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just a bit of help please!

Posted , 9 users are following.

jmals
jmals

Hi,

im sure this has been posted/asked a thousand times - but just to save me going through a thousand posts. apologies in advance.

I have suffered with anxiety/mild depression for several years, and only the end of september last year it got really severe to the point i couldnt deal with it anymore all the usual - feeling like you're have a heart attack, loosing despair, hot and cold flashes, chest pains etc etc... all what that lovely thing anxiety does to usrolleyes. i went to the doctors and he prescribed me with 40mg propranalol two to three times daily, i had a couple of side effects when starting but nothing that worried me. i had been on them for a good couple of months with no joy of them helping so i went to doctors a couple weeks before xmas. i was then presribed Sertraline, i took one and it gave me the worst anxiety attack ive ever had which resulted me in A&E - i was told by them it may be a good idea to not take anymore which i did, so then i went back to the doc just after xmas - i told him what had happened and that i was advised to stop, he in a sense wasnt to pleased and told me to start again. i bucked the courage up and started on Friday(30th December) the first couple of days were absolutely fine but for the last few day i have had consistent indigestion(as if theres something blocked in my throat and just above the stomach) and tightness in chest these have not eased or dissapeard at all not even for 30 seconds, i was just hoping someone could shed some light on this and confirm this is completely normal to do with the drug and these effects should hopefully go? as im struggling to eat because of this.

apologies for writing alot you didnt really need to know but i thought a bit of history never hurts.

Thanks for reading

James

 

0 likes, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • jay98357
    jay98357 jmals

    Posted

    Hi James. Sorry to hear you are feeling this way. Like you I didn't have a good start on sertaline. I had massive panic attacks and really thought of just giving up.

    So with my first few weeks I took 25mgs and then worked up to 50 which is still a low dose.yes I had an upset tummy,high anxiety,dizzy, could not sleep etc believe me I had every side effect which I just tried to work through. Now 5 months later I can honestly say I feel so much better.

    You really need to give them time to work. Side effects usually take a few weeks to settle and for me I started feeling a change around 6 weeks. I am now going to up my dose as 50 isn't really doing the magic it should.

    Keep us posted

    • jmals
      jmals jay98357

      Posted

      Hi Jay,

      I appreciate the reply greatly thank you very much!

      i have set my mind and determination to see it through this time, my doc never really said any side effects i may have/get  and i refuse to read the label in the box as i know after reading that i will get every single side effect it states. as us all we always feel that we are the only ones going through the nasty stages or side effects when its happening! but its nice to have a assuring reply thank you.

      i will keep you updated, the only thing im unsure to as i didnt ask my doc this either is how to and when to take the tablet, i take 1 propranalol very early morning and one midayish can i take the sertraline with one of them or should i also leave that a while then take it say evening for example?

      Cheers again

      James

    • jay98357
      jay98357 jmals

      Posted

      Hi James

      I don't think there is a right or wrong answer as to when you take your pill. I take mine at night and that is only because my doc said that I would be sleeping during the early days with side effects. I think it's pretty much trial and error. Some people here take them mornings so maybe try both and see which suits you.

      Also a tip is to start drinking camomile tea.. tastes vile but 4 cups a day calms you. I get the one with honey as camomile alone tastes like piddle lol

      Good luck Mr

    • jmals
      jmals jay98357

      Posted

      Hi Jay,

      Thank you for the support i will try the camomile tea as you suggest!

  • charlie1990
    charlie1990 jmals

    Posted

    Hello James. I started taking Sertraline about 3 weeks ago and I still feel the same but I've read so many positive reviews that I decided to give this medication up to a few months if that's what it takes. The side effects for me were horrible the first couple weeks but now I take half my pill in the morning and the other half at night which I think has made the side effects less severe. Keep at it buddy. You are definitely not alone.

    • jmals
      jmals charlie1990

      Posted

      Hi Charlie,

      Thank you for your reply - appreciate it.

      im with you on that! in the long run the postives will always outweigh the negatives wont they. its nice to know even people with the same problem there seems to be alot of support on this site. i was only worried as it it supressing my appetite massively due to this persistant blooming indigestion!!, antacids etc seem to make it worsefrown... i may give the half in the morning half at night a go so thank you for that, im guessing i couldnt take it at the same time as one of the propranalol tho?

      James

  • karen27666
    karen27666 jmals

    Posted

    Hiya, a different story.....I have been on so many anti depressants and tbh nothing has worked personally i think they made me feel worse. last step was sertraline after reading good results, after 12 months i weaned myself off them (not really recommended!) no side effects from that luckily, I take propranolol in the morning when my anxiety is at its worst. I suffered all the side effects James without the results i wanted, they numbed my emotions and my sex drive and  found orgasm almost impossible!! (this is a comman side effect from a lot of anti-depressants but just not talked about ha!) so I just struggle on a daily basis with the anxiety and have many thoughts on self help but as you know its like trying to organise a p*ss up in a brewary the thoughts are there but the actions are just knowhere to be found . Best of luck just trial and error it seems just fed up of trying lol.xx
    • jmals
      jmals karen27666

      Posted

      Hi Karen,

      thank you for sharing your story, ive been on propanalol a couple/few months now ive lost track as i do with most things! ive only just started sertraline and having persistant indigestion that just will not budge but im holding out for some hope this will pass and they will end up helping....not being able to orgasm maybe a handy thing for a bloke in certain respects? lol im joking! im sorry to hear your side effects sad so am i right in saying your on absolutely no medication at all now? i ideally didnt want to take any i managed for many years without up until last year where the anxiety attacks were just getting to much to deal with all the time at work etc etc, im hoping in a few months time i can ween myself of them and be med free - in an ideal world anyhow!! how are you feeling now? up and down days? hope your OK today smile

  • peter27223
    peter27223 jmals

    Posted

    Hi JAMES,after reading all the pros and cons I'm not sure what to do myself now.i got prescribed 50mg yesterday and after reading these threads I'm now more anxious,but I have had chest pains for sometime now and burping have changed my diet no coffee chilli ,been on lansoprazol but still getting a tight chest had ecg and camera down and all clear.so it must be to do with the anxiety,were you getting smilar and has this helped regards Pete

    • jmals
      jmals peter27223

      Posted

      Hi Peter, im sorry to here you are feeling this way!.. sometimes reading to much on the internet e.g side effects, how other people feel etc is not always the best thing im talking from experience i know if i read all the side effects i will gurantee feel every one as i will make it all up in my head -  yes i suffer with chest pains/tight chest etc but im being irrational and i think its my anxiety not the drug! , in my first post of this discussion i stated propranalol didnt really help well again i think im being irrational because i dont get the symptoms as severe but then i am slightly finding my own ways of coping with anxiety again - colouring is an absolute dream for me! ive also had a couple of ecg's and always come back clear its horrible isnt it because you genuinely think there is something wrong. the very first time i took my first tab of Sertraline it triggered a huge panic attack which i ended up going to A&E for as i thought i reacted to it but again it was anxiety playing its wickid ways to do with the thought of taking something new, i gave it a few weeks and my doctor told me to try again this time im determined to stick at it im still in my very early days so i cant comment really if its helping as i believe it takes a good couple of weeks to take effect but i am suffering from persistant indigestion that hasnt dissapeard in the last 3/4 days or however many. last night i took it with my dinner and it seems to have helped a bit rather than just taking it on its own. as for lansoprazol i have never taken it so i cant comment on that im afraid! but i think you will find your tight chest/chest pain is down to anxiety. would i be correct in saying lansoprazol is like omeprazol which helps to reduce acid reflux etc? as i believe acid reflux can cause chest paint to do with heartburn etc? i might be talking rubbish, but i believe thats what my Grandad takes it for and hes mentioned he gets chest pain every so often.

      James

  • michelle71710
    michelle71710 jmals

    Posted

    Hi James, just seeing how your getting on with sertaline? I've been on it for 2weeks today, 6days on 25mg and 8days on 50mg. Doctor wanted to start me on 50mg then increase to 100mg but I was too scared too so doctor said I could split it but only Upto a week. I've had not nice side effects, heightened anxiety, dry mouth, nausea, loss of appetite to name a few. My appetite has started to return a little bit over the last few days which is supposed to be a good sign. I went to the doctors about my anxiety and sickness and she give me some anti sickness tablets and propranolol. I've only taken 1 propranolol and it made me abit spaced out and tired. How are you finding it? 

    Michelle 

  • ann55375
    ann55375 jmals

    Posted

    Hi there, i am another sertraline newbie, into second week and the usual side effects people talk about. First time on this med. i have had indigestion and have used Gaviscon which did help.  Also have found that taking sertraline in morning always with some food to cushion the stomach helps. Not saying im anywhere out of the woods, early days for me yet but petrified of increasing from 50 to 100mg in a weeks time as instructed by dr.
    • michelle71710
      michelle71710 ann55375

      Posted

      Hi Ann55375, how are you getting on? I'm on day17, 11days on 50mg. It's been horrible. I had an ok day yesterday but back to square one again today, feel I'll never get better. what side effects have you been getting? Michelle xx

    • ann55375
      ann55375 michelle71710

      Posted

      Hi Michelle, oh its so good to hear theres someone out there with similar problems. I too had a not bad day yesterday,day 8, today feel sick again with anxiety and generally unwell.   So fed up with this and just want someone to tell me these meds will make me better, no guarantee of that either!  Would be good to keep in touch and prop each other up when needed. A xx
    • michelle71710
      michelle71710 ann55375

      Posted

      I know what you mean, I felt better yesterday but then dripped again today and just feel low again. It's horrible that we have to go through all this when we feel so bad to begin with and so scarred it won't work. It's good to speak to someone that knows exactly what going through. You in the uk Ann? Xxx

    • ann55375
      ann55375 michelle71710

      Posted

      hi Michelle, hows your night been? Yes i am in uk. Hate the NHS which has not managed to help me with this illness. Not such a good night, up early with panic.  Still feel nauseous and dont want to see anyone.  Making my life so hard. Just feel days on this are getting worse, not better and thats not what is supposed to happen, or maybe it is on this med. hope tou are a bit better today, keep,foing is what i hear but im not sure if i am willing to feel so bad. 
    • michelle71710
      michelle71710 ann55375

      Posted

      Hi Ann, how are you doing? I'm still not great, been waking up feeling sick so been taking the anti sickness tablets which help abit but make me feel even more tired! Still not sleeping great either and just feel really low. I'm wishing the days away in hope I feel better soon. It's so awful. How you getting on with sleep? Xx

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