help, i feel like im losing it i cant take itaanymore

Posted , 5 users are following.

I was taking sertraline for about 18 days, i decided to stop taking it last friday. I have been feeling lost. High anxiety, emotionless.  Confused. Suicidal.  I am in a relationship and everything has been going perfect but i recently have no feelings towards her. It has been making me question my sexuality altho i i kno im not gay because i have never felt that way towards a guy my anxiety and my thoughts are making me feel that way and making me constantly think that i am so it makes me get rwally bbad panic attacks. I have no sexual urge for anything. Before i sstarted taking these pills i was extremely in love and couldnt resist touching my girlfriend. She was soo sexy to me and now i dont even care. I have been even more depressed and i get no feelings besides anxiety.  I get hot sweats and sometimes the chills. I had to call off work today bbecuz my anxiety took over. I feel like this is never going to end that this is permanent. I am seeing my doctor tom. Any advice or similar experiences? I need some hope becuz im going insane.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    Sertraline has a high dependancy rate  so your brain gets pretty clingy to it even after a couple of weeks. The good news is that since you have only been taking it for 18 days, it should get out of your system fairly quickly but most say it takes anywhere from a few days to a month sometimes. Regardless, your doctor should be aware that you are feeling this way and have some back-up medication to help your anxiety/depression to where you can feel stable again. Also, sertraline kind of "evens out" your emotions so where you are used to feeling highs and lows, it can feel weird to be in a constant medium (that goes for any situation involving emotions, including sexual). Don't let it freak you out because your body is just adjusting to the chemical changes. I'm also coming off of sertraline and it definitely does a number on you (aka: not fun at all and I also had to call off work), but I think the best advice I have had is to not make any big decisions while going through coming off the drug. Wait until you feel stable to think about big things like relationships, orientation, etc. 

    Just know you are not alone and coming off sertraline sucks but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you can make it! Someone told me to drink soy milk, excercise a larger amount than usual, and to to get lots of sleep while coming off of it--weirdly enough they all seem to be working somewhat.

    Good luck and don't give up on yourself!

    • Posted

      Thanks im trying my best. Its killing me inside that i have no feelings for my girlfriend thats whats bothering me the most. I was so in love a week ago and now im just blah. Thanks for your advice, hopefully my doctor can help me tom.
    • Posted

      Can i ask why you stopped taking it after 18 days 
    • Posted

      18 days was still early, you was nearly there free from side effects. There would of been tablets to help in the short term when side effects happen and they get to much for you. If you would of carried on for 1 more week id of said it would of start to level out. Sex drive does get effected by this tablet, i was sex mad for 3 weeks then it leveled out and now it doesnt bother me. Im 5 weeks into it now and my head is a little wierd but i know its helping. 
  • Posted

    hi there,

    sounds like you are really struggling. i know it's a bit late telling you now but you really should never just stop taking your medication, that's probably why you are suffering and feeling so confused about things.  you're doctor will help you tomorrow, try not to worry. have you explained how you feel to your girlfriend??? she needs to know that you still love her even though you may not feel that way at the moment, if you've always had a loving relationship with her and then it switches to you not being interested, she will think that you're not interested.  talk to her, us girls are very understanding and i'm sure she will give you her full support.  your sex drive will drop or go completely for a short time whilst your on the medication, that's fairly normal and quite common with AD's.  as for the feelings of your sexuality, i'm not sure about that one, could it just be confusion because you are so used to being in a happy sexual relationship with your GF and now because of the way you're feeling after stopping your meds it's confused your brain maybe?? i really don't know. the best advice i can give you is to talk to your GF about how your feeling and reassure her that it's going to be okay, and it will be ok, your feelings just don't change for someone because your depressed, it can play many tricks with your mind.  depression messes with your head and makes you lose interest in everything, sex, going out, talking to anyone, being around people in general, going to the shops, every day tasks that you wouldn't normally bat an eyelid at.  it's not unusual to lose interest in things, but it's not fair if you don't tell her what's going on, she's probably thinking she's done something wrong or you are going off her, just try and explain whats in your head and what's making you anxious, if she's any kind of girlfriend she'll understand and support you through this difficult time, i hope you are okay and this has helped you even if only a small amount, take care and keep posting :-)

     

     

    • Posted

      Thank you for the info. Yes i told her and she understands
    • Posted

      why don't you try again and start taking the sertraline again??

       

    • Posted

      I dont even want to go on any anti depressants.  I wasnt as depressed as i am now. I was able to at least function
    • Posted

      yes, i know what you mean, when i first started mine i was worse to start off with, i went up the wall with it, but it does settle down, you have to weather the storm with it i'm afraid :-)

       

  • Posted

    I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through. I'm however not surprised as i had the same experience for two years. My Dr. kept sying it will get better, ignore the side effects. It didn't get better. I never felt well on them, always on edge, libido vanished, gained 30 lbs. I finally just tapered down at 25 mg every two weeks. I was on 150 mg. I have been drug free for nearly a year but still have withdrawl effects, nausea nearly every morning, still. I tried three a.d.'s all made me feel terrible. I'm feeling more like myslef than I have in two years, finally ~ never again will I take a psychiatric drug. They work for many people but I was not one!

    I have a friend who has been on them for depression for 20 years. They wokred for her!

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