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 everyone, sorry I haven't been on for a few days. Various reasons, but the major one is that just after I started sertraline I got ESA reassessment forms through the post and so as well as feeling wretched enough to start antidepressants and go through side effects, I've had the hideous worry of filling out the DWP's deadly forms this last 4 weeks

Anyway, sent them off today and now in bed trying to let go of all the anxiety those forms bring up. Impossible to let it go entirely because the next step is an appointment letter for the dreaded work capability assessment. But at least between now and then I might start to feel the effects of the sertraline more.

Ginandtonic4all thanks for your suggestion. Now that I've finished the forms I'll have to make an appointment with the GP and ask him what he thinks about me going up to 100mg. I'm sure he'll agree but it might be worthwhile checking in with him first just to see if he thinks it's worth doing, or if I might need to try another med. I know there has been some improvement, it's subtle but I think I'm probably coping slightly better. But I could do with an added lift, I dont want to just be coping after everything that has got me here. Hope you're still feeling the benefits, let us know (if you can) how you feel it has made a difference. I still don't really know what to expect in that sense. I've been ill for years and don't know if I'd recognise normal if it came up and bit me!

Bippityboppity87 I guess that incident on the train brought up your anxiety big time. People can be so rude and thoughtless. Well done for restraining yourself! And it's good that your partner was supportive. That must help. Maybe he doesn't hate you as much as you think? And thank goodness you didn't abuse your tablets. But please remember to ring the crisis team this week if you're at all worried about yourself. Better to be safe than sorry.

asblackasyoursoul, from reading the internet and a bit of personal experience, I can think of two possible suggestions. One is to change ADs to something like mirtazapine, which has a sedative aspect and helps you sleep as well as lifting your mood. The other idea is to ask your GP for something that will help you sleep alongside giving the sertraline another chance.

Whatever happens I hope you find a helpful solution very soon. Come back and let us know how you get on, and best of luck

Hi guys can I join in? I'll be starting sertraline in October. I'm petrified - I have had it before and it worked really well for anxiety but the first fortnight was utter hell. So I'm dreading that but desperate to feel better.

I've got a bunch of physical stuff going on too but if I can just get the depression and anxiety under control I'm hoping the rest will seem more manageable.

I'm also in the process of trying to get benefits sorted. Just had my PIP claim knocked back but have booked an appointment to get some help with the appeal so that's something.

I am so bored and lonely though.

I've just been started on Sertraline today, haven't taken my first tablet yet, I daren't incase of side effects. I'm due to start a college course on Friday and don't want to be unwell.

Are side effects a given or does not everyone get them?

Wakeup it seems to really vary. My friend gets no side effects when she starts SSRIs. Absolutely nothing. I get them quite intensely.

Could you half the first tablet to see how you are likely to go?

This time I made myself take them even though the side effects would probably make me feel rubbish. My thinking was, if I don't do it now and suffer the start up problems, I'll get more mentally ill and not only will I not be where I want to be in a few months, but I'll be worse than I was this summer. That scared me enough!

You can manage the side effects with other medicines if necessary, it's only for a few weeks, tops.

I wish you both lots of luck, maxthemartian and WakeUp

I'm still having side effects. Still feeling sick, insomnia, anxiety through the roof. Feeling quite low again today. I just feel like I'm losing the plot again.

I forgot to take a tablet yesterday. By the time I realised it was too late in the evening and I knew I wouldn't get any sleep as I had work today.

Took some nytol instead which did bugger all. I only have one sleeping tablet left but I don't know what I'm going to do when I'm not prescribed them anymore.

I really feel they calm me right down and my anxiety is a lot more manageable throughout the next day. I think I need more than just sertraline as it's not working for me on its own. Has anyone been prescribed anything in conjunction for mood swings and anxiety?

Thank you @reenchantmentofeverydaylife and @maxthemartian. I'll start with half a tablet good idea, what time of day is best?

I know most of the time my DP doesn't hate me. I think he's just worried (understandably) He thought the last time I was taken to a&e I would be admitted. I'm surprised I wasn't to be honest. Sometimes I still think it would be best for everyone if I was, as most the time I'm not stable.

Thank you reenchantment

Wakeup I used to take mine in the morning. That said, I remember a stage where I couldn't keep my eyes open in the afternoon and then had insomnia so maybe I could have timed it better! But that was just initially, sleeping pattern settled down once I was used to them.

Bippity I'm sorry you're still struggling. I've not read the whole thread in detail so not sure if you've been offered anything else, some people seem to do well with propranolol for anxiety?

I have been recommended that before maxthemartian by the crisis team, but I don't know, I was just never prescribed it. I start cbt in a couple of weeks, no idea what to expect.

Haven't managed to get out of bed today. I'm just too exhausted to do anything.

Hello. I'm on day 10 and have zero hunger or appetite. Anyone else? Thank you.

Taken my first sertraline this morning! Have had MH issues for years on and off antidepressants (imipramine was my go to), however this is my first try of sertraline as I am breastfeeding. Other than the 1 tablet I took years ago and panicked myself into oblivion and refused to ever take it again.

Took it at 10am this morning and have felt quite anxious. Very dry mouth too! But otherwise okish. Forcing myself to walk the school run soon with baby DS (10 months) to get big DS (4 years)

Needhelpasking4help please make contact with your GP surgery immediately, as that sounds downright dangerous and they need to be monitoring you. Side effects are one thing, and many people get them to begin with, but losing the will to eat is another level. You must let them know. I hope you're ok.

Bippity sounds like things are pretty rough for you too. Can the GP prescribe you more sleeping pills to tide you over while you're waiting for the sertraline to kick in more? I sense you're not too impressed with what it has/hasn't done for you so far. Maybe the community mental health team ought to review that. I think you said recently there was a chance they'd increase the dosage? And you could ask them about the propranolol for your anxiety, maybe they'll prescribe that alongside. Whatever happens I hope things turn a corner for you very soon, sounds like you're feeling quite isolated with what you're going through. Do you have any family or friends to support you?

Ohb0llocks how are you doing after your first dose? It can take people differently, but stick with it if you possibly can.

I'm definitely getting some relief at times in the last three days. It still comes and goes but is building in intensity and when it's good, it's very nice. Dipped again tonight and I got a bit tearful but had no idea why. Still, it's not like everything in my garden is rosy, and stuff is bound to be bothering me under the surface, so maybe it needs an outlet now and again. But I didn't get stuck in the sadness like I usually do, and didn't have lingering feelings of guilt or shame or anxiety, so that's encouraging.

Physical side effects still there but not as intense most of the time. I think generally I'm noticing that I sometimes feel warmer towards people and a bit more accepting of myself than usual. Some of my intrusive thought patterns aren'tt as prominent now. I'm very aware that I have lots of work to do to turn my life around, and it scares me because I find it extremely hard to believe in myself, but I'm really hoping the sertraline holds me together for a while so I can actually start to fulfill some of my potential at last.

Thinking of you all and hoping you're moving forward bit by bit.

reenchantmentofeverydaylife, thank you for your reply. I had my phone doctor app yesterday so I told her what was going on, and she told me to keep taking it and to make another doctors appointment for a month's time to discuss how I'm getting on

She suggested they may up the dosage. However I quite like the sound of switching to an AD with a sedative effect, it would help me to sleep at night! But now I don't know what to do, as Sertraline destroying my sleep is not something I can put up with for another month

Yeah I'm still struggling. I'm feeling better today though. But like I said my moods are very up and down still, it's getting ridiculous now. I just want the be on an even keel.

And I keep thinking demons are following me around. Then I try and fall asleep and they're there too I also keep having a reoccurring dream that my mum has come back to life, but I know she'll only be there for maybe 3/4 days in my dream and then die again. It's just horrible. Almost everyday this happening now.

asblackasyoursoul does it feel a bit like you're out on a limb, coz I'd find that daunting too. Not sure what you could do to feel like your GP is hearing you better, seems like they're expecting you to comply with the way they want to do things, which is apparently very "hands off" while you struggle with a new medicine that is causing you increased anxiety. Can you put your foot down and tell them you feel you need another appointment much sooner than in a month's time? What would you say to the GP if you could see/talk to her next week? From her point of view, she may be assuming that the sleep issue will resolve within that month because it does for many patients starting Sertraline. On the other hand, you had pre-existing insomnia, and in my view she ought to be taking your current concerns more seriously.

Bippityboppity87 how are you getting on, any improvement? The intrusive thoughts sound disturbing, especially as you're not getting much respite from them even when you're asleep. And I'm sorry to hear you're having such distressing dreams about your mum, like you keep having to re-experience your loss and the dread of losing her. That's something you could mention to the CBT therapist when you start your treatment. I couldn't say with any authority that they'd be able to help much with such significant unresolved grief, so I don't want to raise your hopes, but it's clearly a symptom of your anxiety so they need to know about it and take into account the impact it's having on your mental health and wellbeing.

I'm struggling again myself. My stomach is absolutely all over the place and I don't know if it's a side effect or something else, but it's grim. I definitely know the tablets are making me more tired than usual though, and I don't have as much motivation to walk or swim as I had before I started taking them, which feels pretty counter-productive. Maybe they really are making me feel worse before I feel better, as people often say that about antidepressants don't they. But it's four and a half weeks since I started on them and I still feel very uncertain about their true effectiveness. I told the GP this week that I upped myself (haha) to 75mg, but he didn't suggest a further increase so I don't know what'll happen next. What do others think, those who've been on it a while, do I need to give it more time at 75mg to see a proper benefit?

How's everyone else doing? Maxthemartian and WakeUp and Needhelp, are you winning?

reenchantmentofeverydaylife Not really. I'm hoping CBT will help. I fell pregnant the same year as my mum died so I suppose I had two very significant life changes in a short space of time. The psychiatrist thinks I had pnd from what I told them how I felt when my DC was born. This was over 2 years ago, that was never really picked up. Although everyone else noticed apart from me.

It's only really come to the forefront since last October and it all sort of spiralled from there, with some highs in between.

I'm going into my 5th week? I think? I can't remember. Even though I noticed a huge difference in the first week, it's just doing nothing now. I don't know whether to mention to up the dosage or do they not like you telling them what you think you should be on?

Hi @reenchantmentofeverydaylife getting a lot of family support (providing food) and seeing Dr on Monday thank you x

reenchantmentofeverydaylife I'm hanging in there just now. Will only be starting the tablets in October so I'm in preparation mode.
Currently staying with in-laws as DH away and they've massively upset me as they made it clear they don't believe there is anything wrong with me (I currently have chronic fatigue and pain as well as hot awful anxiety and depression).

Should have said god awful not hot.

@maxthemartian sorry you struggling with in-laws. I fear people thinking that so completely retreat and hide from everyone apart from select few family. X

i started today , my gp anticipated tummy problems so gave me omperazole and buscapan . no nausea but dizzy a few hours after taking it (starting on 25 mg)and diarrhea.

How is everyone getting on? I had a bit melt down at work today over some silly dispute, ended up crying my eyes out for half an hour. I never used to be like that. I've always been quite sensitive, but not to the point I would burst into tears!

I don't know if it's the tablets making me like this or the depression, but after a couple of hours I was fine again. Laughing and joking away. I'm quite concerned now that my mood's are becoming more erratic. It's not the first time this week either and my anxiety and paranoia is kicking in thinking everyone thinks I've completely lost the plot