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.

cds headspace is a good start. I also use buddify which is a free app but I need the speakers to have a voice I like for it to help. My recent saviour has been Audiobooks. They distract me long enough to switch off and eventually fall asleep. Audible do a free trial for a month.

Just to say to any new starters, the side effects do pass for most if you stick with it. If you had told me that 3 weeks in I wouldn't have believed you but they do. I take last thing at night just before I go to sleep because it minimised feeling nauseous during the day. I'm on 50mg.

I've been taking it for a while. Before this my anxiety was so crippling I found it hard to leave my home. I spent a lot of time in bed. If the anxiety got bad when I was at home the only "safe" space was my bed. Sertraline has helped me enormously. And I think it helps me handle stress which would usually send me into a panic attack. When I saw my doctor I stressed that I wanted something that didn't cause sleep problems. I've had anti-depressants in the past that I had to stop because of these side effects. He gave me a fairly low dose of 50mg and told me to take it in the morning.

It's good to hear the success stories, thanks!
I'm on day 15, tapered up from 25mg to 50mg 4 days ago, felt like the meds are beginning to work their magic today!
Also doing headspace, and self-help mindfulness based cbt from "overcoming depression" by Paul Gilbert.

I take 100mg. Have been on it on and off for years for anxiety.
Bad points it makes me feel like a robot with no feelings and my memory is fuzzy.
The constant nausea and yawning.
Headaches from hell if I drink.

But they help me sleep and control my horrible palpitations.
Big hugs to all fellow users 💛

Thank you laydeevee and mrsdiddlydoo i got the headspace app, will try it and I can't take phenergran I have a 6 month old i have to wake up for in the middle of the night. I have never thought of hypnotherapy and I don't think I could go through with it because I don't like having no control, I would be really uncomfortable but thank you.

I'm 2 weeks in, but only 5 days on 50mg. After feeling better in the afternoons over the last 4 days, I've felt more anxious and depressed today, although not as bad as when I started. I just want to get better.
I haven't been to work all week, and won't get paid as I'm working via an agency. My MH nurse at the GP today said a routine would be good, ie work. How did you all manage moderate/severe anxiety and depression and work?

Laydeevee my anxiety was at its highest 3 weeks in on 50mg. I seriously thought I was losing it it was crippling, but it is a side effect and then it just got better. Everything did. I was off work for 8 weeks which gave me the space I needed to get myself back on track. Could you maybe do some shorter shifts if you need the money? Keep going... They say 6 weeks for the full effect x

Hi Everyone!

I'm now 5 months on Sertraline. I also experienced almost unbearable increased anxiety in the first few days then breakthrough anxiety which became less and less by two weeks in it was gone.
I also had insomnia before staring due to anxiety from newborn. The insomnia did get worse in the first few days of sertraline which I did take at 6am. Once the sertraline started to help my anxiety the insomnia stopped. One week in I was actually able to sleep when baby slept.

I did have a set back three weeks ago when the anxiety returned. Couldn't quite pin point why, possibly the upcoming hen do I'd organised. I went back to the docs after two weeks and talked about reducing from 50mg to 25mg as I wanted to try coming off before retiring to work in June. I've now done a week and a half at 25mg and have luckily felt no withdrawal or returned anxiety.

Smirking your story is very similar to what I've previously experienced. When I started teacher training I had crippling back pain and stomach cramps. It returned every September with the stress of the new intake. Doctors never suggested it was due to anxiety and prescribed me painkillers which never worked. It was only when I saw a doctor for PND and back pain she suggested the back pain was due to the anxiety and may ease once I was more relaxed. Well she was spot on. As soon as the Sert kicked in goodbye back pain. I'd also advise avoiding codine. I found myself using it to help me sleep but you probably already know this it's crazy addictive.
I really hope the Sertraline works for you and you can ride out the side effects. Hopefully when it kicks in your IBS will ease.
Have you spoke to anyone at work about it? It helped me loads to speak to colleagues I knew I could trust and share our anxieties

I started sertraline on Tuesday night, surprisingly I’m sleeping quite well. I do however feel so nauseous, yesterday I could barely lift my head up and spent the day lying on the sofa! Today I haven’t felt as bad but I think that’s because I took some migraleve which contains an anti sickness medicine. My anxiety is so much higher today, I feel really up and down at the moment.

In hoping the sickness disappears soon as I’m going on holiday in a week. I’ve also been instructed to increase from 50mg to 100mg two weeks after I initially started taking it. Did anyone find the initial side effects returned when increasing the dose?

I’ve taken ADs before but don’t remember feeling so rough at the start!

Hi all
I'm joining you if thats ok.
Ive been on Sertraline 17 days. The first week just 25 mg then upped to 50 and my anxiety and insomnia are really bad. I'm also sweating like mad and have IBS symptoms and nausea.

I'm at the point where Im really struggling to go into work which is a very stressful environment but cant tell the wood for the trees; is it work, my depression or the meds that are making it so hard.
I was on Mirtrazipne which helped me sleep but I put on a stone so stopped it.

I dont know how long I can put up with these side effects, I know they are meant to decrease after a few weeks.

Hi all, name change from 'OnlyGodKnowsWhy, started this thread!

I've been on 50mg of sertraline for 8 months now and it's been amazing. However, on Friday night, I had a really weird and scary illness, it was super sudden and gave me a terrible fright. Since then, the anxiety is back, not to the same level as it was when I started sertraline but I'm worried it could go that way.

I was talking to my dd and noticed the start of a headache. Ten mins later the headache was pretty bad and I was shaking from head to toe. I felt like I was going to throw up and the other end at the same time, though in the end I did neither. I couldn't get off the toilet for half an hour because I just knew if I stood up, I would collapse. When I did get off, I ended up in my back garden, naked, desperate to cool down as I was burning up. Paracetamol taken and an hour later it was like nothing had happened.

It scared me though, really badly. I think I went into a panic attack toward the end of it as I got pins and needles in both hands.

It's been two days now and I feel a little off but better. However the waking up with anxiety is back and the feel better in the evening is back. Along with crying jags. I don't know whether to ride it out or increase my dose. Or if it's a sign that sertraline isn't doing its job anymore! Anyone have experience of increased anxiety during/after illness?

colly what a horrible experience. I do find I have little tolerance to anything or anyone when I 'm under the weather. I notice my anxiety increasing and start to struggle with ordinary things again, and I think the worse... all doom and gloom. But at some point I seem to snap out of it and on reflection can put things into perspective again. How are you feeling now? Hope it was a virus or migraine or something and you are feeling less anxious

Can I join?

Day 4 on 50mg and I feel drunk! I’ve been on fluoxetine and citalopram before and felt fine (in fact I don’t think they were actually working, hence the sertraline), but I feel like death warmed up. I couldn’t get out of bed yesterday and now I’m on the sofa wondering if I need a bucket.

Tomorrow’s a big day at work too

Seriously contemplating not taking tomorrow’s!

(I also had a cluster headache for 10 hours straight yesterday; paracetamol did nothing!)

Wic if you can try and stick it out. I had the spacey/zombie feeling for the first week and I remember being terrified of getting back into my car and driving post C section.
Luckily the zombie feeling began to subside after a week. Good luck!

Hi everyone
I have just joined
I have started taking stertraline i started on 25 mg for 7 days then on 50mg now for 5 days
I was ok on 25mg but since been on 50 mg i have had really bad days
Is this normal ?

Hi I have just been prescribed sertraline 50mg and should start taking them tonight (Friday) but really worried how I will cope with work on Monday.

Any advice?

Can I join been on sertraline 50mg for the past 3 days. Previously been on mirtazapine which didn't agree with me at all. I've had nausea, passing phase, but is it normal to switch quite quickly on it? My mood has definitely improved, which is a positive for me.

Hi Bippity,

How are you feeling? Are your side effects getting any better. My dad moved from Mirtazapine to Setraline and it took him 10 weeks to feel properly settled. He's doing amazingly well now. Also on 50mg.
I started on Sert 50mg and had a horrible time for the first week, nausea, teeth grinding, panic attacks, loss of appetite and insomnia. After a week they began to subside and towards the end of week 3 I was feeling more like the old me.
If you can keep going with it. Keep posting on here and definitely keep in touch with your GP, they should monitor you closely on Sert

Hi SeaShell33 I feel great.

The crisis team have seen me twice this week including today. They've been seeing me for about a month now as I was really bad, OD'd and ended up in a&e a couple of times, long story.

I've been taking it for a week now. It honestly feels like night and day. I feel wired. MY DP thinks I'm too happy (whatever that means) but I think it's just because I've been low for so long (months) my mood has just shifted, but it shifted before I started staking sertraline.

Now in a loop of taking zoplicone at night to get to sleep or I won't sleep otherwise.

Hi Bippity! That's brilliant that you're feeling so good!
I remember about 6 weeks in feeling like is was drowning in happiness, it's was crazy!
I'm also quite a highly wired person and the first few weeks on Sert I felt like I what I can only imagine is like taking speed. I absolutely could not relax and was always looking for a job to do (not to difficult with a 1 month old).

From what I've heard from other people on Sert they also take a sedative at night.
Do you take your Sert first thing in the morning? My insomnia eventually subsided after 10 days ish.

Sorry to hear about your OD. It's good though that the crisis team are supporting you. Was this before you started on Sertraline? I know it initially can increase your anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

As long as there are people to watch out for you and you keep telling yourself it's just the initial stage of the tablets making these feelings should hopefully help.

Keep posting on here though, this thread was a life saver for me in the early days

That's exactly how I feel! I feel like I've taken speed. When they were here earlier I couldn't stop talking, I had to calm myself down a bit. I take it in the morning or I won't sleep. Did you feel like your heart was beating a million times a minute? It goes up and down throughout the day. I had to lie in bed in darkness just to calm down.

I'm naturally an impulsive person (which they're aware of) and with the extra energy I almost decided to paint my living room at 2 o'clock in the morning. Earlier on that day I almost went to the shops as I decided I wanted to dye my hair. So glad I didn't and realised it was my impulsive streak kicking in again and I knew it would pass and try and focus on something else.

Mirtazapine just made everything ten times worse. It made my anxiety worse to the point I couldn't leave the house on my own or go to work. I was on the that when I went to a&e. So they took me off them and switched me to sertraline.

I'm just glad I'm off work.

Oh yes I remember the racing heart! I also had to just lie down and try and slow my breathing. It does honestly get better though once your body adjusts.

I also have a very impulsive streak also coupled with OCD. Painting at 2am is definitely something I'd think about. When I was pregnant I convinced my mum to help me redecorate the spare room 2 days after we'd painted it as I couldn't cope with the first colour. When I get an idea in my head (mostly something to do with the house) it's like a bloody itch that I need to sort out ASAP.

Anxiety really is a total bitch!

How long have you got off work?

Luckily I was on MAT leave when I started on Sert.

Hopefully you'll have a better experience than with the Mirtazapine