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My sertraline journey as a first time user of anti ds.

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mich49
mich49

Thought I would start a discussion/ sounding board about sarting anti ds for the first time and my personal response to the drug. sertraline. Bit the bullet and finally visited the GP about my depression, anxiety and irrational thinking. 

Brief history, 40 something, untreated pnd in my twenties. Bouts of depression on and off over the years that came to a head recently with the desire to flip my car whilst driving to work and a bout of extreme rage in a shopping centre that had me almost running to my car. If anyone had got in my way or said something I was scared I would explode. Thought I was going bonkers though the part of my brain still working rationalised that if I thought it I was I wasn't. 

Completed various on line depression tests and scored really high, like I didn't know that! 

I had the tablets for almost a week before starting them and after reading pages and pages of people's experiences.

Started them on the Friday evening decided on bed time in case they made me feel sick. The only thing worse than feeling sick is being sick. I witness child birth almost daily so see a lot of body parts and fluids that doesn't bother me. Vomit however is the worst thing ever!! 

Took 50mg on the first night and slept no worse than I do waking at 3am which is usual for me anyway. The next day was weird though feeling a bit detached but could still function at work ok. In the afternoon started to get a dry mouth and stiff jaw. If anyone has tried mdma it's the same oral sensation without the high. 

Second night decided on breaking it in half to 25mg and building it up gradually. Same detached feeling in the day but could function with concentration and only getting a stiff jaw at the end of the day when I was really tired. 

Third time last night, again 25mg, same waking time and dreams were more vivid. Feel a little bit 'high' this morning and my jaw is stiff but I'm clenching my teeth. 

 

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  • mich49
    mich49

    Posted

    My brain is being an arsehole this morning telling me I'm well and don't need the drugs. That's the 'high' and I will continue them and update here.

    Hopefully updating here with people joining in will help people considering visiting their  GP or starting to take the drug. 

  • lattifa7777
    lattifa7777 mich49

    Posted

    I'm 5 weeks into sertraline, and I had same side affects.

    I started also with taking ony half the 50mg for a week, when I took the full dose made me feel a bit spaced out , tired 😫 and also heavy feeling, dry mouth, loss of appetite , the stiff jaw.i also had an extreme increase in anxiety, no sleep.

    After all tho in week 3 I was sleeping better, and anxiety got a lot better, but had the shakes and headaches. I also felt like I had meds in my system, like my head felt heavily medicated. Now all those side affects have gone, I still have about 10% anxiety and really bad night sweats, I can deal with that. I can function now but still don't like being alone.

    • mary_beth01383
      mary_beth01383 lattifa7777

      Posted

      How long were you on 50mg before you felt normal again? Do you feel back to your old self?
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 mary_beth01383

      Posted

      hi mary, i would say at about 4 1/2 weeks, not 100% about 90%.

      its amazing compared to how i was before meds, or even during first couple weeks. it was very hard, but the people on this forum got me through to be honest.

      x

    • sjones1122
      sjones1122 lattifa7777

      Posted

      This is exactly how I feel.. head feels as if it's leaning because it's heavy. Was shaking the other day which has now stopped (touch wood) feeling tired around 5pm but one thing I don't know if anyone experiences is numb feeling down left side?

      Kept thinking I was going to have a stroke/heart attack but this is obviously the anxiety but want to know if you had any numbNess?

      Hope your feeling better!! Keep it up!

  • jGloucs
    jGloucs mich49

    Posted

    Well done on taking some action. It's a big step admitting we need some help. I struggled to take them, feeling I SHOULD be able to cope on my own. The side effects did pass after a while, but, for me, it took a few weeks. I took 25mg to ease myself onto them, but the Dr said it wasn't a therapeutic dose, from which I inferred it wasn't enough to start relieving the symptoms of anxiety. I upped it to the 50mg prescribed and just waited for the side effects to subside. This was the most frustrating part as I was suffering more at the start from taking the drug without experiencing any benefit, but the advice was to continue. 

    Good,luck.

    • mich49
      mich49 jGloucs

      Posted

      Thanks j. Know what you mean about feeling you should cope. I normally such a strong willed person that the thought of drugs to cope with life ( which is crazy at the moment) was strange. Glad to hear they work for you. 
  • Tracy7338
    Tracy7338 mich49

    Posted

    Hi Mich I am now in week 6 of taking sertraline. I know exactly what you are talking about, the side effects are the worst thing and they do make you feel worse before you feel better. Several times I felt like giving up on the meds thinking they weren't working. You need to stay consistent, 50mg is the general starting dose but it can go as high as 250mg in other cases. Stick with the 50mg, take it the same time every day, with food. You should maintain regular contact with your GP. He would not look at increasing or changing it till at least 4 weeks maybe more. You have to give that many weeks just to level out on the meds, after that maybe 6-8 weeks Mark you will start to feel normal again. It's not easy but it's worth it!
    • mich49
      mich49 Tracy7338

      Posted

      Thanks Tracy, cannot imagine taking such a high dose! I hope to stay on 50s. 
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 Tracy7338

      Posted

      im also at week six too tracey, feeling so much better. do you think you will go up in dosage? im seeing my dr tomorrow, dont know if its the norm to up the dose or do they keep you ata level that you are feeling better on?
    • Tracy7338
      Tracy7338 lattifa7777

      Posted

      Hi Latifa I too am seeing my Doc tomorrow just for a catch up appointment. I don't need a dose increase I'm fine as I am. I had an increase in week 3 from 50mg to 75mg and to be honest did not notice a difference. If you are fine as you are he will be unlikely to increase it. Why mess with it if you are ok?
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 Tracy7338

      Posted

      looks like we are on the same path lol. true, im not 100% ide say about 85, 90% didnt have a good sleep last night and was a bit anxiuos today, but i have been stressed with a few things, so yeah i agree with you. ill let you know tomorrow what my dr says.

      x

    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 Tracy7338

      Posted

      Hi tracey how are you doing? Just asking as I think im having a dip, had a panic attack yesterday and feeling anxious and a bit low, so im a bit worried.
  • molloy
    molloy mich49

    Posted

    More than a month on sertraline for anxiety.

    Day 18 at 100 mg, I had higher blood pressure and grinching teeth at the start of the new dose, but mostly very volatile mood, switching from anxious to more calm. Things have stabilize a bit now, and feel a bit better at timed, but still not "well". Still hoping for improvement, exercising and being in talk-therapy. I see some light ahead that wasn't tjere 2 months ago. Faint light, but light all the same. Hope the bst on your journey!

    • mich49
      mich49 molloy

      Posted

      The light is there that's a positive sign. A glimmer is better than none. 
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