First dose- what it might have been nice to be warmed about

I think sertraline is like marmite, you either love it or hate it.

I took it for 26 days, and the side effects were just evil. The physical ones were quite unpleasant, dry mouth, very upset stomach, zero appetite etc. But, by far the worse SE was the way it increased my anxiety by a factor of 1000.

The waves of anxiety were overwhemling, and I experienced full on anxiety attacks (never had one before), and it felt like my chest was on fire. I also now totally get whey people commit suicide, I was so desperate for the anxiety to stop, that I just wanted to walk under a bus.

I might as well have taken plutonium pills, I think sertraline was that poisonous for me.

Have now been on amitriptyline for 2 weeks (it's an older tricyclic AD) and I am a totally different person. In fact I feel exactly like the normal, happy, optimistic ME again. I admit it does make me quite sleepy when I first wake up, but I sleep like a log, and once I've had my first cup of coffee I'm smiling and ready to face the world.

Yup def, Steraline was horrendous for me, it triggers constant panic attacks, as in 45 mins of every hour I was having a panic attack and the other 15 mins felt like I was going tp throw up, couldn't sleep or eat and ended up in a and e. been few a rough few weeks from deciding to take tablets to going through that on sertraline, having to wait for it to leave my body and then starting on fluoxitine. By which point I was so weak, no sleep etc and the sertraline trigging the panic attacks. now i'm 12 days in to taking the fluoxetine and although it feels very slow I do feel a tiny bit better each day. I know its all trial and error as docs have no idea how we will react to medication, but feel like I really got the short straw with going through what i did with sertraline. but you read some forums and people are getting on with it brilliantly with no side effects!

Im off work at the moment which is really helping as means I have no added pressure on my anxiety. are you just planning on taking tablets for your anxiety for a while or seeing a counsellor etc?

Not sure what to do now, doctors just increased my dose yesterday suppose I should try longer with them but I feel so weak from lack of sleep.

Hi

I would say if your doc has increased the dose it must be for a good reason, could you go back and ask for something to help with the sleeping?

If the sleep is the only side effect that is effecting you it might be worth persisting

Thank you, its the main side effect, im going to carry on for a while giving the higher dose a chance then if no better Ill go back to my GP.

Good idea - are you doing anything else? Ie counselling or just the tablets?

Just the tablets, Ive had anxiety for years been on and off of tablets, but dont think Ive ever been this bad. never been offered counselling, does it work? wouldnt rule out having it.

Hi, i have been on sertraline for 4 months and was my first time on them, never had anything before then bang anxiety from knowhere, but i took them and seeked conselling and what a difference it made to me, sertraline gives me like random aches and pains and thats about it really, however when i first started taking them i was having anxiety rashes, pins and needles, sore stomac, more attacks, but after somehow managing to persivere with them after a month they disappeared, i noticed when you read the ticket inside your mind makes you have the side affects.

Hi

Yes would def recommend counselling for anxiety as it helps address the way you think about things/ triggers for anxieties. You can refer yourself now rather than waiting for a gp to do it - if you call your surgery they'll be able to give you the number think its something like 0300 555555, but can't be sure.

I start councelling next week. Not sure what I'm going to make of if - will let you know

Hi, let me know how you get on at counselling, would love to know if it helps ive been thinking of it.

I go to counselling and think its great … its really helped my find the source of my anxieties and look at how to identify my triggers for the future… couldn't recommend it more!