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.

Glad you managed to get out positive I find just a bit of fresh air makes a huge difference if you've been in the house.

I started doing 100 days of happy at the beginning of the year as a way of helping to see the good things in each day, I found it so helpful I'm now doing 365 happy days.
You take a picture of something that makes you happy each day, at first I struggled but now I find some days I have a few things to pick from

I think I'll have a look at those apps onlygodknowswhy.
I managed to get some work done today. I'm self employed so letting things slide has a direct impact on my finances. I only did a couple of hours but it's one less thing to feel bad about. Hoping this lifts soon.
I'm usually fairly ok but I've had a real crash this last few days...

Hi, hope we are all doing ok. Im on my second prescription now of 50mg, about week 6 or 7 I think.

Im really struggling this week, I honestly feel worse than before I started. Just feel so down and ive got no energy or get up and go, ive even rang in sick for work. I rang up the doctors today to ask about upping to 100mg and the receptionist said she will ask the doc but he might want to physically see me rather than issue the prescription which is fair enough but ill be waiting weeks for an appointment

I haven't posted for a while, I've done 6 weeks on 50mg and just don't feel it's making any difference. I don't know if 6 weeks is long enough to judge?

Plumchum, weeks isn’t good enough. Call your surgery first thing this morning and ask for a call back from your GP today. He or she can either okay the increase or make an appointment to see you sooner.

HongKong5 6 weeks is enough to see at least a partial difference. If you feel there is no difference or only slight, I would go back to the GP and discuss the next step.

You should be due for a review HongKong. Did your doctor see you after a month? Definitely book back in as you should notice a difference by six weeks. They may need to tweak your dose.

I'm on two different antidepressants at the same time and one is steralin trust me give it a week and side effects go away, you should ring ur local children centre and see if they have any stay and play sessions for you and your child to go too, maybe you could get a local councilling group number from your doc and arrange some talking therapy sessions. Ur not alone we r all in the same boat, I'm on my own with 3 children and parenting is bloody hard work! You will be ok in the end and so proud of what u and ur child have achieved. Xxx

Thanks everyone, I think I need to go back and see what they say as I don't think they've had enough of an impact. I still struggle quite a lot to just cope with life, my job, my family etc

Hi my teenage Son is on 100mg and it's changed his life! He was highly anxious aggressive and angry and he is now happy, funny, settled and calm again. Highly recommended

I'm on day 10 now and for the first time in a week I drove my kids to school and went for a hike. I can feel my thoughts and worries that constantly spin are easing and getting quieter. Side effects have mostly worn off. I do still feel anxious in the late afternoons/evenings, which is usually my worst time. I'm certainly not functioning at 100%, but I see glimpses of my true self throughout the day. I feel some hope again! So ladies, one day at a time. You aren't alone. Remember to love yourselves and notice the small incremental improvements.

Sorry been away for a while.

Positive I am pleased to hear that you feel that they are starting to make a difference.

Run that is really good news about your son and I am pleased to hear they have made such a difference.

I think I am getting back there. I am still on both the sertraline and the mirtizapine. I am supposed to have about another week on the mirt but I am starting to feel completely wiped out and I can't help but think they are to blame. I will finish the next couple of doses then stop them. (I have a dosette type box for the week as I was forgetting if I had taken them or not). I am hoping that a month of sert means it is properly in my system. I am definitely better on something at the moment so I think I need to think of this as a more medium term thing.

Work is ok, the aforementioned incident is sort of sorted but is still taking quite a bit of my time to sort it. I could have done with some time off I think if I am honest but there is two issues with this, firstly it is only me, so if I am not there work sort of piles up and secondly there is a very strict sickness policy and I sort of want to 'save' any sick leave for when I really can't get into work and/or not go back and be worrying that I can't be ill again. So I plod on. Have half term week off so that is in sight.

Hello all, so glad to see people are starting to feel more like themselves hongkong definitely going see your GP I've upped my dose to 100mg.

I've had a mixed week I do feel like the increase in dose has helped but I have had an increase in my anxiety I felt teary for the first time in weeks yesterday I'm hoping it's just my body getting used to the increased dose and it'll level out. Yesterday was day 3 of the 100mg.

I took my 1st 50mg tablet last night -I’ve woken up today and feel like a complete space cadet ! Massive headache and really hot !! I can’t feel like this at work on Monday -I have to be completely on the ball !! Worrying now as I’m not sure I want to take another one ?

Mine were giving to me for my awful pmt .. I only get really bad pmt for a week so don’t want to feel like this all the time for a 1 bad week a month

Millmoo, one of the reasons I am on sertraline is for PMDD. I am also on 50mg but I won’t lie, the first week or two was hard. However I’ve now had two periods on sertraline and I’ve been nothing like I was before I took it. After about two weeks the side effects cleared up and it has been completely worth it. Sertraline definitely has a tendency to make you worse before better, like other medications such as antibiotics.

For me, the PMDD was so severe it was worth the start up with sertraline. We’ve all been through it are going through the start up on this thread and we are all here for support.

Thanks onlygodknowswhy my pmt is horrendous .. literally I just want to lie in bed for a whole week .. I have a complete brain fog and just so So low -thank you

I also have PMDD which is eased massively by sertraline. When I spoke to my GP about it she said they can prescribe ADs for the luteal phase only, so you have two weeks on, two weeks off.
I need them full time, but if you're feeling like you don't want full time meds for one week benefit it might be worth discussing with your doctor millmoo.

I've been on 100mg for a couple of months now.... some days I feel it's helping but this week I feel just as bad as I did without it. I've also had two counselling sessions which have made me feel awful. Any tips? X

I think the clue is in the fact you have had two counselling sessions nomorestickers. Counselling opens up a lot of buried emotions and feelings. It is very common for effective counselling to, again, make things worse before it gets better.

My first three counselling sessions, I spent them crying. After that I managed to start talking and felt beyond awful after a session. It does get better though and if you weren’t on sertraline, I think you would be a whole lot worse.

Hang on in there, don’t get worried about feeling low, it really is normal when you begin counselling.

Thank you

Hi I'm new to this site. I've also been prescribed sertraline for pnd but in all honesty I've felt down and miserable for about 8 years. I just don't feel much enjoyment in almost anything anymore and have to force myself to get out the house and do things. I'm on day 6 of sertraline and aside from feeling more anxious and an aching jaw a bit i haven't really experienced other side effects. Does this mean it's not going to work?

Sorry, actually the 1st 2 days I felt like I was on some sort of drugs. Then increased anxiety every day but that I'm used to. Loss of appetite the 1st 3 days. I feel like I should be experiencing more side effects to mean it's working. I've never taken ads before. I've been taking 50mg of a morning and haven't had any trouble sleeping. I just really want them to work I think and I'm worrying (like always) that they won't.

Hi tuttytoffee. One of the horrible effects of depression is developing the belief that you will never feel better and that transfers over onto starting AD’s and doubting them.

You ARE having side effects, there isn’t a set number of them that you need to have to mean the meds’ are working. Sertraline is prescribed to thousands of people with a very good success rate and I don’t think you are going to be one of the unsuccessful. Increased anxiety is a very good sign that they are doing something and it’s too early to feel the benefits as of yet.

Give it another week or so, some people need a higher dose too, I’ve been on higher doses. Just now, be proud that you have made a huge step in getting well again.

Thank you! This is my biggest problem. Constantly worrying and analysing everything. I just can't remember the last time I truly felt happy in life and looked forward to something or enjoyed something without being stressed, irritable or worried. I'm sure they'll work, I just need to try and think positively. I'm off on mat leave so I have plenty of time to get myself were I want to be