14 weeks on Sertaline - good and bad days, normal?

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Hey everyone,

I have been on Sertaline for 14 weeks. I had extreme anxiety, panic attacks and depression. My side effects were HORRIBLE but the worst was insomnia. I was even hospitalized because of it and i developed severe fear of sleeping.

My question is... is it normal to have good and bad days even after 14 weeks? One to two days a week I still feel down and still cant sleep well because of my fear of sleeping. And for the past 3 days I feel anxious, it almost feels like I am trembling inside. I do hope this is not a relapse.

Can someone please help?

Thank you,

Maja

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1 Reply

  • Posted

    Hi Maja, yes, it is completely normal to have good days and bad days at the 14 weeks mark.

    First, I completely relate to your insomnia. I've experienced that terrible side effects after getting on the med, but it went away. If you experience insomnia for long periods, you may want to switch the time you take the med. I take mine in the morning and it works for me. I heard some say they take it the evening and they may cause insomnia (?) but I am not sure, since I take mine in the morning. And remember, the worst thing about falling asleep IS the FEAR of not being to fall asleep.

    Second, sert works on anxiety first and takes a long, long time, maybe even up to 4-6 months to help lift your depression. It appears that this is the right med for you as you said you've had some good days. It's not necessary a relapse that you are currently experiencing this. Has something recently changed in your life that cause you more stress? Sometimes when you have a spike in stress levels, it will cause a spike in your anxieties. Do NOT let this become a full-blown relapse by reining in your stress levels. Reduce the stress or the trigger that's increasing your anxieties. Hope this helps.

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