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Agitated with Sertraline, is it worth it?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Capodingos
Capodingos

I was previously taking citalopram for several years, they helped a bit with anxiety but made me demotivated, exhausted and unable to sleep at night. I tried to stop them several times and finally stopped taking about a year ago after the physical side effects became a problem, and found the withdrawal effects very unpleasant and caused a lot of personal difficulties.

Things have been bad with work and relationships, but getting worse again, my constant anxiety and depression irritating people and making it hard to get anything done.

I have been putting off taking antidepressants again as I think they have done more harm than good, but took 1/4 of a 50mg sertraline tablet today, to try a gradual start. I felt wired like I had drunk too much coffee, so took a diazepam to help, but then slept most of the day and feel really agitated again tonight, dizzy, nauseas, I can't keep my legs still.

I know people say it takes a few months for them to work, but also they don't work for many people, it seems a big gamble, I don't want to feel like this even for another day, then have to go through the months of withdrawal again if they don't work, or if the weight gain causes impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes) as happened with the citalopram.

I know SSRIs work for some people, but they just make me feel worse, I know I will just be offered yet another type by the GP, I am lucky to have been given the diazepam which do help but know they will be stopped soon.

I am worried about the furture, either on of off medication, but think that the system of simply trying one drug after another is going to end badly.

2 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • don45258
    don45258 Capodingos

    Posted

    I know how you feel I was in citalopram for year and they worked well for me then they just stopped working a few years ago I went to gp and he said try mertrazapine they made me even worse (cut a long story short) then I tried many ad,s with no joy then gp said try sertraline again so like a fool I did it's been 22 weeks now I its totally changed me my personality ,mood,thoughts and me as a person doc said you need to give it time I've given it time 22 weeks come on the gps don't understand these ad,s are poisen I'm going to see gp next week I want off these meds from my experience they've done more harm than good it's time to go the natural way I know it a big rant but I feel so frustrated hope thing work out for u x
    • Capodingos
      Capodingos don45258

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply. I'm sorry your GP doesn't sound very helpful, they should have realised they are not working sooner, 22 weeks is far too long.

      Usually the GP will advise coming off them much too quickly also, or taking every other day. From experience coming off citalopram I found that was bad advice, it is much better to take the same dose every day, otherwise the levels fluctuate too much (the half life of sertraline is 26 hours). Try and get some 25mg tablets from the GP and then cut them into quarters and reduce the dose by a quarter tablet every couple of weeks.

      I took another diazepam last night but still didn't get to sleep til after 3AM. Feel a bit better this morning, I am not going to take another sertraline tablet, and feel stupid trying it, but felt I couldn't go back to GP if I hadn't tried it. I would like some support, more diazepam and CBT, but to access them it seems that you have to take the antidepressants.

      From reading on here and other sites I now know that the exhaustion, weakness and insomnia I had from the citalopram previously were side effects, and not chronic fatigue or depression, and the awful anxiety, tearfulness and bad temper I had for months after stopping were withdrawal symptoms.

      I feel let down by the GPs, they were trying to help but have little understanding of the side effects and withdrawal symptoms, which get dismissed as symptoms of depression and anxiety or hyperchondria.

    • don45258
      don45258 tracey11164

      Posted

      Hi nice to here from u still ha e low mood and anxiety just been to see my cbt therapist and he said to have a go coming of sertraline I think they are making me numb went to a funeral last week and got no emotions that's not me so going to speak to gp tomorrow and see what he thinks how's things been for u ? Xx
    • don45258
      don45258 Capodingos

      Posted

      That's so true I've gone private for cbt it's a lot better than the NHS one I had 6 sessions on NHS didn't help at all this private ones are a lot better I've just come back from a session he said I would think about coming of sertraline it would have worked by now look on the Internet you will find a private one in your area
  • jennycono
    jennycono Capodingos

    Posted

    I honestly don't think it's worth it. I know everyone reacts differently to different drugs but I don't like this one. I've done a lot of research and it seems to do more harm than good. I took it for 5 days back in January. It's October and I'm still struggling to get back to normal. I even did 8 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy. I couldn't afford any more. I had very little anxiety before taking it. I usually only get anxious when my insulin gets a little high. PCOS causes this and I take metformin for it. For some reason my doctor didn't mention it was high and just gave zoloft. I've been almost constantly anxious since. I would try something else. The behavioral therapy is actually supposed to help more than drugs. I would give that a try.
    • don45258
      don45258 jennycono

      Posted

      So true I wish I had never started this med I had anxiety before this med but sometimes it would ease since taking this med 22 weeks ago I can honestly say I've had anxiety every day gp told me it will settle hang in there 22 weeks and still hanging in there so today I decided to go down to 25mg from 50mg I'm sure this meds made my anxiety worse
    • jennycono
      jennycono don45258

      Posted

      I'm do sorry to hear you're also having a hard time with it. From everything I've read, 22 weeks should be long enough to know if it'll work for you. Just 5 days of panic attacks was enough for my doctor to say it isn't right for me. I think mindfulness meditations help and the CBT helps. I'm in the US so it's very expensive and I can't afford it anymore. Exercise is supposed to help a lot. Definitely make sure you have tests done to see if you have any deficiencies, thyroid or insulin issues, and things like that. A lot anxiety is caused by little things we don't notice like a magnesium deficiency. I would stop the Zoloft at this point. I hope you find something that helps.
    • Capodingos
      Capodingos jennycono

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply. I'm sorry you are suffering with anxiety still, I am well aware it doesn't sound like much to other people but is horrible thing to experience. Doctors prescribe antidepressants too quickly and they should have made sure the physical condition of blood sugar / insulin was under control before even considering antidepressants. I'm not sure what treatment is available for PCOS but it is clear that it is the cause of your symptoms and antidepressants will not really help. I know it is not a long term solution, but I found diazepam to be very helpful to feel more relaxed and get on with things instead of being paralyzed with anxiety.

      Best wishes and hope you feel better soon.

    • Capodingos
      Capodingos don45258

      Posted

      I definately think that it is best to reduce the dose as it is making you feel worse and you have given it more than enough time. You may be OK going down to 25mg, but if you start feeling worse it will be from the withdrawal symptoms and it is best to cut up the tablets and reduce in smaller steps. Can you see your doctor again and get some propanolol (beta-blockers) or diazepam to help reduce the anxiety.
    • don45258
      don45258 Capodingos

      Posted

      I'm on propanalol already but cheers for the advice read my new post about what doctor said to me today it's a joke
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