Day 10 of Sertraline
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hey guys, ive been reading these forums for a while but decided it was time to make my own post. I have been taking 25mg for 10 days now, and I have seen some results.
2 months ago I started waking up around 2 am(after going to bed at 11pm) to puke/dry heave every night I Would then proceed to toss and turn barely getting a wink of sleep. During the day i would have panic attacks and moments of calm. I was very hesitant to go back on meds as I really wanted to take the vitamin and supplement approach because i had already kicked Sertraline once before and was okay for a few months after the fact. But I dont have a job, and find this overwhelming anxiety makes the idea of finding a job impossible so I decided to go back on to sertraline.
The first dose was rough... I had an almost immediate panic attack and decided not to take it again. 2 days later i decided to try again and only had some nausea. This gave me hope I could deal with the side effects, and honestly since then it hasnt been so bad. The occasional headache here and there but the real tough one was the crazy nightmare dreams. Those started to make me feel depressed because i was dreaming about old friends and missed life opportunities.
Now on day 10 I have gotten 2 good sleeps in a row. I feel somewhat more motivated to take my vitamins and exercise, and eating has become easier. The cynic in me thinks that this is a placebo but I will continue to take 25mg a day for another week or so then ill make the jump to 50mg and see how that goes.
Sorry for the reaaaaaally long post but I had to get it out. I plan on updating you guys as I proceed down the road. Has anyone had a similar experience? Has anyone found that as the sertraline starts to work they find themselves Wanting to work again? Im terrified of having responsibility— being expected to be there for 8 hours when I am feeling so unstable. I also fear ill have to quit (i had to quit my last job because of this anxiety) a new job because i am afraid of breaking down. I am starting my counselling on the 30th of May so i hope that helps. I am worried I am always going to be afraid of everything and be stuck taking crappy entry level jobs because I cant hold out in a place long enough to move up the ladder.
Thanks for any replies and sorry again for the Essay... lol
0 likes, 11 replies
laura36585 dylan78236
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dylan78236 laura36585
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What is your plan at the moment? Just titrate up and ride the wave? So far all i do is manage to drag myself to the gym for a decent workout every few days and im watching lots of movies to distract myself, hoping to read a couple books this summer.
I just hope the fear of working will subside. Finding a job is hard these days let alone a job thats going to allow me to ‘get back into the swing’ of things.
The only thing that makes any of this okay is that I live with my parents(im 24) so im not starving or on the streets.
I am also worried that my fears drive my anxiety and hinder my recovery as well. The first time I was on sertraline I had a job so I was busy and didnt have time to ‘feel’ all the side effects but now since I am alone for half the day im almost forced to feel the meds.
I hope things go well for you. Ill keep you updated on my situation. I am sleeping better which is nice but I still get queezy when i try to update my resume/look at job postings.
laura36585 dylan78236
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dylan78236 laura36585
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I try focusing on my surroundings rather than my feelings when I get anxious. I do some modest breathing exercises but they never do much when im actually having a panic attack/bad anxiety.
I would love to try cbt or psychotherapy but ive never been offered anything and the doctors I have asked dont seem to know of any services covered by health canada. Private counselling is waaaay too expensive for me, but i am looking around at other options. Everything is hidden behind an 8 month waiting list so thats really frustrating. I waited over a year to get into counselling(I start on wednesday)
If you dont mind me asking, what do you do for work? Are you unemployed or do you have a job waiting for you? Because I just want to say if you do have a job— the stress of actually FINDING a job isnt there and thats a huge burden lifted. I know if I could go somewhere where I knew everyone and has previously had some success, I woukd be okay. I think at that point its just a matter of ‘getting used’ to working again. So dont be afraid.
For me its the Finding the new job that makes me anxious. If i could go back to my old job I loved at the University bookstore in my city id be well on my way to recovering, but alas they ignore my applications and emails now.
I wonder what kind of jobs are suitable to someone in my(or our) situation. I like to help people, I like feeling like im atleast making the world a slightly better place rather than worse, or just chasing money. I just find the idea of getting a degree or a diploma just as daunting as holding down a job. I may be inspired/motivated one day and just a train wreck the next. How does anyone do anything with anxiety like this? Everyday feels like a nightmare.
dylan78236 laura36585
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laura36585 dylan78236
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dylan78236 laura36585
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So its hard for me to sit around all day, just hoping ill get better considering its been over a year. I just have this nagging voice that makes me think ive missed the boat and this anxiety is because of that.
Thats neat you ended up going back to school at 39. Im only 24 and i feel its too late so that gives me some hope.
Reconnecting with old friends and family has been a positive experience it wasnt really something i was capable of while juggling a job and the anxiety. I feel as though im getting closer to knowing who I am but dang some days it gets so bad I doubt any percieved success is even happening. I hate being a burden on my family, because we dont have alot of money and I cant afford rent so im pretty much destroying my mom’s chance at a decent retirement/pension.
What kind of mindfulness do you practise? Also sorry i type so much, i have alot to say haha, and i think youre the first person who sounds very similar to me so I am excited to go on this journey with you.
And did you start at 50mg sert or work your way up? I think im going to try 25mg for a month and focus more on healthy habits and diet— i really dont want to be on medication.
laura36585 dylan78236
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dylan78236 laura36585
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The sexual side effects and the way even having one beer makes me sleepy makes me hate these meds. What is life without sex and being able to enjoy a beer without conking out half an hour later? Thats essentially why i stopped sert in the first place, i felt okay but the side effects started to effect my life in a way that made it not worth it the effects. Obviously I need them now but i truly believe I shouldnt have started them in the first place. Before my first time on sert i was just midly depressed and had a short fuse but was functional, but ever since ive started down the road of meds my anxiety is Debilitating in a way i couldnt fathom before the medication. Its created a dependance that I am not okay with. Doctors dont care about actually curing it, just treating symptoms.
And im not a big fan of comparing depression to other diseases that require medication like diabetes or something— you can test someone’s insulin levels to determine diabetes. My mental health hasnt been tested or diagnosed. Theres no way to know how bad it is/ if you actually need medication or if you just need to change your lifestyle and expectations. Now here I am dependant on drugs when i think i would have been better off doing lifestyle changes first. GP just threw pills at me. Didnt ask about my diet or lifestyle.
I lowkey hate the way doctors treat depression in young impressionable adults and kids.
laura36585 dylan78236
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dylan78236 laura36585
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Yea i agree, i am sure we will have a good sunday. It was nice talking to you too. Lets see where we are in a week or two