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New to sertraline

Posted , 4 users are following.

pamela51740
pamela51740

I was on citalopram for 7 years but it has pooped out and made my anxiety horrendous so I haven't had one for 2 days the doctor has prescribed me sertraline and I really don't want to feel any worse then I do....I'm at the point of feeling fed up, anxious and scared! I've been like this for 2 months due to the citalopram pooping out and took me a long time to realise this, I drank a small bottle of vodka yesterday morning and had some sleeping pills and was in hospital all afternoon. I don't know whether to start the sertraline I can't feel any worse then I do!!! I've read so many bad reviews! 😯

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • sarah40069
    sarah40069 pamela51740

    Posted

    Sorry you're feeling so rough. I also took an overdose when I first started with the anxiety as it was so bad and really scary. I've been back on Sertraline ( came off it after 12 years and started panic attacks) for nearly 4 weeks now and it was really hard for the first couple of weeks, partly because of how I was feeling and partly because of the side effects. However the last week has been much easier and the anxiety has subsided almost completely now. From what I've read from other people and my own experience Sertraline does really help with anxiety if you can push through the side effects which you have initially. People on this forum were really great when I was at my worst and feeling like it would never end, so keep posting and let us know how you're doing and hopefully we can encourage you whatever you decide to do.  

    • elaine01570
      elaine01570 sarah40069

      Posted

      hi, are you back on the sertraline, or have you stayed off? ive heard its got some really bad withdrawal symptons that can take a while to go away, XX
    • joseph90743
      joseph90743 sarah40069

      Posted

      HI Sarah,

      Was relieved to read your post. I suffer from anxiety/dep and after being on celexa for years moved to steraline when celexa pooped out. I have been on the 50 then 100mg steraline for 2.5 weeks and it has been absolute hell. The panic and anxiety is constant.. hard to focus.. everything looks bleak.  I am curious as to how long it took for you to start feeling it work? I just started on this forum and could go for some hopeful words. 

      thank you!

      Joseph 

      thanks so much

      Joseph  

      Joseph  

    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 elaine01570

      Posted

      I went back on it because I started having panic attacks after I had been off it completely for about 2 weeks. It was difficult withdrawing but I did it very slowly, not how the doctor suggested, over about 3 months and it wasn't until right at the end that I started with the panic attacks. It was really random and really not sure why. Part of me just wanted to stick it out and see if I could manage, but with having 3 children to look after I knew I couldn't take the risk of being really ill. 

    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 joseph90743

      Posted

      Hi Joseph, I also felt pretty similar for the first 2 weeks at least. I've been back on it for about 4 weeks and I'm feeling much better. It's hard to say exactly when the medication started to kick in but it takes about 3 weeks for it to assimilate into your system and that's probably when I started to notice a difference. The side effects gradually wore off and I had moments of anxiety rather than hours and days. Now I just feel a kind of wariness at the back of my mind rather than a full blown panic and anxiety at the front of my mind, if that makes sense. I've found a lot of reassurance on here, which helped me keep going when things were really bad. I was receiving reassurance from people a couple of weeks ahead of me and now I'm able to do the same to you. Hopefully in a couple of weeks you'll be doing the same. 

    • joseph90743
      joseph90743 sarah40069

      Posted

      Sarah... 

      Thank you for your feedback! So grateful that I discovered this forum. One can feel alone sometimes when going through this as, its so hard for people who haven't gone through it to understand. I'm trying Mindfulness Meditation and Cognitive Behavioral therapy as well. I hope you are doing better. We WILL get though this! best Joseph

  • joseph90743
    joseph90743 pamela51740

    Posted

    HI Pamela,

    I wanted to reach out to you because I was also on citalopram for years and it pooped out.  Now I am trying steraline. what did you send up trying? did it help?

    hope you are well. 

    thanks

    Joseph 

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