Sertraline Buddies - Part 2! Support for all on AD's...

[Chuffchuff]

New thread for when the first one gets full - welcome everyone

shybairns well done for taking that first dose. My first prescription for sertraline was in my handbag for a week before I felt brave enough to take it to the chemist. I always get that weird feeling after starting or increasing my dose. It doesn't last long. Hope the counselling goes ok tomorrow.

Today the health visitor rang to book an appointment for DS4 and DS5's development checks. She asked how I was and I said fine. I don't know why I said that, I think it's a reflex. Wondered about phoning her back and telling her I wasn't fine but decided not to. Been trying to talk to DH this week but he doesn't seem to understand. He keeps telling me that I'm getting better all the time but I don't see it myself. Not sure if he's trying to be positive or just clueless.

elliejjtiny are you telling anyone that you're 'not fine'? I mean someone who is physically in your life?

I tell the GP at every appointment and she just says that I'm on the max dose of sertraline and that she's not surprised I feel like this with 2 traumatic births close together and 5 dc with special needs. All true but not very helpful. She only has 10 minutes per patient so it's always quite rushed. The HV always has more time if I actually talk to her and don't let the word "fine" slip out of my mouth.

Can you get more support? Counselling? Respite?

elliejjtiny I'm with shybairns. You need more support than you are getting. If the NHS can't provide it (and in my experience of traumatic birth and PTSD/PND they can't, or at least not very well), do you have friends or family who can help on a practical level, just to give you a break and some "you" time? It might sound trite but with five children with special needs and two traumatic births anyone would be feeling the strain. Sometimes you NEED a chance to breathe and take time out. I really feel for you.

Been a difficult week here - but I feel bad complaining as it's nowhere near what you are dealing with. I forgot my tablets twice - not sure if that's connected to it having been difficult. I'm glad to have got to the end of it. Loads going on at work and sometimes I feel very overwhelmed - but I'm finding the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) method helpful (when I remember to use it).

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

I'm going to go to the baby clinic on Wednesday and talk to the HV. The midwives tin the hospital when DS5 was born tried to get me some respite because I was a crying mess most of the time, and on my own because DH had the other DC. The most patronising SW in the world came to see us at home, told us we weren't entitled to any help and said that the children they help have far more severe SN than our DC. It made me feel worse and really pathetic.

I'm not sure how she would manage with an 8 year old with ASD, a 6 year old wheelchair user, a 3 year old with hypermobility, a 12 month old who was as able as a 2 month old and a newborn. But she made me feel like anyone else would manage fine.

Day four of sertraline, nausea, hyperactive at times and I've not slept for three nights. Apparently it will take four weeks for this to pass.

Also on day 4 of Sertraline. No nausea, but a bubbly bowl and loose poo . Have been sleeping more soundly! But wake up with a headache, I remember the headache from when I was on Citalopram, which clears after about an hour of getting up.

I feel for you cocoabeans don't know how I'd deal with no sleep. I'd be a jibbering wreck!

elliejjitny You are living with way more strain on your emotional resources than other mums. Forget what that SW said. You need someone in your house helping you and giving you a break (even if only for a couple of hours) at least 2-3 days a week.
A mothers helper, a nanny, a family member. Your situation is too much for anyone to bear alone. Big hugs

Shit! Meant bowel!

Oh dear, laughing at my own accidental puns. Mad?

Hi all. Just wanted to say hello. I was put on 50mg of Sertraline 4 days ago following a period of high anxiety and panic attacks. I was originally put on Diazepam and Propranolol which did help short term but then the anxiety came back with a crushing feeling.

I feel a hell of a lot calmer today but after just 4 days of Sertraline I'm not sure if it would work that quickly. I have been trying to read up on ways to deal with anxiety and have read a really helpful book by Clare Weekes called self help for your nerves and this has helped. I definitely would like to try CBT but the NHS wait round here is many months and private sessions are unaffordable.

Im a nurse in the NHS and had to go off sick last week for the second time in 2 weeks and whilst my employers are understanding i don't know whether i should just go straight back to work or take some time off (have never had more than a few days off in over 18 yrs). Anyway just wanted to say that i have found this thread really useful xx

Does anybody else get the horrible burning sensations? Awful, awful. How about mouth ulcers?

I'm feeling a bit calmer but still aware of being on edge.

elliejjitny that's horrible :(

I read the "self help for your nerves" book too, honeyandfizz. It's lovely old-fashioned common sense, but quite kindly in tone. I liked it.

I'm veering between having much much better days, where I really feel like "me" and that I'm coming out of the darkness, to really jittery days where I have a massive headache, feel very brain-foggy and sleepy, and my health anxiety goes through the roof. I had to go home from work a couple of Fridays ago because the pain in the back of my head was so severe.

My health anxiety is a nightmare. I've had back pains for the last couple of weeks and I'm convinced (without foundation) that it's my kidneys packing in. I also have intermittent chest pains, including a very scary time of left arm and jaw pain and crushing chest pain when we were on holiday. I've also had a persistent cough and swelling in my left ankle. I've convinced myself it's unstable angina and congestive heart failure (why?!) but then stop and tell myself it's just my anxious mind racing away from me and probably heartburn .

I have "previous" lol. After DD1 was born I had terrible joint pains for years. Still do in fact from time to time. I had every possible test - with the inconclusive result "it's probably an autoimmune thing". I do have mild RA markers, and a tendency to quite bad anaemia, but everything else is apparently in my head . I even had hormone tests for perimenopause which came back normal although I have three periods at once and then months with none . Joy!

So... I'm taking the pills and taking it one day at a time. In positive news I've felt better enough to explore something on the religious side of things that I've wanted to do for years. Bit scary but also very exciting! Just need to sort my head out first though!

eeliejjtiny I am on your behalf about that stupid SW. What do they know, like really know, about your situation and how difficult it is? How insensitive!

Started Sertraline 50mg 3 days ago after coming off of Escitalopram. Feeling spacy in the daytime and a little nauseous which is not too bad, but feeling very twitchy restless leg type of irritation late evening! Anyone had this please?

Now you come to mention it my legs have felt rather restless, noticed I'm jigging them and down when I'm sat down! Oh bloody hell, thought I was over the hump.

I was all restless like that the other day. Tonight I'm getting awful pins and needles all over the place and pressure in my chest.

I need to book a follow up with my GP next week so am going to ask about the chest pain thing. Had it again this morning just after waking up. It's horrible and isn't doing anything for my anxiety levels! I thought I was really making progress but now I'm not so sure.

Day 5 on 50mg of Sertraline keep feeling very irritable is this normal? I have literally no patience at all very unlike me?

Oh the joys...I've got to stop taking it immediately and need to wait a fortnight before taking anything else.

Not sure how much the SW knew about our circumstances. I did try and explain but she just said that it looked like the children were doing fine. At a first glance they do look fine. When DS4 (nearly 2) and DS5 (11 months) are lying happily on the floor together it's not that obvious that DS4 can't walk and DS5 can't sit up. And you can't tell by looking at him that DS1 wets the bed every night. It's the anxiety that gets me the most though. There always seems to be an operation or assessment for one of them for me to worry about.

I've been on Sertraline 5 months now.

Started on 50mg, upped to 100mg, then upped again to 150mg.

I still lack any enjoyment in life. I'm still anxious about doing/going anywhere. I still have the wave of dread come over me each morning. I'm also still waiting for an appointment to come through for talking therapies.

GP suggested I might want to up to Max dose of 200mg. But what happens when that fails to have any effect?!

You may find that SSRIs are not for you, wandering, and might get on better with a different kind of tablet, like a tricyclic or MAOI. Don't give up hope (easier said than done, I know).

Can I ask when you take your sertraline? I have been on 50mg for 2 weeks now and have taken it just before bed. I find it makes me feel quite jittery during the night - is this normal? I was put on them for anxiety which is settling thank goodness but I hate the thought of taking these pills!

I've tried taking them in the morning and I've tried night time. I find they make me sleepy/yawny so night time works best. In fact they help me sleep beyond 4am which is great, as the early waking was getting to be a real vicious cycle. (My husband wakes up at 5:30 though so I don't get much more sleep .

I am finding they really help with my anxiety. I can still tell it's there and I still get worried about things, but it's not all-consuming in the way it was. It's also given me the energy and head space to start doing some exercise, which was unthinkable before. (I've sprained my ankle though - just when I was getting into it - typical!!)