Sertraline buddies?

[OnlyGodKnowsWhy]

I started sertraline 2 days ago and I am having a horrible time 🙁 I was hoping there might be others out there starting up too that would like to chat and support each other. I'm a lone parent and only have my mum.

Honestly thank you for the replies. I self harmed yesterday and cried myself to sleep at 9.30pm. I'm just so tired. The first psychiatric consultant I saw recommend I stay on the 25mg for a month then increase.But the other psychiatrist who actually handed me the box
said i could increase to 50mg after 4 days.

I do live alone and around 6 hours away from home . I booked a massage for today at 5:10pm so I have that too look forward to despite it being expensive I guess I just want comfort.

Hongkong, mornings tend to be the worst when starting sertraline.

With your work anxiety, I think we need to establish which worries are a real possibility and which are irrational. The way we do that is by playing detective and looking for the evidence to prove these worries are real.

For example, you are worried you will do things wrong and be fired. What evidence do you have for this worry? Have you done things wrong before? Are you already on a warning? Why would you do things wrong? If you do get something wrong, will you really be fired? People make mistakes?

That is how to work out if a worry is rational or irrational. It will help calm your mind if you can do this 😊

Orangecake123 a month seems a long time to stay on a dose that is usually too low to be therapeutic. However do you tend to have strong reactions to taking medicines anyways?

How long have you been on sertraline for now?

Do you have friends you can speak to and get support from? Other than us on here of course

OnlyGodKnowsWhy - I sort of know that they are irrational but last year when I came back from maternity leave I had a horrible boss who was a bully and I went on stress leave but went back and he was still pretty horrible and told people he was trying to manage me out. He got sacked in the end but I think I'm still suffering the effects. My new bosses know a bit that I suffer from worry/anxiety but probably don't know full extend and I'm scared they will find a way to get rid of me if they know.

Hugs for both of you @hongkong5 and @orangecake123

I had terrible insomnia last night and I'm feeling low today, I don't want to talk to dh or do anything but lie on the sofa. I'm on day 6 so I think this is the start of the really bad side effects, but by this time next week I should be starting to feel better right?

I'm not sure about the sertraline side effects, I'm only on day 2 but last time I actually started on citalopram and switched to sertraline later.

The sertraline is for depression. I woke up at 1am today. I cancelled the massage 3 hours before I was supposed to turn up. I might reschedule on wenesday but it's in the air for now. Tomorrow will be day 10 for me, so I'll take the 50mg and see what happens. Before this I was on the antidepressant trazadone which I felt much more suicidal on.

I have my 23 year old baby brother and my therapist who I see twice a week who really know what's up with me. I wish I had my parents to lean on for emotional support, but things are what they are. I really am grateful for this thread being around!

Thank you Back2workanxiety. Hopefully you'll see a difference soon x

Hope you all dont mind me joining on this thread, im on day 5 of sertraline 50mg and feeling pretty rubbish. Also on propanonol but been on those a little longer.

Main side effects im suffering with is lack of sleep, I feel dog tired but feel wired every time I close my eyes. Lost my appetite too - dont know if thats to do with the nausea or because my jaw feels so bloody painful from all the clenching! I cant wait to start feeling better.

Ive just read this whole thread and its given me so much hope to see you all start to come out the other side.

Hey plumchum you are about half way through the worst of it, keep going. When are you taking the sertraline? Sometimes people find sertraline is a stimulant for them and take in the morning, others like me, makes me a bit drowsy so I take very last thing at night.

I pretty much forget I'm on sertraline now, it's just habit after nearly six weeks. Side effects are all gone. A touch of anxiety in the morning but I like that oddly. It's enough to be aware but also enough to easily control so it doesn't feel like I'm a zombie with no feelings.

Just remember, every day you take it, is another day closer to feeling better.

Hi plumchum, I on day 4 of sertraline and waiting for it to kick in. I have no appetite as I still have quite a lot of anxiety and thus stops me eating. I have taken sertraline before so feel fairly confident I will come out the other side of it feeling a bit better. I take mine in tha morning.

Hi @plumchum

I'm on day 7 today and anxiety is awful although I returned to work after maternity leave today so I'm not sure how much is the sertraline and how much is the anxiety of work. Proud of myself for making it in this week though
Hopefully by this time next week I'll be starting to feel better

I just wanted to check in, 3 weeks on 100 mg now and think I'm seeing the wood for the trees..... feel like I might be ok

Thanks everyone, Im taking it in a morning. Feeling anxious today but managed a good nights sleep which has made me feel better.

Glad everyone is doing well. Back2work im glad your first day at work went well! Im back on Monday and im dreading it. My doc offered me a sick note but I think the anxiety ill get from ringing in sick and wondering what people will be saying will be worse than actually going in!

Its nice to have this thread to chat to other people going through the same thing.

Thank you for this thread Only GodKnowsWhy

I've been on 50 mg for 4 weeks and feel better than I was (not as nervous when we're out in the car, and have stopped ranting at poor OH ), but not as well as I could be, so the GP has suggested trying 100 mg. I just took the first 100 mg tablet tonight after my evening meal - I'd been taking the 50 mg in the mornings for the first few weeks, but found I spent all day trying to stay awake and then couldn't get to sleep at night!

It's definitely affected my appetite too, though at least it meant I lost weight. It suits me much better if I take it in the evening. I'm hoping I won't have renewed problems with side-effects on the higher dose.

@plumchum that's what I thought so I forced myself to go in, i just kept telling myself that yesterday was the worst it could possibly be and it will only get better from there which seems to have worked as I didn't struggle as much today.
I also treated myself to some nice tea (cherry Bakewell ) and dark chocolate so I can have something nice if I feel a bit wobbly.

I'm really feeling like my anxiety has ramped up over the last few days, I've been having physical symptoms like shaking a lot and i have a very noisy head I do think the sertraline is working though as I feel like the anxiety is muffled slightly so it's still there and I can still feel it but it's not as intense and I don't feel like i have to cry all the time which is nice.

I feel I'm still waiting for the sertraline to kick in, dreading going into work today but like Plum said I'll be more anxious if I don't go in. I know I'm probably just in the down bit of taking the meds but I'm desperate to start feeling even a bit better. I have a cold and cough which is also not helping

I really thought I was turning the corner and today I have woken up feeling as bad as I did before the doctor diagnosed me. What is going on???

Nomorestickers can you identify any causes? Are you at that time of the month? Any stressors going on? Sometimes having dips can mean the sertraline is partially working but an increase may be needed or it's still building up in your system yet
Try not to panic, we all have bad days, it doesn't mean the tablets aren't working. If the dip continues make an appointment to see GP.

I woke up with such a heavy heart today. I'm on day 14 in total, but it's been 4 days on 50mg. I just feel so nauseous through the mornings and generally weak. I considered stopping or maybe going back down to the 25mg instead. I just don't know what I'm doing at the moment. I wish I just had my mother to look after me, even though she doesn't believe in mental illnesses.

Orange cake, you've just increased your dose, it takes about a week to stabilise in your system during which you can get an increase in depression and anxiety again. Hang on in there, you are now on the lowest therapeutic dose which means once the new dose is stable in your system, you will start getting some benefits. Three more days and see how you feel then.

Definitely hang on in there Orangecake123 I felt the same but I'm feeling better everyday now you just have to push through the crappy bit for you and a big unmumsnetty hug

I'm on day 10 of 50mg

I really don't know, I'm wondering if they are just not working and I've been fooling myself on the days I feel more positive. Ugggh!

When you have depression, there is no fooling yourself happy nomorestickers. Although sertraline is generally quicker acting than others, some people just take longer to really get consistent results. The fact you have felt better tells me they are doing something. Keep going and try your best not to let blips drag you back down.

Only..... you are a star

Thank you for the kind replies.