Will Serteriline help me?

[Remmy123]

I have had Serteriline in my bedside table for a year now but something keeps stopping me from taking it.

I suffer with anxiety any issues that arise in my life, no matter how small, I fall to pieces. I'll google frantically to find answers.

I'm moody / snappy with my poor husband. I get irritated very easily.

I generally feel blue. If I have lots on I get overwhelmed and anxious until the day has ended when I feel relieved that all of those things are done.

On the outside no one wouid have a clue!!!

It also gets worse around my period - I am due on and feel awful, very anxious don't want to face the day.

Do you think Serteriline will help?

There is no reason for me to feel like this I have a lovely family/ kids etc ...

Thanks x

Hi OP, I did the same - got a prescription and left it in my drawer for a year. Eventually I took them and it was the best thing I ever did. Made a huge difference for me, massive. Life changing.

I think you should give them a go - the worst that happens is they don't do what you intended and so you can stop taking them. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this situation. That's how I rationalised taking them in the end anyway.

My advice, you will feel shitty the first week and possibly quite ill - don't judge them on that it's common. Week two you should feel ok and then gradually feel better.

Also start in a low dosage. I started on 50mcg and it made me very ill, with hindsight I'd have split my tablets in half and done the first week on 25 so I wasn't so ill.

Best wishes OP

Thank you! Yes they are 50g - wonder if I shouid do the same then start on half for a week?!

When you say ill what were your symptoms?

Thanks and pleased to hear they helped you! X

@Remmy123 I had bleeding gums, stomach cramps, brain fog, disorientated and nauseous. It wasn't pleasant at all but for the results was worth it for one week.

Like I mention though I feel like that's because I took 50 to start with had I have gradually gone up from 25 I don't think I would have felt anywhere near as ill X

I think I've had anxiety and depression to varying degrees for most of my life. I had a period a few years ago where it was pretty bad, I experienced panic attacks, felt constantly overwhelmed and super low and hopeless and eventually went to the doctor. I really did not want to go on medication. My mum was on various anti-depressants whilst I was growing up and often they seemed to just wipe her out completely and she wouldn't get out of bed all day, so I was really worried that would happen to me too. The doctor said things had come on a lot in the last 25 years and recommended sertraline as it's supposed to help when anxiety is an issue along with depression. He also stressed the importance of doing counselling alongside them, which I did through an NHS prescription to big white wall. Also he recommended starting on a low dose and upping it to the standard 50mg gradually to help counteract side effects. I can't remember exactly how this worked, it was maybe something like 25mg for the first week and the full 50mg afterwards.
I felt a huge improvement almost immediately- I think they are actually supposed to take a while for the positive effects to take hold, so maybe partly was some sort of placebo, or just relief that I was finally doing something and that I wasn't experiencing any of the horrendous side effects I'd always dreaded.
I had tried CBT before, but had only ever got so far with it and I found once I was in the sertraline my brain was so much more receptive to the ideas. It was like turning down the volume on the negative thoughts so that I could hear positive ones more clearly.
The anxiety and depression meant I'd always struggled with confidence and in the months After I started taking sertraline I was able to do things I'd always been scared of before- I applied for and got a promotion, I organised social events with groups of friends myself (a simple thing for many, terrifying for me!) and started trying for a baby (sadly still trying two years later)
I can't tell you it will work for you because everyone is different, but for me taking sertraline was one of the best things I've ever done

Taking sertraline has changed my life. It's like a big weight had lifted from my shoulders. I feel like myself again.

I was lucky, I just started in 50mg straight away, side effects weren't too bad. I had jaw clenching which was probably the worst, and a bit of an upset stomach.

Honestly, I've been feeling crappy for years and regret not getting them sooner.

So pleased to see the positive stories on here, I am a week into Sertraline. I have had them before at a really turbulent time and while it got me through I didn’t really think about the symptoms. I am out of that situation now but the negative feelings are back, but like you I have a settled family life, reasonable job, no reason to be so anxious. I think it’s the effect of the pandemic and being isolated for various reasons and it’s all taking its toll now. I’m not feeling great but hopefully that will go as the weeks go on.

I started on 50mg for anxiety. I’m now on 100mg. I had the jaw clenching and an upset stomach for a day but after that no side effects. It took about a month for me to start noticing a change in my mood. My advice would be try to take them on a full stomach and always with plenty of water.

Another thing I wish I had done was get my bloods checked first. I discovered not long after starting the sertraline that I was extremely low on vitamin D, B12/folate. I’m also peri menopausal all of those things can cause anxiety. I wish now I’d had a chance to address those issues before being put on the sertraline. However I am definitely less snappy/irritable and much calmer on them and can’t imagine coming off them anytime soon.
Also sertraline doesn’t work for everyone but there are alternatives that your GP can switch you over too if need be.

Thank you very much for your helpful responses!

I feel more comfortable with half a tablet a day so will start tomorrow x