Is Sertraline really going to make a difference to my thought processes
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi everyone, I have had anxiety for 20 years on and off in bouts for a few months here and there. Always obsessed with one thing until I get over it and return to being over cautious but calm and not anxious every day until the next attack 6 or so months later. I really thought I had my anxiety under control with avoidance technics, my anxiety mainly surrounds food/eating/choking/breathing so I avoid foods that can cause an allergic reaction nuts/fish etc. It's just become who I am as I've had it since I was 15. Last year I had a very stressful 6 months when my little boy was very poorly and we thought we might lose him together with a very stressful job. Now since January of this year I have struggled every day with awful anxiety and panic attacks. I'm scared to eat hardly anything, every meal is a chore and I analyse my breathing and every feeling all day getting myself into a complete state convinced I'm going to die or something awful is going to happen to me. My doctor has prescribed Sertraline and I took it for 3 days but by the third day I was so panicked and up tight I couldn't handle taking it anymore and stopped. My question is, is it worth fighting the awful heightened anxiety? Will it actually change my irrational thoughts that I'm going to choke on everything I eat etc. I'm really sorry for the extra long post. It's my first one.
0 likes, 3 replies
sparrow01 nadine51512
Posted
hi, you should give sertraline more time, because it has been proved to be a life saver for people not just with depression, but anxiety, panic, OCD, intrusive/negative thoughts, phobias, and other similar disorders
you didn't mention what dose you are on? you should start low (eg. 25mg or 50mg), and then increase after a few weeks (if you feel the need to, and the start up side effects have passed)
it's very common when starting with sertraline and similar meds, that people feel worse before they feel better, so try not to be concerned about that, as it's a very normal occurence
Holly1974 nadine51512
Posted
Hi there,
It sounds pretty awful, and like the anxiety is taking over your life. It must make functionning at work and at home a real challenge.
Firstly, I would sat that there is some chance that sertraline may help you. The only thing is the side effects when starting out for first 2/3 weeks can be troublesome, although by week 4 you tend to be over the worst of it. I have taken as much as 150mg a day of sertraline, I had v bad depression 2 years ago and it took 100mg to notice any difference, and 150mg to be effective....I will say up front though that I have recently come back down to 50mg, ( I dropped from 150mg to 100mg earlier in the year ), and you should be warned you get side effects whenever you change the dose....for me it's been nausea and dodgy tummy, anxiety and agitation worse than I ever previously had and overwhelming tiredness for couple of weeks....
That said, I was desperately in need of something, I was at the point where no amount of CBT would have worked.....however, I think this may be worth considering for you, if you can get access to a good therapist, and be warned many of the really good ones are private, they cna help you change the way that you think....you may be at a point where you could access this now, or perhaps you need some medication first to enable you to be more open to the idea.
also, worth considering is Mindfulness ( do an internet search )..there are books etc out there, but I actually went on an 8 week course in the UK on this, and it is really very good, and is done in a friendly atmosphere.....worth a look.
Katyf nadine51512
Posted
Hi,you poor thing I really feel for you I went through a traumatic event with my young son then spiralled into deep depression anxiety and intrusive thoughts I started sertralin 12 days ago,it has helped with depression and anxiety but I'm still having intrusive thoughts I think this is the one symptom that's the hardest to overcome but I think you should try the sertralin I think we have to give them time to get in our system then all of our symptoms will gradually go I have read alot of positive stories on here