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Original poster

Today I took my first Sertraline tablet

294 replies

MonnaLiza · 05/10/2019 14:18

Hello fellow MH sufferers.

Today I have taken my first Sertraline tablet. I had severe depression in my 20s and then struggled after my first child was born, and then again when my mum was ill... and now... the fourth time in my life in which I stare the Black Dog in the face.

Apart from the first time I have always managed to get through the darkness by soldiering on... willpower ... wait ad it will pass, and it did pass eventually.

But this time I felt medication could help. My GP also though so, considering I was sobbing in his surgery. I was prescribed Sertraline.

I waited a few days, but after a rather bad meltdown Wednesday night I decided to get on with it.

So I took my first tablet today and not sitting on my bed terrified about it with my eyes wide open as if I had been taking some form of acid instead of some safe medication that millions of people take everyday.

Tell me to get a grip! And also tell me i'll feel better soon as I am in so much pain.

OP posts:
Original poster
MonnaLIza · 25/10/2019 08:59

Morning all - @jogalong maybe it's a combination of side effects and virus?

@abitfunny, thank you for sharing your experience and it's interesting what you say about weeks 2-5. I took my medication in the afternoon yesterday to delay the 6-hour slump (I have a big low after 6 hours I take the tablet) but it affected my sleep - meh!! - i am going to try to take i in the evening just before going to bed tonight so let's see what happens then.

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 25/10/2019 09:00

I am now at day 21. Away for work - had to get up at 5.15. Yawning now stop. No anxiety and even mood.

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 25/10/2019 09:03

@ThingDoer & all - what are you grateful for today?

I am for:

  • sit on the train (with table! lucky me :) )
  • pret croissant
  • weekend approaching.

I am looking forward to going seeing the Addams Family with my teen kid this weekend.

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 26/10/2019 09:13

Morning of day 22.
Tried to take pill in the evening instead of morning. Slept was erratic. Weird dreams of talking with friendly eagles and mourning dead bunny rabbits-! Hmm

Feel ok. Quite relaxed. Delighted to be leaving old job and a little apprehensive about new job but on reflection feeling that positives outweigh negatives. Smile

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ThingDoer · 26/10/2019 15:26

Afternoon @MonnaLIza

I moved to taking mine at night after a week, because I have to take them at a different time to my levothyroxine (thyroid) and part way through the day wasn't easy to remember. Sertraline has a 23 hour effect I read so if you've been adjusting you'll have gone longer or shorter at some point so try sticking with one time for a bit. I'm sleeping fine with it (better than I was).

Today I am grateful that my kids are low maintenance today, that my dogs are so lovely and that I have a warm house.

I went back to my swimming club this week for the first time in about 3 years luckily it was a coach who remembers me and it was really good. I'll try to stick to going. I'm also hoping that next week I can go back to my rowing club - harder this but trying to make it happen. Met one of the other mums there and she'll give it a go if I will so that might help. I need to get back to doing thing L's that I like and are good for me.

Original poster
MonnaLIza · 27/10/2019 09:52

Hi morning @ThingDoer & all. Point taken about being consistent with times! :)

Amazing about swimming club and rowing club. Go you! I too hope to feel a bit more energetic soon and be able to do some exercise again. Yesterday I was thinking about it but decided to bake a cake instead. Hmm

Day 23 and feel a bit woozy but yesterday and this morning I laughed, really laughed with my other half. I had not heard the sound of my laughter for a while now. It is a nice sound. Grin

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tempnamechange98765 · 27/10/2019 21:51

I'm 90% sure I'm going to start mine tomorrow.

Can you drink whilst taking them? I'm not a big drinker, but when I have a drink, I like to have a few! I don't drink every weekend, and I rarely have more than day two drinks. But if I am "out out" or at a wedding (like I will be in a couple of months) I like to have a good few drinks...

MyNewBearTotoro · 27/10/2019 22:01

I found the first time I drank on sertraline I seemed to get very drunk very quickly and ended up completely out of it, unable to stand up and then just wanting to sleep. I hadn’t been taking them long though and was getting dizziness and sleepiness as symptoms. I also wasn’t eating well at the time though and so not 100% sure it was just down to the sertraline. Subsequent times I drank on them and was fine. But my advice would definitely be to test how the alcohol effects you with just a few drinks and somewhere safe like at home before going on a big night out, to be aware that if you’re getting side effects the alcohol may exacerbate them and to take things a bit slower than you might usually.

ThingDoer · 27/10/2019 22:13

The person who assessed me for steps2change said you could have a few drinks but bear in mind alcohol is a depressant anyway. The packaging notes advise against it. I haven't felt like drinking at all... I don't unless I'm quite upbeat.

tempnamechange98765 · 28/10/2019 06:59

Thanks both.

Alcohol as a depressant doesn't really bother / affect me, I think probably because I don't drink very often anyway. I will keep that in mind though and have a couple of drinks at home. The wedding isn't for 2 months so hopefully I'll have settled on the tablets by then.

Original poster
MonnaLIza · 28/10/2019 08:54

Hi just to say I had two glasses of wine on Sat night and felt quite woozy on Sunday. I hardly drink. I think, as others said, you may need to have a drink in your home the week before to see how you react.

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 28/10/2019 08:58

Day 24. Not wanting to get up. Working from home but I promised to myself I would not work in my jammies and in a cloud of self loathing anymore. So writing this up as push to myself to get up and do it. I have some horrid admin to do. Go me. I can do it. We can do it.

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mawbroon · 28/10/2019 09:09

Top tip. ALWAYS take it with plenty cold water.

If you swallow it without water, or wash it down with a hot drink, you will get horrendous heartburn like symptoms

Original poster
MonnaLIza · 28/10/2019 09:40

Thank you for the top tip mawbroon and thank you to the thread: I had not realised the correlation between being woozy on Sunday morning and drinking on Saturday night - because it was such a small amount I did not think it would affect me but it did! I am not hugely keen on drinking anyway so I'll just do without for a while as i really did not like how i felt yesterday. I feel completely clear headed today though, although a bit antsy and angsty but lots of changes and lots to do so it's understandable.

Yes I am trying to rationalise "the fear". Groan.

But I am awake, I sorted out the immediate urgent matters at work and now about to make a cup of tea and tackle "the horrible administrative mess" (TM) :(

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 28/10/2019 12:47

Oh FFS I am falling into pieces today. Haven't been able to look into The pit of Administrative Hell (TM) yet. Keep procrastinating. I hate, hate, hate working from home.

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ThingDoer · 28/10/2019 17:18

How did it go @MonnaLIza ? Did you get the hideous admin done? I had first morning back at work - would have been fine apart from difficult colleague completely blanking me. I won't be back in office until Thursday though. Have been given a talking to (supportive!) by another colleague not to take the telling off that will be coming my way from diffcoll. Feeling upbeat this afternoon. I will start applying for other jobs to get me out.

Original poster
MonnaLIza · 29/10/2019 13:00

Hi all - day 25. In a sea of admin - mood relatively stable. Functional and getting on with it. :) More when out of Sea of Admin.

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 30/10/2019 09:50

Day 26 - still working from the Pit of Administrative Hell - but nearly finished.

In spite of this being really stressful I am coping well mentally - the next 10 days are really going to be hard as need to be completely up-to-date & reaper handover for the old job. But after that ... go go go it's a NEW START :)

And this is also to say that, at day 26 all the side-effects seem o have gone! A slight headache that may be caused by awful screen time because of the Pit of Administrative Hell. :(

But things are looking up. I feel positive about the future (with some up and downs, of course). I haven't felt like that in a long while. :)

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Original poster
MonnaLIza · 30/10/2019 16:54

....and done.... Out of the Pit of Admin Hell (TM) :) :) :)

now chilling feeling proud of myself.

How's everyone? I feel completely free from side effects. Still have a bit of a dip around early afternoon but hugely better than 26 days ago.

I am starting therapy this Friday.

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jogalong · 30/10/2019 17:40

Day 7 and side effects killing me. Total fog and headaches. I actually took yesterday off as I needed a break from taking the tablet. Started back again todasy. Taking it in evening to see if that helps. I can sleep off the fog stage?
Any advice of time of day to take that will reduce side effects?

ThingDoer · 30/10/2019 18:10

Glad you're feeling better, @MonnaLIza . I sat an exam today (without much revision) - wasn't stressed about this at all though - and got very high marks. Back in for a morning of work tomorrow as part of phased return - it feels so much more manageable than a whole day.

Tonight I'm going to do a job application so that even if my mood gets brought down, I'm doing something to get out.

I am feeling more hope and joy than in a good long while.

ThingDoer · 30/10/2019 18:15

@jogalong I think it just takes time to get past. You shouldn't really take a break though as from what I can make out coming off is the harder thing and a day off is like coming off. I now take mine at bedtime and have not suffered from it - I moved to that over 2 days by taking at 2pm on the transition day, iyswim. I shifted because of my other tablets rather than any other reason. Worth trying to see if it suits you better.

Original poster
MonnaLIza · 31/10/2019 10:44

@jogalong I have moved from morning to evening and it has helped with the side effects. Now they are all gone. I think thingdoer is correct to say to try to be consistent in taking the pill otherwise you do not build resistance to the side effects - or check with your doctor to find out if it's a viable strategy?

@thingdoer, congrats for your exam, you star!!! Great to hear you feel joyful and hopeful and how did it go with job app?

I am now at day 27 and as I was saying side effects have almost all disappeared. Feel ok but notice I try not to go out. Going out of the house it's a problem. I need to go to the post office today and I am procrastinating like crazy. :(

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ThingDoer · 31/10/2019 13:28

I haven't got round to job application yet... but I will. I don't have a problem with going out but I do have a problem with housework and looking after myself... I procrastinate these like crazy.

jogalong · 31/10/2019 15:24

Thanks ladies. Day 7 today. Fog def not as bad today. I had to do a 4hr drive today which was really tiring but I was so happy that my head was so calm for the journey. There was none of the consistent over thinking and over analysing. I felt really peaceful if that makes sense. I had tormented myself from over thinking things the past few years. I hope this is the meds kicking in.
Thanks for all the advice and support!Smile