Hopefully a positive story

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi, I have suffered with social anxiety for the past 8 years, intense blushing which turned into a fear of it happening in front of people, this turned into a vicious circle of avoiding social events, heart racing, knots in stomach. I tried green tinted creams to counteract the redness when blushing, natural vitamins etc and finally thought enough is enough I went to the doctors and was prescribed 50mg of sertraline I stayed on this for 4 weeks. I was quite lucky and didn't suffer many side effects just extremely tired. After 4 weeks I was increased to 100mg my anxiety went through the roof had bad thoughts and anxious going to work.. one night i went out drinking and the next day was horrendous my anxiety was affected for the next 3 days. Having a drink is OK but getting drunk can cause heightened anxiety.

I am now on week 8 and I feel as though things are starting to get better. I went to a bbq on Friday night and was able to sit around a table with friends socialising and was completely relaxed I was so proud of myself it really boosted my confidence. Everyone hang in there things do get better!I

Good luck and hope this makes people feel slightly better as I was constantly reading other people's stories just to have a bit of hope

5 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Thank you for sharing! I am on day 10 of sertraline 50 mg and I actually slept through the night without any panic attacks! I'm so happy. Perhaps the worst is over!

    • Posted

      I'm on it for anxiety and panic attacks. I was on it for 17 years and last January wrongfully decided to wean off of it thinking I didn't need it. By July I was having return symptoms and tried to handle it myself and couldn't. I now know that I need to stay on it. My doctor said its a very safe drug and I can be on it life long which I fully intend on doing! I wish I would have never stopped taking it. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

    • Posted

      How long were you originally on it until you started to feel better? (if you can remember it 17 years ago haha )
  • Posted

    That's wonderful news - I'm on week three and also feeling much better - a little anxious now and then but I'm feeling much more like the real me!

  • Posted

    Hi missunshine10, thank you so much for sharing your experience with sertraline too! I'm now day 14 of taking Zoloft 100mg, the last time I shared with everyone about the terrible side effects I was having on these meds, which was insomnia, nausea,severe stomach pains,blurred vision,shakiness and pounding heart and apart from my severe depression I also suffer with acute anxiety and take valium high mg dose to keep it under control. I revisited my Dr after 7 days after ringing a life help line because of the side effect not because I was suicidal.Oh over about the last 30 odd years maybe more that's when my depression and anxiety started because of a lot of stress, losses of loved ones,babies and pregnancy health issues also birth(I have four beautiful kids) and major social anxiety and the list goes on! I have been on Prozac,Effexor and not long ago on Avanza(mirtazapine) which the side effects for me was through the roof but persevered for nearly 3 weeks then stopped it 4mths ago. I was at my wits end and so down I searched for some help with the 100mgs sertraline a day,that was 4 days ago my Dr told me at the 10 day to hang in there and that the side effects should start to subside,so did Chuck very kindly from this brilliant discussion group! Yesterday I saw my Dr again to see how I've going on these meds.It was such a relief to say that the side effects had improved a lot.I'm having the best night sleep and feeling so much better within myself.Still have slight stomach pain which is annoying but feel a little more clearer in the head.He asked did I want to lower the dose, my gut feeling was not yet, and he said I was on the right dose for my age.So it's a waiting game, I hope and pray that I still will improve and get better not only for the depression but I've managed to decrease the valium considerably for the anxiety.Good luck to everyone out there as these meds have given me so much hope,and it's so great and such a support hearing from you and your stories and experiences.Take care! 

     

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