1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Almost 3 months on Setraline - does it get better?

Posted , 4 users are following.

lisa64762
lisa64762

I’ve posted here before about Setraline and the replies I got really helped with reassurance, so my question now is: I was on Setraline for 2 years, went off for a couple months, and now I’ve been back on for a total of 2 and a half months... but been at the same dose (75mg) for 7 weeks now and I’m still having anxiety and depression. I still find myself being trapped in my own head and constantly thinking about how I’m feeling and my anxiety. When my anxiety was really bad I was having a lot of intrusive thoughts about existence and us as humans, which in turn gave me anxiety attacks. I can’t seem to shake the feelings I had and the thoughts I was thinking. The irony is I’ve never had this kind of anxiety before I went on Setraline... all of this started happening after the first tablet. I desperately want to have a break from my own mind. I’m also noticing a lot of headaches. Has anyone had this kind of experience this far in to taking Setraline? If so, does it go away? I just want to feel like myself again, but I’m beginning to forget what that feels like. 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • sarah40069
    sarah40069 lisa64762

    Posted

    I was on Sertraline for 12 years and recently came off, after cutting down for several months. I was completely off it for 2 weeks before I started having panic attacks, so decided to go back on it. I've been put back on a higher dose than I was before ( from 50mg to 100mg) , so it might be worth speaking to your doctor about that, even if just temporarily. It is strange that you feel worse rather than better, but it may just be taking your body a while to readjust. I totally get what you mean about being trapped in your head. I find it hard to connect with those around me at times, even my children and husband. It's a horrible feeling. I would keep talking to your doctor and see what they say. Xx

    • lisa64762
      lisa64762 sarah40069

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Sarah - how long have you been back on? Did you have any side effects? I’ve heard that going on this medication it’s possible for it to take longer to get in our systems - but I just find it so strange that this amount of anxiety has been brought on from the medication itself, and the only way to get it under control is to increase it. Isn’t that weird? I often think to myself if I should be decreasing instead... I have an appointment with my GP in a week, so I guess I’ll see what he says. 
    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 lisa64762

      Posted

      I've been back on it about 3 weeks now and I am definitely feeling better, especially now the side effects are subsiding. I find once I start feeling anxious it takes a higher dose to bring me back down, than if I just stay stable, if that makes sense. I was really bad when I first went on them and ended up on 200mg plus something else to curb the anxiety, so I'm not bothered about going higher than I was before. Once I'm more stable I can gradually reduce them back down. Go back to the doctors sooner if you're struggling. My ultimate aim is to be medication free eventually, but at the moment I have to balance that desire with needing to be able to look after my children. 

    • lisa64762
      lisa64762 sarah40069

      Posted

      Hey Sarah, 

      Did you find you were having weird thoughts and stuff when your anxiety was high? Maybe I’ll just have to bite the bullet and increase in dose - I keep thinking that I would have been better off if I didn’t go back on these but in reality that’s probably not true. I guess I’ll have to see what my GP says. I’m happy you’re feeling better though! 

    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 lisa64762

      Posted

       Hi Lisa, were you on it originally for anxiety or depression? Anxiety can cause all sorts of crazy weird thoughts. I've not been so bad with the thoughts this time except the usual obsessing about how I'm feeling. I call them sticky thoughts because you can't get them out of your head! If I know a thought is all part and parcel of the anxiety I try and separate myself from it: allow it to be there but kind of ignore it as much as I can. Hope that helps xx

    • lisa64762
      lisa64762 sarah40069

      Posted

      Hey Sarah.. I was on it originally for mostly depression, I had anxiety but minimal and circumstantial. I’ve never had to deal with anxiety of this magnitude before - I also didn’t know that it can cause weird thinking. Sticky thoughts is the perfect name! It’s almost as if once you’ve had them, you can never get them out. At least now when I have them I don’t get anxiety attacks anymore, but it’s still super frustrating. I just want one day where I’m not obsessing over my thinking or how I feel. I think this process is so gradual that we don’t really notice changes. When I first when on zoloft I got super lucky with side effects - barely anything! Even when increasing doses. I guess my luck ran out! 
  • Kmom
    Kmom lisa64762

    Posted

    I have definitely been experiencing a spike in migraines. I also done a lot of research and talk to a few friends who are on Zoloft and they also take beta blockers which help with blood pressure and migraines that come along as a side effect of the Zoloft. I cannot take beta blockers I can only take calcium channel blockers due to having asthma, so I am on Verapamil with the Zoloft and still getting periods where I had terrible headaches and where My heart is racing. I've been on this for 16 days.

    She is definitely worse than it was before I started taking the medicine, which kind of sounds odd I guess. It's not worse in a sentence that I need to medicate more, such as take a Xanax, But it's throughout the whole day which it wasn't before. My issue is I stop driving because I was having random panic attacks all the time and of course that dreaded feeling that I was dying due to my anxiety being out of control. So I guess by now I was expecting to have been feeling free of thoughts in my mind and able to just get in my car. I don't know how long this takes to work does anyone have any idea. I have also read that some people only take 25 mg for anxiety I'm on 50. Anyone I talk to who deals with anxiety and is on medicine including therapists and doctors all say it gets worse before it gets better but I agree this is for the birds

    • lisa64762
      lisa64762 Kmom

      Posted

      Hey Kmom,

      Did you find that your spike in anxiety caused weird thoughts? And I hear you about driving - I can’t drive either! I’ve actually heard the opposite about anxiety doses - I’ve heard the higher doses treat anxiety and lower doses treat depression.. but who really knows! I guess everyone is different. I just desperately want to feel like I did BEFORE I took the zoloft... which is so ironic. I almost feel as though I’m stuck in a cycle - the depression feeds the anxiety and having the anxiety is feeding the depression. Like I mentioned I’ve been on the same dose for 6-7 weeks now and I was just hoping to be much better by now. 

    • Kmom
      Kmom lisa64762

      Posted

      I know, i want to feel the same too....it will come. I am going to give it the 6 weeks....and pray it works! I just need to get in my car, but i can'tsad

    • lisa64762
      lisa64762 Kmom

      Posted

      I’m waiting for the 8 weeks to see about a change in dose. My GP kept changing my dose every 2 weeks so I never really knew if a lower dose worked for me. I’ve heard it can take longer to kick in - basically the longer you’re taking it the better you’ll feel. You’ll be able to drive again one day, just remember that! Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, that won’t help anything either. I should take my own advice sometimes lol! 
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.