OH was offered sertraline by neurologist today in OPD. He turned down this offer as he did nt want to take unnecessary medication. He takes a lot. Worried about side effects and effecting TBI adversely. He agreed to think about it.
Has anybody any experience or advice re antidepressants in TBI particularly sertraline?
Has Anybody kez
Hi Charente,
Try not to think of this as an antidepressant but as medication to replace a deficiency of seratonin in the brain.
I was given citalopram whilst in hospital and have taken it with only a few weeks break since, 8 years ago.
If I stop this i soon start to struggle so it is obvious to me that my brain no longer makes sufficient.
So you see this medication corrects a deficiency in the body as does medication jf you are diabetic for instance.
Janet
I took these for 4 days and they made me so much worse I suffered with dizziness and it made that worse I was even more paranoid they were awful
I got put onto fluoxetine and they were a lot better xx
Hi Charente,
I've been taking Duloxetine, an SNRI with a similar action to SSRIs like sertraline.
I think it's been helpful for me, with only mild side effects. Started taking it last May, felt better very quickly, even though I didn't think I was anxious or depressed - and am currently on a lower dose for another few months, as part of ongoing medical supervision.
Side effects for me are mainly dry mouth and constipation, bit of an effect on love life (but not as much as fatigue and Lockdown....)
I asked my neuropsychiatrist about the connection between the disturbance in white matter after a TBI, and the disturbance in white matter observed in depression. As I understood it, he said that basically the brain can't tell the difference - there isn't a particular area of the brain that is the 'depression centre'. The thing is, there's been recent research that indicates that when SSRIs are taken for long enough, that the white matter sorts itself out - so there is apparently a curative element.
However that said, apparently, if you've had a TBI you are more prone to depression and anxiety over your lifetime.
So I'd say for me it has been ok. And I did start feeling quite anxious a week or so ago (when the family was visiting) while I have been on the lower dose. Feel ok again now. But I understand that it's very individual as to which drug suits which person after brain injury. So if one doesn't suit ( unacceptable side effects) get switched onto another fairly quickly which might be better.
Jen x
I've taken antidepressants since early teens, more recently Paroxetine (AKA Sertraline) which has been my lifesaver. The paroxetine has kept dark thoughts and debilitating panic attacks at bay for over 30 years, seeing me through various difficulties and illnesses.
Low serotonin levels can cause a wide range of both physical and psychological dysfunction, from memory impairment to depression and suicide, and many, many other serious issues.
SSRIs boost serotonin and SNRIs boost both serotonin and noradrenalin, both of which are beneficial for mood, motivation, outlook, memory and much more. They've also been found useful in speeding up recovery from brain trauma.
Despite my objections, my neuro-psychiatrist swapped my Paroxetine for Sertraline just before my discharge from hospital and though I persevered for 3 weeks I couldn't tolerate them. My GP reinstated my Paroxetine and the problem was fixed within a couple of days.
So it can take a couple of attempts to find the most compatible one as what suits one person may not be right for another.
Hope this helps a little Charente. x
Hi - when my husband came out of rehab after hypoxic (acquired - not traumatic) brain injury he was prescribed a low dose of sertraline which he has now been in for 5+ years. He does not seem to have any side effects but it seems to take the sense of lack of self worth away. There is a lot he cant do these days... in these situations depression is a risk - or so I was told by the neurologist.
Take care!
My son has not had an injury, but he does take sertraline for his anxiety, and it does seem to have helped with no ill effects.
Hi Charente
I suffered a TBI about 20 months ago. Anxiety and depression set in at the beginning of lockdown. I think it was the straw that broke the camels back., I had been on the verge for quite a long time. I had been coping with vertigo like symptoms and was getting better, albeit slowly.
The dr prescribed Citalopram which is part of the same group as Sertraline, this didn’t work for me. I was then prescribed Sertraline and after tweaking the dose a few times it worked. I no longer feel depressed and my anxiety is minimal. It took a couple of months to get it right. I don’t suffer any side effects at all.
It hasn’t affected my TBI. If anything it’s helped in a roundabout way. The TBI and the results from it (not being able to work and all that goes with that) as well as the pulsating head contributed to the depression and anxiety.
Hope this helps!
Nermin
My son tried it and I have to admit he didn't get on with it. However, he didn't really give it time to get into his system and throughout the next few months he tried a lot of medications and gave up on them. Personally I've used Sertraline - I used it to help me cope during Sam's early months after the TBI and found that apart from a slight headache and nausea for the first couple of days I had no issues whatsoever. It acted as a levelling agent and helped me cope with any crises that happened.
It works for me, give it a few weeks to take effect then....arrrr thats better 😉
Doubled my dose during first lockdown for obvious reasons but now looking to come off them in the very near future.
Hi Charente
I have taken Sertraline 100mg for many years since panic attacks and depression in my early teens and it has really helped me. Completely agree with Kirk5w7 comment '..this medication corrects a deficiency in the body as does medication if you are diabetic for instance.' I definitely have an imbalance in my brain as I notice my mood changes if I haven't taken them for a few days (even worse now after TBI) I've tried Fluoxetine at one point too but these just did not work for me.
I was concerned about taking Sertraline after TBI as I didn't want anything to hinder or negatively affect my recovery, but I was assured by my GP and neurologist that they are completely safe to take after TBI. As far as I'm aware, I don't experience any of the side affects but totally appreciate that everyone reacts to things differently.
All the best x
I take it and it has really helped my mood, there is evidence that sri's like sertraline can help the brain repair itself too
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