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

[Chuffchuff]

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

[carriewintermeadow]

Will hope you feel OK and aren't in too much pain.

Chuff thanks for the links to the websites. Hopefully at some point I'll get some time to myself We have just one pc that either dh or dd are always using, so I have to make do with my phone most of the time.

[Willfeelbettersoon]

Thanks Carrie, pain is not too bad actually. I've taken paracetamol but can't take ibuprofen because of the sertraline. I feel much calmer now it's done.
How's things going for you?

[chuffchuff]

Oops - am I the only one who didn't know you shouldn't take ibruprofen with sertraline? I know I've taken it a couple of times lately - what will I have done to myself?

[carriewintermeadow]

I forgot a few times and took soluble aspirin. It's something to do with affecting the stomach more when combined with Sertraline - can cause bleeding.

[MouseandChops1]

Hope you feel ok this morning will, I take ibuprofen regularly for back pain. Pharmacist gave it the green light too . If you are very uncomfortable today with the stitches, might be worth asking a local pharmacist their thoughts.

Took the bullet and increased my dose last night to 100mg. Fingers crossed things improve and the side effects will be minimal.

[DaMoves]

Does sertraline make anyone else lose weight?

[minniemaghoul]

Just wanted to introduce myself after reading through all the thread. I was at the GP this morning and on Dhs urging I mentioned some anxiety issues I have been having which include panic attacks for last month that I never had before. I really just wanted something to help me sleep at night but GP has given me 25g to start taking for next month instead.
Tbh I feel so upset right now that I have let my life get to this, today is like a wake up call of all the little things that are not 'right'. I am becoming very worked up as the day goes on as I am to take the first tablet tonight. I suppose I was hoping for a magic fix and I am not sure I am prepared for a long journey.
I know Dh will be behind me 100% but right now I just want to cry which is sooo not me.
Dh will be off work for a few days, has anyone any tips on minimsing side effects - does exercise (walking) or giving up caffiene or anything help? I guess I am trying to micromanage this.
Sorry for the ramble

[chuffchuff]

Hi Minni

Sorry to hear you've been having a hard time. But honestly, IMO trying some ADs is more likely to help you (long term) than taking some kind of sleeping tablet - although I know it feels daunting at the start.

I also take sertraline for anxiety (50mg) and started on 25mg for the first week to minimise side effects. For the first few days I felt nauseous and quite sleepy - so I rested as much as I could and ate plain food in small amounts and often, which helped keep the sickness at bay. Are you going to be taking 25mg all the time or will you be going up to 50mg?

It's good that your DH is being supportive - it helps no end having somebody to help you. And don't think that you have 'let' this happen - anxiety is an illness like any other, it's not your fault and you are taking the right steps to make yourself better

[minniemaghoul]

Thanks chuffchuff. My GP (who is lovely and aware of extended family issues with addiction) suggested 25mg for a month and review then. She did say drop in if any problems in meantime.
I do trust her and Dh and whilst this isn't a path I would have chosen today it is probably for the best. I am so nervous of a bad reaction or addiction that it is worsening my anxiety today.
Thanks for the tips on starting, The GP suggested 7pm is a good time each day. Would you agree with this?

[carriewintermeadow]

Hi Minni, sorry you're struggling. I too take Sertraline for anxiety AND depression, whilst I'm struggling with the depression it has helped with the anxiety.

I started on 25 mg, but I take mine in the morning with my breakfast, because I heard that it can interfere with your sleep. I did suffer with nausea for a few days, but nowhere near as bad as I expected. I also felt a bit dizzy. I took 25 mg for ten days I think, then increased to 50 mg.

[chuffchuff]

I also take mine in the morning. When I first started I took them with lunch, around one or two pm, but the first couple of days I struggled to sleep so then took them first thing and was better. Although that could have been a coincidence - some people say taking them at night help them to sleep so everybody's different I suppose

[Willfeelbettersoon]

Hi all and welcome Minnie. I take 50mgs sertraline for anxiety and started 2 and a half weeks ago. I do find taking my tablets at night help me sleep, like chuff says everyone's different. I took them initially in the morning but I felt they were making me more tired in the day so that's why I changed it to before bedtime. I also think maybe it helped me feel the side effects less. Although I did get some side effects I held on to the thought that they do get better quite quickly from what previous people on here had said. In fact by the second week they had settled down but still got them a bit. I got nauseous and found that eating small amounts regularly, helped. I also got some headaches and taking paracetamol occasionally was fine. With regards your worries about addiction, from what I know about these types of medication they are not known to be particularly addictive and are probably much less so than sleeping tablets. Hope this helps.

I do feel these tablets are helping my anxiety levels and my husband has said I am calmer. Trouble with me is I worry about everything and anything and have done for a long time. I am also a perfectionist which doesnt help. Things have been building up for quite a while and was putting things off that needed doing because felt I couldn't cope with them. I have slowly started to sort little things but still can't face the bigger jobs. I know it's early days for me but knowing there is stuff I need to sort and not dealing with it is causing me more anxiety. Can anyone else identify with this? I am hoping that as time goes on with being on sertraline I may start to feel on top of things a little bit instead of underneath it all!!

[Willfeelbettersoon]

Mouse thankyou for advice about ibuprofen. Fortunatly I seem to be managing quite well with just paracetamol at mo but will ask my local chemist if needed. Hope all goes okay for you with your increase in med.

[MouseandChops1]

Morning all, I'm feeling really awful after increasing my dose. Horrible nausea and have vomited twice. Did get sick once before I actually increased my dose on weds night, so maybe a bug? Feeling really jittery and a bit zoned out at times. Cried as my husband left for work awhile ago.

Is it normal to have these side effects again when increasing the dose. My gp said it would be fine as I've already got the drug in my system!
Never increased my dose before so nervous

[carriewintermeadow]

Sorry you're feeling sick mouse It could be a bug if you were sick before too? I hope it passes quickly. When I increased my dose I always increased by 25 mg for 8 days to make it more gradual. Might be worth a try?

[MouseandChops1]

Thanks carrie, dropped my little boy to nursery and I've been crying ever since. Feeling completely disappointed, worried, angry about my relapse. I know that won't make it better but can't seem to stop myself. Think the increased dose is exasabating the symptoms or making them worse? God, I hate this

[carriewintermeadow]

It could be the increased dose. Be kind yourself today, maybe curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and watch TV.

[chuffchuff]

Sorry to hear you're feeling rough mouse.

I agree with carrie - maybe from today just up it to 75mg for a few days, then see how you feel. And take if easy today

[Willfeelbettersoon]

Mouse Sorry ur having such bad time. It is quite a jump up to 100mgs I'm inclined to agree with the others about more gradual increase to avoid side effects. We all here for you x

[Nat99]

Hi woukd it be ok to join this discussion. I have hsd Heath anxiety side I was in my 20's and now 40. In the last short 4 weeks due to a couple of minor symptoms it has absolutely spiralled and even tho all blood tests came back fine I am now stuck in this anxiety. Churning tummy all the time, appetite all but gone and lost half a stone so worrying about that, has anyone else lost weight that quickly? Doc prescribed lustral and also diazapam to "take edge of side effects" which can be heightened anxiety. I was on seroxat a long time ago and I remember the horrible side effects well. I had the packet for 2 days and the. Phoness doc to ask if I coukd try and start on 25mg to get over my fear of taking them but he did he wouldnt reccommend it as 50mg is minimum dose or a waste of time taking it so put me off taking it then! Anyway I took the plunge yesterday at about 3pm and took half a tablet as I just couldn't do a whole one and then started panicking that half might harm me or just won't work.Not been too bad, didn't sleep very well but haven't been lately anyway. I really wanted to take in the morning but because I took yesterday's at 3pm should I wait or just maybe take it about 12 and but earlier tomorrow, would that be ok? I have been signed off work and spending most of the time in bed which is upsetting me and I can't believe I am back here again after sll this time. Sorry for ramble x

[chuffchuff]

Hi nat, welcome to the thread

Sorry to hear you've been having such a rough time. Re the weight loss, easy for me to say but I really wouldn't worry about that - when my anxiety was really bad I completely lost my appetite with my churning guts so also lost weight.

Have you taken it yet today? I would say its fine to take it a few hours earlier in the day - sometimes I forget when I took it the day before but always take it between about 9 - 11 in the morning, sometimes later, and never notice any effects.

Not sure what to say about your doctor saying you should take the whole 50mg straight off. I took 25mg for the first week because i was worried about side effects, but I didn't have diazepam to help me through. I suppose he is just thinking that you're in a bad way and need to meds to start working ASAP - so perhaps by taking the full 50mg with diazepam to help keep you calmer, you won't need to start on a smaller dose?

What about if you try 50mg today with the diazepam & see how you feel? What dose of diazepam do you have? I've only been prescribed it once, and it was a low dose. But when took it i was so, so out of it that nothing would have worried me .

Anyway, let us know how you're getting on...

[Nat99]

Hello chuff chuff I was thinking of doing that but bottled it and only took half again about 10 mins ago. I do feel so weak doing it and also scared of taking Diaz with it as I don't like taking tablets anyway and like u I get so spaced on diazepam, only 1mg makes me spacey snd he gave me 2mg. I'm spending all my time shut in our bedroom. Did u get any worse side effects going from 25 to 50?

[Nat99]

I'm also so scared I won't get better for our wedding in February, I got engaged in August and was so happy x

[ClosedAuraOpenMind]

can I join?? been on fluoxetine for about six months and after a rough couple of months to begin with been feeling much better, despite a really rough time at work......was in charge of a mega stressful project which actually went well but a guy in my team who didn't know I was dealing with depression raised a grievance procedure against me, rather than just asking if I was ok
anyway after getting better I'm now starting to feel numb, low and detached again.
worried it's going to get worse, cos it was this time last year my depression started to get bad

[MouseandChops1]

Thanks for your support chuff and will yesterday, did read but feeling too rubbish to respond. I do appreciate the support though.

Welcome nay and closed. I know exactly how to feel nat, do whatever you feel you can handle with the dosage. I think you 're probably feeling weak and awful today because of lack of appetite and the stress of taking the tablet. My good friend yesterday when I was fretting about increasing my dose from 50mg to 100mg advised me to take the full dose instead of taking 75mg/100mg and so on to minimise up and down effects. Basically she told me to get on with it and it will be over quicker :)

Most admit that didn't make me feel any less worried last night but I could see her logic.

Closed, hopefully this is just a blip. Maybe the change in weather and darker nights is getting you down for a short period. Have you had a virus or anything else recently? Well done on getting through such a stressful but successful project. Maybe you are just processing that? Not much help sorry

Feeling slightly brighter today. Have had my husband home though so that takes the pressure off slightly. Managed to sleep too last night without the aid of zopiclone so that was a real boost for me.

Anyone else worry so much about not getting enough sleep that you keep yourself awake? It's really hard work as sleep/lack of it is a trigger for me