I have been suffering from Depression and Anxiety for about 6 years. I started off with CBT as I was scared to go on medication. In September 2014 I suffered from a huge breakdown attack, my parents didnt know what to do as I wanted to commit. They had phoned nhs24 and i got an urgent appointment with a doctor. I had been diagnosed with severe depression and put on sertraline 50mg at the time and propranalol 40mg and receiving CBT. Over the weeks I wasnt improving so my CBT counsellor had put my medication up to 100mg in November. I kept habing suicidal thoughts, lose of appetite, very low moods, hearing voices in my head. Yesterday I had a counselling session but I had brokendown infront of my worker. The suicidal thoughts got worse, voices in my head got louder, I had very bad hot sweats, bad shakes and sickness, my counsellor had referred me to a psychiatric hospital to get rediagnosed and a re-assessment. I was very very close to bein kept in the hospital. I later found out I have a severe case of Depression and OCD - Intrusive Thoughts. My medication has been upped to 150mg and I have been referred to a psychiatrist for better support than been given just CBT. I haven't been able to work since September due to how severe it is, so I'm aiming to get better so that I can get my work and education back on track. I know it will take time but i honestly hope my new dosage helps me.
Does anyone have any advice? Bearing in mind I have had a lot of side effects with this medication but my doctor doesnt want to change the medication at the moment.
Thank
hi ellie sounds like you have been on sertraline for 4 months have you had no good days and how long have you been on 150 mg ?.
Hi John, I have been on Sertraline for 6 months. I was meant to start the 150mg today but my doctor hasn't received the letter from the Psychiatric hospital so it can either be tomorrow or next week. I see no difference at all. I haven't had any good days whatsoever. I only get about 2 hours sleep a day and I have no energy to day daily things. At the moment I feel useless because of the way I am with my health
Hello Ellie,
like you I was prescribed 50 mg Sertraline in Oct 2014. My depression deepened beginning of Jan this year & I was having strong suicidal thoughts, intrusive thoughts, anxiety. My GP increased the dose then to 100mg and I still had anxiety, sweats, diarrhoea, loss of appetite. After 3 weeks Sertraline got increased again to 150mg as I was extremely anxious, depressed, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks etc. I'm still having weekly bouts Of diarrhoea, no appetite, weight loss, anxiety & panic attacks, but my GP still tells me to stick with the Sertraline a couple more weeks longer to see if it takes effect.
Im sticking with the Sertraline as I'd do anything to get rid of the depression & anxiety.
Im worse in the mornings and day, but occasionally pick up in the evening.
Ive been prescribed 2mg Diazepam to help with anxiety through the day and 3.75mg Zopiclone to help me sleep at night, but she's told me these are only for short term use as they are addictive.
For the first time in months I actually felt ok yesterday evening. So I'm hoping the meds are finally working.
Keep in touch, hope you feel better soon,
carol 😊 Xx
hi ellie a know sertraline have a lot of horrible side effects but after 6 months thats to much and the lack of sleep wont help it just adds to things as a found out but the time youve been on it is to long how long have you been seeing your doctor because after such a long time in which there has been no difference am no doctor but its clear there not working a would get a second opinion if you see no difference why continue with it have you tried fluoxetine it has no side effects and takes about 5 weeks to work.
hi carol am on sertraline because of ocd i got increased aanxiety through it i was on 50mg for 4 weeks now into week 3 at 100mg a had a good week last week and some not so good this week i agree that you should give it time but while you have seen improvement during your 5 months ellie has seen none in 6 months am really glad you are seeing improvements but how would you feel if as in this moment in time after having gone through what you went through you felt nothing sorry to disagree but no way would i stay on it after 6 months there was no improvement whatsoever.
Hi John. I see my doctor ever week, he has been doing regular check up but he said I need to stick to the sertraline as some people bodies can take a while to get used to the medicine in they're system. I have been keeping a note of everything but I can talk to my psychiatrist when I get assigned one
Hi Carol, sadly I haven't improved, I've lost friends because of this, I can't leave my own house, I can't go to new places or meet new people on my own. I have tried so many things to use for distractions when I haven't been myself but nothing is working anymore for me 
xx
Hi John, I understand were you are coming from but my doctor doesn't want to keep switching medications because he has a fear that I'll take the all or mix them with other medication. We both came up with a deal that he would do regular check-ups and write everything down for a senior doctor to look at it. It was the senior doctor who suggested I stayed on Sertraline for a bit longer. I got to follow what my doctor says especially if I'm deaf in my right ear and using a hearing aid and my left ear is going to exact same. Plus having horrible events last year doesn't really help
hi ellie when a was first put on sretraline a felt worse a wasnt sure what was happening to me but a got good advice from people on this site and it did help me understand you had to wait at the most say 3 months but not the time you have been on them fair enough if you had at least good days but to feel no difference after your length of time but am sure your psychiatrist will be of much more help as this is his field of work a hope it works out for you.
Thanks John. I will keep you all updated. I just need to take things easy. Thank you x
hi ellie a did not realise you were on other medication am just on sertraline a was on fluoxetine from 2012 till 2015 and it was good when it worked plus no side effects a was on 40mg started on 20mg a could have went up to 60mg but we both decided to give sertraline a try but to be truthful if a knew what i was in for a would have went up to 60mg but a have the doctors next week a will talk things over then wishing you well take care.
your welcome ellie and yes keep me updated a hope all goes well for you x.
Good luck at the doctors, I hope it goes well for you. The patient and doctor does have to come up with the same agreement. But sadly mental health runs in my family so I do have a lot of support if I pluck up the courage to talk about it. Take care
I shall, hope everything goes well for you too. Take care x
thanks ellie and there is nothing wrong with mental health good to hear you have family support but if you ever feel as if no one is listening leave a message and a will reply it is good to talk x.
Thank you so much. Same to you as well 
x
Hi Ellie,
It sounds as if your strength and will-power have got you this far - you are stronger than you think. But I've got to agree with John - after 6 months, you should be feeling some benefit from the meds or this probably isn't the right one for you at this time. I was presribed a drug during Nov/Dec for my suicidal depression which I kept taking (up to a dose of 200mg) but I felt no benefit and the side effects were horrible. In consultation with my psychiatrist, I changed to Sert and after 8 weeks am starting to feel more positive.
What part of the country are you in? I'm surprised that you haven't had a psychiatric consultation sooner. Sorry - that wasn't meant in a bad way but when I was at my worst, the Crisis Response Team were monitoring me on a daily basis.
I also have a family with mental health issues. Although we have this in common, it's not always easy to talk to those closest to you. However, it can bring you closer together. The most important thing is that you feel able to share your feelings when you need to. Many of us online can relate to what you are feeling so never feel isolated. You are precious and unique and the world would be a poorer place without you so please never consider that a reality. You have something to contribute to life that only you can give, and nobody else.
I was petrified that I would end up in a psychiatric ward but I thought it would be for the best if it would help me get better. You will get better because you want to get better. Never give up. Let us know how you are getting on. We are all rooting for you!
Big hug x
Hi Digsby,
I have been trying my hardest to stay positive and think of new distractions but its difficult to give them a chance, I've told my mum and dad to keep me away from sharp objects and other tablets. It has got to the point that I cant even wash or go near sharp objects without my intrusive thoughts telling me to hurt myself, it is the exact same as other tablets. I can't go out on my own because I hear voices in my head telling me to do harmful things.
I live in Scotland, my doctor thought because i'm only 20, 21 in 1 and a bit months, he wanted me to attend CBT but after what happened on wednesday he now realises how bad or worse my health has gotten. Sadly mental health runs in the family but I still find it talking to my family about the slightest things, although I do try and talk about them if I feel okay to.
All I want to do is get better and be able to go back into work, my doctor said to me that I am not fit for work and I havent been for 5 of those months. Ive even tried work as a distraction but my boss noticed that I wasnt coping and I was getting bullied from other colleagues so I had quit my job, my boss was understanding about it so that is okay I guess.
I will keep you updated as much as possible with my health, thank you for the advice and the support. I hope things are improving for you.
Big hugs, Ellie x
Hi Ellie,
I really feel for you as I know what it is like when there seems no hope. I haven't worked for 4 months but I'm hoping to get back in the next couple of weeks. Slowly, my self-confidence has been returning and I have been working hard to challenge the negative thoughts so my mind isn't going round in a self-destructive spiral. This takes a lot of my energy though so I know what it is like some days to feel like giving in. You are a strong person because you are not blaming anyone else or yourself for the position you are in. You can't change the past - you can only influence your reaction to the present and choose which direction your future will take. We all learn to cope in different ways and what works for one may not work for someone else. I have started to find enjoyment and fulfilment in little things again which helps me to plan for the future. I'm not saying that days aren't hard - perhaps my resilience is getting stronger.
I'm worried about the voices you are hearing because they reinforce unhelpful thoughts in your head. They also prompt urges which I know you don't want to act on. They are just urges though, like thoughts - they are not a reality that you have to act on. Are you still having the CBT? Your brain is like a muscle and sometimes needs to be trained to do something that doesn't come naturally, like thinking in a different way, until it becomes a habit, more automatic. I want to wave a magic wand and make things better for you ;-)
Keep positive and don't give up hope of returning to work and getting back to a normal routine. We need goals and dreams to motivate us. I hope there is good news in your life very soon. Keep in touch.
Digsby
x