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Are these side effects?

Posted , 4 users are following.

kathryn33357
kathryn33357

Hu. Im on day 6 of 25mg of sertraline and im feeling sick, spaced out, down etc with shlrtness of breath. Last night i had a panic attack and was just wondering if this is normal and if it will pass? Im a single mum to an 8 year old and 9 month old and it scares me feeling like this. Thank you

0 likes, 38 replies

38 Replies

  • lorraine82455
    lorraine82455 kathryn33357

    Posted

    Yes Kathryn, sadly they are, and it may get worse before it's gets better, about two weeks. The drug seems to increase anxiety for awhile until your brain adjusts, meditation helps, and walking, feel better

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 lorraine82455

      Posted

      Thank you lorraine. I do a lot of walking and try to keep busy. Its the evenings i find worse, when the kids are in bed. But thats nearly a week done so fingers crossed things will inprove soon
    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      That's the time to do your relaxation, breathing, meditation and listening to good CDs. Also chatting to friends on media?

      Phil

  • jwh01
    jwh01 kathryn33357

    Posted

    Hi Kathryn, these are all normal start up side effects, I've been on 100mg of Sertraline for around eight months, and I rember having everything you describe, I started on 50mg for a couple of weeks then moved to 100mg, I take it purely for anxiety, and it does help, and the side effects do go away, I think my side effects lasted about two or three weeks, then had them again, not as severe when I moved up, anti depressants normally take six to ten weeks to become fully effecitve, so hang in there, It'll be worth it, it has for me.

    John

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 jwh01

      Posted

      Thank you John. I can cope with them if i know they will only be temporary smile fingers crossed they will pass soon smile
  • chloe76853
    chloe76853 kathryn33357

    Posted

    Hi Kathryn, I'm only on day 2 and I have all of those symptoms aswell. Everything has to get better before it gets worse lovely 😊 hope you begin to feel better soon, keep me updated

  • philip49799
    philip49799 kathryn33357

    Posted

    Bless you kathryn. Horrible when you maybe on your own, however there are some good exercises you can learn to help you when a Panic Attack hits or you feel one coming on. There's also CDs and you can take some over the counter stuff for the nausea. The spaced out is typical and must be hard for you with the children.

    You will get support on here and there are other phone line supports if you search the web.

    can you consider looking at your diet to increase the intake of foods rich in the Seratonin family?

    Good luck and be strong.

    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      I just searched the web for foods good for Seratonin or similar. I don't know if any of the ones I saw are any good and I don't know if any of the ones I've started will make any difference so that's not much help....sorry. Just that there is a connection between 'our problems' and the lack of Seratonin related nutrients and vitamins. I'm still not likely to eat a couple of tins of sardines every day.............might try something else that's rich in oily stuffredface

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 philip49799

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. Do you take sertraline as well? Or do you manage without?
    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      In my case, mostly but we are all different as you have probably realised. However, after lunch today I almost had a Panic Attack linked to Health Anxiety and had to resort to my Beta Blocker. 

      Two steps forward and one step back at the moment.

      Hey ho, at least summer is a comin'.

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 philip49799

      Posted

      Oh no, I hope you are feeling okay now. I too suffer from health anxiety, but also intrusive thoughts with regards to my daughter. Its awful. Today is a bad day for me but im still only day 7 so im fuessing this is nkrmal. I am supposed to up to 50mg after a week but im worried incase i get much worse
    • lorraine82455
      lorraine82455 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Not having a great day either, massive headache, Is your daughter ill?please go slow to increase to 50, maybe wait till things settle down a bit
    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Oh yes thasnk you, I'm OK but I'm now knackered. It quite frightened me at the time. HA is horrible and I also have it by Proxy so to speak, in that if someone else is ill, sick or dies I go to pieces. This latter thing is fairly recent and I don't know why. 

      You have so much to look forward to after about day 14. Go, go, go K. You can do it.

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 lorraine82455

      Posted

      No shes fine but i have postnatal ocd which means that i have these intrusive thoughts of harm coming to her. Its awful sad sorry you are having a bad day too, not easy is it sad i think im going to hold off on the increase for another week and see how things go
    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 philip49799

      Posted

      Hi Philip. I understand what you mean about when people get ill etc, i always think it will happen to me. Its an awful way to live isnt it. I had counselling for it but tbh it didnt help at all. I hope you manage to get some sleep and have a better day tomorrow
    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Thank you and may you develop more strategies to handle 'challenges'.

      Re the health Anxiety, have you done CBT with a trained mental health worker rather than a Counsellor?

      ATB

      Phil

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357

      Posted

      Im having an awful day today, my thoughts are awful and i feel really 'odd' and spaced out. Im.on day 8 and thought my thoughts would be starting to improve and not get worse sad

    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Oh poor you. It is like this unfortunately and you are probably at the worst time now and so it will be better. It will. It is easy for me to sit here and say this, however i was there 20 days ago and all I wanted to do was stay in bed and be 'turned off'. The I noticed that after I had forced myself to get up, shower and have a bite and a cup of decaff (don't have ordianry coffee...yes honestly) I felt a bit better and so I forced myself to just walk for ten minutes. I also have a relaxation CD from No Panic, best £11 I have spent recently. It makes you concentrate so hard and then realx that the horrible stuff gets sqeezed away from your face and head. hang in there K.........if you can't handle it, phone Samaritans. They are there for you.

    • lorraine82455
      lorraine82455 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Kathryn, sorry you are having a bad day. This drug amps up all your feelings until your brain gets accustomed to it. Keep telling yourself Its The Drug, not me. It is normal to feel worse early on. You are not getting worse! 
    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 philip49799

      Posted

      Thank you P. I, too, drink decaf, apart from my first cup of tea in the morning. Luckily i have to get up and walk my son to school every morning so that gets me up and out. Im hoping that, like you said, i am at the worst and things will start to improve over the next few days smile I will have a look for that cd smile Thank you and thank you for listening and for the advice
    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 philip49799

      Posted

      Thank you P, i will have a look. Quick question, I was supposed to up my dose to 50mg after a week but because im.feeling so bad i thought best to stay on 25mg for a bit longer. Do you think i am stopping myself from the drug working properly for me if i dont increase?
    • lorraine82455
      lorraine82455 kathryn33357

      Posted

      K, can't make that decision for you, but I stayed on 25 for three weeks before upping dose.when I did get to 50 I only lasted 22 days. What does your DrDr want? Unfortunately he is not feeling the side effects😳

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 lorraine82455

      Posted

      I cant get to see the dr for another 3 weeks. May i ask why you only lasted 22 days? Were they that bad?
    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Could you not get a phone appointment? I would suggest that 1 week on 25 is too short a time but what do I know, I'm not a GP, don't know your circumstances & I only thake the drug because that's what I was given (50mg from the start). Sorry I can't really help here. 

    • lorraine82455
      lorraine82455 kathryn33357

      Posted

      the side effects on 50 were more than I could handle. Anxiety was all the time. I didn't feel sick, just spaced out, exhausted, and very anxious. I wasn't able to drive or go to the stores. Not the same for everyone.xK

    • lorraine82455
      lorraine82455 kathryn33357

      Posted

      K,My chemist made up 37.5 which I started a week ago, I will see how that goes , I didn't get any help from the drug. I am hoping to go off it, but not sure. Still anxious, but nothing like on the 50. 

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