Starting sertraline for health anxiety while caring for young children?

[Snownosnow]

hi all, my GP has prescribed me sertraline for health anxiety. I’ve had health anxiety for years and been through some pretty tough stuff ( illness, v sick child, bereavements, secondary infertility and IVF etc) without taking anything but I burst into tears in her office today prior to getting some routine bloods back and she thinks I should try it. I do feel like it’s gotten worse lately despite no obvious triggers.

my problem is I am currently full time minding my two young children - husband can’t take any time off at the minute as it’s his year end crazy busy period - and I’m back to work in 2 weeks after maternity leave.

is this an ok time to start it? I’m worried about my ability to mind the children with side effects or getting worse and ruining my last two weeks off with them or going back to work with my head a mess when I wanted to hit the ground running.

any advice appreciated - very nervous about it. I’ll be on 25mg for 4 days then 50mg.

I'm on sertraline 100mgs . It's a brilliant drug and hasn't had any side effects for me . It also works quickly . You'll be fine looking after children . Take it with food and a cold drink so it doesn't upset your tummy .

Don’t do it , do your research. Horrendous side effects and even worse if you try to come off . Look at the website surviving antidepressants for info. Anxiety does not need a drug the medical and pharmaceutical industry have a lot to answer for. Increased anxiety is actually one of the side effects!!!!

Really? Did you have these yourself? I thought it was one of the tamest meds to take.

You should be fine OP. The side effects can be tough at the start but not generally not in the sense that they can interfere with how you care for your children - and no worse than how much anxiety can interfere with looking after them. You may find by the time you go back to work on two weeks that you're actually feeling better. I have taken it for anxiety but I have a relative who takes it specifically for health anxiety and he always says it's life changing. He felt the benefit of it very quickly and the side effects were minimal and short lived for him. Good luck!