Hi all,

My name's Jade

I am 20 yrs old and have suffered with depression for around 5-6 yrs.

I have recently (2 and a half months ago) switched from 60mg of Citalopram to 50mg of Sertaline as the Citalopram stopped having any effect after taking it for over a year and a half.

I haven't had the same level of physical side effects with Sertraline as I did with Citalopram - in fact there was only around a week of adjustment (slight nausea, very bad dizzyness similar to when I missed a couple of doses of Citalopram) HOWEVER, I have suddenly become very very aggresive and I feel angry all the time which has never been a prominent symptom of my depression before.

I'm also having huge mood swings of extreme crying and/or being in a trance without wanting any contact to a few hours later being far more outgoing than I ever have been... dancing on tables in clubs etc...

I have always self harmed a little bit (generally scratching due to frustration) but since switching my meds I have begun doing this both more frequently and more severely.

I told my doctor and his response was that "anger might be a more productive emotion than sadness" then interrupted me with a new prescription and instructions to take them for another month and see... I don't really know what I can do.

I live in the UK and have NO idea about how to go about having a psychiatric doc instead of just a GP, I am on all the NHS waiting lists for counselling etc and also attend counselling sessions at Mind. I just don't feel that I have ever been properly diagnosed or that my GP really "knows his stuff"

Please help!

loves xxxx

GP's have only basic knowledge with mental health and proper treatment. Ask your GP for a referral to a psychiatirist for evaluation, accurate diagnosis and a proper treatment plan. To me, anger is not a normal side-effect. Your mention of dancing on tables with the mood swings may indicate a different mental health issue. Manchester is a fairly large UK city and must have more mental health professionals available than the smaller towns. Be persistant with your GP to get that referral.
Sheepwoman

Jadio - a few months ago i could have literally written this exact same post! I was on citralopram and like you it was fine for about 6months or more even, nearly a year maybe but then it dwindled away and wasn't working anymore so i was put on sertraline and it made me absolutely crazy. The amount I self harmed increased significantly and i felt constantly as though I wanted to bounce from wall to wall, it was a really awful. I went straight back to my GP after a week because I was really concerned about the effect on my SH. I stopped taking it....and it is a long story after that but i am now on effexor and that suits me a lot more. I know what it is like with GPs, mine left me stranded without medication despite my counsellor writing him a letter that told him that I was cutting and had suicidal plans. I had to go AandE because I couldn't cope. If you feel there is something wrong then ask for a referral, if he tries to say it isn't worth it or there is a big delay just keep at him - a lot of GPs won't refer simply because they know the resources aren't there really. And unfortunately, just so you know there aren't any private psychiatrists in Manchester...i've tried. I managed to see a psychiatrist about a month and a half after referral (perhaps slightly longer, i wasn't really fully aware at the time). I don't want to sound pessimistic but it didn't help me tbh, just said i had recurrent depression....yeh i knew that, like you i've been battling it since I was 13yrs (officially dxd since i was 18 so 5yrs). But it is helpful to know that you are getting a professional diagnosis, esp. if you feel there are more underlying symptoms. take care, pm me if you need any help.

How do I convince him to do this? I feel like I would have to do something "drastic" to get any kind of proper diagnosis or support - I do think that there is a bit more going on than my GP is aware of and he tends to just fob me off with lame excuses. However I do feel more comfortable with him than I have any other GP I've ever had so I don't know if changing would be a good idea.

When I saw the lady from the Primary Mental Health Team, she said she'd refer me to counselling and CBT (2 yr waiting lists) but not a psychiatrist because they are only for "extreme cases"

I feel really really stuck as I have constant physical symptoms, I've basically been told by the doctor that "no medication will make me feel better, only stop me getting worse" but yet there are no psychiatrists! I'd pay for one, but the primary care team "aren't allowed" to tell me any names and as bigblackdog said - there don't seem to be any private psychiatrists anyway... plenty of counsellors but that's not really what I need.

Is there some secret to getting some actual help? How do you get a proper diagnosis not just some vague "oh your a bit depressed- here's an SSRI" rubbish?!

AHHHHHHHH

Thanks for replying by the way xx

Though I love my Dr.,and he has been so good to me, I had to get it in my head that I have hired this person to help me. They are my employee and they must meet the expectations that I have. To us they are all knowing and some kind of authority figure. And they are in a sense but one that is working for you. You will have to make sure you go in and let him know in no uncertain terms that you are not feeling better and that you expect him to help you. And you will get some better results.

Jadio hi and please hang in there! A change in medication can be quire rough around the edges!
Give it some time to work first. The first week or two can be bad but the light at the end of the tunnel shine very bright indeed!

I live in Africa so I did not have a choice bit to wait and see if it will work.

A couple of days makes a HUGE difference you'll see. One of these days you will be sailing along. If you can start exercising and go for therapy at the same time you are taking medication. Sometimes we feel very aonge in this fight agains our own destruction but the light WILL shine!
Please keep us updated on how you are doing!

I think 2 months is probably long enough to stick with a new drug if it is causing these symptoms? I have to see my GP next week anyway so I'll see if he actually wants to talk to me.. and if he will refer me to a psychiatrist (alhough I get the feeling he can't - he can only refer me to the Primary Mental Health Team...which he already did and they're rather useless)





It is somebodies retirement at work so I had half a glass of red wine and now feel like my legs are going to fall off! How irritating. Stupid Meds.

In the meantime... If(when) I feel self destructive, who do I call? Where can I go? What is the prerequisite for going to A&E? I do worry sometimes that I'll get into a trance that I just will not be able to get out of (which is generally what happens when I start to feel suicidal)

I feel very let down and confused - it seems to be impossible to find someone to fix me!

Thanks Mimen and Ajumbled mess for your advice. I do definitely need to stop thinking that my Dr knows everything, he probably knows little more than me or even less as I spend a large portion of time researching depression and I doubt he does the same...

And you know your body. How it changes and responds to everything. Listen to it and tell your Dr. what your body is telling you. Working to gether will get you a lot farther. Good luck hun