Sertraline Buddies #2

[Umbongo1]

For anyone starting out on this drug...

Just quickly bobbing in - I was prescribed 50mg, oooh, two and a half years ago. It was awful. GP upped it to 200mg.

I've had a hell of a lot of ADs and beta blockers, the works, over 30yrs, but this one??? Awful side effects. My repeat prescription is still for 200mg but I don't take them and haven't for a year now. Just stopped. They weren't the worst AD I've taken but still bloody awful.

@fairydustandpixies - yeah the side effects are not great by any means. How long were you on them for?

@Umbongo1 - how did your meeting with work go? What did you decide in the end? Maybe starting work but fewer hours to begin with would be a good idea? Glad you survived the trip to Tesco.

I've been really agitated all day. No panic just agitation and trying to keep my thoughts on a positive track which has been hard. I've ended up coming out for a long walk. Just sat down for a rest before I walk back home. I just want to feel f*ing normal again!!!!

@MariposaPink yeah went well thanks. Think I'm going to start back doing a couple of hours a day probably next week. I'm a lawyer so it can be pretty stressful, so I've said I want to do 'back room' stuff to begin with instead of being launched straight back into day long contract negotiations!

Had an ok day today tho very tired still. Spoke to my doctor today also who said to stick on 100mg for a bit as it seems to be working which is good.

How is everyone else getting on?

@Umbongo1 - gosh it's no wonder you're anxious. Being a lawyer is a tough job! And on top of being a mother, wife, etc. My DD wants to be a criminal lawyer when she's older..at the moment anyway. Either that or a rugby player! Lol!
I'm glad the convo with work went well and that they agreed for you to start again slowly. It helps to have a supportive employer for sure. That means it's one less thing to be anxious about.
I ended up walking 3.5 miles which I really needed. Blew the cobwebs off me. Countdown to the sleeping pill now. Looking forward to drifting off while listening to my hypnotherapy recording.

Bam, right back in there with hideous morning anxiety. Shook like a leaf dropping child off at school.

Beginning to wonder if I'm ever going to get better from this.

@Umbongo1 - you will get better from this! We all will, we have to. Is it just the mornings for you? Is there a trigger?

Every morning before I get up I listen to some worship. I'm no bible basher, neither can I tell you the last time I went to church but I do have my faith and beliefs. Some people may foo-too it and that's fine but for me it helps. 5 minutes of worship, followed by my own thanks for another day of which I pray for guidance. I then do a 6 minute meditation followed by some upbeat music. All of that gets me downstairs to the kitchen to make a cuppa and feed the dog. Then I'm back in my bedroom with the laptop.

Perhaps a little routine like that may help you (if you don't have one already)? You say you like running, do you run in the morning before the house is awake?

It's sounds a bit of a palaver but it helps me and I look forward to it. It's just the evening time when I take that damn pill when I feel agitated. But today I've invited a friend over and we're going to go through some of the things in my past which I feel is causing my unrest. She's my voice of reason so I'm hoping she will bring me some closure on things.

How is everyone else doing today?

@Umbongo1 - you will get better from this! We all will, we have to. Is it just the mornings for you? Is there a trigger?

Every morning before I get up I listen to some worship. I'm no bible basher, neither can I tell you the last time I went to church but I do have my faith and beliefs. Some people may foo-too it and that's fine but for me it helps. 5 minutes of worship, followed by my own thanks for another day of which I pray for guidance. I then do a 6 minute meditation followed by some upbeat music. All of that gets me downstairs to the kitchen to make a cuppa and feed the dog. Then I'm back in my bedroom with the laptop.

Perhaps a little routine like that may help you (if you don't have one already)? You say you like running, do you run in the morning before the house is awake?

It's sounds a bit of a palaver but it helps me and I look forward to it. It's just the evening time when I take that damn pill when I feel agitated. But today I've invited a friend over and we're going to go through some of the things in my past which I feel is causing my unrest. She's my voice of reason so I'm hoping she will bring me some closure on things.

How is everyone else doing today?

Hello... I’m the same mornings are horrendous! Feel like I’m back to square one every morning! It’s not as bad when I first started! Does the anxiety ever totally go away!? X

@Lottie124 - see it's getting a little better! It's not as bad as when it first started so there is progress and it will continue.

When I had this 7 years ago it shook me. At first I thought I was having a stroke or something. And then it just kept coming and coming. I was a frequent crumpled mess at the doctors surgery so he packed me off with Citalopram and beta blockers. I was scared to take them but in the end relented on the Citalopram.

I don't recall exactly how long it took for me to get back on my feet and whether it was just the Citalopram or if it was the other stuff I was doing to try and help myself along, or both. I know it was a good few weeks though. And months later every so often, I would have a little wave of it if something particularly stressful occurred..like arguing with my stupid ex.

This time around it feels different because I knew it was anxiety, I also know it will pass in time but the side effects are kicking my arse and that's my struggle here and now.

@MariposaPink I’ve been on them 5 weeks now! I was on citalopram for years and they stopped working so I changed over to sertraline! But my anxiety is still here I’m worried it’s not working for me xx

Please may I join in ? I've changed from Citalopram to Sertraline and thought it was just me; the anxiety and exhaustion are crippling me ... xx

Welcome @Vic49 !

@MariposaPink your morning routine sounds good. Problem is digging myself out of bed in time and getting out without dogs barking etc etc.

I've been out on my bike this morning and 33km I'm still feeling twitchy and agitated! Gotta love anxiety...

@Vic49 that’s exactly what I did! Citalopram stopped Working for me! What dose were you on? I was on 20mg and now on 50mg sertraline week 5 x

@Lottie124 I was on 40mg Citalopram then was supposed to taper off but did it too quickly because have been struggling anyway, then 50mg on Sertraline and now 100mg a day. I am horrific in the morning, wake with panic attacks etc, and was diagnosed with severe depression last week. Being a single mum with a child who is suspected ASD and has anxiety and depression himself, I really am not coping. It's survival every day which is just 💩

So, I've just been on a video call with my boss (still WFH) and in the middle of it, while we were discussing the return to the office plan, I lost control of my bowels.
I was mortified. I finished off the call as quickly as possible and then just sobbed and sobbed. DH has tucked me up in bed with some toast but I'm devastated.
Has this happened to anyone else? I didn't feel anxious at all and I have no idea where it came from.

@Vic49 are you on fb? Sometimes find it easier to chat ther!? Add me charlotte amy murray! Yeah I did a straight swap from cit 20mg to sertraline 50mg! That’s what the doc said was okay to do ! But struggled for a few weeks x

@Biancadelrioisback you poor thing xxx did your boss know or just you?

Sertraline can do horrid things to your insides. It could just be that. Have you been suffering in that way?

Hoping you are feeling better now. Hard I know but try and just put it behind you as bad day and don't make it a 'thing' for your brain to latch onto to create more anxiety.

Hugs xx

No my boss didn't know. I pretended to have WiFi issues and muted the call and turned my video off. Just for a minute while I pulled myself together.
I do get diarrhea often, especially after I eat, but this was something I've never experienced before. There was absolutely no warning.
I'm getting to the point where I worry about going out just in case. Now I'm petrified of this happening again. My stomach is cramping like mad but I don't know if this is anxiety related or what.

Can I check in? Just tapering off fluoxetine which just isn't even taking the edge off the depression and anxiety brought on by how shit the world has become since Covid hit prior to starting on sertraline next week and I'm shitting it over the side effect talk I've heard.

Got another couple of days on fluoxetine to taper off and stop before I start - but if this life is the new normal - I need better drugs.

@DominaShantotto welcome!

Have you been on fluoxetine for long? Sertraline is generally a good drug, I have taken it once before some years ago and it was great for me. No problems coming off it either even after five years.

Everyone reacts differently to different drugs and many people don't get side effects. I guess we don't hear from those people as they're not in need of help or reassurance.

Let us know how you get on, are you starting on 50mg?

@Biancadelrioisback I do know what you mean I get cramping occasionally also.

Have you tried Imodium instants? If you are feeling anxious about that issue just having some with you might help until the drugs settle. How long have you been on sertraline?

May I join? I was on 100mg of Sertraline pre lockdown- then got stuck at my Mum's & couldn't get a repeat prescription, so now going back on it. Yesterday was my first day, but I slept terribly & have felt shaky all day - like I have very low blood sugar & a terrible headache. Not sure whether to carry on.

@umbongo about 8.5 weeks In total now.
I have immodium and buscopan for the cramping, I'm just mortified and feel very sorry for myself rn

Scratch that, 10.5 weeks!

I’ve been on fluoxetine ages off and on, me and my mental health don’t share the same brain happily- but now things are so bad it’s no longer working.

Back in feb I was in such a good place, back at uni, storming the grades and thinking of coming off- then Covid happened and I’ve had to watch my kids suffer so much and I can’t take how toxic society has become - my mild social anxiety is off the scale for fear of being corona-shamed and the mask thing has finished me off.

Not sure what dose they’ve put me on- still have to pick up prescription but since I needed to come off the old stuff I haven’t rushed to the pharmacy yet