To buy sertraline online?

[wouldbe73]

I'm struggling terribly with my anxiety at the moment. I've had bad anxiety since primary school age, but during the past couple of years it's been getting worse and worse, to the point where my husband is begging me to seek help.

I'm desperate to try medication as I can barely function anymore - even going to the supermarket or getting on the bus on my own feels overwhelming.

I finally plucked up the courage to ring my GP for a phone appointment but both times I called I've been told there were none available and to ring back.

Is there anywhere you can buy sertraline safely online without having to see a GP?

I'm really at my wit's end and need something to help.

I think you should go through your GP. Keep pushing - it's surely an urgent need.

Ideally you need to be having a review every 10 days when you start taking a drug such as Sertraline. There’s very good reason for this.

I would suggest ringing the practice as soon as they open and say it is urgent and take one of their emergency appointments. If the receptionist tried to triage you, tell them that it’s mental health related and you need to speak to someone today.

Phone and tell them
It’s urgent. If you feel like this, it genuinely is an emergency. A few weeks ago, I phoned my practice in tears, as I just wasn’t coping. The duty GP (not mine, but was one from my practice group) called me back that afternoon. They were absolutely clear that I’d done the right thing, gave me a prescription, signed me off work for 2 weeks, and made an appointment with my own GP for review two weeks later.
Please prioritise your mental health, and call to speak to a GP. Don’t try and go under the wire with this; you won’t get the consistency of care.

@wouldbe73

Does anyone know whether (if I do manage to get an appointment) they will make me go into the surgery or if I can do it over the phone? I really don't want face to face if it's at all possible to avoid.

You might be able to do it over the phone but your GP might be different. They didn't take my blood pressure or anything and I could sit as far away from them as I wanted. You mentioned a health visitor, do they think it might be postnatal anxiety? Have they mentioned speaking to a specialist mental health visitor?

And there’s no reason why it couldn’t be a phone appointment OP.

[quote wouldbe73]@GloomAndDoom I think they do offer same day if it's urgent, so I suppose they didn't consider this to be urgent.[/quote]
Phone back and tell them this is urgent. You need to see/speak to a GP ASAP.

Failing that, call tomorrow as soon as the surgery is open or even a minute or so before and just keep hitting redial until you get connected to either an actual person or the hold queue. It can take a few attempts. Or a lot of attempts but needs must.

@IfImLyingImDying Last time I rang, the receptionist asked me why I needed an appointment and I said I was really struggling with anxiety, so they know it's mental health related. They did apologise but said they couldn't fit me in that day. I felt so deflated as it took so much to work myself up to ringing them.

You really can't start taking sertraline without speaking to a gp. It is not a quick fix anyway. I get that it is difficult to speak about but you are just going to have to be brave as you can't mess around with psychiatric drugs!

Phone again and say you can't function and are having panic attacks and you need a phone call today. Don't think too much just do it. People do it all the time GPs are totally used to it.

Good luck and I hope you get some help sorted x

[quote wouldbe73]@IfImLyingImDying Last time I rang, the receptionist asked me why I needed an appointment and I said I was really struggling with anxiety, so they know it's mental health related. They did apologise but said they couldn't fit me in that day. I felt so deflated as it took so much to work myself up to ringing them.[/quote]
I’m sorry but you need to be a bit more forceful. I know it’s hard.

“It’s mental health related. I need to speak to someone today please.” And repeat.

And get on to your health visitor. They should be able to help get you to see a doctor.

@wouldbe73

I actually got referred to IAPT already through my health visitor and am on the list for CBT, but the waiting time for an appointment is 16 weeks.

Sorry that's rubbish! I was seen within a few days but it was a while ago.

I felt so deflated as it took so much to work myself up to ringing them. oh I know that feeling. Could your husband ring and you wait there. If you need it don't forget 111 is there and they really don't mind if you phone them.

[quote wouldbe73]@IfImLyingImDying Last time I rang, the receptionist asked me why I needed an appointment and I said I was really struggling with anxiety, so they know it's mental health related. They did apologise but said they couldn't fit me in that day. I felt so deflated as it took so much to work myself up to ringing them.[/quote]
The squeaky gate gets the oil!

Phone again and tell them that you have been feeling so bad you're on the brink of self medicating.

It depends where on the country you are, what provision there is and your individual circumstances @shauabs. So no, it’s not rubbish. Where I am, the waiting list is 6 months.

@shauabs it depends on where you live perhaps? Also, I did do a session of CBT with them before - maybe that's why I'm lower priority, because it's my second attempt?

@GloomAndDoom could 111 give me a prescription if I called them? Or would I still need to see my GP?

Sertraline is an AD and takes weeks to work so if you are suffering from acute anxiety now, it is not going to be effective for a while. First generation antihistamines work better for short term/immediate anti anxiety use (although they do also cause drowsiness which may or may not be desirable) and are easier to obtain.

Oh, and potentially beta blockers also. There are legitimate, online pharmacies in the UK that will let you fill out a form and will prescribe you propranolol online without talking to anyone.

If you’re thinking of buying the medication online (which you absolutely should not do, it might be fake and cause even more harm), then you can afford a private appointment with a doctor.

@wouldbe73 does your practice have a nurse prescriber? I’ve been struggling for months and finally after walking the dog in tears phoned my GP practice, no GP appointments however the receptionist was really helpful and a nurse prescriber (id. Ever heard of it) phoned me and after talking to me for sometime on the phone prescribed me Fluoxetine, I’d been so stressed about calling but she was amazing, poor woman had months of my issues poured onto her.

could 111 give me a prescription if I called them? Or would I still need to see my GP? I'm afraid I don't know. They put me through to the GP when I was having a crisis but it was my own GP surgery and they prescribed me something to help me get through the initial days of sertraline.

But if you ever find things are getting just a bit too much please try 111 if you need them. Your husband can even start the call with them and explain it if that will help.

@FAQs thanks, I will ask about that next time I call.

If you’re thinking of buying the medication online (which you absolutely should not do, it might be fake and cause even more harm), then you can afford a private appointment with a doctor.

@KentuckyCriedFricken private doctors appointments cost £50 and it sounds like I will need more than one. There's no way I can afford that.

I was in a very very bad way when I was prescribed Sertraline. I called at 8am, waited about 30 minutes to speak to the receptionist. I could barely get my words out as I was sobbing, I explained I was preoccupied with death and my other symptoms and she put me on triage. A nurse rang before 10am, identified that I was in a bad way and needed to see a clinician the same day and I saw a Nurse Practitioner at 3pm. She was wonderful. She gave me a 7 day prescription of Sertraline and told my nok who had come with me that in her opinion I wasn't safe to live alone that week as I was very low and initally Sertraline increases suicidal ideation (even though I told her I had made no plans to end my life). I had to go back to her the next week and she then issued me with a months supply and I had to see her for the first three months. During the pandemic, this ended up being over the phone.

My first month on Sertraline was very very rough. I did need to be under the care of a GP. In the end I had to come off it after a few months due to an adverse medical reaction. This wouldn't have been picked up without being under the care of a GP.

I do understand trying to sort this out alone and how desperate we can get. I have been there. I have considered buying psychiatric meds illegally (Wellbutrin).

Please, please don't self-medicate.

Ring either GP first thing or out of hours. If you have to exaggerate to get an appointment, do. I.e if the receptionist asks if you think you are at risk of harming yourself, say maybe or yes even if you know you wouldn't. It may be that you are given just a telephone appointment but it could still result in you getting a prescription for sertraline tomorrow.

Get proper support, not an app or online prescription. When you need to come off medication you will need support to taper off as well.

Just a long shot @wouldbe73 could you go and ask the pharmacist? If you have been on it before, they may be able to administer a week's worth. Until you can get a GP appointment.

I've just read that your main problem is anxiety...I was prescribed Sertraline for Anxiety and Depression but it made my anxiety much much worse for the first 3 weeks. That's another reason it's best to see an actual professional who can evaluate you and see your medical history. You may need both short term and long term medication (I've had periods of needing propanolol or valium alongside an anti-depressant) and it needs careful administration.

As well as my serious reaction to sertraline, my blood pressure crashed and I blacked out and cracked my head on propanolol!

So please don't just try and guess what you need or how you might react just now.

You need to be really clear with the receptionists. Tell them how desperate you are and that you're even considering buying online.

OP I'd be worried why you're so focused on Sertraline. I was you once, and my GP prescribed Mirtazapine. It was by far the best choice (and I thank that GP daily). But it was face to face. And I'd be wary of any GP who doesn't want to see you face to face first, because so much of mental health is diagnosed through the non-verbal cues.

Why are you so anti seeing your GP in person? That would worry me, to be honest. And it won't make them any more likely to prescribe for you as a first prescription.

As I say, I was you once. I was bundled up by a friend and literally dumped in the GP's surgery because I couldn't do it myself (sounds harsher than it really was) but it saved my life. Literally. As did Mirtazapine.

People will tell you it's 'weight positive', but I didn't find that at all. Also, you sleep much better right from the first dose (and the lower doses work better for sleep, so that helps while they're working out which dose you need for maintenance).

But you will need follow-up appointments. Any AD isn't just a 'there you are, off you go' type of prescription. And many people need to try several before they find the right one (I was very VERY lucky in that respect).

OP, phone your GP and explain how urgent this is. And let them look after you from that point - it will take the pressure off of you, even if just for the short term.