Depression and no appetite

[Clovermoe]

I have been having a very severe bout of anxiety and depression. The idea of eating food at all makes me anxious and sick. This all started after a brief illness that spiraled into a deep depression. I am on day 8 of Zoloft and having terrible side effects. I feel so sad and feel like I just can’t make it through all this pain. Has anyone had this same experience with not being able to eat and feeling awful? Will someone please tell me I’m going to be ok because I’m so scared.

[darkness46]

Hang in there, it will get better. I'm in the same boat as you but starting to feel some improvement.

[-Rinaaa]

Hello,

Depression can be really hard. It will get better. What sort of symptoms or thoughts do you get? Does the future look like a blank slate?

[Clovermoe in reply to -Rinaaa]

I love the life I’m living, my anxiety just spirals into depression. And spirals because my stomach hurts and then spirals some more

[-Rinaaa in reply to Clovermoe]

I understand that. But do you get those feelings about the future?

[Trish23]

I too have anxiety and depression and it affects my appetite because I feel a pressure almost nauseous feeling in my stomach. Meditation or a short amount of breathing can sometimes calm me. Chewing gum, peppermint and ginger lemon tea helps too. Just know some days will be better than others and hopefully the medicine side effects will ease. If after 10-14 days they are not better talk to your doctor about trying a different one. But if you are like me taking medicine is another facet of not being in control and that makes me anxious which makes it worse. Their are days when I feel like I don’t want to live with the emotional pain but not a suicidal ideation you just want relief. So know their are lots of us out here. I wish we could all know each other so it wouldn’t seem like we are the only ones so at least reading here you have others out here paying attention.

[CicaDa in reply to Trish23]

Taking medication was my way of saying I care for myself and wanted to get better and eventually I did.

[BeagleBaby in reply to CicaDa]

I don't know why I never thought of it in that way but wow, thank you for saying that! I felt so weak having to take medication at first but I realized I felt so out of control and helpless, desperate for help. This forum definitely opened my eyes to the wonders of medication and/or therapy when I didn't know anyone personally being impacted by their mental health.

[NeuroSeeker]

I'm totally there with you. I am lucky if I can choke down something (a bite of toast, even) once a day, usually every two days.

Anxiety turns off the "rest and digest" system so you can run from lions.

I just can't eat. Maybe someday there will be programs with openings to help. Around here, they won't even make waiting lists. It's utterly unprofessional. It also shows how little the US cares. We have to take care of ourselves (yeah, right).

At any rate, when I'm like this (like now) I try sips of Gatorade (I can't drink when I'm like this, either... puking ensues.) to keep electrolytes up.

Even cannabis (legal where I live) doesn't help.

Since I'm fat, it'll be about a year before a doctor believes me. My metabolism is so screwed up from 40 years of dieting that I gain weight from a cheerio.

[NeuroSeeker]

Oh - and I'd put forth that there is no shame in taking meds. I've seen enough non-medicated suicide to not go that route.

Depression and anxiety run strong in my family. Nearly all of my many cousins (and their kids) have it too. Drugs are a stop-gap for when you can see a real therapist and can get real help.

Until then. I've bought every self help book that looks remotely helpful. Now if I could only read them. Another thing depression and anxiety have stolen from me. I used to read a few books a week. Now it's a few a year.

[Yellow-busy-bee]

Hi Clovermoe! I want you to know that you are not alone. I have recently started taking Zoloft (sertraline) currently have taken it for 6 days and I have not experienced the side affects as you do. I am supposed to have appointments with my doctor every month and I’m sure you’re supposed to as well, especially trying Zoloft off for the first time. If these side effects continue I would call your doctor and see what they have to say maybe they can switch you to a better suited medication for you! The side effects are normal, hence why they attach them to the pills, if it makes you feel worse than before than I would ask your doctor to switch. All will be well, hang in there, you will be okay I promise keep updating!

[Meanz]

Hi there I'm feeling the same after health diagnosis I'm on steroids prednisolone for 8months now down to 2mg from 39 mg then down to one in Feb then hopefully off I developed high anxiety and stress and depression .

[Meanz in reply to Meanz]

Sorry meant 30mg .I've been on mitrazipine for months no help at all then on fluoxetine a few months ago I think it's helping me a bit . I think it's going to take a while to kick in hopefully sooner than later .Anxiety and depression are crippling my rib cage cartilage tightened 24/7

[c-mac]

Just knowing it's chemical DOES help, even though you don't feel any relief. I've been on month 3 of an attempt to adjust to a new med, and I'm slightly depressed all the time. It's starting to become a permanent thing for me -- like i'm starting to see myself differently -- but I have to fight that. This too shall pass.

[Zhangliqun]

One of the truly terrible things about generalized anxiety disorder and depression is the effect of anticipatory anxiety. If you can get that under control, you have won more than half the battle. Here are some tools to win that battle:

1) Pretty basic -- find out what's causing it. Once you (and your doctor/psychiatrist of course) know this, you will have still more tools.

2) Watch your thought life. Bad thought patterns will trigger anxiety. Learn to immediately replace negative thoughts with positive ones. It will be difficult at first, like bench-pressing a truck off your chest, but after a while you will gain strength and it will become second nature. Maybe look at some pictures of fall foliage on line or think of some happy things or memories. Different things work for different people.

3) Be aware of your body and face posture. In my case, if my shoulders and face scrunch up, I get anxious. If I force my shoulders and face to relax, the anxiety largely goes away. Here again, you have to get used to doing it. Difficult at first, but again you will get better as you go.

4) Force yourself to have some orange juice or salad or something of high nutrient value when you're having trouble eating. Lack of food will weaken both body and mind.

5) Hang in there with the medication and if it doesn't work, ask the doc for something else. (I recommend trazadone for night time.) I tried zoloft a while back and it made me feel like I drank 20 cups of coffee.

6) And overall, don't be afraid of this thing. That anticipatory anxiety is probably triggering at least two-thirds of it.

[BeagleBaby]

Hello, I hope my words can offer some comfort to you. I completely understand what you are feeling. I've struggled with severe anxiety and depression for years and it took time to find the right medication for me. Fortunately, Zoloft does work for me, in combination with Mirtazipine to help me sleep. You mentioned it being day 8 and I distinctly remember that for me, I didn't truly start feeling better until at least 6 weeks. I think I did feel worse at first, too, which can be totally discouraging. After all why would something that is supposed to help, hurt us at first?! It was a shock to my system because I was expecting some results within 2-4 weeks as my doc had mentioned. In the past and for some reason more recently I too have had issues with food, eating, keeping food down, and generally having an appetite. I have to remind myself it's just the anxiety, it's not my fault, and these are simply thoughts. Food keeps us alive and energized so I try to remind myself of that when I feel like eating food is impossible. For a while I thought I had a stomach ulcer or some other underlying health condition, but after nothing came of that, I realized all of those stomach issues were really just anxiety manifesting in a physical sense. During the beginning of my medication treatment, I was SO uncomfortable, feeling like things would never get better. I was constantly thinking, "I'll never get better, this I how I always will be and life will always be a struggle for me." I think that kind of thinking just led to more spiraling for me. Once you are able to fight those anxious thoughts that you are having, you will notice changes within yourself. I'm not sure what your triggers are and I really hope nothing I said will hurt you as I just want the best for you! I know how difficult these things can be, I hope I was able to provide some support! Try to cut yourself some slack, you are a human being with valid feelings and emotions who is doing the best they can. Best wishes!

[Tonybass5]

Anxiety (and depression) affects my appetite too. Sometimes you just have to try a few bites, and then you can eat. Feel better!

[emmi331]

I had such severe side effects from Celexa that I was almost completely dysfunctional. I could not eat, either. If you are at that point, maybe you should call your doctor now. Mine took me off it after a week when he saw the shape I was in. I swore off antidepressants, until years later when I finally caved in during a period of intense anxiety and depression. Pristiq works for me now, but everyone is different.

[CicaDa]

When I didn't feel like eating, I would go for soups at lunch and dinner and a glass milk without cereals for breakfast.

[Yuuupsongbook002]

I hope you feel better. It's going to be okay. My therapist told me to tell myself when I'm feeling that way that I'll still love.

[Moonira]

Hi Clovermoe. I lost 40lbs last year because of severe depression and anxiety. So I feel so much for you!!!! It took time and trials of meds to find the right combination, plus exercise, eating well, meditating, joining a zoom group here in my province of Quebec, Canada. Please please know this YOU ARE NOT ALONE. MANY OF US HAVE SUFFERED OR CONTINUE TO. Mental illness is an illness about which so little is known because so little is known to this day about the complex functioning of the brain etc...Please hang in write to us, do what you can, pat yourself on the back for and never give up....better days are ahead promise💫👏💫🦋

[Waterworks31]

Was through this a few times, so miserable. Lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks. Could not swallow, scary how our minds have so much control. It will pass, takes a few weeks. Duloxetine seemed to help. The only drug that really helped was ability, I felt better than I had in years, then my jaw started jiggling, and it seems the longer you are on it the dyskinesia can last forever. They have another pill to counteract. That was it. I’m waiting until they perfect magic mushrooms or lsd.

Anyhow, I wish you the best. It will get better. Reading books by Father Richard Rohr helped too. Take care, A fellow sufferer

[Clovermoe]

Thanks everyone for the posts. It’s still really hard and eating is difficult. Taking it day by day. It’s a little better today