Please help - sertraline newbie

[Ginandtonic4all]

I'm feeling so bad. I've been on sertraline 50mg for 5 days now and I just feel awful.

Is it the pills making me worse or has my mental health deteriorated?

I am feeling more anxious, more depressed. My clarity of thought has gone. My skin is burning. I feel incredibly nauseous and haven't eaten since Friday.

I am all alone as DD is with her father.

Do I continue with the pills,
Do I stop? Who on a Sunday can I call for support?

Hi all

Am at work but it's tough trying to keep it together. I keep telling myself at some point I will feel better in my mood. And will feel like a version of my self. Without the panic, fear, sickness, tearfulness, hopelessness, dioreah, burning skin.....!

It helps writing here. A moments respite.

Hi Op, I felt awful when I first started Sertraline too. Took about 2 weeks for the horrible feelings to go. I'm on them 5 weeks now and honestly I'm glad I stuck it out they've really helped. I found one posters advice on here REALLY helpful and that was to break your tablet in half, take half in the morning and the other half in the evening for the first few weeks. I could kiss that person it really helped me. Good luck

It really is a wanker of an antidepressant. I used to take it at night so I slept through the worst of it. Just hang in there, it will feel better if given a chance. I always think that if I feel that bad then some something is being radically altered and that can only be good.

I couldn't take it. I only took it for about a week but felt so terrible I just had to come off it.

The nausea was terrible. I had to lay down all the time because I felt so sick. I also was sick with it so that wasn't good.

I tried taking it at night but I would wake feeling so sick and then throw up. Also it was giving me panic attacks and I couldn't cope with them.

My GP said it can't cause panic attacks but a read a few forums and a lot of posters said they started with panic attacks when on it. So much for the GP

You will feel better after about 2 weeks if you can stick with them. They are worth it!

Ok here is a bit of a random possibly side effect induced question!

The GP prescribed them to me a bit like smarties. Yes I was tearful and anxious but sleep was ok and she didn't really ask me many questions before giving them to me. Do you think if you don't have medical anxiety / depression taking antidepressants could cause you to develop them?

This afternoon I feel relatively normal and I haven't had a pill since yesterday morning as I was going to swap to evenings tonight. Now I'm questioning wether I need them at all.

Ps. I totally know none of you can give me medical advice but still interested in your thoughts x

No antidepressants can’t cause you to develop anxiety or depression. The first week or so was hell-ish for me too, but it did subside. Honestly I would keep going and re-evaluate in a few weeks. What was your life like day to day beforehand?

One important bit of advice, backed up by a whole other thread on the subject - NEVER take them without a good sized glass of water, and DON'T lie down for half an hour after you take them. They can cause the most horrible heartburn if you're not careful.

Well the reprieve didnot last very long and I crashed with full on tears on the way home.

So have taken the pill tonight in the hope to sleep through some of the roller coaster.

Wait two weeks then consider how you are

it can be awful to start with, look after yourself and take the next week as gently as you can

They cannot cause anxiety or depression but they usually exacerbate existing anxiety and depression before improving it.

They are horrible at first. I felt like I was going mad but I stuck with them and soon felt better than I had in years.

Just popping on to add that if you call 111 and select option 2 you can speak to a mental health professional in a crisis. Have had to call them several times myself recently during a very bad few months.

So took the pill at 9:30 and went to bed as exhausted. but it's 1:43'and I haven't been asleep yet!

Hi Gin

It's truly awful isn't it? I remember calling my friend who had recommended going to the GP for them and crying my eyes out wanting to just ditch them and saying 'hang on I wanted to feel better if I feel so much worse'!! She advised I see it through (my DC were also with their dad) and I'm so glad I did and have never done had any problems.

It's hard though. And as others have said, if it carries on beyond a few weeks then maybe it's not the pill for you, but yes, panicking, sleeplessness, dry mouth etc then weight gain all difficult to deal with but for me, feeling at peace and calm and happy after feeling so shit and down and anxious for so long is / was totally worth it. Good luck!

Hmm. Here in the USA, normal start for Sertraline is 25mg and then after a few weeks go up to 50mg. In ds' case, he is super sensitive to medication so I think they even started him at less than 25mg. Can you take a lower dose (obviously checking in with your gp first) for the first few weeks? Also, generally not prescribed by a gp here, usually only done by a psychiatrist.

I had a week of hell but then improved markedly when I started them, when increased dose a short while after, I felt sick again but the rest of the side effects weren't an issue and now it's settled in it's really helping. Hold on op, you should be through the worst of it shortly, and then will get the benefit you need from them and handhold x

Thank you everyone. I'm a really hitting rock bottom today. So have reread your messages and am trying to believe that it will get better.

It really is rubbish to start with. I had diazepam to help me through the first couple of weeks, maybe something you could ask your doctor about? I remember thinking surely the pills shouldn't make me feel this bad, I thought I was having a bad reaction and nearly stopped taking them several times. But it did get better, and it will for you I promise. Hang on in there x

If you're feeling terrible please call your GP @Ginandtonic4all

Dp is into his fourth week. Has probably been to the gp once a week in that time. Had the worst weekend with him convinced he had a brain tumour but gp went him to persist on 50mg for a few more weeks as it can take 4 - 6 weeks to really have an effect.

We have booked some private cbt this week to see if that works well alongside the sertraline. I hope you are doing ok i know how tough it can be

Hello All

A quick question as I can't get to see my GP or get a phone call, for those who take it in the evening do you take it literally just before you go to sleep or an hour before or when?

Thanks

Xx

It depends when I remember to be honest! I go to bed quite late so it’s anywhere between 9pm - 12am. Probably should be more precise but it doesn’t seem to make a difference if it’s a few hours either side. Not sure if others have felt different though.

The NHS website states if you have trouble sleeping take to first thing in the morning.

So I do that

I took it right before bed. I don't think it matters tbh as long as its roughly the same time each night.