Sertraline 2- A second handholding thread

[freckles20]

This thread is a follow on to the original handhold thread- for those beginning or continuing their journey on sertraline. All are welcome.

This is a supportive thread, where all situations are unique and there is no judgement.

Anyone else on a dose of 150mg. I started on 50mg was ok for a few weeks then dipped. Upped to 100mg and the same happened again although when I dipped, I was really low. GP suggested increasing to 150mg and I feel very up and down. I’m getting lots of thoughts about taking a lot of medication (not to end my life) but to make things go away for a while.... I don’t think increasing anymore is going to achieve anything based on the last two increases. But not sure if another medication is needed? Citalopram made me really sick and loose lots of weight.

Day 10. Today was the first time in ages I felt vaguely like myself. Not as achey, though did have a clanger of a headache first thing. I hope this is the start of things getting better.

@Lineofduty2021 how long have you been taking it for? It takes a couple of months to see the full effects, and it needs the same time to see the full effect from increasing the dose so depending on how long you've been on it this can be a factor. Some GPs do seem keen to increases doses quite quickly but it really needs 12 weeks or so to get the proper effect. Frustrating but worth hanging on if it hasn't been that long. If it has, might be worth trying something else.

@MissPilly I think you need to give it a chance taking it every day for a while. It might just be coincidence, or it could be from starting the sertraline again (although I haven't really heard the way you're feeling as a side effect before) but either way I think it's worth persevering as you found it helped before. I had a bit of a dip after I'd been on 50mg for a while and felt myself feeling more down and frustrated even though I'd been doing well, went up to 100mg and haven't looked back. So definitely think you should keep going and if you really don't feel the sertraline suits you after a couple of months it might be worth trying something else, but I think it's too soon to tell at the mo. I know it's difficult trying to find what works but it's so worth it when you get there! Could you set an alarm on your phone or something to remind you to take it each day? Or keep posting on this thread for support/encouragement

@Heronatemygoldfish glad to hear your feeling a bit better, hopefully you're through the worst of the side effects and things will continue to improve!

Thanks @Ihana
I may have spoken too soon. Jitters/heavy twitchy arms are back today. But then I have a social thing to do tonight with complete strangers and it's exam week for DC so I'm not entirely surprised. Whenever I think about it, I realise my shoulders are almost at my ears and have to consciously unclench/relax.

But it went away for two days so hopeful that it will go away again tomorrow. Bastarding anxiety.

Thanks for the advice @Ihana
I don’t know why I find it so difficult to take it regularly, my mind just seems to wander and I forget. I was taking it first thing before but realised it gave me terrible stomach pains which thankfully stopped after I ate an apple (read about that on mumsnet) so take it with enough water now.

I think setting an alarm is the best thing.

5 weeks in to dose increase and feel no benefits. Should it take this long?

Hi all - nearly three weeks in and I've been having terrible diarrhoea. Worrying about my stomach is my biggest anxiety. I feel like it's taking over my life now - it's happened three times in ten days out of the blue. I'm getting scared to leave the house in case I'm caught short 🥲

I’ve been on 150mg for a year. Noticed if I try to wean off all the bad thoughts come back. I’m staying on 150mg, I’ll deal with the depersonalisation over the intrusive thoughts

@Lineofduty2021

Anyone else on a dose of 150mg. I started on 50mg was ok for a few weeks then dipped. Upped to 100mg and the same happened again although when I dipped, I was really low. GP suggested increasing to 150mg and I feel very up and down. I’m getting lots of thoughts about taking a lot of medication (not to end my life) but to make things go away for a while.... I don’t think increasing anymore is going to achieve anything based on the last two increases. But not sure if another medication is needed? Citalopram made me really sick and loose lots of weight.

There was a big difference for me jumping from 100 to 150. It was worth it

@Yorkshiremummyof1
did you go from 50-100-150? I'm on 100 now and it is driving me crazy thinking nothing is going to change. I had a couple of week's relief at 50mg then dipped. Since moved up and nothing. How long did it take for your increase to work?

[quote holymoly678]@Yorkshiremummyof1
did you go from 50-100-150? I'm on 100 now and it is driving me crazy thinking nothing is going to change. I had a couple of week's relief at 50mg then dipped. Since moved up and nothing. How long did it take for your increase to work?[/quote]
I did 50mg for two weeks, took myself up to 100mg then 4 weeks later up to 150mg. I mean I was in desperate need of it, really badly. I felt no different at 50mg, mildly different at 100mg and then finally at 150mg I can cope with life. Insomnia is bad but that's the trade off I guess. I had a period where I was at 200mg but went back down to 150mg once the bad life events had gone.

I would say that it took around 3 months for me to suddenly realise I wasn't obsessing over things anymore. I don't know if it started working before that though.

actually no, insomnia was bad, it isn't anymore. But I'm now so used to not going to sleep that I haven't reset my sleep clock

Thank you. I'm so glad it is working well for you. I'll give it another month and see how I go

I was surprised but genuinely one day I just realised I wasn’t obsessing over things. Like, why hasn’t he text me back was no longer a thought. And now for instance, things just dont bother me. I find sertraline really helps anxiety

That is brilliant

@HippoNamedBooBooButt

Hi all - nearly three weeks in and I've been having terrible diarrhoea. Worrying about my stomach is my biggest anxiety. I feel like it's taking over my life now - it's happened three times in ten days out of the blue. I'm getting scared to leave the house in case I'm caught short 🥲

It passes I promise. I had the exact same thing.

@NowYouListenToMeFella

Great username!

Thank you for responding.

How long did it take to pass?

It was about three or four weeks. Thankfully I didn't have the same issue when I had my dosage upped.

Straussful - sorry to hear about your daughter. has she had her vit d and iron levels checked? Especially with the lockdown less sun results in less vit d and therefore less iron. Levels and therefore mood often worst after coming out of winter.

Hello I'm new to sertraline, GP prescribed for anxiety, I have read the stories here, they are lovely. I'm struggling w anxiety insomnia already so just a bit worried that sertraline will keep that cycle going.

Hi BigGreen. I suffered from insomnia and anxiety too before Sertraline. It made it slightly worse for the first 10-14 days but now has settled down and I'm sleeping much better than before. Good luck

Oh thanks for posting FeduponFriday that's really reassuring.

So I'm 8/9 weeks into sertraline was on 50mg for first few weeks and for last 2 weeks been on 100mg. At what point am I going to stop feeling anxious and have the physical symptoms that come with it. I have a constant weird feeling around my next with pressure building up at the sides of my next and then a weird pressure that pulsates at the top. I wake up and that's the first thing I think about and I'm struggling to ignore the feelings. I've had 3 CBT sessions so far which I'm finding useful. I do a worry book nightly. I'm doing meditation before bed and I've found a hypnotherapy thing on YouTube that I'm doing daily and initially feel relief from them but it doesn't last. I have health anxiety so the feelings around my neck get worse as I start thinking there's something wrong with me. But then I suppose something could be....

Is there anyone on a similar situation with any positive news that I'm gonna feel normal again. I've been feeling like this since my partner was diagnosed with leukaemia and since his last appointment which was good ish news I though my anxiety would of reduced naturally. I've had anxiety for years but never at this level or for this time frame

Thanks for any advice

Hey everyone

Hope you're all okay. 5 months on Sertraline and I'm like a different person. The clouds have lifted, I'm productive, enjoying visiting family now restrictions have eased a little. Love sitting in the sun and reading a book - something I didn't have the patience to do before.

I know this won't work for everyone, but honestly, if you're in any doubt about whether to try, it's definitely worth a go.

Day 22 today. The jittery feeling has almost gone and though I get the odd palpitation, I don't feel like my heart is trying to hammer itself out of my chest any more. The first 7-10 days were definitely awful!

And the thing I've been most anxious about is next Monday. And I run out of sertraline next Friday - so I have to phone up GP! Don't want to come off it, but they can't just let me go cold turkey so I don't expect to have trouble getting any.

Sleepwise I'm having less trouble/insomnia despite switching to evenings (because I forgot to take it one morning!).

Here's hoping it continues.