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New sertraline user - help!

Posted , 3 users are following.

rich21763
rich21763

I lost my job recently and after a few weeks searching for a new one started to suffer what I now consider to be panick attacks which mainly consisted of heavy sweating occurring at random times and on waking up and during some job interviews - oh dear

I phoned the doc who asked if I had any suicidal thoughts ? I told him after weeks of feeling panicked it had crossed my mind but not seriously

He put me on 50mg sertraline to help with panic - I have taken 6 doses but just feel weird like a stranger in my own head - really feel like not carrying on with it although it has helped a lot with the panic side of things but I would rather try to deal with that without drugs

Thoughts please , esp regarding feeling spaced out and if it lasts , thanks

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • ilda1982
    ilda1982 rich21763

    Posted

    Hi those symptoms you feel they are side effects and it's normal and they will pass.

    I also tried to deal on my own just couldn't and accepted I needed medication.

    After 6 days you might start to feel better with side effects like some people in here. For me at first it took me 2wks for it to ease. Best of luck and my advice is keep taking it it's worth it. xxx

    • rich21763
      rich21763 ilda1982

      Posted

      Thanks ilda

      Also I feel slowed down and a bit weak , does this go too?

    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 rich21763

      Posted

      Hi and yes all goes away. For you to get better you need to find the right dosage. But like 2dave said loads of people with different options. Any questions I'm here. I took them in the past and had to go back on them. xxx
  • dave14796
    dave14796 rich21763

    Posted

    Hi Rich,

    You will get advice from different people on this website, with their own problems, with their own perceptions of what you are experiencing, and their own suggestions, and all will be hoping to give you the best advice as they see it, but it may not be the best advice for you.

    Here is mine.

    Losing one's job can be extremely traumatic. Not only does it have serious financial consequences, it also seriously impacts on self-esteem, and there is the worry "will I ever be employed again".

    Many people think about suicide, but in the way that you say you do. If you feel confident that you are just thinking, and don't feel you would ever reach the point of turning thought into action, I feel that what you need is counselling.

    I wonder if you have been able to discuss your feelings with anyone. It really does help to talk: it is very damaging to try to cope on your own, and family or friends may not be people you would feel happy to talk to.

    I recently rang the Samaritans. I had always steered clear of them because I thought that you had to be suicidal to ring them.

    They can be phoned free 24/7 and talking to someone anonymous but sympathetic can be a great help.

    G.P.'s are under great pressure and have limited time to talk, and there is therefore pressure on them to medicate.

    My suggestion is therefore that you'd be best to avoid the medication (check with your G.P. if you do decide to stop it, since medication often has to be reduced rather than stopped abruptly), ask for counselling and relaxation classes, and talk to someone when you feel low.

    My qualifications for giving you  my advice are that I also lost my job, know what it can mean, have sometimes thought about suicide at times during my life, and have had panic and major sweating issues, and yet have coped without pretty well overall without medication.

    Others will disagree with my advice and only you can choose,

    Very best wishes, 

    Dave

     

    • rich21763
      rich21763 dave14796

      Posted

      Thanks Dave

      That's really interesting

      I have a job offer now but the anxiety hasn't subsided but with these pills hard to see cause , effect, cure ....

    • dave14796
      dave14796 rich21763

      Posted

      Hi Rich, 

      Again, I can only speak from my experience. Prior to taking Sertraline (50mg) I had a few anxieties. The drug added greatly to my anxieties, majorly so. ( I only had one tablet, and a bad reaction -serotonin syndrome) .

      Good luck with the job offer!

      Dave

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