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.

Hi all! I had a really hard day yesterday.

I started 12.5 mg for a week
Then 25 mg for 8 days.
I still had side effects it sounds like everyone else is having. I took my first dose of 37.5 today.
I had such anxiety and panic about taking the meds that this felt easier for me. But in the long run- not sure if it's the best since here I am still having side effects and I'm 16 days in. I'm very sensitive to meds so I've been wondering if I would need to go up to 50?
I felt a lot better last week. Then yesterday felt back in the hole again- brain spinning, anxiety high and on verge of panic all day. I couldn't convince myself to leave the house for a walk. Then it made me think the meds weren't working and I'm going to be like this forever.
I know it is all part of the cycle and it takes longer for meds to work, and I have had improvements. But this is just really hard and I'm tired. I feel bad for my kids and husband.
Sorry for being Debbie Downer today. I forced myself to walk, go to the post office and grocery store (1st time in 3 weeks) today. So that was big. Just praying I don't have too many side effects with the med increase. I still can hardly eat. I force myself to act like it's the beginning of pregnancy sickness and just small slow bites all day.
Thank you all for listening to me. I'm so grateful to be on this thread. It's so helpful to know I'm not alone and hear others are doing better that once felt like I do now. Thinking of each of you and sending you unconditional compassion and love through this. We will rise above it.

Hey positive, you are doing so well keep going if you can. I know how you feel with husband and kids i feel the same at minute. Im not able to do much with them as have no energy. I have a few side effects from starting on 50mg 4 days ago but they seem to be easing off so far. We can get through this together

I've taken today off but feeling much better. I've just taken half a tablet so in about an hour I should know whether yesterday's sickness was a bug or a reaction. Part of me thinks it must be the sertraline but I definitely didn't get this last time I took them.

Positive - sounds like you made some good progress yesterday. Have you anything planned for today?

Positive - I hope today is going better for you. Yes we know sertraline taked time and blips happen etc etc but that doesn’t change how terribly hard it can be when waiting for the meds to kick in. I do think you should speak to your gp about increasing to 50mg as that is the lowest therapeutic dose. Anything below that will usually just give you side effects and no benefit. It’s the last step to take and you have done so very well, a little bit further and things should begin to improve even further. We are all here to support you.

I have anxiety again but it’s not the tablets or in need of a dose increase. It’s not that all crushing anxiety that it is when I am relapsing. Everything in my life is stable just now and going smoothly, the anxiety is my fear that something will go wrong. I’ve had it before and I guess an anxious mind will always try to find something to worry about.

When I saw my counsellor, I used to say to her things like, but what if this happens? What if that happens? My counsellor would look me dead in the eye and say what it this doesn’t happen? What if that doesn’t happen?

The anxious mind will always try to find the most negative outcomes and it seems almost easier to believe in a short while, something massive will happen yet again and I will be back to square one. But, what if it doesn’t? What’s so scary about that?

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I had a good sleep last night. I was able to sit and eat dinner with the family. I lit candles and we all talked about what we were grateful for. That felt good. Today my friend is driving me to the therapist and then we are going for a walk. I am so grateful for her.

Only- yes. I am going to work up to the 50 mg. Probably by Monday. Not going to let my mind trick me into thinking I need less. I know exactly what you mean about thinking something bad is going to happen. Have you heard of Brene Brown? She wrote an amazing book, many books, but my favorite is Daring Greatly. Do you know about Ted Talks? I advise everyone to look it up and listen to her talk. But yesterday, I just happened to hear an interview w her and Oprah. She said, "When we lose our tolerance to be vulnerable. Joy becomes foreboding". So we feel good and have joy and then instantly think, what if something happens etc. This is that fear of vulnerability. She did a 12 year study on this and what she saw was that the people who lived in joy practiced gratitude. So every time we think those worrying foreboding thoughts, we shut them down with what are we grateful for. It is a practice and a retraining. But there is no joy without gratitude. So I am working on that. Writing the small things throughout the day in my journal, taking happiness pictures, talking about it w my kids. I'm sorry for the ramble, but I think this can greatly help us with that general worry and anxiousness. It is a retraining of our brain and beliefs.

Mummy- when I was feeling so tired a short walk really helped. Even around the yard. I pictured it moving my blood and the medicine all throughout my system to heal me quicker. Or doing little things around the house. I cleaned out the fridge.

Yogi- I hope you stick with it. The beginning is the worst. As Only keeps saying, there are improvements even if you have bad days. We just have to keep going and give the medicine time. You can do it!

You can find the amazing short clip on Oprah.com. It's called dr brene brown on joy, it's terrifying.

It really really helped me. Highly advise taking 4 minutes to listen to it.

Hi There.

I started 50mg yesterday, so day 2 today. I have PND and anxiety, my DD is now 11 months old and the balance between depression and anxiety has changed, they're both still there.

Have a rough 6 months ahead for many reasons, and knew that I couldn't cope without doing everything I can to fire on all cylinders. I've spent the last 11 months doing all the 'other' things but as I'm constantly distracted by my brain raging at 400mph it's difficult to really commit to a sun salutation.

Had nausea and minimal appetite, I've already lost 7lb in the last month (NEVER happens when I want to lose weight!). Also had a really dry mouth all day, downing drinks like anything. Surgery called earlier to book me in for a thyroid blood test next week.

Also told DH today, he works away from home and isn't home until next week. He knew about the initial PND, didn't deal with it very well (he was madly in love with the baby and scared I was never going to get better / bond with her and his perfect family might break up before we got started) he eventually apologised but he can be quite old fashioned and I thought would disapprove of the meds. He was actually brilliant, surprised as I hadn't mentioned anything for a while, but he knew my anxiety had been creeping up, I've been more tearful and really really dreading the next few months. He was as supportive as he could be, but I don't want to guilt him or add to his plate, so am trying to keep it light.

I have some great friends who have been through similar who have been so, so brilliant.

Glad your family and friends are being supportive Itchy (great username btw)

I'm being much more open with friends about taking them this time. Only positive reactions so far. I'm on them for anxiety /ptsd.

Thanks yogi, I’m glad you can be more open this time around.

The more I tell people, the more I realise how common it is. I felt absolutely awful after Dd was born, I just didn’t like her. When I finally mentioned it to friends I’d say more than 50% had felt the same, but felt compelled to portray an Instagram perfect life.

Hi all, I hope you are all well. I'm on day 12??? I think anyways and today has been a really good day for me. I've been happy and taken the kids out. Been nice to my wonderful OH instead of snappy and we've had a lovely evening. Can't remember the last time I felt like I appreciated my own family, How very sad. I know there's gonna be lots of ups and downs the next few weeks but I'm grateful for any days like today.

Yay Tuffy!! That makes me so happy. I have had a good couple days too and done things out of the house that I haven't in many many weeks. It's so important to notice the improvements as they come.

Itchy and Yogi- you are both so brave. This subject needs to be talked about so much more.

I finally pulled up my big girl pants and took my first dose of 50 mg. This will be day 18?? forme but working up to 50 mg. Felt bad this morning, nauseous and shakey. I've had the worst headache and neck ache for days. I forced myself to get up and move around and then I have managed to eat more and my headache is gone. Imagine that!!?? I guess after not eating for two and a half weeks that'll happen!

We are doing it ladies! One day at a time!

Hey yesterday has been a good day, day 6 of 50mg. Been out and about most of day with kids and even managed to eat a little. I hope it continues this way for my kids sake so i can do stuff with them. Hope everyone else is doing food. Thoughts are with you all.

Just wanted to say hang on in there to everyone struggling at the minute. I'm on 4 weeks now on 50mg and feeling so much better.

You will get there !

Im such an idiot. For some reason I thought I was on 25mg. No, it's 50mg. No wonder I was so sick! I've stopped throwing up now, just feeling totally spaced out (day 4).

Yay to 'one day at a time'. We got this!

Great to hear everyone's had a good day. I'm going to try and think more positively every morning and hope it stays with me throughout the day. Bad days are allowed though. Today I'm cooking Sunday dinner and taking the kids to visit family. Today will he a good day!

It's great to hear from people who are further on into taking the tablets and feeling great. Makes me feel excited for the future. I'm actually looking forward to enjoying a Christmas for the 1st time every without worrying or stressing and crying all the time and being miserable.

Yogi may be it's for the best. It'll get into your system quicker and the side effects will subside. I'm not getting any side effects apart from tiredness now but that could be blamed on the kids. I was very anxious but I haven't been at all yesterday and so far today. Give it a few days and you should start to feel a bit better.

Day 7 and things still seem to be good. Actually had a macdonalds today, i know not healthy thing but i ate so thats the main thing for me. Apart not very much appetite my side effects seem to have dissappeared and that makes me feel better within my self. Hope your all doing good today

Evening all.

Week 5, nothing changed, heightened anxiety big time and since been upped to 100mg I can't do anything without sweating profusely, which is making a return to work not likely at the moment.

Going back to GP tomorrow, surely by 5 weeks there should be some tapering off of the side effects, and a slight improvement? I actually feel a lot worse than I did when I first went on them.

Am going to ask if she will change me to escitalopram.

I've been on 100 mg for ten weeks now, some weeks I've felt I've turned a corner, tonight I feel like it's all pointless.

Very glad to have found this forum. I'm on day 5 of 50g.
This is my second time taking them, but I don't recall feeling this anxious before.
It's a horrible feeling, and I feel like I'm barely functioning, but really want to ride it out. I am lucky to have a people to talk to but even with two kids sitting beside me I still feel so lonely.

Hi no more and tricky, I'm sorry to hear they aren't working well for you both. Maybe best to go and have a chat with the gp? I hope that 50mg is enough for me. I never made it out to visit family today, didn't have the energy. Still today hasn't been all bad.

Hi no more and tricky, I'm sorry to hear they aren't working well for you both. Maybe best to go and have a chat with the gp? I hope that 50mg is enough for me. I never made it out to visit family today, didn't have the energy. Still today hasn't been all bad.

Hi no more and tricky, I'm sorry to hear they aren't working well for you both. Maybe best to go and have a chat with the gp? I hope that 50mg is enough for me. I never made it out to visit family today, didn't have the energy. Still today hasn't been all bad.

Hi cmr21, hoping the side effects wear off quick for you. Mine have mostly gone now apart from feeling so tired and a bit anxious at times (this has been the worst but starting to fade) how did you get on with sertraline the 1st time you took them? Did they work for You?

I’ve just found this thread. I’m on day 15 for post natal anxiety and it’s already changed my life and my children’s. I feel calm and the outbursts of anger I was having have gone, the low level constant feeling of dread has vanished although I do still catastrophise.
I had a lot of nausea to start with and felt very jittery but that has faded. I have had to stop breastfeeding dc3 as it was really badly effecting her sleep. The only problem I’m still having is the insomnia, when can I expect that to fade? Could really do with a decent nights sleep!!