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.

I'm exactly the same when it comes to the house. I would lay in bed for hours thinking of what changes I would make in every room (sad I know!) Then relying on two hours sleep because my brain thought it was great idea to discuss different kinds of paint, wood ,sofa's etc (the list was endless)

My anxiety was quite bad. I had suffered for years with it. It seems to have completely gone now and I don't see lose my temper as much as I did, which is heinsight I knew was part of my depression.

I'm going to try and not take zoplicone tonight (it was supposed to last me a month, 7 days worth) but I've had to take it to get to sleep and now I only have 2 left!

I've been off work for 4 weeks and I'm off next week (took that as holiday) glad I did so my body can adjust to these news meds.

Although the doctor who came round to see me a few days ago said I'm not going lie, I don't have much hope in these anti depressants will work. No idea what he meant by that As I was only on mirtazapine before.

Lol will prouder each other's houses in ideal home after all of the midnight redecorating!

If you can manage without the Zoplicone that's great. Have you told your doctor you were needing them more frequently to help you to sleep? I was that desperate that I took dihydrocodeine to help me sleep. Luckily the insomnia eventually disappeared as the Sert started to settle.

Not sure why your doctor said they thought the ADs wouldn't work.

I didn't take any last night as I wanted to see if I could manage to sleep on my own. Didn't fall asleep until about 4am even though I was exhausted.

Then I had a couple hypnagogic auditory hallucinations, which was horrible. I usually get them if I'm sleep deprived. Woke up this morning, tried to get back to sleep and I suffered them again, but this time it was a very loud male voice. It's never been that bad before (Usually it's just very loud knocking or music which I've told them about before) I don't know if it's a side effect of the medication?

The crisis team are coming round tomorrow so I don't know whether to mention it or not.

Oh no! That's sounds awful! Definitely tell the crisis team. I'd make them aware of all of your symptoms so they can look after and advise you properly.

I had really vivid dreams and soaking wet night sweats with Sertraline. I've read this is pretty common.

It's horrible. I went through a really bad phase when my DM passed a away a few years ago. I could hear whispering (I was convinced it was ghosts) to the point I was putting salt on the floor across door to stop 'demons' getting in. Seemed perfectly logical at the time. Thankfully I haven't had anything like that recently. And I wasn't under any psychiatric care then. I managed to pull myself out of it thank god!

Sorry for your loss! That's amazing that you managed to get through that period without psychiatric care. You clearly are a very strong person!
Hope you've had a better day today

It's since then things pretty much went down hill and I thought I could manage things on my own. Wish I had spoke to someone sooner or I wouldn't be in the mess that I'm in now 3 years later oh well, you live and learn! I'll be seeing the team long term from what they told me today.

How are you anyway @SeaShell33 ? How long have you been on sertraline? Do you think you'll come off it eventually?

It really is hard to make that first step to speak out and say you're not well. I think I only did because I'd grown up with parents who both suffer with depression and anxiety and they've always talked about how they feel so there's not been so much of a stigma. I always feel better once I've said what's troubling me. That's why I think this platform is so helpful.

I've actually been off Sertraline for 4 weeks now. I first went down to 25mg in April and didn't notice any change. When I first stopped taking them altogether I had dizzy spells and the worst rage I've ever felt. The smallest thing would set me off. Luckily that seems to have lessened. My friends on Sert have said they experienced the same when they stopped. I still get anxious but at a level that I can manage and feels like normal everyday anxieties. I don't feel as happy as I did on the Sert. More kind of flat with the odd burst of happy.
I'd never say no to going back onto Sertraline, I know it's there for me if I need it again.

That's good. Being on sertraline has made me a completely different person. My anxiety has gone. Which I don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing as I'm quite impulsive. And things just don't seem to bother me as much, if at all now, which I realise now was part of my anxiety, over thinking everything. Now I don't give these thoughts much head space.

Is it normal for them to be this effective within a after a week? The only negatives I would say is the nausea and insomia.

I've been on it since Jan. I was very low before taking it, not sleeping, barely eating etc. It didn't take long before I started getting my appetite back. I did feel nauseous but I wasn't sure if that was the pills or my mental health, I'd been feeling sick before I went to DR.
I still don't quite feel myself yet. I still get a little anxious and a little down. Sleep is still something I struggle with. Excersise helps I find.

That's great that it's working for you!
I've heard mixed things about the speed of Sertraline working. Some say it takes several weeks and that if you're feeling the positive effects after a week then they aren't working properly.
For me I definitely felt much calmer after a few days. I just think who cares, if you feel better you feel better. If it's initially a placebo effect or actually is from the tablets, as long as you're feeling better that's the most important thing

I started feeling better last Tuesday I hadn't taken antidepressants for 5 days by this point. The Dr came round, was prescribed sertraline, but I didn't really feel I needed it as I was feeling a lot better. Like a switch. Thought ok I'll give them a go. Took one on Tuesday fell asleep for 3 hours, woke up and felt like a fog had been lifted.

For the next few days I felt pretty wired. So now I don't know if it's just my mood naturally gearing that way or the tablets. On the plus side my house has never been cleaner!

Wish I got the clean house side effect bippityboppity.

My flat isn't very big so it doesn't take long 😂 although it can equally look like a bomb's hit it in a relatively short space of time. Just never had the energy before or cared. I'm going to try and not take zoplicone tonight, but I hate it when I don't, as that's when the random noises and voices start. I do try and tell myself it isn't real, but has made me jump a few times.

Hello everyone. I do hope you can help me. I've been on sertraline for over two weeks, my dose upped to 100g 7 days ago and I still am having very tearful days. Also side effects of terrible dioreah and burning skin. Will it every be better?

I am so struggling with anxiety and the emotional pain. I just want to know when I will feel better.

Hi Gomandtonicforall. Been on these since Jan, in July I went up to 100mg.
I didn't have thoes side effects when taking it. I suggest going back to the dr if they continue.

I still am tearful but I am going through something at the minute. I'm turning to excersise when I feel a bit emotional. A long walk with music really helps me. My Doctor told me it takes time to feel better. I guess it's just a waiting game.

Not sure I can tolerate the wait very well. I want things to be better now. I'm not very good at going with the feelings.

Hi Ginandtonic4all. I've only been on sertraline for a couple of weeks as well. My moods have been, well interesting. Last week I thought I was on top of the world. Best few days I have had in a long time. But seems to have taken a nose dive the past couple of days. I really don't want to feel like I did before, but I can feel it spiralling. I'm hoping my mood will level out eventually.

Your side effects sound horrible, poor thing. I've only had nausea. It's like morning sickness all over again. Have you got a CPN? Or is it just the gp you have been seeing?

Hi Bibibity.

It really is a roller coaster! Just seeing GP but different one each time who all say something different. From you shouldnot it be on it to increase the dose.

I find the no explanation thing really tricky as I obsessively search for reasons why!

I would definitely say a rollercoaster too! I'm exactly the same. Google for hours thinking what the hell is going on with me. I used to think for years I just had seasonal affective disorder and I was able to manage my moods to some degree on my own as I just put it down to that. It doesn't help that I have a naturally impulsive streak, which often reflects in what mood I'm in and I can end up in some extreme situations.

I wish I could put it down to normal reactions to life, but honestly, most of the time it seems to come out the blue. End up doing some embarrassing things, which I won't go into detail about!

Ginandtonic
Day 9 for me, 50mg. Sert newbie. Still had emotional pain the first day or so but it's more or less gone now. I can only think that's the placebo effect at this stage as it seems to soon for them to kick in and work. I've been drowsy but enjoyed that feeling after months of not being able to sleep. No other side effects thankfully. Hope things improve for you soon.

Ergh. Seems I'm having a bad time of it then. Awake at 3am with anxiety and dioreah. And the again from about 5:30 along with the burning skin and sweating and gripping anxiety.

Have you rang your gp? That doesn't sound like a common side effect.

I think the insomnia quite common. I'm more concerned about the burning skin part!