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.

Good to know - thanks! Keen to get over the side effects. Keen to get onto the proper dose too as I know I won't feel any benefit until then. It's weird though, I can't help but feel that something that gives me these side effects is wrong. I feel like my body is fighting it and trying to tell me it's not right. I'm not going to stop, but that is my natural instinct I guess. Anyone else?

I feel exactly the same alltalknobaby. I am on day 6 of 25 mg and am still feeling sick on and off all day. like you I am going to persevere though - we have got this far so let's not give up now!

I never thought I would take tablets but losing my Dad last year, trouble at work and early menopause have knocked me for six. I have lost too much weight and need to feel more relaxed so I can try and eat more. Hoping that the sickness wears off soon as I need to go back to the doctors soon to get weighed and I have definitely lost some more since my last visit.

This thread is helping me to see the light at the end of the tunnel so let's keep supporting each other.

alltalknobaby I firmly believe, after going back on this for the second time and comparing, that it's anxiety that increases the side effects. Not many people actually want to be on antidepressants, most are afraid because it's a medicine that works on our brain, which is pretty important. It may not be natural, but antidepressants have been saving lives for many many years now. It's our misconceptions that cause stress when we start taking antidepressants and most of those side effects are, in my opinion, manifestations of increased anxiety.

I thought I would never ever end up back on antidepressants. But last year my gran died, she gave me the happy part of my childhood. Then it came out my sons father had assaulted him and there was a six month court case which concluded in his conviction. I had social work all over me and the children and I had to change my hours at work. The guy I was with was mentally abusive and accusing me of all sorts whenever he didn't like something I did.

It's taken me time to accept that most people would have struggled to cope, I saw myself as a failure, that none of that was that bad. It's our perspectives and misconceptions that make starting up sertraline so hard.

I hope everyone is okay today, I've woken up a little flat and a little anxious. I have to go back to work on Monday, after two weeks off. I love my job and I should be glad, but for some reason I'm scared it will set me back. Oh if only we had a crystal ball. I hope everyone has a good day today.

Oh wow need and only - you have both really been through the mill! I'm not at all surprised you've ended up anxious and/or depressed after all that. Need I hope you can manage to eat properly again soon. I do find that healthy eating makes me feel good about myself - by which I don't mean rabbit food, just eating well and nourishing my body. Take care of yourself x

Only you are clearly speaking from experience and I appreciate your thoughts. I am so new to this and only have my awful experience years ago where I couldn't cope with the side effects. But that wasn't sertraline. I am trying not to focus on the side effects and to stay relaxed and not worry about it too much. I'm confident the SE will ease off soon. I do know it will be worth it. It's just a bit of a foreign concept to me - pharmaceutical help. But I can't carry on the way I was, so I'm really hopeful that this will get me back on my feet.

Going back to work is literally never fun, even when you love your job and never mind with all this going on too. I hope it goes ok xx

Definitely a bit flat today. Felt tearful for the first time in a good few days and like I'm not coping well. I am, of course, it's thoughts and thoughts with no real evidence. I guess I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing with my life. My separated husband has been staying to help me get back on my feet and I know he would like us to get back together, but I don't know if there is anything still there. I also don't know what I'm getting better for really. More of the same, go to work. Kids go to school, come home, feed them, clean, watch TV and repeat. Over and over again. This is probably depression speaking and I will try not read too much into it. I've had a good couple of days and I'm grateful for that.

I took Sertraline and it worked very well for me very rapidly.

The second time around - it worked rapidly in the opposite direction. It was awful and wasn't picked up in time. I attempted suicide twice (something I've never done before). It wasn't until after four days after the second attempt and having not taken any Sertraline that the penny dropped.

Just realised how scary that sounds. The reaction I had is rare and it looks like I had serotonin syndrome alongside. It seems I have become hypersensitive to it.

But, if anyone taking it is getting the feeling that something's up don't just speak up - shout it from the rooftops.

It had been such a positive experience the first time around that I didn't expect it to be an issue. I wish I had twigged now - I ended up believing that I was finally going over the edge.

Day.....? 16? 17? Cant remember maybe more. Feeling more depressed and flat than ever. Plus weird feeling in neck.

Think the depression is not sertraline related . Just realising what a shit life I have as a full time working completely lone parent with no family.

Really can't be arsed with anything. Feel like I have nothing to look forward to ever

missy I understand how you feel, you aren't alone. Since the kids dad assaulted my son, I've had my four continuously and I'm a lone parent too. I work full-time and have very little family, having cut off toxic ones a few years ago.

I've sat there and thought exactly the same. What's for point? What is there to look forward to? I sometimes still feel that.

It is irrational though. It really is. Our point is in our children. Just now they may be young and seem like mostly hard work, but one day they will be adults. They will start experiencing life when it's not good. They may even end up feeling like us. And we will be there to help them.

They may get married. Give us grandchildren. It's a long way away but still, something to look forward to.

I don't know about you, but I've discovered that life throws things at you when you least expect it. Good things will happen yet, and bad things. That's life and we can't say with any certainty that there is nothing to look forward to. A lot can happen in a day.

Hugs to you, I don't care is it's not very mumsnetty, that mindset is a very lonely, hard one to be in. I'm always here to chat to. That goes for anyone actually.

Thank you for the lovely reply. I know that life may change and I should take more enjoyment in my blessings. Just so hard. Feel so completely alone and life is monotonous and I don't really enjoy anything with no real way of breaking free.

It's so crippling. Here's hoping the benefits of sertraline kick in soon

for you too Only GodKnowsWhy.

Missy

It's hard to let go of things and see past anything but the 'now' but perhaps you can look at the 'now' in a different way? Easier said than done, I know. But 'now' is all you have and there are positives that can be drawn from it.

You are taking steps to look after your mental health. That's a huge step and one many refuse to take, much less acknowledge there's a problem. This is where your strength lies.

You've spoken out here - that is a strong and positive thing to do.

You've made the difficult and often frightening decision to cut out toxic people from your life - that is a very strong thing to do, especially when those people are members of your family of origin.

Have you ever read any of Susan Forward's books? You may find that much of what she writes resonates with you if you haven't read her before.

have been bumping along near the bottom for 4 weeks after awful first two weeks (dreadful anxiety in the mornings), but feel I have more head-space to tackle various issues, however still feel incredibly burnt out,numb, dr has just upped me to 100mg

Question, has anyone else found they've felt more paranoid/detached? I'm wondering if I've spent too much time reading the relationships threads....

I agree about anxiety affecting side effects. If I've been really stressed out, it's like my mess have to work harder and I feel sick and zappy.

Octavedad

I ended up incredibly emotionally shut down and detached but mine was a very unusual reaction.

Hey fellow Warriors, Brave folk who have had to be too strong for too long ❤️

Big Group Hug

After an awesome day yesterday, today has been really hard. I went to see the Dr and have another 4 weeks off. I then hand-delivered my note to my Boss's office. This is a major achievement as my depression and anxiety is workplace related.

Came home and felt totally wiped out physically, emotionally and mentally. Had to go to bed for an hour (all I could manage due to kids) and slept solidly.

I now have 4 weeks to establish healthy habits to sustain me when I return to work. I am a CPN and we are notoriously bad for caring for our own Mental Health.

I went through a phase of feeling absolutely nothing. Today has been a snowstorm of depression though

I've had my ten day review at the docs and she said to go up to 100mg..... what is a 'standard' thereapeutic dose? I honestly don't know how I'm feeling at the moment.....

I think I might need to go up. I dont know. It's hard isn't it

It feels like trial and error and sometimes I wonder if the tablets are just a distraction technique!!!

Evening folks!

Okay so the theraputic dose is different for every individual. In general, 50mg is the lowest therapeutic dose for depression. 100mg for anxiety. Doctors increase the dose when there is partial improvement.

Partial improvement means, to me, that a person has reached the stage of functioning better, but not really feeling it. So laughing but not feeling how laughter makes you feel. For example. When you are on your therapeutic dose, you feel again.

I know from my old thread, on another forum, that within 48 hours of my dose increasing from 50 to 100mg, I was my old self again. I fully expect this time, that I will be increased to 100mg again.

Don't lose heart ladies. Antidepressants take time, sometimes as long as three months. And when you start to feel just a little better, you can start thinking things like, I bet I would have been okay if I didn't take these.

Antidepressants do not change your personality. They don't change your brain. They do not harm you. Severe reactions aside.

What I can say is that three years ago, I was in a state. I was with a crisis team daily for three months. I was convinced they were lying to me, that I was dead and in hell. I was scared to eat. Scared to shower. Scared of how the world looked each day, it felt surreal. I was waking up many times in the night thinking my heart had stopped. Every day I phoned my brother and told him I just wanted to die. I never, ever, thought I would recover. It remains the most painful, saddest, loneliest time of my life.

What saved me, was sertraline. If the antidepressants were placebos or distractions, I would not have recovered. The sertraline calmed me down enough to be able to start thinking coherently. I will forever be grateful to these pills for giving me back my life.

Keep your chin up ladies, most of us are very early days yet and I promise it will get easier. It won't happen overnight and you won't even realise it is getting better, it's so subtle. But we will all get there.

Paranoia and detachment - these are anxiety symptoms. They really are. I know it's hard to believe but anxiety wreaks havoc on our mind and bodies. It causes all sorts of physical symptoms and mental ones. When someone starts antidepressants they are usually nervous, so they constantly check themselves to see how they feel. This increases anxiety. High levels of anxiety leads to a feeling of detachment, it's self preservation. High levels of anxiety leads to distrust, suspicious ness.

To understand this, we have to understand that anxiety is a natural, healthy response to fear. Anxiety is what saved us back in prehistoric days when we had to flee predators. When we experience anxiety, whatever the cause, we are afraid. That fear manifests in doubt, suspicion that someone or something may be out to hurt you, a sense of surreal ness because your body is on high alert. Your eyesight sharpens, your hearing heightens, your skin may tingle, your heart may pick up. All of this is your bodies natural healthy protection when you are afraid. Anxiety will never hurt you. It's trying to protect you.

The problem is the trigger. Usually our thoughts. That's where cbt comes in.

Being on sertraline second time round, less afraid of it and more aware of depression and anxiety, I really think that anxiety is to blame for much of the side effects. Stay strong, keep on the tablets and remind yourselves, we are already on the way to recovery.

Thanks onlygodknowswhy. Those posts are extremely helpful and are making me feel that what I am experiencing is normal and that things will get better. Having a wobble this morning as I have an appointment later with a dietician that my GP has set up. When I am anxious I lose my appetite and have lost 2 stone. Being 8 and a half stone at 5 foot 10 is not healthy but I am struggling to eat at the moment. I kept thinking about cancelling but now I am determined to go and get some advice.

needtowalkmore I am 5 foot 6 and 8 stone. I dropped to 7 and a half two weeks ago, but I knew I needed to force myself to eat whether I wanted to or not. You need to do the same, regardless of whether it makes you feel like you will throw up, cry or stress out. I bought bevita breakfast biscuits for the mornings, soup for lunch and chicken for dinner as protein is important. I'm now starting to put weight back on but I really had to fight for it.

Please try not to worry about the weight loss, your appetite will come back, you just can't leave it all to the pills, force yourself and very soon you will find you don't have to force it anymore.

Thank you so much Only, that's incredibly helpful.

I'm going to up to 100 over the weekend.

I'm out for a birthday tomorrow and don't know whether to risk having a drink.

Keep on truckin' everyone