Sertraline and any other ADs support thread

[hathorinareddress]

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.

Welcome Oven and Muddy. Thanks for your tale Oven, that will give many hope.

Muddy, this is a support group for those on ADs, just dive in. It's good that today was better than yesterday for you. The thing about depression is it makes you feel like nothing you do is good enough, that you aren't worth it when you quite clearly are. When you get on an even keel you realise that you were suffering badly.

Hi all,

Muddy I'm on Fluoxetine. Wednesday was a bad day. I have only been taking them for nearly three weeks now so it's all fairly new to me. The doc said the first few weeks on AD's can be quite tough then hopefully things should start to get better. I was alright yesterday and feel o.k. so far today --but still have to get through the school run-- .

Loopy sorry your not feeling great, hope you start to feel better soon.

Has anyone ever had shaking as a side effect?

Yesterday I noticed my leg was shaking a bit and today my arm is shaking when I lift my cup of tea. Otherwise though I feel fine.

I feel shakey and shuddery but don't look it, but that's more my brain saying "hey! You're trying to do approximately half of a normal amount of stuff too much! Take a rest!" than a side effect. :(

Hey, folks. And hello, Ovenready. Thanks so much for writing about your experiences. It's great to hear from the other side, if you see what I mean.

Welcome, Muddy.

Very tired at the moment- seem to find myself worrying in the wee hours and have to listen to my iPod to distract myself from getting carried away by a tidal wave of 'A Million And One Ways I Have Fucked My Life Up'. At other times I feel almost normal. Although I've never really been that!

Cats - no shaking on this that I'm aware of, but was on Citalopram (I think it was) a few years back and got 'Restless Legs Syndrome' (?) at night which stopped me from sleeping.

Time to sleep, goodnight folks and hope you're having a nice weekend.

Do you think you might need your dose adjusting Loopy? How long have you been on Venlafaxine? Maybe your GP can advise, or your local MH team.

Are you sure you're not just doing better at burrying your issues and pretending, Loopy? It really sounds like you could do with a chat to review your approach to things.

im on 150mg of sertaline and have been on it for your two years. im alot better now but to day ihaving a down day and i just want to hit things and jump of a bridge. im so irratated and annoyed at everything frigght now. i have a three yo who is doing my head in and i just want to run away. I dont want to be touched and he just wants to be next to me or sat on me or touch me and i want to scream.
Im fat and i have my dd christening on sunday and i dont want to go i dont want to face people, i dont have anything to wear and im fat and ugle.
i just want to scream. Im soooooooo feed up of son whining and moaning and not listening to me.
i feel like shouting "Stop touching me - i kill you" but i will not. i jst feel so angry and feed up i could cry. i have housework to do but i dont feel like doing it and that makes me feel guilty and worse. i never have me time and i just want it to stop for abit.

sorry for the rant.

Hi, was prescribed 50mg of seteraline today. I am scared to start on it tbh but I know I have to do something, I told my mum today and instead of being supportive I got a huge lecture about how well she had to cope with four kids and working full time while being a single parent I would love to be working, I would at least get a break. GP also gave a number to ring so I can self refer to counceling.

Hi OhBurger, I was scared to start my AD's when I first got them. I'm on Fluoxetine (3 weeks in now). The first few weeks can be a bit tough but people say it will improve after that.

You rant away Hope. Frankly I'd be amazed if your three year old didn't wind you up. He's 3, it's his job. You're going to have bad days every now and then, you just have to get over them.

Loopy, go and see your GP, local MH team or counsellor. You're struggling here, I can see that. You need someone to talk things through with, and maybe review your meds.

Hi Burger and welcome. :) It seems many on here take their meds in the morning. It's a shame your mum feels like that, she really should be offering you her support. Do start tomorrow, don't forget they can take a while to work properly. Also give the number a ring and get on the list. You can beat this.

Thanks cats just took my first one. Feel less of a wreck than I did yesterday and this morning. Had quite a lot of booze on Saturday night which I know doesn't help at all, going for tea total for the foreseeable future.

Thanks NicholasTeacozy I rang them and they are sending out a registration pack so I can go on the waiting list. I have stuff I need to work through, my mum is always the same. Been dealing with it all my life, I don't know why I a surprised by it anymore. I also fessed up to a friend, cowardly through text not had a reply yet.

Telling your friend via text is fine. It's out there now, and you'll know how much of a friend she is by her reply. I think much of being embarrassed for suffering with a mental illness is because sufferers are stigmatised, which is a pity. Let's face it, if you had an infection you'd take medicine, taking ADs for depression is exactly the same. Your brain is ill, and Sertraline is penicillin for your brain.

Does any of that make the slightest bit of sense?

Hope I've had a bad day today as well. :( no real reason, just struggled to get out of bed

Yup, it makes 100% sense. The sad thing is I used to work in MH and I just ignored all my symptoms hoping it would all go away. How wrong could I be? I have so many unresolved issues and when I take a step back an look at my life it's a wonder how I have managed up til now with no help I feel so sorry for my kids, they shouldn't have to suffer too. I haven't had a chance to catch up with the whole thread but I will when I get my hands on the laptop. Been a member of MN for ten years but rarely post but I'm glad it's here.

You're right Loopy it isn't a quick process. Have a think about CBT for your food obsession. MoodGym's a good site, you have to register but it's free. When you see your therapist tell her about this, she may be able to help with tips or meds. Sorry I'm not much help.

Don't beat yourself up Burger. In admitting you have a problem you've overcome the biggest hurdle. Getting it out there is bloody hard, yes you maybe could've recognised the signs earlier, but nobody's perfect. When you read through the thread you'll see questions about side effects and how long they take to kick in. The side effects calm down after a while and the meds work after anything between two and six weeks. If Sertraline doesn't work for you, then a different one will. Stick with it, and if you struggle badly go back to your GP.

Just to add to what NT said, a higher does might also help.

Morning all, feeling a bit itchy this morning. Not quite sure why, maybe it's another side effect. I think I might book that appointment with the doc. Was also feeling faint and sick when I got up in the night.
It's a shame if these are all side effects cause I am otherwise feeling a little better!

Get that appointment booked Cats, you know it makes sense. :) It's a good thing that you're feeling a bit better, don't forget everything is baby steps.

Hi NT Appointment is booked for tomorrow. Still waiting to hear about my counselling, hope I haven't screwed up on that! I have phoned them twice since last week and they said they emailed the counsellor so I am waiting for an appointment. I know I should have gone last week but I hit rock bottom and wasn't thinking clearly.

The itching felling seems to have gone so I wonder if it was anxiety related.