Just restarted Sertraline and its awful

[DitchTheDodo]

It was last time too. But I know if I persevere with it I will feel like myself again and the racing thoughts will be gone.

But now, I'm a mess. Sitting downstairs while the rest of the house sleeps, racing heart, eyes feel wide open, nausea is unreal. The worst thoughts going through my head.

My sister took it for a while and it worked for her but she neve experienced the initial effects like i do.

Just looking for solidarity really 😖

I’ve been On and off it a few times and I dread starting it more than anything else in the world!

I ask my GP for x3 2 mg Valium and 7.5 zopiclone for the first two weeks and that makes it significantly better until the initial two weeks have past.

im so sorrry your are going through this it is truly grim and impossible to explain unless you have walked the path yourself. Don’t quit now it WILL be worth it

Didn’t want to read and run OP. I remember it well, I thought it was dying. After a few days all settled down and I think it saved my life. Take care and just get through it x

Thank you for the kind words. I have been prescribed some propranolol as well but I'm not finding it's helping this time around. Kicking myself for coming off when I was doing so.

*well.

I'm just over 3 weeks back on it and feeling so much calmer already. Last week i was still having some really anxious days but feels like i have levelled out now.
Hang on in there.

Also what time are you taking it and do you take with food? I always have just after breakfast and have heard having it with food helps with the nausea symptoms.

Hi OP. I'm three weeks in, first time sertraline user. I found the first week awful but started to improve after that although I'm definitely not better. Nausea has subsided but still struggling to get through the morning without a nap. I take it at night just before bed and feel like I maybe sleep through the worst of it because I feel my best late afternoon and evening so I get a decent few hours at least. I do feel like my emotions are more balanced so I'm persevering with another month's prescription then I'll revisit if side effects don't disappear. I need to control my anxiety to work but if I can't stay awake I won't be able to work anyway.

Hey there

Just wanted to add to this. I am in the same boat! I came off my anti depressants recently because I was feeling good and on a very small dose anyway

However, three weeks after coming off my anxiety came back in full flow along with lots of intrusive thoughts and rumination. It's been hell in all honesty

I have now gone back onto Sertraline and am nearly at the end of week 2. It's definitely been difficult, anxiety heightened and brought depression along with it. I think I am going to increase my dose as I am only on a small amount currently although I know it can take up to 6 weeks to be fully effective. Kind of terrified to increase it because of how it might make me feel

Couple of things which might help, I have been using this phone app called Dare which is based on the anxiety book. It has been quite helpful if you are in the right frame of mind and stick to the processes. An obvious one but keeping yourself busy to take your mind off of the anxiety helps. I'm not really a gamer but I have downloaded a game which has helped me take my mind off the anxiety/intrusive thoughts when I play. I also find housework/gardening helps! I find it so easy to stay in bed and hide away but if you have an anxious mind it doesn't always do you any favours. I have also downloaded the Tapping solution phone app which some people suggested to me. Might be worth a look?

I hope we will all feel better soon 🤞

Looking for some solidarity with you all. Only on day 3 and feeling absolutely horrendous - home is usually my safe space but having constant panic attacks, nausea and gagging, heart racing. Feeling so much worse than before I started taking it for situational panic attacks and anxiety. Thinking of giving up and can’t contact doctor as it’s bank holiday weekend - how long is this likely to last? I can’t get through 2 weeks of this 😞

Thanks everyone ❤️

@popandchoc the last 2 days I've taken it I'm the morning with as much food as I can stomach and fortunately the nausea has subsided. I think I was so anxious to behin with that I wasn't eating enough and it was a vicious cycle.

I am feeling so sleepy during the day too, but I'm waking up around 5am daily with that anxious sick feeling which is much earlier than usual for me so that's obviously not helping. I just can't seem to get back to sleep as my thoughts and heart are racing. So much for a bank holiday lie in! I'm going to download those apps thank you @Anxiousroundabout !

@pastaislife I feel worse than before i started it too but what's keeping me going is that I know if I persevere with it I will feel so much better in a few weeks. Its just so grim 😫

My friend, in her 70s has been on Sertraline for a few years now. She lives alone and first became depressed during lockdown, then had a couple of personal issues. She says she feels great on it and will never come off. Fine, but I've noticed (we don't meet up that often as we live quite a way from each other), that she's become VERY forgetful and doesn't remember one conversation to a next. She's also sort of 'numb' about things, e.g. another friend dying. Maybe I'm overreacting but could this be due to Sertraline?

For me this is one of the initial side effects that wears off, so it's possible. My friend made a joke the other day (a really obvious one) and I just didn't get it to the point that it was embarrassing. I just felt so slow and 'behind'!

Personally it's worth the risk but like I said, it wasn't a permanent side effect for me last time. Also I find I'm way more scatty and distracted when I'm particularly anxious, so i guess it's swings and roundabouts. 💐