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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:
ThatVikRinA22 · 03/12/2012 20:59

well, i dont feel as ill as i did last time i tired it, but ive spoken to a friend on the phone and she asked if id been drinking....(i havent) so i must sound as whoozy as i feel.

that said, im ok. im going to grit my teeth and carry on - if i can get over this period of side effects and start to feel better it will be worth it. taking it with food has definitely helped.

ShakySingsMerryXmasEveryone · 04/12/2012 00:32

Vicar I really do sympathise.

I had terrible side effects from Prozac for 4 weeks. I felt like I was in the worlds worst hangover. Excessive tiredness, nausea, lack of appetite (I lost a stone), dizziness, I felt like I needed to hold my head on or it would fall off my shoulders.
I felt much better after 4 weeks,took another 4 weeks off work following the advice from occupational health. Please don't rush back work, your body and your mind need to adjust and heal.

I need to have a massive rant and vent my anger on here soon. I had an appointment with occ health on Wednesday. I am INCANDESCENT with rage! Angry.

I will post the full story tomorrow. I will be ENRAGED again if do it now.

Sorry to be mysterious, but I will post the full story tomorrow, I would really appreciate your opinions.

I will tell all, I promise Smile

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 04/12/2012 00:48

thank you for that shaky feeling a bit odd, a bit spacey, wouldnt want to drive right now but will see how i feel tomorrow-

good idea not to busy your mind again at this time of night....rant away after sleep. Smile
have a good night.

PackItInNow · 04/12/2012 10:53

Shakey don't be afraid to post here in anger. Sometimes doing just that can feel like a bit of a weight off your shoulders, so rant away to your heart's content Smile

PackItInNow · 04/12/2012 10:54

How are you feeling today Vicar?

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 04/12/2012 12:17

feel ok, slept heavily when i did get off to sleep which was sometime after 1am, but was awake at 6.15, but then went back to bed when DD went to school, i think i need to stop doing that though.

i feel a bit odd - a bit sort of hungover and thick headed, i think i look like shit, but got a bath and washed hair and feel a bit better.

i dont feel so sick today which is good. im going to take my next one with my evening meal again (whcih i have forgotten to put in the slow cooker so i will have to forage....) as that seems to work better for me.

ive got to text work, which im dreading and im not quite sure how much to say.

PackItInNow · 04/12/2012 13:26

It's always best to phone and speak to your boss in person as a lot of managers may think that texting is a cop out TBH. Even if you mince your words, your boss will probaby realise that you've not quite got to grips with the side-effects yet.

Is your boss a nice one or horrid?

blizy · 04/12/2012 13:35

Hi, I have started taking fluoxetine about 2 months ago. I had no noticeable side effects, however my period is now 15 days late (I have poas x 3 all bfn). Has anyone experienced similar upset with their menstrual cycle whilst on them?

PackItInNow · 04/12/2012 13:50

I have. Even though I'm on the pill and my periods were non existent until I started amitriptyline. After that my periods came back with a vengence with a good bit of heavy bleeding. Saying that, it has eased off now so I guess it won't be long before it finishes, hopefully.

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 04/12/2012 14:26

thanks packitinnow at min ive no "proper" boss - its just a colleague who has taken the mantle until my boss comes back.

i dont know whether keep the fact am on ADs to my self, because im off with something else anyway, and just say ive been put on some medication that is causing some side effects without actually saying what it is....

im scared to death of admitting any of this at work. i dont think i can. ive not told them anything - ive been struggling for a while and had referred myself to OT already - id had counselling from Nov 11 until Ocotber 12, and told no one.

i dont want them to know.

PackItInNow · 04/12/2012 16:19

That's fine Vicar, you may be best off telling your boss that you've been put on meds and you're experiencing side effects which make it unsafe for you to drive etc. Anyway, you know yourself and your worlplace best so you know what to say.

Well, I'm off to make a nice Rogan Josh for tea, but will be back afterwards. Take care til then.

aliasjoey · 04/12/2012 17:26

my gp has signed me off work for 2 weeks because of anxiety, panic attacks. he also increased my dose of mirtazapine and said I might need a few days to get used to side-effects.

but I'm really worried about taking time off work. sometimes I feel okay, but other times I just keep crying. I am dreading telling my boss

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 04/12/2012 18:03

sorry to hear that alias - i just sent a msg to my acting boss only to find that he is off on leave - so back to the drawing board for me. think ill forget it until tomorrow and start again. Am truly wrestling with how much to say.

taken second dose of sertraline - feel so odd and a bit sickly but not too bad really - not trusting myself to drive though.

lets hope the side effects wear off fairly soon. Im trying to look forward to feeling better.

blizy · 04/12/2012 22:04

Thanks for replying pack it in, I am ttc so this is not what I need! Oh well, I suppose I'm heading back to the doctors again.

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 04/12/2012 22:12

good luck blizy. i spoke too soon - feel crap again tonight - its like getting drunk without the fun bit....

i will press on, its only been 2 days. I spoke to a friend today who said she really thinks i need to stick with them....god i have been such a miserable miserable git. i kept joking about it but it seems i really have. Blush

how long do these side effects last for most people? does it have to feel worse to start to feel better?

PackItInNow · 05/12/2012 07:46

Good morning Vicar. How are you feeling this morning? Not too bad I hope Smile.

PackItInNow · 05/12/2012 07:48

Good morning Blizy and Alias. How are you both this morning?

susiedaisy · 05/12/2012 08:23

Hi vicar I am two weeks into taking sertraline and am just finding the side effects are settling down so stick with it if you can.

PackItInNow · 05/12/2012 08:23

I've been feeling a bit groggy this morning, but I think it's down to taking my AD later than usual last night. I'm normally super-organised, but it was almost like nothing was done. TBH I almost felt like I was going to have a panic attack over not being as organised as I usually am. It was horrible.

PackItInNow · 05/12/2012 08:29

Good morning Susie. Good to hear the side-effects are settling down for you. I guess you're feeling a bit better today Smile?

PackItInNow · 05/12/2012 08:34

Does nayone feel groogy to the point where they could probably type a post with their eyeballs? I'm sitting here closing one eye to rest it and then swapping over Grin. Maybe I'll name change to OneEyedJack Grin.

Feck sake, I'm such a pleb this morning LOL. I'm not awake yet, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it Wink.

PackItInNow · 05/12/2012 08:37

Well, gotta go and take the rascals to school to torture their teachers Grin, then I'm off to college, so will be back after 3.30pm today.

Take care you lot Smile.

turnedupsidedown · 05/12/2012 09:50

Been on them a week now......still feeling spaced out and nauseous but not all the time....more so when i am tired. Finding crowds and shops hard to manage. Had to go CHristmas shopping with my Ma yesterday (who doesn't know I am low or on AD's) That was a hard one......need to be with people yet want to be on my own. All feels very odd and rather disconcerting....I will give it another week and see if the side effects settle.
Thoughts for all of you.

somewherebecomingrain · 05/12/2012 10:50

packitinnow i tried amytriptiline on as a safe alternative to ssris when TTC.

But it knocked me out quite literally. I was barely awake for about four days and still felt really wierd after about a week (although as it wore off i did start to feel inexplicably cheerful). I wasn't safe to look after a child - I was barely conscious. I didn't know how anyone could take them. in fact if you search on mumsnet i did a thread about it. I was most disappointed. In particular as you say to not be organised was a killer.

I'm surprised you are as perky as you are on them. Maybe you need to reduce the dose? I was nibbling on my 25g ami pills during SSRI withdrawal and they still did something for me though i was too groggy and gave up in the end.

why have you not tried SSRIs - they are smart drugs as well as ADs in my opinion, improving memory and organisation.

xxx

VicarInaTutuDrankSantasSherry · 05/12/2012 12:30

hi all.

susiedaisy thanks for that - im definitely sticking with them, what dose are you taking? and have you noticed any benefits at all yet? i know its probably too early to ask.

thanks for asking packitinnow - feel ok just so so exhausted. i cant get up on a morning and im still languishing in bed till lord knows when.....i maybe need to force myself to get up early and walk the dog or something but right now i still cant be bothered to get dressed...still getting nausea on and off along with light headedness. i dont want to go out.

i should speak to work but i just dont know what to say.

hope you all have a better day.