Sertraline for health anxiety

[ijokeijoke]

I have just been prescribed sertraline for health anxiety. I spend everyday thinking something is seriously wrong with me, and then when it's time to go to sleep the thoughts are so extreme and terrifying, I can no longer cope.

Has anyone been prescribed this for anxiety before? I was originally offered something else but am breastfeeding so they changed it to this.

Hopeful bump

Yes I take it. Took about 6 weeks to kick in and I got worse before better but if you stick with it, it really helps x

@feckwit thank you so much

Yes, I'm on it for anxiety and have been for 3 years. It's amazing...I wish I had sought help for my anxiety sooner!! It has been genuinely life changing for me.

I started on 50mg and increased to 100mg after 3 months. Went up to 150mg about a year and a half ago.

I agree with @feckwit it is a hard start, first 2 weeks are awful but things start getting better slowly after that, so stick with it.

@huffleclaw thank you!
I took my first at lunch time and now starting to feel really dizzy and sick

@ijokeijoke there's a handholding thread on the mental health board with lots of mumsnetters who have recently started taking sertraline. Many of us found things got worse before they got better. Feel free to pop over if you need any advice, or to chat.

I'm not sure how to link to the thread, if you can't find it then so reply here and I'll try to work out how to post a link. It's usually towards the top of the mental health board.

I hope you feel better soon.

I was prescribed sertraline for my health anxiety however I was too scared I of potential side effects to take it.
I spoke to many GPs who all said it really would be of benefit.

@freckles20 amazing, thank you. I will have a look, have seen that thread before!

@Spied it's really weird, I was really happy to take it and am now starting to freak out a bit. Did the GP reassure you that it would be ok?

@ijokeijoke great. Let us know I'm getting if you can't find it.

Argh- that should have said let us know on here if you can't find it.

@ijokeijoke it's understandable that you feel nervous at the start. After that initial relief from talking to your GP, and hope from being offered a possible solution, lots of us felt trepidation and left the box of medicine in a drawer for a few days.

Some people don't experience any side effects. Others do, and I think that maybe if you know that can happen, but they will pass then it helps to get through the initial hard part, and not to worry too much about why you're feeling that way.

I did suffer quite badly, but I hung on and came out the other side. I'm really glad that I did as I feel that 5 weeks on they are helping me to feel more level and cope with some difficult stuff.

I've had it for about 4-5 months maybe? It's been absolutely incredible for me. I had only one day of slight side effects and that was it. Now I feel "normal"! Also wish I had taken the plunge years ago.
I forgot to take it two days in a row last week and everything just came flooding back. Won't be doing that again!
Good luck OP

@freckles20 I found it and will have a read through today.
I was up all night, couldn't sleep and freaking out that it might make my health bad in some way. My head hurts too. But I will stick with it. My doctor never mentioned side effects or that it can take time to work.

@BrowniesAreSuper thank you. Glad it is helping you. Surprising how quickly it can effect you if you stop taking it.

@ijokeijoke it's a real shame that your GP didn't give you any more information. I appreciate that I'm a stranger over the internet but so many of us have been told that the side effects can be very tricky to start with for some people, and that it can take a while to feel better- I feel it's important to be aware of this so you can manage your expectations, and take the side effects in the context of being 'normal' for some people.

It must be particularly tricky for you having health anxiety, as the side effects are feeding into the very thing that you find difficult.