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4 weeks on Setraline. Complete discription/progress.

Posted , 3 users are following.

ChristineRoss
ChristineRoss

Hi everyone. This will be a rather long post so my apologies. I'm 23 years old. Had been having anxiety and depression for two years, never got help, and then it became much worse, thousands of time worse. Got put on Setraline 50mg a day. This is the first anti-depressant i've ever been on. And here is a detailed description of what happened in the first month.

Day 1 : Fell asleep 20 minutes after taking the pill. Woke up, threw up. Was shaking a bit and headache SO bad. Went to sleep again.

Day 2 : Headache still there. Shaking. Not hungry at all. But ate anyway. Shaking went away. Nausea set it. Very tired but unable to sleep.

Day 3 : Not tired at all. No appetite. Headache still very much alive.

Day 4 : Woke up Dizzy. Realised i need to eat eventually. I ate. Felt better. Headache is now my bestfriend, he is always there! Made peace with it. Still not tired, cant sleep. Took a sleeping pill.

Day 5 : My head now hurts with a vengance. Dizzy spells. Nausea. Jaw is numb and hurting at the same time. No appetite but ate anyway. Not tired at all, took a sleeping pill. Slept.

Day 6 : Trouble seeing? Like there is glass infront of my eyes. Headache is still my best pal, we now hang out every second of every day. Not tired at all but keep yawning like the laziest person alive. No appetite again, but ate anyway. Took sleeping pill. Slept.

Day 7 : Headache was very lighter! Aww no, is my best pal leaving? A bit dizzy, a bit nauseous. Shaking again. Ate something. Felt better. Very anxious and sad for no good reason. Cried. Alot.

Week 2 : My headache is still there, but very very light. I'm still yawning like there's no tomorrow. Still dizzy but doesn't feel like i'm floating anymore. Nausea seems to be gone completely. Still not tired but the sleeping pill before bed helps. VERY anxious, and depressed still. Doesn't feel like Setraline is working for me at all.

Week 3 : Headache is now not a bestfriend anymore, he just pops in from time to time. A bit dizzy still. Keep biting on my teeth for some reason. I'm now able to sleep without a sleeping pill, i can even take naps in the afternoon. No appetite still. STILL extremely anxious but the depression has lifted. Maybe there is hope. Maybe...

Week 4 : This is an important week. I'm on my period. And usually on my peroid depression hits me MUCH harder. At this time i usually have thoughts of suicide, i cant get out of bed AT ALL, keep crying. But this week on my period i GOT out of bed. I didnt cry once, and i finally knew there WAS light at the end of the tunnel. Headache didnt show up once during this week, Nausea and dizziness seems to have left me also. I slept much better. Still a bit anxious, but it doesnt seem like the end of the world like it usually did. Depression? Don't feel it al all. Not yet an appetite but staying thirsty. Slept well, without sleeping pills. Calm and content. Life seems just a little more prettier than usual. And WHILE im on my period. That has happened a VERY LONG TIME AGO!

So from my experience the first week is the worst. Thats why i wrote my side effects daily. The second week i summed it up in one whole week. It didn't completely dissapear but it was MUCH lighter. The third week it was also much lighter, The fourth week it was mostly gone.

I found that the anxiety sometimes increases but for maybe a few hours. The anxiety for me is not yet gone, but it is better for sure.

My depression seem so much lighter its as if it is gone.

I want to tell people out there that this ride is not easy. Infact it is very scary. The side effects are horrific. And you are going to feel crap. You will feel as if its completely useless, its not making you feel better, its just adding to the problems you already have.

I'm feeling like me again, for the first time in two years, and i swear that's true. I'm hopefull, in the mood to do things, get out of the house and inhale a bunch of fresh air. I also laugh again and make jokes. I sleep better and i'm actually excited to wake up tomorrow and see what else life has to offer.

Setraline's side effects are the worst thing ever, but i want to engourage people to stick it out. I wanted to give up SO many times and i'm really so glad i didn't. The bad days are not gone, sure there will still be bad days, everyone has them. But it won't feel like the world is ending because of those bad days anymore.

Setraline will also take time to work. I spoke to my doctor and told her im feeling beter already, and she said it's great but it's not even the full effect yet. She said she has had a ton of patients that started showing progress after three months and a few who even started showing progress after longer than that. So it's really a waiting game. And you REALLY will feel worse before you feel better.

I hope my post helps someone out there. And gives them hope to carry on with Setraline. For me it seems really worth all the trouble.

3 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • natalie06867
    natalie06867 ChristineRoss

    Posted

    hi your post is soooooo encouraging. I am on day 12 of sertraline and yep wk 1 was worse day 6 I hit bottom. I am on propranolol also slow release and although I feel a little tired on them they are keeping me calm. I was given sertraline for sudden anxiety so hoping that this will ease. to be fair it has eased slightly compared to wk 1 and if I feel really bad I take myself for a stroll. I have started to eat little meals again and taking 1 day at a time which is hard when I normally plan so far in advance. Christine reading your post has itself made me feel positive.
    • ChristineRoss
      ChristineRoss natalie06867

      Posted

      Hi Natalie, its so wonderful to hear that my post made you feel positive. That was my main aim, if i could just make one person feel positive and optimistic, and just let one person know that there IS hope smile The first week is really the worst, i would not ever want to relive that again. But slowly it starts getting better, until one morning you wake up and think it was all worth it smile I'm really out of my skin with positivity today, for the last two years ive been through hell and back while on my time of the month, i'm not joking if i say i couldnt get out of bed, i cried my eyes out, i thought of suicide like it was a glass of water in the desert. So especially now on this time of the month i'm realising that setraline works. Just take it one day at a time like i did, and you'll get there before you properly realise whats happening smile Goodluck, xxx
    • natalie06867
      natalie06867 ChristineRoss

      Posted

      hi Christine hope you are well. Ok so day 14 and 15 I felt good sleeping slightly better less anxious and trying to keep busy. however towards end of day 15 had toothache and now have antibiotics which I am worried will take me back a bit. went to bed as usual and was awake on and from 03.30am and had several waves of anxiety! horrible when you think your getting better. today now tired and trying hard to over come each wave of anxiety. I hope this is just a bad day as on day 16 so early days. Any advice
  • karen261
    karen261 ChristineRoss

    Posted

    HI that was a great post, its nice to read that others feel the same way, as i have, im on sertraline 50mg not sure if its the best one yet. ive been on antidepressants for 11 years now, since my son was born, i dont really feel anxious, more like worry alot the docs put me on these tablets straight after my son was born. ive tried to get off them, bit cant seem to do it. i dont always sleep that good, i have also taken sleeping pills in past, but try not to take them too much cos you can get addicted to them. i can sleep for 7 hours or more and wake up still feeling like i havent slept and inside my head feels numb, do you ever feel like that at all.
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