Please or to access all these features

Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Sertraline and any other ADs support thread

990 replies

hathorinareddress · 31/03/2012 11:13

Following on from a suggestion by LittleWhiteMice on a thread I have going on here, I am starting a support thread for anyone taking Sertraline or any other AD.

I started taking it yesterday after eventually plucking up the courage to go to the doc on Thursday.

I feel a bit weird but not too bad.

OP posts:
CatsSleepAnywhere · 02/05/2012 13:48

Feeling ill today. I'm sure I'm eating less cause food seems to make me feel sick.
Trying to have enough to keep plodding on though.

Irishexile · 02/05/2012 16:51

I lost my appetite when I first started on sertraline as I felt quite queasy. Fine now. Maybe it's side effects? Hang in there.

foxeeroxee · 03/05/2012 21:05

Well i went to the gp again n was finally honest with him. He seems to think the pnd i had is now anxiety with heightened ocd (whatever the fuck that means)
Have been asked to keep a diary for a week and to write down all the things i do and different feelings i had.plus had my ads increased.not sure how i feel about it yet.

Oh been really supportive and came home from work today with some of my favourite bath bombs to cheer me up. its moments like that which make me realise how lucky i am.
Hope everyone is well.

mawbroon · 04/05/2012 10:40

Oh dear. DS1 asked me this morning "Mummy, why do you never laugh out loud?"

It made me feel really sad for him Sad

WorldOfMeh · 05/05/2012 09:36

Aw, sorry to hear that maw. What did you say to him?

Me, I'm having a bit of a relapse. Very tired, and irritable. OH's parents are staying- came a day early, even, which I only found out about the night before. I had things to do & had to go out, but the OH assured me he was going to 'blitz the house'. Got home to find him hoovering the front room. This was his idea of 'blitzing the house', apparently. I didn't have time to do much before they arrived. Since then, every time I turn round, they are furtively cleaning something. His mother even brought her own pair of rubber gloves, and a bathmat.

Baby is waking a lot more in the night. On the up side, my OH does do turn about on nights with me: on the down, whatever time she gets up, I then have her (generally between 5.30 and 6). I only get a lie in every two weeks when the night before has been my night off, and only then if there are no guests in the spare room, as I then have to sleep in the lounge. Feeling resentful of my OH always seemingly sleeping until 10.00 or going for a lie down whenever he feels like it. And complaining about how badly he sleeps on his nights off! He works from home, by the way, so it isn't quite as bad as it might sound. But, yeah. I seem to be getting saddled with more and more of the 'housework' since we had the baby, which is not how it started out. I don't know if he's a lazy f*cker these days, or depressed as well...

I am feeling particularly horrible as yesterday I was extra stressed out and hormonal (particularly Gothic period), and was trying to get the baby changed for bed while she was writhing around, as usual. This drives me mental at the best of times, but last night she twisted round and grabbed the nappy I'd laid out and started waving it around by the tab, and in the heat of the moment/grabbing it back, I slapped her hand. I haven't been able to tell me partner about it properly, he thinks it was purely by accident, but I think I sort of meant to and couldn't fully stop myself.

This feels particularly horrible because I'd been connecting with her much better, but for the last few days I've been feeling so tired and stressed and grumpy, I look at her and don't 'feel it' again. I feel like running away, really. I've pretended to go for a lie down while the baby naps, as I hate being on my own with OH's parents and trying to make conversation. They don't know about the PND, I think they just think I'm a slattern and a bad mother. I suppose I am, really.

Sorry about the essay...

Irishexile · 05/05/2012 15:16

Oh Meh- didn't want to read and run. You are NOT a bad mother or a slattern. Sending you huge hug. We all do these things- it is a normal part of parenting, even without PND.

Baby is crying, so suppose I better go and see to him (see- neglecting upset child in favour of MN. If that's not being a slack mother, I don't know what is!).

Sending big hug to Maw too- hope you're feeling a bit better, despite DS's comment.

Arana · 06/05/2012 10:54

Having a shit day. Gone from 100mg to 200mg sertraline over 2 weeks and it's killing me. Anxiety through the roof, oversensitive to everything - noise, light, emotions etc. I cut myself today, which I haven't done for ages, and had a total breakdown.

I hope it's the drugs. I can't carry ob much longer.

WorldOfMeh · 06/05/2012 11:31

Thank you Irishexile. I really appreciated you taking the time to reply & send a virtual hug. :)

The visitors went home while I was in bed this morning (it's my day off, so thrust the baby at her father when she woke at 6 and went to bed for a sleep). It was a bit of a relief, to be honest- last night was really awkward, as we don't have a TV and they don't know what to do without one. I tried to talk to them, and offered to put on a DVD, but they just refused and stared at their feet in silence. My OH says they were probably 'watching the TV in their heads'. Depressing.

Arana, sorry you're having a crap day. It does sound likely to be the drugs. Is there an out of hours number you can call? I hope you have someone supportive around in real life, but I will be thinking of you today and willing things to get better for you soon. Hang in there, at least you know this is not 'typical' and so is likely to be a temporary thing. {{hug}}

Loopyloveschocolate · 07/05/2012 08:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ladybird73 · 08/05/2012 05:48

I have been going through your threads at 5.30am! As I had my 1st 100mg of Sertraline after a week or so without them as I went away+forgot to take them with me! And also wanted to test myself to see how I would cope+feel without them after being on 200mg for over 18months! Suffice to say I was starTing to feel a lot more anxious as the week went on without them, tearful, low and pessimistic! So rather than go back to feeling depressed thought it for the best to start taking them again. Took one at bedtime last night and woke up 4.30am anxious as hell, jittery etc just like I did when I first stated taking them 18months ago! And am now beating myself up for putting myself through this! Should never have stopped taking them so remember to take your meds on hol with u!
Is there anyone out there who has successfully weaned off SERTRALINE?
If so, how many mgs were you taking and are you coping and feeling better without it?
FOR ALL OF U NEW TO SERTRALINE STICK WITH IT! THE SIDE EFFECTS WILL PASS..... =)
SERTRALINE FOR ME GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK! I WAS ABLE TO COPE WITH LIFE AGAIN + HAPPY! AND LIVED LIFE WITHOUT ANY ANXIETY! WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE BEFORE I STARTED TAKING SERTRALINE.
BEST OF LUCK =)

Loopyloveschocolate · 08/05/2012 06:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ladybird73 · 08/05/2012 06:58

Hello and Thanx Loopyloveschocolate :) so I guess I had a bout of anxiety because I just stopped? and not weaned off like u did?
Hope so! Just worried to wean off them and have the anxiety return and have to go through the whole stop/start process again :(
But will see GP as advised.
Many Thanx :)

Ladybird73 · 08/05/2012 07:00

Since you stopped taking SERTRALINE Loopyloveschocolate have any of your symptoms come back or are you ok now?

Loopyloveschocolate · 08/05/2012 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ladybird73 · 09/05/2012 07:07

Many Thanks loopyloveschocolate :) Now my anxiety as subsided slightly I realised a lot of my anxiety was caused by other factors other than my own disorder! Eg Partners moods, mums illness, demands of the kids, day to day chores etc and although I was feeling "powerful" enough to deal with my own battle with my anxiety dealing with the two at once was far too overwhelming! So unless I can run away to do battle with my anxiety disorder without the other pressures shall learn to juggle another day ;)
Thanx for your input and hope you feel better soon :)

Ladybird73 · 09/05/2012 07:51

I just want to say that I was prescribed 200mgs of Sertraline over 18months ago for what they say was an anxiety disorder/Generalised anxiety disorder and know that without them would never have got through without them! I wish I had accepted that I couldn't do it on my own sooner but was always apprehensive to take them as they make your symptoms worse before they make them better and the thought of that prevented me form doing so!
Eventually I decided to "go for it" as living how I was became unbearable and remember clearly feeling sick, dizzy and a lot worse for the first 2-4 days but persevered and within 2 wks at the most felt back to "myself" and in control of my anxiety for the first time in what seemed like years! :)
Wish you all the best!
My best piece of advice and what helped me enormously was research, research RESEARCH! ;)
I am one of those who has to know everything and spent a hours scouring the net for info on my condition, medication etc and know that had a big part to play in overcoming my disorder...
If YOU do have the time invest it in YOURSELF!
Afterall YOUR WORTH IT! ;) (they have us believe)
Convince yourself you are if you have to, like I did! ;)

Best of Luck&Wishes

Irishexile · 10/05/2012 18:29

Hi all, and welcome back Loopy. I'm glad to hear you got through the trip to Ireland. Feeling better but exhausted. Having lovely week off w DH and DC but tired beyond belief. Dr took bloods but nothing came up so it is indeed depression. Like I didn't know that....

Will check in properly later. Xx

Irishexile · 10/05/2012 18:54

I keep craving chocolate, sweets etc cos I'm so tired. Maybe I just need to go to bed.

NicholasTeakozy · 11/05/2012 13:48

Ladybird please do not go cold turkey from Sertraline. Like Loopy says, you should talk to your doc about weaning your self off them.

The rest of you, chins up, this too shall pass. :)

Loopyloveschocolate · 11/05/2012 17:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Irishexile · 11/05/2012 20:56

Nice to see you again NT. things are def getting better for me, though still utterly shattered. Was asleep before 8 last night and am heading to bed now. Trying not to give myself a hard time for needing so much rest, and also trying not to just eat loads of sugar to mask the tiredness with a sugar rush.

NicholasTeakozy · 11/05/2012 22:36

Loopy I understand the surface thing very well.

Irish, as sleep is working, keep at it.

Also, please look at this thread as she needs help. I've linked her here, but do dive in. Thanks.

It was actually her thread that prompted me to post here again. I apologise for being so heartless. Good luck all of you, you're amazing people.

WorldOfMeh · 12/05/2012 15:27

Heya, all. Good to see people are still posting. I thought perhaps the thread was going to keel over, which would have been a shame.

I'm doing a bit better: have been given a creche place once a week by the PND centre here, and have been trying to get out of the house with the baby every day. Also trying to walk more of the time, rather than take the bus. It just makes the day go a bit quicker, and gives me a little more exercise.

On the down side I've had a really bad cough for the last month that stops me sleeping, and which has become an upper respiratory tract infection I've had to go on antibiotics for... so feeling very tired and crappy, physically. Still, the meds seem to be working so hopefully I'll start feeling less sh*t soon...

Have a good weekend everyone. It's sunny here (hooray!), hope it is where you are, too.

Irishexile · 12/05/2012 21:56

Nice to see you meh- I was starting to think it was dying too. Glad to hear you're feeling brighter. Get well soon- hope the antibiotics start to work soon. I'm sitting in bed, waiting for tixylix to kick in so I can go asleep despite irritating cough.

Night all.

Loopyloveschocolate · 12/05/2012 22:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.