Sertraline- wow

[WorriedandScared93]

I started taking 50mg a couple of months ago after the birth of my first child. I was getting quite bad postnatal anxiety (not depression). 50mg I struggled to see any difference with, I am now on my 5th week of 100mg Sertraline and I'm kicking myself I haven't been on this sooner. I don't even think it's possible to feel anxious anymore ... the voices in my head have gone quiet and the feeling of 'impending doom' has officially gone.

The feeling that 'something' is going to happen to my child has gone now. I am obviously still cautious but not overly cautious anymore. I also done something last week for the first time on my own that I would have never dreamt of doing 5 weeks ago.

I didn't want to go town the route of medication but I've tried talking therapies and telephone counselling all of which didn't work and just made me more frustrated.

Not sure what I'm looking to achieve by posting this but just wanted to share my experience!

That's great to hear. Well done for persisting until you found the thing that worked for you. Long may it last!

Thank you, I hope so too! @fivetriangulartree it's just a great feeling and nothing to be ashamed of. I was putting off going on these for a while.

I'm so glad it has helped you. Antidepressants get a bad rap but they can be really helpful.

Thank you @MajesticWhine I wouldn't say 100% but I would say nearing on 90% better. The anxiety is hardly there which was the main problem, I feel like I have my life back. I am wondering just how long I can/ should be on these.

Congrats on your baby op. I also have a young baby and my anxiety got so bad in pregnancy, I too suffer from ocd and intrusive thoughts it's relentless isn't it. I have felt alot better on the 100mg, I still get anxious, but I can ignore the voice in my head much easier now !

Exactly the same as me @massivecringe ! Yes it's relentless and awful... also quite scary. I had intrusive thoughts as well. I wouldn't say they have gone completely but they are not as 'loud' in my head if that makes sense, also I am able to shrug them off a lot easier now. I would say the 100mg has helped with my anxiety loads. Congrats on your baby also!

I'm pleased for you! I started sertraline a few years ago after struggling with my mental health for years and it was life changing. I really wished I'd tried it sooner.

i'm so glad its helping -i resisted for ages the first time round as got obsessed with the importance of breastfeeding but went on them 2 weeks after the 2nd birth. I have stayed on low dose anti-depressants after 2 x PND episodes, kind of realised that i have a hormonally driven depressive nature, i'd accepted for years that i would just have very dark thoughts at a certain time every month and have realised that wasn't normal or something i needed to accept!!! There's no real good evidence for long term use of anti-deps but personally they suit me and seem to be effective long-term.

@WorriedandScared93 thank you for sharing that. I'm 4 weeks into my sertraline journey, having switched from citalopram which I was on for many years. I've just upped my dose to 100mg and had a couple of better days. I'm still feeling it very hard to trust that I'm getting better (I have been unwell since last November) so to hear stories like yours is hugely comforting.

My DH has been on 75mg sertraline for a couple of years now, and it's the best thing for him. Without it, he is super anxious, paranoid, depressed, and has occasional suicidal thoughts. Since he's been on it, he's in a much healthier state of mind. The only thing is to be careful that you don't mess up with doses. Whenever we are out of normal routine and he misses a dose or two (not two days in a row even), he ends up having strange thoughts again and is in a bad place again.

I'm really glad that it is working for you!!