Sertraline - Reassurance

[Dan1994]

Hi,

I wanted to share my story and also ask for some reasurance in regards to some feelings I am having.

I started on Sertraline September 2017 after a traumatic family event triggered off severe anxiety for me. They worked really well after about 3-4 weeks. I flourished after about 2 months and felt like a completely different person. July this year I asked my GP if I could attempt to come off them. I reduced the dosage by half and then half a tablet every other day and eventually came off completely in September. I felt okay for about three weeks then around mid October time I really started to crash. I went back to the GP and they advised I go back on them as I was really in a dark place I was signed off work for a week. I explained to them I dont think I could ever kill my self but have thought about it purely because I cant go on feeling like this every day. When your in that place it just feels like there is no way out you completely forget who you are and I was struggling to get through a hour let alone a day. I was constantly wandering what if the tablets dont work this time. I am now 3 weeks going into my 4th week back on sertraline. It feels a lot harder this time my mood and obsessive anxious thoughts are getting better and I am able to work again. I said that I thought this had happened because I have had a lot of change in my life the past year, iv changed jobs, ended a relationshop, started a new relation ship and then leading up to my crash, was working 12 hour days and experiencing a lot of stress at work.

This time and the reason really im writing this is for some advise or reassurance. I wandered if sertraline can make you irratable. I never experienced this last time. As I said I am in a newish relationship and before I crashed I was so happy and in love and felt like nothing could break us... He has been very supportive and understanding through this period, hes the nicest person and we get on so well, and nothing has changed apart from how im feeling.

I feel like im getting very irrated with him when he hasnt done anything wrong. I refuse to beleive theres something wrong with the relationship because of how strong my feelings for him were before my crash. I feel like im stuck in a vicious circle of trying to work out if something feels wrong here with my relationship or if its just the anxiety causing obsessive thoughts again/ a reaction to the medication.

Can anyone relate, or does anyone have any advise?

Sorry for rambling, Thank You.

Any antidepressant can cause irritability and other side effects. They can also be extremely valuable drugs for many patients. It’s really very individual.

If you feel the drug is a possible cause you need to discuss this with your doctor. It’s VERY common to need to try a few antidepressants before you find one that really works for you. It’s also common to have to have time to settle into a drug

I will also say that sometimes when you’re struggling mentally it’s hard to find room in the tank for other feelings - it’s almost as though you have a limited coping reserve and things like romantic feelings are just more than you can have energy for.

Be kind to yourself - and go back to your doc and discuss this. If you’ve crashed coming off the drugs Make sure you don’t come off these without medical supervision. They can cause withdrawal effects and the fact you crashed means you may still need them.

NB: I am not a medical doctor and none of this should be taken as replacing the advice of your physician.

Thank you for the advise... I will definitely go back to the drs.

Not having room in the tank for other feelings makes sense and makes me feel slightly better.

Again I'm struggling to work out what's real and what's anxious obsessive thoughts.

Will see what the next few weeks bring.

Thank you again for your response x

It can take time to find an antidepressant that suits you, I was on Citalopram for years & I gradually realised it wasn't doing any good, it made me numb, I couldn't be bothered about anything, I didn't have any feelings at all. I got put on sertraline, within 2 days I knew it wasn't for me, I was climbing the walls, couldn't sleep, was having massive panic attacks & meltdowns. I managed for the next few months without any drugs but I knew I needed some kind of drug help, I went & spoke to my doctor again, she suggested I tried Mirtazapine, I started on 15mg for the first 3 months, I'm now on 30mg & while I'm not singing & dancing, I'm coping better, I'm sleeping better & don't feel as wound up & a bit more relaxed. It doesn't get better overnight but it will get better.

Thank you Nat, I hope your medication continues to help you.

I just keep thinking will I feel happy again? I know I will it's just so hard to believe at the time.

Also is anyone else always better in the evening and then bad in the mornings? My evenings are so much better!?

Again, very common to have a time of day where things feel better or worse - that’s normal.

Be kind and compassionate to yourself. Don’t make any big relationship decisions while you’re depressed.

Yes you probably will feel happy again - Time and the hour runs through the roughest day, and all that.

and hang on in there

Yes, it did that to me. And although I came off sertraline after a few years I have stayed irritable for ever since. I think it flipped a switch in my brain, seriously.
I have now learned to control myself but I scream and swear in my head a lot.

Happiness will come but it will probably feel different to what you have known. Give it time, you will get better