Hopelessness.. Symptom?

Posted , 4 users are following.

I'm at 3 weeks now on 100mg of sertraline. I've had a few ok days but I'm still anxious and every time I wake up my heart races. It's like I just feel sad and scared all the time knowing that I'm going to die and I can't seem to find my joy again. Those intrusive thoughts and depression didn't start until I started this medicine and while the racing thoughts have stopped I can't seem to get over this. I am just about ready to start weaning off because this is absolutely miserable. It is not worth taking this medicine anymore. Did anyone else experience this?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    hello, 3 weeks is still early days for the effects of sertraline to really kick in. mine took about 12-16 weeks before i really notices a change. this is your body reacting to the medication, fighting it off in one way i suppose, until it gets used to it, and regulates into your system. but try to remember, these thoughts aren't the real you, and will wear off. all internal feelings, nothing will actually harm you. keep your chin, and push through. I'm on 50mg of sertraline and have been for nearly 2 years.
    • Posted

      I cannot handle this for another 2 months. I am so absolutely miserable. I think I've decided that I'm going to wean off of them. The original reason I started taking these has gone (it did with 25mg) and all of these problems have been caused by the medicine. I've never ever had depression and my anxiety was relatively handled besides the occasional panic attack every few months. I just don't think it's worth it anymore to take something that is making me so much worse than I was before I started.
    • Posted

      seems like quite a jump too, from 25mg to 100. but, do what you fell is best for you. maybe go back down to 25mg, and see how that goes. best of luck.
    • Posted

      Oh, it was! I went from 25mg and after 6 days I went to 100mg. I then went back a week later to tell the NP how miserable I was and she tried to jump me to 150! I ended up calling a psychiatrist and begging them to see me and they told me absolutely not. Go back down to 100mg because she jumped you way too fast which is why I have been so miserable. If I can get down to a manageable dose then I'll be fine with it, but I'm just so over feeling like this. No one should ever have to.
    • Posted

      totally agree with you. and beyond this storm you are going through is sunshine ..... i really recommend going back to 25mg or at most 50mg, and see how that goes. and get back to your gp too, or even change for a different opinion. and once that has settled into your system, then you can start to look at the cause behind your anxiety.
    • Posted

      Yeah, we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the support! They just called me back and told me they want to see me AGAIN (I've been there basically every week for the past few weeks) because this depression, anxiety, not able to eat thing is a 'new complaint'. I have told her EVERY time I went in there about these issues. I want to rip my hair out.
    • Posted

      No Problem, we are here to support each other through these dark times. and they will go away. your doctor needs to understand the strength of these tablets and effects it has on the indivdual.
  • Posted

    Oh Brillo - hang in there! Drop it down slowly - go down to 75 for a few days, then 50 etc before just cutting back to 25 - you're on a roller coaster so you'll want to watch the effects. I know how you feel and I wanted off all together when the really bad jump-up side-effects kicked in too, bit cutting back too much was a bit of a shock with its own issues. I have no idea why they'd want you up so high, so fast, if your problems were covered by the lower dose. (To be sure, there are very good doctors out there, but who can wait to keep kissing all the frogs before you get one who can help?). Sending hugs your way -- Beans
    • Posted

      Thank you. That's what I'm hoping to do. I am honestly terrified of the withdrawl symptoms. I do not want to go through everything I went through to get ON them. Hoping since it's only been 4 weeks that it'll make it a lot more mild to come off of. I do have an appointment with a psychiatrist but I'm unable to get in until April so we'll go from there. Hopefully I am much much better soon. I don't think it's a coincidence that I haven't taken my Zoloft yet this morning and my anxiety has not shot through the roof.

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