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

[Chuffchuff]

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

Mystic I have gad too - it's crap isn't it

nat sorry I didn't see your reply before - hopefully you're feeling a bit better now and are getting some rest .

Yes the first day was the worst for me - to be honest I felt pretty rough the first night too, I won't lie... But you're nearly through the first 24 hours and it will get better as the days go on.

Maybe tomorrow take the 50mg and the whole diazepam tablet together - that might stop th anxiety getting so bad again tomorrow?

You will be ok x

Morning all, how was your night nat? All your worries are perfectly normal at this time. It will pass. You're body and mind are in a heightened state of awareness. It's exhausting I know. Keep telling yourself it will pass soon.

Anyone have experience of lower mood after increasing your dose? It's 5 days since I've increased my dose and yesterday and today feel glum.

Hi all. I'm seven months into sertraline at 100mg. Just going to post my experiences incase it helps anyone.

I had a meltdown in January and my anxiety was critical. Developed depression shortly afterward.

I started on 50mg of sertraline. Initially the first three days I went completely suicidal. My anxiety was even higher and I completely stopped functioning.

Day four and I could at least move around.

Two weeks in and I was starting to feel almost normal in the evenings but horrendous in the mornings.

Four weeks in and my dose went up to 100mg. No side effects. Within two days I felt great. After that I pretty much stabilised.

Side effects I had were: nausea. Heart burn. Insomnia. Bruising. Breakthrough bleeding, increased anxiety. Poor skin. Poor hair.

I also had anxiety issues over the tablets coming in different boxes or under different brands. But it was fine. Had lustral and generic sertraline and noticed zero differences.

I'm on them for at least a year then looking at tapering off. Honestly I'd like to stay on them. Permanently. I've been more settled, stable and calm than I have ever been in my life.

I do think it's really really important to self help too. Sert may help control anxiety and depression but stands to reason that it will just come back when you stop. Things like cbt, positive thinking, gratitudes, good eating and sleeping routine, regular exercise routine I think are important too.

Hello chuff and mouse
I took my other half of diazapam about 9 and must have dozed off a bit but again I woke up in early hours and horrible health anxiety thoughts come into my head snd won't go. I try and do breathing and other things but they won't go and I end up laying there with my tummy churning until the morning. I am still in bed as have been last 5 days now apart from a couple of walks. I took my 50mg with half a diazapam chuff this morning so I can save the other half for later. I have got CBT counselling on Wednesday. Has anyone found this helpful at all? x

I am also really worried about my appetite snd the weight I have lost. All I am managing to literally force down is cups of tea, squash snd sometimes a banana and a yoghurt which I only do to stop the sickness side effect but I am nearly gagging when I eat it. My appetitie is usually good, it was like this 2 weeks before tablet and now worse x

Thanks celestial, it's wonderful that you are feeling so well now. Thanks for posting, it's good for us to hear positive stories like yours. I agree that self help is a must. I have learnt the had way not to take my mental help for granted. It's not a given and I can now see that anyone can be affected no matter how well balanced one may appear to the outside world.

I do know what you mean about wanting to stay on sertraline. I am kicking myself for coming off the 50mg 6 months ago. Had post natal anxiety and was fine on 50mg so came off them after 18 months or so. Clearly a bad idea as here I am again but the 50mg this time isn't keeping things at bay :(

Good luck with weening off when the time comes. You sound very positive and obviously have invested a great deal of time in other methods to equip you for the future.

Nat, you have done the right thing taking the 50mg, well done. You should be proud if yourself. Please try to get up and do anything nice for yourself today. You will feel so much better. Go for a coffee and cake, longer walk, meet a good friend who you can have a lovely hug with? It's hard but the little things matter.

Had CBT 6 years ago nat, didn't give it a fair go as I was new to anxiety and really wasn't sure what was good for me. Didn't have the head space to give it the time to help me (newborn baby) but I am going to give it another go. This time I feel like I've got to grips with triggers (sometimes anyway) so maybe I could benefit. Think it's worth a go lovely. I am also planning on doing a 8 week mindfulness course in January. My lovely friend who had post natal psychosis after her first child and suffers with anxiety swears by it so again worth a go. She is doing wonderfully, calm, collected and inspiring.

I am writing this from my bed, so off to take a dose of my own advice :)

Thank you mouse, I know I shiukd get up and do something but because I feel so "unreal" at the moment too I am worried. But I also know deep down laying in bed is not helping. For some reason I have been texting friends but don't have the courage to meet up. Also it is normal that before I started taking these tablets I was really tearful and even tho all the other feelings are there, I feel I can't cry, is this the tablets? x

Just wondering did anyone else take diazapam with the tablets? Also any tips on what to try and eat that's different from bananas and yoghurts that I am currently forcing down. I hope my appetite comes back soon :(

Just it back from a walk down to the doc to pick up my sick note and back and really didn't feel with it when I was trying to talk to the lady and felt all over the place, is that normal? Did manage to walk back tho don't ask me how! x

Mouse I have experienced feeling more low since starting sertraline so would imagine same applies on increased dose.

Nat is there someone who could cook u a nice meal. Sometimes it's easier when it's just put in front of you. My comfort food is spaghetti bolognese and is nutritious so will give u strength but u might not feel u can stomach it.

I've not been eating that great lately don't know if it's the meds or the anxiety and depression. Probably a combination of both. I've lost weight this time but i can remember I lost loads 7 years ago but did put it back on a few months into taking the ad I was on then.

Hello will, my OH does try to cook things but I just can't face them. I did manage some scrambled egg last night but toast just feels like cardboard :( is it normal to feel out of it when walking outside, has really put me off going outside again at the moment. I have at least moved from the bed to the sofa x

Unfortunately after 2 years on sert I think I will have to stop. The past 10 months I've feel far removed from everyone and everything - not just numbness, it's like I'm watching myself from far away/in a daze. It's led to me having a small car accident (due to complete lack of judgement), & some other things that have been so far beyond stupid, it's not funny. I've made an appointment with my GP to see where we go from here

Did it suddenly go like that after being on them a while?

To be honest I think it has been like that from about 3 months after I started them - I was in denial a bit

Now I'm a bit worried they won't work for me too ?? were u taking then for anxiety? Maybe they can change them?

How do? starting on sertraline tonight (50mg) for anxiety. Wish me luck :/

Good luck I am on 3rd day in morning on same dose. Have you also been prescribed diazepam ?

Good luck badger

Hop you're feeling ok nat

I thought I wasnt feeling too bad chuff and even managed to eat a tiny something but now feel sick when I haven't that much up to now. I was going to take a diazapam for bed but now not sure...... x

All the best badger.
Hope it goes well with gp degust.

Nat well done from moving from the bed to the sofa! Maybe you felt bit unwell when you went out because of not having eaten much and also if you have been in for a few days probably bit of a shock to see the outside world! Did you say you felt dizzy? That is one of the side effects that should wear off pretty quickly. Fresh air would be good for you so try take little breaks from the house.
Try kit kats with a cuppa they might go down well. Pasta with sauce, soup with bread. Just trying to give you some ideas for your appetite. Complan drinks are good because you have those anytime to supplement what you are eating. Hope this helps.

Celestia good to hear your story. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

I've just got beta blockers, that I hope will take the edge off enough to allow me to sleep...not that I've been doing much of that lately. To be honest, that has been my main problem so hopefully the sleep disturbance will be short lived.

I'm also hoping (because i'm basically suffering from burnout - not that that's in the DSM) that the f-d up absences and brain freeze will do a bunk. Before this I was pretty sharp, and now I feel about as bright as a dark night - though in hindsight letting adrenalin be my engine has bit me on the arse something terrible...

Think I have that burn out. Exhausted myself with all the anxiety and trying to do to much all the time to keep things 'in order'. Only thing is things were really spiralling out of control and the harder I tried to 'keep on top of everything' the more I was totally not keeping on top. Now I'm worn out. One day at a time as they say.

I just took my 2mg of diazapam to try and help with sleep and horrible thoughts. Will this be ok as only took half this last couple of dsys x

Chuff how long was it before u started to feel quite well again?