Setraline- starting today! Positive outcome pleeaaasse.

[Damash12]

Hi all. I'm looking for some reassurance... Typical anxiety behaviour!!!I've been suffering from anxiety since death of mum 18months ago. It comes and goes and can be horrendous. The doctors set up some CBT and this helps to a degree but soon the negative thoughts pop back in and it's a vicious circle. Anyway, I stuck with the counselling while pregnant but now have a gorgeous 7week old Ds. At my last app the counsellor said now I wasn't pregnant she wanted to suggest Setraline as she knew of fantastic results for people sufferering with GAD. I went to Dr's and she agreed but said I may feel a 'little' bit nauseous. I've had the pills a week and keep going back and forth between deciding to take them, as typically with anxiety I'm terrified of the side affects affecting my mind to the point I don't know what I'm doing. I'm sure it won't be that bad but I don't want anything detrimental happening to me caring for my little one. I have taken citalapram in the past with very little side affects going on them but very little improvement in my anxiety, so I don't see the point in that and the counsellor said these and escitalopram are much better. My husband is of the opinion that the short term side affects can't be worse than the last 2years of anxiety and that if you are prepared for side affects you can manage them. I guess what I want to be sure of is that it won't be sooooo bad that I can't function or I won't have massive breakdown on them and become suicidal or something.
I'd also like to hear from someone that they have helped so I know this will be worth it and get me through the side affects I may get. Hope that makes sense, appreciate any replies.

Hi,I'm literally just in the process of coming off them.i was put on them last August, have had cbt, on the phone with exercises and am feeling so much better.iv suffered from anxiety for about 10 years and have accepted naturally I'm just a bit of a worrier . No one can tell you what to do or stop you worrying about side effects but I also was worried about them and didn't have any! I also was on citalopram in the past and iv felt much better on these and for a shorter time.

Brilliant, thank you. You sound just like me and i am a worrier about everything!!!! :-)just need to take the plunge, get through any side affects that may pop up. How long did it take to feel good affects?

Hi, I have just been prescribed sertraline yesterday and I'm really scared to start taking them. I don't really know why.

I started to take them a couple of weeks ago and actually they made things a lot worse for me personally. I have anxiety and I thought I was going to crack up - not anxiety like I have ever felt, I could barely unlock my jaw so they are not for me I am afraid. I am so sorry to be negative but really they fucked me up massively and made my anxiety a lot lot worse. I believe this can be true for all SSRIs but apparently Sertraline is the least likely to do this. Sorry

I have been taking them six weeks now after having a bit if a breakdown after a m/c. I feel so so much better. I'm returning to work next week and although I had some side effects to start with I have increased my dose to 100mg with little nastiness and I feel finally that I can get through this awful time. You will get through this bad patch and the sertraline might help you. I'd recommend them to anyone based on how much better I feel.

Thank you for all replies, I took the 1st tablet this morning and not sure if it's in my mind but I've felt a little nauseous but only for a short time, had a little anxiety but that's about getting side affects (how stupid is this, to be anxious about taking anti anxiety meds?? :-/)I've got an headache but in all honesty I've had one for 4 days anyway, which I've put down to being tired due to the night feeds. On a positive note, I can't imagine it can be the tablet this quick but I've just sat down and watched Sundays Mr Selfridge. Wow a programme from start to finish!!..and get this ..I was relaxed with no negative thoughts. Now I think about it, I'm actually quite impressed, again probably too soon to be the tablet but if this is the start of things to come it's gonna be good. Please keep positives coming.

I started 3 weeks ago, so far im feeling so much better happier less anxious. DP says im much easier to live with

Geraldine- Thankyou for you reply, I'm glad you are feeling better and I do sympathise, after 3 miscarriages I can relate to how it feels, so knowing the tablets have helped you with that kind of sadness and loss makes me think they could be what I do really need. My anxiety is situational and when analysed, centred around loss. In May 2011 my mum died of cancer after a 2 year battle. In the August I had to put my very much loved dog to sleep and in September I found out I was pregnant only for the scan to show nothing there. I was devastated and I don't think fully recovered. I hope everything works out for you soon.

Strawberries- can I just ask, on the basis of your reply. Where you a nightmare to live with?? Did your husband get on your nerves??? Lol I'm not being onset it's just it seemed that everything my husband did was annoying and I really got anxious about my feelings for him ... I hope he says I'll be easier to live with as I was always so miserable or snappy.

Nosey not onset -stupid phone.

If you want some support, there's a thread here . Most are just starting out with Citalopram, but I'm on Sertraline.

I felt nauseous on the first day, they do start working quickly. I'm on my 5th day of 100mg, having taken 50mg for a month. I have gone from not being able to get out of bed to being more or less functional.

Hi Damash
I hope I can be of help, my experience of sertealine has been great.
I am on week 5 now taking 50mg and can honestly say I feel like a new person. I have suffered with anxiety all my life and 6 weeks ago had a bit of a breakdown and decided to try the tablets.
For the first 3-4 days I felt very fuzzy and asthough I wasn't in the real world - I felt 'drugged up' like I was high as a kite. Although this was a strange feeling, it was a relief from the anxiety. I didn't get any sickness or nausea whatsoever. By the end of the first week the high calmed down and I started to feel more 'normal' still slightly anxious but nowhere near as bad as I was. Each day after this I started to feel better and better - and at the moment after 5 weeks I feel fantastic!! I don't worry anymore or get intrusive thoughts. I even went on a business trip overseas alone and felt fine - something I NEVER would have been able to do a couple of months ago.

I really hope it helps you. Bear with it because in a few weeks you are going to feel fab!!

Good luck x

I took Sertraline for PND, I was on the tablets for a year and it was brilliant. You will be feeling brilliant in a couple of weeks :)

I don't think it's really on to say to the OP that she'll feel fine in a few weeks. Not all ADs work for everyone. It's great they have for you, but they might not for everyone.

I felt awful for the first two weeks. I was anxious, tired, nauseous, couldn't eat, had horrible brain zaps...I couldn't go into university and I couldn't face anyone. I'm on week 5 and I have moved up to 100mg. Having a really tough time of it, and I was feeling more on an even keel, but not feeling great again today.

I hope they work for you OP, keep seeing your GP and let them know what's going on.

Hi damash,

Very similar! I thought I hated him...DP and I rowed a lot, I was hyper sensitive and quick to anger. I put it down to pregnancy hormones, and stress as getting married in may, but after DS2's birth i was still like that, as well as unemotional and anxious or hysterical.
I take 50 MCG per day (i take it in the eve as it made me sleepy, I was only nauseous for one day) and so far feel much better.

By better I mean less anxious, much calmer, more patient with DS1 and 2 and Dp.

I dont know how fully they are working, as i still have down days, I dont know if its a placebo effect or what but i am absolutely in love with DS2 which allieviates so much guilt, and generally feeling happier and in control. More "me", more me than i have felt in more than a year really.

My only wish would of been to recognise this sooner, as although DS2s birth was a trigger for treatment i think i have been depressed a while.

Sorry for the ramble but hope that helps. As others have its not a miracle and might not work straight away but its worth a try x

Hi thanks everyone, I appreciate all replies as it's so easy to hear negatives as like anything people are quick to point out the bad side of things but very slow to praise. I'd love to feel like 'me' again and not be plagued by negative thoughts so hearing that others have good results makes me happy to risk the temporary side affects. Like I mentioned earlier the CBT counsellor said these where the best and she had seen fantastic results so I will continue to read the replies and take a risk as it can't be as bad as the fight or flight response or the waking in the night and trying to decide if I want to leave my husband. I quite like him tonight actually, so they must be bloody working ;-)