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Mental health

Sertraline and any other AD's Support Thread Part 2

928 replies

PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 13:48

Just a continuation from the original thread, which is due to finish soon. Anyone and everyone needing some kind words, and hand-holding, are more than welcome Smile.

OP posts:
susiedaisy · 07/12/2012 13:51

Marking my place!

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 07/12/2012 15:31

ah found you.....marking a place too.

Lottapianos · 07/12/2012 15:39

Hi all
I started Paroxetine last Sunday. I've been struggling with depression and anxiety for years and have been seeing a psychotherapist weekly for the last 2 years. Therapy has become really intense in the last few months and is bringing up a lot of painful and scary feelings. I felt like I needed a break from the panic attacks, sobbing fits and general misery so I've decided to start a course of ADs.

It's only 6 days in. Side-effects - pretty horrible nausea if I don't eat something at least every 2 hours and some mild insomnia. Nausea has lifted a bit today, hoping it will bugger off for good by tomorrow.

Mixed feelings about starting on the pills. My therapist says it's a pattern I have learned from my parents - every time I have a feeling I'm expected to put it away and not actually feel it. That makes sense to me but I'm totally exhausted from it all. DP saw me have a panic attack and ended up sobbing and totally freaked out himself - he feels pathetic at not being able to make it all better for me Sad So he needs a break from it too.

I'm planning to spend no more than 6 months on the pills and will continue weekly therapy in the meantime. I have heard that coming off Paroxetine can be horrendous so there's something to look forward to Hmm

somewherebecomingrain · 07/12/2012 17:12

Marking my place xx

TacticalWheelbarrow · 07/12/2012 17:20

Hi ladies, I've been waiting for the old thread to fill up before i posted. I'm hoping I can join this thread if you'll let me because I think I need a bit of support.
I got my prescription for 50mg of sertraline nearly two weeks ago, it took me a week to go to the chemist and a few days after to pluck up the courage to take it. My DH really doesn't want me to take these things as he says I will be a zombie but at the moment my life feels like it's falling apart.
I'm terrified of the doorbell or phone ringing, it sends me into horrific panic attacks.
I've been on it for 3 days now but am taking 25mg as I heard side effects were better if built up the dosage gradually.
I have a quick question though- does sertraline cause headaches when you first start taking it? I have a pounding one at the back of my head and for someone with health anxiety you can imagine what that is doing to my mind right now.

Thanks for reading if you managed to get to the end, I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel for me and I can come on here and help other people going through this!

susiedaisy · 07/12/2012 17:42

tactical headaches are one of the side effects listed and I have had a few since starting sertraline nearly three weeks ago,

TacticalWheelbarrow · 07/12/2012 17:44

susie thank god! I'm not reading the side effects because of my health anxiety, I know I will read them and then develop them all!
Can I just ask the headaches you get are they at the back of your head?

Thank you for your reply Xmas Smile

TacticalWheelbarrow · 07/12/2012 17:45

Oh and I hope your headaches get better soon!

PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 19:00

Good evening ladies. Nice to see some new folk on the thread. A warm welcome to you all Smile with plenty of Brew or Wine or Thanks and virtual choccies.

Tactical. Have a Brew to warm your hands. It's cold outside. I hope your headaches go soon. I used to have a brain that went into overdrive over simple things like cuts, bruises, you name it. I found it a relief to engage in a bit of autosuggestion. It's where the person repeats something over and over to themselves to the point where they start believing what they saying. In my case I kept telling myself that I wasn't going to die Grin from a paper cut on my finger. I have gone from a panic-ridden teen to someone who rarely bats an eyelid at things like seizures, major gashes etc.

One thing I was thinking may help you with your health anxiety would be to join St John's Ambulance. I joined for a year in my 20's and it helped me enormously with my panicking.

OP posts:
PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 19:03

Apologies if I'm talking s**te folks, but I had my AD at tea time and it's kicking in already. Another 1/2hr and I'll be sending a dozy mare alert out on the thread Grin.

OP posts:
susiedaisy · 07/12/2012 19:13
Grin
susiedaisy · 07/12/2012 19:16

tactical yes the headaches have been in the back and also one side of my head, I am a migraine sufferer so If headaches are a possible side effect you can bet your bottom dollar that's one I will get Hmm

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 07/12/2012 19:58

im trying to work my way through reading the original thread - im finding alot of the side effects im experiencing have been mentioned on there but im only up to page 10....still, thats reassuring.

ShakySingsMerryXmasEveryone · 07/12/2012 20:03

Just checking in on the shiny new thread.



It's nice here Smile

TacticalWheelbarrow · 07/12/2012 20:05

packitin thank you for the advice, just took my daily dose. Hoping the headaches won't get worse. I'm so surprised that health anxiety seems to be quite common. It's reassuring in a weird way because it makes me tell myself that it's not me being a hypochondriac. I'm starting CBT soon and hoping that I can overcome it. The depression is going to be harder I think.

susie you poor thing! I hope you stop suffering soon!

PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 20:34

Evening Susie, how's you this evening? Here, have a wee Brew to keep yon hands warm. Tis a cold night tonight, Apparently we've a Siberian cold front heading over and sometime next week the east coast of Englad and Scotland are supposed to be getting major snow.

I hope it comes over here to N.I. I'll be clothing up to keep warm and going outside to throw snowballs with the kids Grin. Nowt I like better than a good snowball fight with the kids.

OP posts:
PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 20:41

Here you go Shakey, warm one's wee hands on this Brew for a bit.

Feck sake, I told you I'd be talkin ste before long, but hey, let's have some fun talking like busted washing machines Grin. I can't even spell England right, and the other one was meant to be throwing snowballs at the kids, not with the kids.

Everyone heating up yet?

OP posts:
PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 20:51

Right folks, found a few packs of Biscuit for y'all to share.

Just listening to some Seasick Steve. One of his best songs is I Started Out With Nothin. It's one of those must listen-to songs that get the old feet tapping. Well worth listening to.

OP posts:
PackItInNow · 07/12/2012 20:55

Well ladies, I'm away to bed now, but will check in tomorrow morning before my friend arrives.

Good night ladies, take care of yourselves and I'll natter away tomorrow Smile.

OP posts:
ShakySingsMerryXmasEveryone · 07/12/2012 22:06

Oh thanks for the Brew PackItIn

My darling little boy seems to have turned into the devil child since he turned 3 last week! WTAF! Where did my nice little boy go?

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 07/12/2012 23:41

im still finding it difficult to sleep on a night but im shattered all day....i did manage to get dressed today though, which may be progress.

im still grappling with what to say to work and when to go back. im meant to be back for a night shift on monday but i dont think i would stay awake for it tbh, my body feels leaden.

its early days i guess. day 5.

im not sure whether to just allow myself to sleep when tired (which is all morning) or whether to force myself up on a morning but as soon as i go back to shifts normality is a thing of the past anyway.

i wish i could make a decision.

still experiencing some odd side effects. not much of an appetite. jaw clenching and twitchy, fatigued, waves of nausea but its not constant, and some dizzyness.

i think i might have to phone gp on monday and ask if she can justify doing me a sick note for a bit longer while the effects subside. it would be nice to be off until the positive effects kick in but im not sure that will be practical.

Colourhairbarbie · 08/12/2012 09:09

Hi all,
I just started on 20mg fluoxetine (Prozac) a wk ago for anxiety. I had a quite rough 48hrs with xtra anx and nausea but I think its calming now. Didn't want to go on med but got to the point where I knew it had gone too far for me.
I like my Biscuit so hope il be able to squeeze in Smile

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TacticalWheelbarrow · 08/12/2012 09:51

vicar sorry to hear you are having bad side effects. Sad I think it is probably best to ask for a sick note from your doctor, that way you can get over the horrible side effects without the added stress of being fit for work. Hope you feel better soon.

colour hair barbie hi and welcome. I'm glad you are starting to feel better in yourself. Like you I really didn't want to go on meds but unfortunately I didn't see any other way out. Has your gp referred you to have some CBT?


I had a really bad night last night, I was going to drink (just one) but before I had a huge panic attack triggered by the phone ringing. I feel so fucking pathetic! I wish my DH would support me more, I feel ratty on these meds and grumpy. I explained this to him and asked him to cut me just a little slack, instead he has been picking at everything I do and say Sad.

PackItInNow · 08/12/2012 10:36

Good Morning Barbie, Tactical, Shakey, Vicar, Susie and Trinn. How are you all today?

Barbie, just grab a pew and join in. Your more than welcome. Anyone for a Brew?

OP posts:
Colourhairbarbie · 08/12/2012 10:48

Thank u tactical for your kind welcome Smile
I had a course of cbt a couple of years ago and thought it was fab & I really believed that I would never need to use meds again.

When I felt the anxiety rising this time I tried to use everything I had learnt but I think once I had passed a certain threshold I didn't have the power to stop the anxiety snowballing out of my control Sad
I'm hoping once I get a bit of perspective back il be able to use it all again.

I am sorry that you had a difficult evening but I can relate to the problems with your dh as mine although brilliant generally, really struggles with my anx - it all seems completely alien to him.

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