Sertraline buddy required!!!

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I’m in day 2 of taking sertraline and could really do with some support as feel horrible 😕

Hi I'm good actually I had the Shen men piercing yesterday and I believe it has helped I'm alot calmer I'm also on week 4 back on sertraline now I am at 150mg so maybe the meds are starting to kick in a bit now hope to speak with doctor tomorrow and possibly up to 200mg my previous dosage before I stopped. I am however still googling stuff that scares me but I'm not going into a panic like I would have done less than a week ago. I am also very tired and have little concentration which I hope gets back before Christmas I've still quite a bit to sort I've only been doing online shopping as I haven't got the Christmas spirit yet. Normally I am Christmas mad always wanting to go shopping xx

Hi everyone

Wondering if it's okay to join you all on the Sertraline journey and hope to ask for a couple of tips!

A brief backstory to my situation is that I am currently 28 weeks pregnant and I have been battling for a long time to stay off the medication as I didn't want to take it whilst pregnant but after a particularly anxiety filled weekend I've finally caved and think it's probably best for me and the baby that I am on a more even keel now and for the baby arrives. It has not been an easy decision to make

I saw the doctor yesterday and she has prescribed me 50mg of Sertraline and advised it would be best to take half a tablet a day for the first two weeks and then up it to 50mg, this is due to the nausea.

At what time of day would you suggest taking the tablet to help minimise the side effects or is it naive of me to think that this would even make a difference? I would google it; however due to my severe health anxiety I'm determined not to turn to Dr Google as I will undoubtedly read something negative and talk myself out of taking them!

I’m taking them around 8pm, Apart if being off food and waking up with a headache for a couple of days, I have not felt too bad at all.

I am in my 5th day and have only had a brief period of intense anxiety (with nothing I could point out about something to worry about), but today... I felt well and happy... wonder if they are kicking in.

Hi everyone. Can I join for some support please? I started sertraline 23rd September for extreme anxiety and panic which developed quite suddenly. Have been taking them for 11 weeks now and have just had 3 weeks of feeling really great, now having a blip which has been happening since Saturday. I’ve been on 100mg for about 3 weeks to. I don’t know if I should just wait this out or see the GP again. Would like hope that it will pass again. I’m due back to work tommorow, luckily on a phased return.

How is everyone else doing?

Welcome! I take my tablet first thing in the morning. The side effects only last a few day. I felt very wired, nauseous with no appetite and panicky at times but it does pass. It did not affect my sleep at all which I’m grateful for. Let ya know how you get on...we’re here to support you xx

Hi @Piratepearl I take mine in the morning as I heard it stops you getting insomnia as a side effect. I make sure I take it with food and lots of water. I had very few side effects so you might be lucky too...especially if you're starting on 25.

Day 4 on 100 for me. Nosebleeds stopped thankfully. I've had some weird intrusive and automatic thoughts. Some racing thoughts. A little derealisation, a little woozy and tired but nothing too awful.

@irrationalrainbow what a Shen men piercing? Sounds good...does it work like acupuncture?

Welcome @Fsmith17 maybe it's cos you've only been on 100 a few weeks? Or could be hormones. Hope it doesn't last long for you. I guess blips can happen. I've been taking it 5 weeks and have had lots of ups and downs

@Hairydogmummy thank you for reassurance. I’ve read you’ve just upped to 100mg. I didn’t find the increase that bad at all, and actually was feeling really really well until this latest wobble. Hope your side affects pass soon.

My anxiety has lessened a lot now. It is for much shorter periods of time now, so although I’ve been wobbling since Saturday, it doesn’t take over the whole day, which is a real positive

Look up Shen men peircing yes I would say it's like acupuncture actually I would say it was like magic for me. Either my sertraline has all off a sudden kicked into full swing or it is the peircing as I was an anxious mess right up before I got it done on Monday and if you look back through my previous posts u will see how anxious I was. I'm wee 4 and a bit on 150mg due to previously being on 200mg for 3 years I'm die to see my mental health team today and not dreading it at all. Wakening up in the mornings with out dread after 6 terrible weeks is the best Christmas present ever so anyone feeling like giving up Don't!! This is only temporary feels like forever but you will get better 😊😊😊

Hi, thought my experience this morning would be a positive example of the med working.
I encountered some issues at work and anxious feeling emerged with heart racing feeling weak limbed etc. all those signs. I was upset because I haven't been like that for weeks, then I remembered, because DH had a fever this morning and I was runing around to get DS to school while looking after her, I forgot my med.
So, the difference of reactions do prove the effect of the med, right?
Hope that helps those who were struggling to keep going.

That’s amazing news @irrationalrainbow! I’ll look into that. I’ve been on sertraline previously to, in 2017 and made a full recovery. I was only on 50,100,50,100 then but currently on 100mg every day and having lots of ups and downs, I’m 11 weeks in. From your experiences shall I give this dose a bit more time (3 weeks into 100mg) or should I go back to the GP and speak to them.

Your message is so positive and that’s right, it does always pass. I know that from 2017 to.

@jellybeanpeach sorry you felt anxious today at work, I went back to work today after 3 months off and also experienced shaking, fear and not feeling in the room but it did pass eventually once I settled in. So true about how important it is to take your medication consistently xx

That's brilliant @irrationalrainbow I'm definitely going to consider that. I'm not feeling great today. Very tired and down. Foggy headed. My mouth and throat feeling oddly dry and constricted and feeling like I'm forcing myself to breathe though I don't feel panicked as such. I have PMS too I think. I rarely feel even mildly depressed so it worries me that I'm feeling so down. Hopefully is just side effects of moving to 100.

I’m a little better today but have developed loose vowels and cramps over last week. Obviously my health anxiety is in overdrive thinking the worst!! Anyone else had tummy troubles? Xxxx

😂 Bowels not vowels x

Here to offer support too! Been on sert for 7 years now, so feel free, anyone, to PM me.

@Piratepearl you have not caved in at all! You just need a little something to keep well. Just like a diabetic needs insuline, an asthma sufferer takes ventolin (we have both of them in my family, in case anyone wonders) . It will be a bit of a rollercoaster but eventually...things will be better! Feel free to PM me.

@Hairydogmummy I’m sure it’s just the 100 and things will start to feel better x

Yes I have lots of 'tummy troubles' but I had ibs related to my anxiety anyway.
Thanks @IScreamForIceCreams I might do that. What dose are you on and how long did it take to work?

@Hairydogmummy
Hi, I started on 50mg - it took about 3 weeks to start to feel better. I had hypnotherapy and CBT at the same time so it was full guns blazing. I then went up to 75, then 100mg. Then about 5 yrs ago I very very gradually went down to 50mg again. I did this with support from my GP. I now take (this works for me, but may not for everyone else) 50mg one day, 25mg the next, then 50mg following day. I have been doing that for a year now as I was getting fed up with feeling tired so much. And restless legs, agh! I do enjoy running as it clears my head and it's a release of frustration. Like everyone else, I have crappy days where I just want to cry (mainly hormonal) but generally, I just feel "normal". I kind of have accepted that Sertraline is what I normalise ups and downs, because let's be frank, life is not all rainbows and lollipops, so having a bad day or week is normal life :-). Things will be getting better and better, hang in there and from the number of posts you'll see you are definitely not alone ;-)

hi @IScreamForIceCreams your post makes sense. I'm on 100mg (wk 4) after about 11 weeks on 50 up to 75mg. I've felt much better at times, although it comes and goes, but yesterday was very bleak for me and felt as though I hadn't taken a single tablet this last few months. I felt horribly depressed and defeated going to sleep and not much better when I woke up earlier. But after lying there for 20 minutes dreading another day like yesterday, I got up and started to feel better. You're right, it's unrealistic to expect not to have any bad or emotionally difficult days but I do feel like I'm unexpectedly bouncing back today and without the medication I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be happening.

Plus yesterday I was obsessing over the election and today I'm more excited than anything else. Maybe that's a coping mechanism - I don't expect my favoured party to win - but I'll cross tomorrow's bridge when I come to it!

@IScreamForIceCreams thank you for the kind message. I've taken my first half a tablet this morning (along with a couple of tears, how dramatic haha) I know it'll be for the best. It's just getting over that initial guilt! You're totally right, you wouldn't think twice about taking a tablet for some other medical condition!

Hope everyone is having a good day

Hello. I've been on it for 12 years and dose increased to 200mg a day over a year ago. Saved my life and my sanity. The first few days of taking any meds can be tough. I'm hoping your doctor is monitoring you and would hopefully change your meds if they dont suit. Sertraline was about my 4th attempt. I know I will be on them for life and they suit me xxx

I've started on 200mg today dosage upped due to an appointment with my mental health team they feel 200mg is the appropriate dose for my level of Anxiety. I am also stressing slightly over the election as I worry about the future and don't really understand if the politicians are genuine or not.

Hi winging it how bad were you before you had to go on medication and was it anxiety?

Hi everyone. Reaching out in desperation for help. I’ve been stuck in a panic episode for about 4 hours. Feel so fearful, my chest is tight, I can’t stop crying and my thoughts are telling me I’ll be this way for days or weeks which I can’t bare, I just can’t cope with this feeling. Please can anyone help me and reassure me xxx