Anxiety - what positive impact has Sertraline had on your day to day life?

[PinkCosYouAreSoVery]

I'm starting this thread as I havent been able to find a blog type thread starting from day 1 of starting the tablets, so thought it might be useful for others!

I finally asked the GP today for medication to help ease what I think is mainly social anxiety. I have used Propanol in past for work presentations etc but lately I have felt I needed a more regular medication to help with the awful feeling of dread, shaking out of nerves etc. Even my lips start to shake and my voice goes high if im really feeling anxious. I have started to dread family gatherings even, going to the shop in case I see someone I know etc. I go red so easily which just makes it worse! I will go red in a normal conversation without someone for no reason! I dont really have a reason to feel so anxious, I dont really feel depressed, I dont have major worries (just the usual family/work life balance stuff) but I have got to the point where I pretty much have that feeling of impending doom a lot of the time and I dont want to go out where there's people, I just want to stay in my nice safe bubble at home with my family!

So I start 50mg of sertraline tomorrow morning! Scared of side effects but really hoping it will help, so I'm hoping to hear your positive stories! How did it help you? Do you feel more able to socialise and actually enjoy it? Did it help with the physical symptoms of anxiety like the shaking, blushing, sweaty armpits etc? I hope I'll start to feel more like the old me in a couple of weeks, though I know it will probably take longer.

Sounds exactly like my circumstances. This is the first time I've been back on it for years though. I've been struggling along because I am anxious at going to the gp.

@Shakeitshakeitbaby Can I ask what's worrying you about going to the GP?

It wasn’t a great feeling. Each day rolled into the next. I was barely conscious. I appreciate that everyone has different reactions to different meds! This was 7-8 years ago and then I was on Prozac for 3 years. My depression and anxiety is gone although some things trigger my PTSD. I was a very severe case and never thought I’d recover. Good luck ladies. You can fight this :)

I just don't like going to the docs. It's one of the triggers for my anxiety.

Thank you.
I have now been on them for nearly 2 weeks. Not feeling much different, the side effects have been ok, felt a bit nauseous for a few days but getting my appetite back again.

I've been on it for 2 years, and it's been a blissful 2 years. I pretty much have no emotions, which I don't mind at all.
Bad side effects-
Put on 5 stone in 2 years.
Weight gain has led to other issues, such as borderline diabetic, increased UTIs, sleep apnoea and horrendous snoring.
Weight gain has also caused hip and knee issues.
I've gone from a size 14 to a size 20.
I find I cannot lose weight on it full stop.
I think it's emotional, as in I don't care about anything. I used to care about how I looked and my health. Now I don't care if people think I'm fat.
Every time I try to come off of it I relapse.
So I'm stuck in a bit of a shit situation.

Oh, and a bloody prolapse to top things off!

@Shakeitshakeitbaby Sorry I re-read your post and see that you're taking it now. I had thought you weren't taking it yet as too anxious about the doctor. Well done for going to the doctor and getting some help, I hope it helps you a lot.

Me too. I have just declared to my work that I am on meds too. I am a little anxious about this, even though my anxiety has never affected my work. My line manager is very good usually so hoping he will be understanding.

My work were good about it, I warned them that I'd be jittery for the first few weeks of starting the meds again, and they understood. I'm only on 50mg so conscious that the side effects for me were lower than for others.

I did get told to take it in the morning not night time so if it does increase anxiety at first it doesn't affect your sleep as much. I had sleeping pills too for the first few weeks as bad insomnia.

Really hope it helps you @Shakeitshakeitbaby and your work, family, friends etc are supportive.

Day 12 now here. Side effects (headache) is lessening each day. Not sure that my 50mg dosage is having much of an effect though. I went out for early evening meal on Saturday night to our lovely local pub with my husband and son. Mid-meal, a work colleague walks in with his wife and family, who I like and get on well with and have no reason to feel 'weird' about seeing, but my heart was racing and I could feel myself going red. Its instances like that why I wanted help with my social anxiety (along with work meetings, going to the supermarket, social meet-ups etc). Im not so bad if things are planned but bumping into someone I know unexpectedly is awful for some reason. I wonder if I should contact the GP in advance of my one prescription renewal to request I up my dose. Social anxiety sucks, I feel so stupid for feeling like this.

Op sertraline has changed my life. Seriously I'm like a new person. I'm rational, fairly level headed much less angry. Able to focus and really motivated and enjoy life again.

I don't have anxiety instead depression. It's made me so much happier and easier to handle life.

I'm scared to come off them to be honest and don't think I will for a few years at least

Currently taking 50mcg

Also like others I notice when I've not taken it - even DH knows if I miss one pill lol that's how much of an improvement they make