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GP told me to stop sertraline immediately - help! Is this safe?

Posted , 6 users are following.

liz54943
liz54943

Have taken sertraline for 25 days. Initial 5 days were Hell, massively increased anxiety (which is ironic because I was prescribed it to help with anxiety). Persevered, and at the start of the 3rd week saw an improvement for a few days. But for the last 6 days have really slumped again, very low and anxious. Spent most of last night sobbing.

I have been so worried that it is the sertraline that is CAUSING me to feel so bad. Since starting it I have felt worse than I ever did before. I never felt 'low' or depressed before, just anxious. Now, since being on sertraline I have felt so low and MORE anxious for God's sake.

Went to see a different GP today - he said sertraline is a good anti-depressant, but it is NOT a good medication for anxiety, as it very often increases anxiety especially if you're not actually depressed when taking it.

He told me to stop taking it immediately, as it's clearly not agreeing with me and instead has upped my propranolol dosage to 40mg from 10mg (I have found the propranolol to be very good, but self medicated with a higher dose than prescribed - which he also agreed with me doing).

I asked if I needed to wean myself off the sertraline - he said it isn't necessay because I have been only taking 50mg for less than 4 weeks. Also, he said my increased dosage of propranolol will counter-act any withdrawl symptoms if there were any (which he doesn't think there will be).

But I have read so many withdrawl horror stories that I'm scared to just stop dead.

I have 3 tablets left - should I halve them, and take them over the next 6 days?

1 like, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • j50802
    j50802

    Posted

    Hi

    You can ask to change to anything you like. I guess it depends how bad the side effects are - they may suggeste sticking it out for atleast 2 weeks if you can handle the side effects. Each tablet reacts differ very to each person so may not mean that one is any better for you. Depends how awful you're feeling - you'd have to weigh it up

    Hope that's helps a little

  • beverley18383
    beverley18383

    Posted

    Can modestly say the last 5 days have been the worst than any anxiety problems. No way could I have carried on with these meds for 2 weeks. Not slept for 3 mights and lost half a stone in this time. I reacted the same way on another drug from this family and just think they don't agree with me. Thank you for your input
  • liz54943
    liz54943

    Posted

    Hello Beverley

    I am now just into my 4th week of taking amitriptyline. I cannot tell you how much better I feel, on it. I am back to being 'me' again, and I feel infinitely more calm, and relaxed. Anxiety had totally disappeared within the first few days, and now I just feel relaxed, and optimistic all the time. It's lovely.

    I do feel very slightly more drowsy, than normal. But actually that also feels lovely, as my mind was just fizzing with anxiety and stress all the time. But the quality of my sleep is wonderful.

    I am like you, and I simply do not react well, at all, to the SSRIs. Prozac made me feel like a wooden doll, with zero emotions.

    I think GPs are reluctant to prescribe the older tri-cyclics anti-depressants (which amitriptyline is) because there are the newer SSRIs on the market, but just because they're newer, doesn't mean they're necessarily better for you.

  • beverley18383
    beverley18383

    Posted

    Hi Liz thanks for the reassuring reply. Surly if one SSRI make you react with terrible side effects they all will. Will ask my GP if I can try these and keep my fingers crossed. Thank you
  • liz54943
    liz54943

    Posted

    Glad I could help Beverly

    Just be prepared for the extra drowsiness. I take mine (30mg) at about 7pm, which just makes me nicely drowsy for about 10pm. It's slightly harder to wake up in the mornings, and you will get a dry mouth. But, that's a very small price to pay, because I feel so much better.

  • beverley18383
    beverley18383

    Posted

    Hi Liz

    Just an up date on how things have gone. Been on amitripyline 25gm for 8 days now. First night I took it was great felt like my old self, this lasted for 4 day then found myself getting anxious and had my first panic attack in months last night. Not slept for 2 nights at all although these tablets cause drowsiness. Would you carry on and take them for longer ? .

  • liz54943
    liz54943

    Posted

    Hi Bev

    I think possibly the panic attack might well have happened, anyway. As my GP explained the amitriptyline takes a good 2-3 weeks to build in your system, so just 4 days is hardly anything?

    It could be that the attack was caused by withdrawl from the sertraline, and there just wasn't enough amitrip' in your system yet to counter act it?

    The very same thing happened to me when I stopped taking sertraline and switched to amitrip'. Three days after stopping taking the sertraline, and 2 days into taking amitrip' I felt incredibly anxious and had to resort to taking 15mg of diazepam that day.

    So I think the cross over days can be rocky. I would give the amitrip another week at least. But obviously if you feel bad you must pop back and see your GP.

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