Postnatal Depression / Anxiety / Sertraline

[Mimimi1029]

Hi I'm new here..
I would love to get some advise / experiences from others who went through the same thing.
I have 2 children under 2. Was very happy and had/have a good life.
BUT.. about 8 weeks after giving birth to my 2nd I started to get anxious and very nervous out of nowhere... I started to get panic attacks.. (no depression just anxiety).
Fast forward I went to the GP who prescribed Sertraline 25 - 50mg.
After taking the 1st Pill in the morning I didn't notice anything until in the evening I felt as if someone gave me an electroshock and that night and the following day I felt like I'm in a never-ending panic attack. 3rd day I was calmer but I got severely depressed (for no specific reason) and it got so bad that I couldn't handle it anymore and felt like and don't want to be anymore.. I kept taking it though for 7 days but the depression got worse and worse...
After talking to a doctor (I rang 111) she said to stop it and try something else and she said the depression should lift after stopping because the drug triggered it.
Now, 2 days after stopping I feel worse than ever.. nervous intrusive thoughts anxious very depressed hopeless and fatigued blurred vision and the list goes on.. I have a GP Appointment tomorrow I think she will change my medication but I am scared now

I am also not aloud to read newspapers or Google as I always think the world is coming to an end and that's what sets me off the daily express and there asteroid articles have triggered it this time I know it sounds silly but it's always some kind off disastrous event that sets me off like the 2012 Mayan prediction I had to be put on citalopram and then 2016 I seen predictions from a blind lady about the end of the world but sertraline helped me that time was on it up until this summer but I can't remember how long it took to work xx

Sorry for delay in replying. How are you feeling now? It's things that most people would think were ridiculous and be able to ignore or not believe but for us they bring on the anxiety. Do you have any ways of coping, obviously you're trying not to read these articles but when you do, are the drugs the only thing that manages it. Have you ever tried hypnotherapy?

I don't think the sertraline has kicked in yet I'm also on diazepam which doesn't really help to be honest and I'm constantly checking the news and researching it. Had a very stressful night at work last night and came home to a bit more stress and when I woke this morning I had a bad stomach full of that dread feeling. Got the kids out to school tried to lay down a while but anxiety kept waking me up so I rang the medical centre they've no appointments and can't get a call from a doctor til tomorrow but I would say they will probably tell me to stick with it another week..... I don't have much patience left as I can't seem to get organized for Christmas and it's 3 weeks away I will have been on sertraline a month on Saturday and there's not any difference I don't think I am any worse because I was feeling the exact same at the start as I am now. Constant panic worry dread catastrophizing.

At 4 weeks, I felt no difference either, it honestly took a good 6 weeks. I was losing hope and wondering what I'd do. Definitely see what the Dr says tomorrow. Can you stop yourself from googling? Can someone take your phone/tablet away, desperate measures!! Was there a trigger that started this anxiety? Can you tell yourself that there is nothing you can do about these events if they did occur? Is there anything that you can do to take your mind off it? Don't Google, don't research, it will make it so much worse. It is so unlikely it will ever happen, these predictions haven't come true and they really really won't.

North Korea worrys me the most I worry because there's nothing I can do about it. Just finished work and craved food for the first time in weeks x

Hi all just to let you all know from about 5 this evening I have felt no anxiety and felt excited about Christmas long may this continue x

That's brilliant!! What a great feeling xx

Broke down in work today when is this anxiety going to stop I'm either crying panicking or sleeping

That's the trouble, while it's a great thing that you felt no anxiety the other day, you will still have good and bad days particularly as the pills are still taking effect. Just try and focus on the fact that you did have a good evening and you definitely will feel that way again. Are your work understanding?

Some people are understanding but it's tough so tough I have sat in sheer anxiety and depression all day today

I just came on here to see how you are, didn't realise you'd posted again. How rubbish, I'm sorry it's been a bad day. It must be difficult for others to understand how we can't just 'snap out of it'. Did something set it off? Are you managing to sleep? I often struggle more at weekends as there is less routine. I hope you feel slightly more relaxed now.

I was thinking about getting on sertraline. I have struggled with anxiety for ten years off and on. I was on it several years ago and it did help. Then I had a baby and after he was born and I stopped breastfeeding it came back ten fold. I tried every single possible thing for two years and nothing really helped so then I went on meds. This time I tried citalopram. It was awful going on it. First two weeks I never felt worse. But after that it finally started to help. I stayed on it for two years and came off about six months ago at the insistence of my GP. Now slowly but surely the panic attacks seem to be creeping back in. Wondering if maybe the citalopram wasn’t actually the right med. anywho does anyone have positive experiences with sertraline - I’m terrified of starting a new Mrs again and it getting worse before it gets better!

I agree weekends are harder which I then feel guilty about because I don’t get to hang out with hubby and son like I want to.

Also does anyone else have panic attacks that last for hours and hours? I’m working on hour five now. I found that it’s rare but it does exist - they call it continuous wave panic attacks.

Hi albernucci, that sounds really tough particularly your panic attack. I haven't suffered like that and I'm so sorry that you do. Do you feel calmer now? Does the GP not like you to be on citalopram long-term then? I know people on Sertraline long term, not ideal but they can't cope without it. I definitely feel better now but as I said previously it took a long time to work this time. The guilt does make it worse, I hated my children seeing me constantly crying but the feeling of dread is debilitating. Does anything help, getting out of the house, seeing friends, shopping, watching TV etc etc. I sometimes put songs on or watch Friends, go to my local cafe, helps for a bit.

Thanks! Finally better now. The only thing that really breaks the cycle for me is getting out and walking in a park for two hours! Unfortunately when it happens in the middle of the night I don’t want to do that so I end up feeling trapped and it probably makes things worse. I’m going to GP to talk about sertraline tomorrow as I know it helped me before. I feel positive again so hopefully things will get better!

I'm really pleased for you. I hope the GP is helpful. Yes, I imagine it's pretty awful in the night when you can't escape it. I was told to try mindfulness, I downloaded the Calm app but never used it. I'm rubbish at trying new things!!