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Really struggling!

Posted , 6 users are following.

sarah40069
sarah40069

Ive been on Sertraline for about 5 weeks and although I've had days where I fell ok and even a week where I thought I was better, at the moment every day feels like hell. I'm struggling to push through this time and depression is gripping me as well as the anxiety. I took some extra tablets this morning in an effort to feel better then I just slept all morning. I'm really scared this is never going to end. Has anyone experienced anything similar and come out the other side. I need a tiny sliver of hope to hold onto. Thank you x

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • UK-Rose
    UK-Rose sarah40069

    Posted

    Im also in the same boat... was prescribed Sertraline for anxiety (Day 11 at 50mg/ Day 26 in total) 

    An although I have seen improvement in my anxiety and also had a week were I felt pretty good... I just feel low and depressed, today I actually feel emotional like I could burst into tears at any moment... praying this feeling is temporary and will

    pass, no real advice to share, but just to let you know I also feel the same 😕🌹

    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 UK-Rose

      Posted

      Thank you, it's good to know someone else understands. I hate this waiting game, just hoping and praying the next tablets will work. I want to able to do normal things again and feel 'normal'. Are you still on 50mg? 

    • UK-Rose
      UK-Rose sarah40069

      Posted

      Yes Im still on 50mg...

      The doctor wants me to continue for another 2weeks at this dosage to see if the low mood lifts, (which I hope it does, as now Iv experienced some benefits and can see its working well my anxiety  - I really don’t want to end up stopping & trying another med because of low mood - which wasnt a real issue before I started) 

      My mood seem to stay at about 4/10 on a good day 2/10 on a bad day. 

    • UK-Rose
      UK-Rose

      Posted

      Hello Sarah... how you getting on??
    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 UK-Rose

      Posted

      Thank you for checking in on me. I've been feeling pretty bad tbh. I haven't posted on here for a few days because I didn't want to discourage people. I am feeling slightly better this morning though. I went to the doctors yesterday and she upped one of my other medications which I'm taking for anxiety and insomnia, which helped me get a better nights sleep so I woke up with a better mentality. It's hard to feel like the medication, particularly the Sertraline is working at the moment. May be it's just taking longer to settle in my system than other people. I have another appointment with a mental health crisis team this afternoon, so we'll see what they say. I've been on Sertraline before and it did seem to suit me, but I think I was pretty up and down for a while on it to start with, so may be it's  just me. How are you doing today? Xx

       

    • UK-Rose
      UK-Rose sarah40069

      Posted

      Sorry to hear its still a bumpy road, Im still also feeling low, miserable & struggling to shake this depressive mood. 

      But after reading some posts & speaking to a few of the others yesterday.. I feel reassured that others have experienced the same and things have improved for them around the 4-6week mark after an increase... 

      Hopefully we’ll feel the same soon enough 🌹

  • ellie_30462
    ellie_30462 sarah40069

    Posted

    I know exactly how you feel ! I am either really high or really low there’s no in between and it feels awful. Some days I just cry at everything and I hope it gets better for us soonsad x
    • UK-Rose
      UK-Rose ellie_30462

      Posted

      Hello ellie, 

       Me too, its so frustrating...

      Whats your dosage now and how long have you been taking it??

    • ellie_30462
      ellie_30462 UK-Rose

      Posted

      Hello, it’s 50mg and about a month now how about you?
    • UK-Rose
      UK-Rose ellie_30462

      Posted

      Iv been  on Sertraline 26days in total, but only 11days at 50mg - just really hoping the low moods pass😕🤞🏼

  • 2chr2015
    2chr2015 sarah40069

    Posted

    Hi Sarah.  I'm so sorry you are going through this too.  It stinks doesnt it?  I just recently increased my dose and am going through the same.  All I want to do is just watch tv. I might have 1 day out of a week that I actually feel human.  I have been on sertraline for almost 20 years.  It does work for me.  I had just lowered my dose bc of some other med changes.  I can tell you from experience that some of the generics don't work well for me.  I can tell within a few days, so be on the look out  if they change your manufacturer.

    Anyways, you are not alone.  I am usually on here, so if you just need someone to talk to feel free to vent.  ((Hugs))

  • Ailidh
    Ailidh sarah40069

    Posted

    I'm roughly on the same timescale, today is Day 38, so half way through week 6. 

    I kept daily notes for the first 5 weeks, and gave myself a score for Sleep Quality, Anxiety and Mood. 

    Week on week, my sleep has improved ~ although it's still not fear-free, I have a huge anxiety about not sleeping properly. 

    Week on week, my anxiety has improved, except in relation to sleep this week. 

    The 2nd week, my mood went down fractionally but has then gone up week on week. 

    This week, I made notes on Monday and Today (Thursday), because my oncology psychologist reminded me in a phone appointment on Monday that my pattern in the past has been to record, then gradually phase it out. This is my 3rd attack of Anxiety/Low Mood in 4 years but the first time I've taken meds (Sertraline 50mg and Propranolol 10mg x 2)

    The annoying thing is that, so far anyway, the improvement isn't sustained. Although I managed 6.5 hour's sleep last night, I didn't wake refreshed, principally because I panic if I don't feel like I'm going to get to sleep in bed, and decamp to the sofa, where I generally do, though not in the first fortnight when I had 3 nights with no sleep at all. 

    I've read quite few people talk about real improvement at 6-8 weeks, so I'm hoping for that. 

  • ashleyrocks910
    ashleyrocks910 sarah40069

    Posted

    When you say you took some extra tablets,  do you just mean for the day?  Sertraline isn’t a benzo,  so unfortunately taking extra tablets for the day doesn’t help and can make it harder on you.  I am still riding the rollercoaster,  so unfortunately I don’t have any good advice right now,  but just wanted to make sure you weren’t taking extra sertraline tablets as I had asked my doctor about doing that on harder days,  and was told not to.  
    • sarah40069
      sarah40069 ashleyrocks910

      Posted

      Thank you for the concern. I didn't mean Sertraline, I took an extra sleeping tablet and some other medication I have for the anxiety. A bit silly, I know, but I'd got to a point of desperation and wanted a break from how I was feeling. Today has been a better day though and I actually felt hungry, which is the first time a while. I realised today that it's actually only 5 weeks that I've been on Sertraline, about 4 on the 100mg, so I probably do need to give it more time to work. Sarah x

    • ashleyrocks910
      ashleyrocks910 sarah40069

      Posted

      Oh good!  Whew. I was a little worried.  Definitely take the sleeping pills,  it is so hard to function the next day without sleep.  I think we are about the same length of time since the increase.  I am glad you are starting to be able to eat somethings.  That is just coming back for me as well.  Starting to have a couple more normal days,  but still not where I want to be yet.  I am glad you are feeling better too.  Hang in there and keep us updated! xx
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