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.

Only your posts are super helpful. I hope supporting others is not a burden to you.

Do the side effects increase with dosage increase? I did one week of 25mg every other day, this week has been 25mg/day and Sunday I go up to 50mg/day. Can I expect worsening side effects for a while?

I am wondering about a glass of wine too. I haven't had anything since I started. I might let the 50mg dose settle before I partake a small glass.

Hope everyone has something positive to focus on this weekend, however small xx

It's no burden, I hate to think of people suffering with anxiety and depression as anyone does that has experienced it.

In my experience side effects don't increase with a dose increase. Side effects are felt when sertraline is introduced by some people but once your body has had it for a little while, increasing the amount won't cause any worsening. Anxiety about it will though! If sertraline was going to do any harm to any of us, it already would have done it.

Alcohol is another matter. When someone is still in the startup period, so the first three months, I would limit it to one or two at most. This KS actually more because hangovers naturally cause anxiety and low mood, so it's not worth adding that to what we already have. After three months, the odd night with a little more won't do any harm.

Well I have gone up to 50 mg today and up to now seem OK on it. I hope everyone else is doing well too.

I had my appointment with the dietician yesterday and he was really helpful. It was a shock to be told that my BMI was so low I was in the anorexic category. He spent ages discussing the link between a healthy diet and anxiety and he had lots of suggestions about what foods to try. I am going back in a couple of weeks and if I am still struggling he will refer me to an eating disorder clinic. I keep hoping that when I relax I will eat more but have to admit that the thought of putting weight on really scares me.

Hope that you can all enjoy a peaceful weekend!

Needtowalkmore what scares you about putting on weight?

I've been incredibly lucky and despite having four children, I've always been below nine stone. I took this for granted really. Then a few years ago, I got pneumonia. I dropped to six and a half stone and was terrified. I eventually got better....then it came back. Ever since then, I've swung the opposite way. I'd rather have weight on me now, so that if I was to get unwell, I have something to safely lose, rather than feel that fragile and frightened again.

I have no experience with eating disorders but I'm pleased you are being supported and a big well done for going to the appointment.

I think its the thought of letting my weight get out of control that scares me. Like you I've never really worried about my weight so this is all new to me. I am usually around 10 and a half stone and at 5 foot 10 I felt comfortable at that weight. I lost weight without trying so maybe I am worried that I will put too much back on? I have been seeing a counsellor to help with panic attacks and she thinks the food issues are about me trying to stay in control. Who knows! Anyway, I have had 3 meals today so that's a big step in the right direction.

Thanks again for the support on this thread. I find it hard to talk to people about this so it's so helpful.

I'm worried about weight gain too as I'm already obese.

I went out with friends last night, my closest best friends. I've never experienced problems going out with them before even when everything was making me blue. Last night I had half glass of champagne and half glass of red on my 50 mg (day 7 for that dose) and I spent the whole night feeling anxious and detached from everyone, I even cried at one point and I am not a cryer. I didn't feel remotely drunk, I just wanted to go home. What's that about??? I'm still blue this morning, supposed to increase to 100mg......

I don't think you are at your therapeutic dose yet. I would suspect, once again, that anxiety was responsible for last night. Anxiety about drinking with the tablets, anxiety about becoming anxious in front of friends or in public. Things will get better, try not to overthink anything just now. It's possible you are still in the increased anxiety stage too which should taper off when you are at 100mg. It will pass, I promise.

Right starting my 100...... ugh.... thank you Only and everyone else, the reassurance is very welcome

It will be fine, I can't stress enough that severe side effects are rare. They really are. Your body is used to 50mg, it will tolerate 100mg too. Everyone has different dosages that work for them.

My doctor said taking antidepressants gets easier when you surrender yourself to them. So accept them. They are given to help you.

I was playing an Xbox one game last night, called the town of light. It was a game based on true events of how mental health was treated in the 1940's. Complete with injections, tying to beds, straight jackets, electroshock therapy. It made me thankful that these days, most of us are lucky enough to just have to take antidepressants. Give them a chance to work, trust them.

Excellent advice xxx

Hope everybody is having a good day today.

Only, that X Box game sounds frightening- aren't we lucky to be able to access the help that we need. I hope you are starting to feel better too. Your posts are so helpful but you must look after yourself too - especially with four children!

Second day on 50 mg today and feeling OK but a bit tired and groggy. I have another counselling session tomorrow and then a review at the doctors as I will have been on sertraline for two weeks. I am definitely going to stick with it now that I have got so far. We can do it!

Just waving as I have been on Sertraline for a year now roughly. 🙋
I fortunately didn't have many bad side effects at the start and think it has really benefited my overall outlook - I can sense myself being much more upbeat than before I started on it.

I know everyone has different sensations in their head on certain antidepressants but for me it was like a fuzzy feeling (not a nice way, an annoying way) around my brain and near my eyes which I got pretty much any time I moved, it has settled down now but I wondered if anyone else at all has had that one??

I've had a sort of numb fuzziness at the back of my head!

Just joining. Day 10 here. Bit nauseous still, normally midday (take 50mg in morning). Sleep is a bit disturbed so feeling tired. Started to feel a lot better already. Been on ADs before but first time on this.

Hi everyone (waves)

I had a really terrible few days. Was at my blackest. Has lifted thank god.

Need to see my doctor. Increasingly want to up my dose

Weird fuzziness in head here too!

About 8 months for me. On 150mg. Seems to have helped me, the side effects went after about 3 weeks. I do suffer from night sweats though I'm not sure if it's anything to do with the sertraline. Has anyone else had this?

150mg made me feel worse, in fact anything over 100mg did yet 100mg wasn't enough. I ended up upgrading to Venlafaxine and that has been a lifesaver (literally)

I knew I had been depressed for a while, but thought I could get through it. Shockingly I woke up on Thursday and couldn't stop crying. Prescribed 50mg daily, back in three weeks. I go on holiday in four weeks and should be excited, but I have no feelings towards it.

Taken pill at night because I work full time and with no sick pay can't take time off. First night stomach pains, diarrhoea, insomnia, headache. Since then mainly nausea, stomach pains and yawning, just read the leaflet again and yawning is a side effect. Feeling tired and occasionally light headed, but nothing serious.

I already clench my jaw at night through stress, so don't want that to get worse. Thankfully I don't suffer from anxiety, just depression.

Hoping things pick up really soon, I want to get excited and look forward to my holiday, instead of going through the motions.

One of the worst bits for me is DH wants to support me, but isn't good at communicating, so I'm sure he often thinks I'm in a bad mood.

Wishing everybody a good night and Monday.

LorLorr2 I had a fuzzy head when I started with sertraline but that went in the first week.

PollytheDolly I am glad the sertraline is working quickly for you. I think that's why doctors like to prescribe sertraline so much, it is classed as one of the fastest acting.

Missythecat how many days are you into the sertraline now? I know I had a couple of low days but it actually coincided with my period being due?

judomama I am still on 50mg at the moment but if they do increase me to 100mg, I have no doubt I will get night sweats, as I did last time at 100mg. I just learned to live with them as it was preferable to feeling so low.

pieandmashliquornotgravy I take sertraline at night, I have done both times. So does my mum. Some people find taking it at night affects their sleep but it doesn't with mine. My mum was initially taking it in the morning but suffering from nausea, now she takes it at night, she says that symptom has gone for her. Yawning was a big side effect for me, both times, but tended to go by the second week. Try not to worry about your DH, as you start to feel better, communication will probably get easier. I'm sure you will be feeling excited come your holiday.

I am doing fine, forgot how many days now, think its the two week mark today. No side effects now and I am mostly fine, apart from maybe a brief five minutes in the morning and I find it easy to push away bad thoughts now. Onwards and upwards. I hope everyone has had a good weekend.

Afternoon all. First day back at work today. Just finished. It went okay but I am so forgetful. Sent emails to my boss and forgot the attachments twice then nearly gave the wrong change. Felt a bit anxious coming home. Before I was on the tablets I would go to work and feel okay then come home and fall apart. I guess the anxiety is incase the same thing starts happening again. However I am now on sert so it shouldn't. Hope everyone is okay.

Thank you, good (well not good but you know what I mean) to hear others have had the fuzziness, I have seen people describe pains but had never known someone with the same sensations as me.

Glad your day at work went well Only. I hope you carry on getting better and better with the tablets to help you.

Had a busy day today as I had a counselling session and then saw the nurse for my 2 week review. She said the doctor would probably want me to go to 100mg in another 2 weeks so I will see how that goes. Counselling went well and CBT is definitely helping with panic attacks and negative thoughts.

I am going away for a few days with my husband next week and am actually looking forward to it so something must be working!

Thank you, had my review and surprisingly the doctor wants me to stay on 50mg. I'm happy with that too, I guess I was a lot worse first fine round.

For anyone it helps, I've been dealing with anxiety all my life really and have learned quite a lot of techniques.

A simple one is wearing a hair bobble on your wrist or an elastic band. When you catch yourself dwelling on negative thoughts, pull the band as hard as you can and let go. It hurts a bit but the point is it helps to stop your thoughts in their tracks and teaches your brain to think less negatively.

Self love. When you are doing your hair or makeup in the mirror, how many of you look at your reflection and think something nice about yourselves? If you just think of your supposed flaws, stop it. Start thinking nice thoughts about yourself and shut out the negative.

Playing detective with your thoughts. When you have a repetative thought, challenge it. Where is the evidence to support this thought? So you might think, I'm unlovable. Really? Is that actually true? If you can't find bard evidence to support the thought, it's irrational and needs no more attention paid to it.

Apps. Head space is lovely for learning mediation. Any of the mindifi hypnosis apps are very relaxing, I usually use them to fall asleep to. Gratitude journal for closing the day with good thoughts. Louise hay affirmations app for better self talk.

Alternative breathing. Close a nostril with a thumb. Exhale through the other nostril, then close that one and inhale through the now open one. Alternate until you are calm.

I've started another thread as to why I'm on sertraline.

Feeling quite good today although I wish I could sleep right through the night.