks very much, i'm certainly going to look into that, and also maybe those bedroom herbal kinds of scented stuff (not sure about the exact right description, but the stuff to make scents in your bedroom at night which might help with the quality of sleep etc)

i have a friend who says they often work well for some people  .... certainly no harm in giving them a go anyway

[nh_user_382679]

Another helpful technique I discovered this week is Yoga Nidra for sleep.

It's really relaxing and helps you nod off in no time.

C

[nh_user_998800]

hey, once again i havnt heard of that  so will definitely be looking into that also...  cheers!

[nh_user_382679]

You're welcome, let me know what you think of it.

Carol

[nh_user_998800]

will do yep, i kind of have to get back on my feet first as i've been having a rough last 4-5 days, which i think (at least hope) is related to some pain medication i was taking for the last few weeks, called 'zapain', which was to help my RLS (restless legs syndrome) i get at night.

the zapain did work, but it was the prescription strength version, containing more codeine than the over-the-counter variety.  i was taking 2 of them a night for a couple of weeks. they were working ok but i was getting some troublesome side effects so decided i would stop taking them.  i just stopped taking them abrubtly though.   i didn't realise that it's safer and recommended to taper off them slowly, rather than just stop.

so, unfortunately for me, for the last few days i have had anxiety (worst in the mornings, but eases as the day goes on), and have had no appetite at all, and also, upset stomach, and some problems with sleep.

i'm really hoping i feel better soon and nothing has gone wrong regarding the sertraline i am taking.  i will speak to my doctor on monday or tuesday, perhaps just for some peace of mind (or maybe the doctor might want to try an appetite stimulant or some other suggestion).

i've been doing really well for several months so really hoping the zapain hasn't caused some kind of reaction with the sertraline i am taking.  we can all be a bit prone to worry and assuming the worst can't we unfortunately, but anyway, i will try not to worry about it all and hopefully be ok again soon

thanks Carol

[nh_user_382679]

I find (with regards to repetitive thoughts) I always feel worse in the mornings. it's often a song starting at the exact same place in my head, over and over again.

It's difficult when unwell to get the motivation if I don't have to (like on a day off) get out of bed but I usually end up feeling worse if I don't push myself.

I'm now 4 weeks in to my increased doseage and I am definitely starting to have much better days. The fog is clearing.

A tendency to mental illness really is a tough hand to be dealt but I think knowledge is power and that can hopefully make it more manageable.

Fly high little Sparrow

[nh_user_998800]

haha yep, will keep flapping away here 

good to hear that you are making progress and moving forwards

i did make the mistake this morning of staying in bed too long and it did not help matters, so instead, tomorrow morning i will be getting up when i wake up, and then get on with some things.

i totally agree about knowledge and learning really helps, although for some people when anxiety/depression gets very intense, it is really hard to think straight and rationally sometimes, so then applying the stuff you have learned can be difficult because you are overwhelmed with your illness.  i have been getting some of that in the mornings lately, and know once i can get that sorted out (only done by not giving up and keep trying), i will be in better shape again

i've certainly learned that chatting about it all helps, and all my friends/family etc know that i dont feel well at the moment.. i just straight out told them.  in the past i used to keep it bottled up (i think a lot of us did that when we were younger.. times have changed now though and eg. teenagers are more open about there problems now, i think).

i think most of us have learned as we get older that, it really does help to not just bottle up everything.

the internet forums like this one are really good too, where you realise you are not the only person having trouble and there is certainly always hope and help, etc.   and finally i found, that trying to help others is good for both you and them, because you are being positive and open, and talking (well, typing.. but it's not so different is it)  

ps. that said, i can understand why many people who are doing better dont really tend to stick around the forums as much, because we are all different and some people are busier than others and have more things to do, and so less free time etc

[nh_user_382679]

I totally hear what you are saying about trying to apply the learning when unwell. It is SO difficult.

The way my anxiety manifests itself can be very troubling when my mood is low. Despite understanding where it comes from (childhood trauma) it still rears its head when the depression descends.

I went to an anxiety workshop, run by Action on Depression (Scotland) last week. Picked up some useful tips but as with depression there is no magic bullet.

Actually writing down some of the most disturbing thoughts for the first time helped. I used to be afraid to do that but doing it helped take away their power.

I am also going to make a depression and anxiety mind map which I think will really help.

It will include every thought, subsequent feeling and emotion I experience during a period of being unwell.

It is exhausting dealing with another narrative in your head but I always try to keep 'my truth' at the forefront of my mind when the liars (anxiety and depression) try to knock me down.

Tomorrow my goals are to go to the gym, clean the house and put my Christmas decorations up.

If I achieve all of those things it will be 2 fingers up to the illness!

C

[nh_user_998800]

hi Carol hopefully your day went ok?

i went to the doctor earlier, i was still feeling a bit crap this morning, not as bad though, but still not very well

it was really good to get some peace of mind from my doctor and we chatted for 15-20 minutes which of course was very theraputic talking about my issues

he said that i had had a reaction to codeine and that some people are sensitive to it and shouldn't take it.  i told him i was starting to feel better and he just reassured me that i was only on the codeine pills for 2 weeks so it's obviously not gonna take long for me to feel better. he said give it a couple of more days.   anyway, as im typing now i feel totally fine, my stomach still a little unsettled but eating again now and appetite coming back.  mood fine, no depression or anxiety etc

it's good the stuff u mentioned about what you are doing to help yourself, and i certainly know what u mean about the 'narrative in your head'.   luckily as time goes on with treatment and recovery, things like that get much easier.

ok, onwards and upwards then!