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Sertraline don't be scared it works with the right dosage.

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ilda1982
ilda1982

Hi all, for nearly 3yrs I was on sertraline, at the beginning it was awful. Dizziness, lack of interest, mood swings tired loss of appetite throwing up headaches and so on. I started at 25mg till we found the right dosage for me and that was 150mg. At this stage I was ok no anxiety, no panic attacks no fear no suicidal thoughts none of what I felt before. All of that was gone. I was me again. I felt good. When I started I was 58kg went down to 42kg had to wear kids cloths. Once I found the right dosage and started feeling good again I had everything back including my weight. Last year because I was feeling good I decided to stop it. My Gp told me it was too soon but I heard so much about the tablets I just wanted to stop them.

After a few wks I realised was to soon and asked my Gp to put me back on them. So I'm back on them and this time I went up very quickly. I started straight at 50mg then 100 then 150 and back to 200mg. I promise you it's worth going through all this side effects because after you will feel good again. This is my positive story to all of you. I really really hope it works for all of you as it did for me. Any questions please ask I will answer. Best of luck to all of you stay strong fight don't give up your friend ILDA xxx

29 likes, 230 replies

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  • LASBL9
    LASBL9 ilda1982

    Posted

    Hi

    I was on Sertraline from March 15 to Dec 15. It took a while but got me back on track and back in work and also helped me through the my mum dying in Oct 15. So they do work. I came off them as I felt I was handling things well but the chemical imbalance seems to have happened again and so I'm just starting back on. I'm going straight on 100mg and will deal with the side effects as a lower dose doesn't do it for me.

    I really hope everyone starts feeling better soon. This is such a difficult illness which invades all part of life and it's difficult having to wait for improvements when you're so desperate to get back on form.

    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 LASBL9

      Posted

      Same thing happened to me I was feeling good and stop them now I'm back on them againsmile
    • LASBL9
      LASBL9 ilda1982

      Posted

      It's so frustrating having to start again. All the old fears are back and I know I've just got to ride it out. Worst parts for me are the early morning waking up and the brain fog. I've got a technical job so I have to go off sick when I can't think clearly 😕
    • dodo81786
      dodo81786 ilda1982

      Posted

      I appreciate so much your positive story ilda as we need a lot of them on this forum it helps a lot , when I'm not feeling well and need reassurance I look for disscusions that gives me hope finally your tittle itself gives that hope . I also read that anixity lessens the amount of serotonin in brain which increases the low mood . For me I discovered that I had anixity through my life without me noticing that this is treatable and trying not to take med but once I had a problem that raised my anixity to the max which affected my serotonin level then caused depression .

      Thanks again ilda .

    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 dodo81786

      Posted

      smile how you feeling now. I have been away for few days I had a bad kidney infection up all good nowsmile
  • debbie75601
    debbie75601 ilda1982

    Posted

    I have read all of these postings regarding Sertraline. However, can you all tell me why you were prescribed them in the first place? My GP wants me to take them for anxiety, brought on by menopause. I truly do not feel any anxiety or depression, and do not want to take them, especially after reading all these horrible side effects! I have been sick since January, been to hospital 3 times, had cardiac tests, heart is good, ultrasound spotted gallstones, had removed early this month, have nausea, weight loss, insomnia, body weakness and shaking, weird head pressure over left eye, into jaw sometimes, and down back of neck, and now burning sensations throughout my body. GP had me on Lorazepam, but it gave me burning chest pains. She prescribed me Sertraline 25mg, once daily, to follow up with her in a week, to see how I'm doing. I do not feel I need these, just an answer to my medical illnesses. Only anxiety I may have is over not having a diagnosis. 
    • CG1964
      CG1964 debbie75601

      Posted

      I am a 52 year old female, also undergoing menopause. I was prescribed 25mg and then 50mg after 3 weeks for anxiety.  I had never suffered from anxiety before but over the last few months i have exhibited some of the same symptoms that you described, insomnia, weight loss, nausea, shaking and the wierd pressure on my face, though mine feels like a mask around my eyes.  This was all accompanied by my thoughts suddenly racing out of control and worry about my children and family members and potential problems that could occur in the future.  I went to my GP because I felt so out of control and I was not getting any sleep.  We started with the 25mg and after 3 weeks the side effects were gone but the anxious thoughts were still there, so GP increased to 50mg now on day 4 @ 50mg and the anxiety is increased because of the jump to 50. I am determined to wait it out for 5 weeks at 50mg to give the sertraline time to do its work.  I don't want to increase the dosage and I would like to start CBT asap so I can deal with whatever this is.  I hope this is helpful to you.
    • dodo81786
      dodo81786 debbie75601

      Posted

      Ahhh for myself I started since November 2015 my very very first time in my life taking antidepressants 😔 as I went through illness made me think the worse could happen to me but it all came normal at the end but I got stuck with anixity and depression that I cry for no reason and don't have any motivation to do anything at all not even crack a smile and I have kids that added to my anixity bec I wanted to be normal , whenever I needed to do housework or homework help for my kids I couldn't do anything . My doc gave me sertraline and here I am better but not normal . Sorry for this long description but this helps too .
    • dodo81786
      dodo81786 debbie75601

      Posted

      I forgot to mention the side effects of this med was horrible for me , insomnia , loss of apetite , vomiting , thoughts and panic attacks all day long . I was on 50 mg and upped my dose to 100mg in the evenings . All side effects gone at the 3rd week but the thing is every night I have fear of not being able to sleep this is awful .
    • debbie75601
      debbie75601 CG1964

      Posted

      Thank you for the reply. I don't think I can handle all the side effects waiting for the benefit. I have had these symptoms for so long, finally getting over some of them, so don't want to bring them back. Especially if I feel I don't have anxiety/depression in the first place. 
    • debbie75601
      debbie75601 dodo81786

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply. Don't think I'm up for all that mess. Scares me to no end  
    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 debbie75601

      Posted

      Debbie, I had panick attacks anxiety and major depression. I was sick just like you and never accepted been depressed. For me didn't make any sense. Been to A&E so many times and Gp gave me citalopram took them for 2 days I nearly died. Very bad side effects had to stop them straight away and they gave me sertraline. It took a while to work up they do work. Don't be afraid some people get side effects some don't. I got some not all of them. Give it a go trust me. Xxx
    • patty74110
      patty74110 debbie75601

      Posted

      Hi Debbie,

      I have been thru the same stuff as you.  I started feeling dizzy in January this year.  I went to my GP who thought I may have a vitamin deficiency since everything I eat goes right thru me.  She gave me something to try in water to help stop this.  It didn't work.  I still felt very dizzy and shaky.  I went to ER and they said I had an ear infection and put me on antiobiotic for 7 days.  Still not feeling well.  Back to GP.  Had every body fluid tested and nothing showed up as ears were now clear.  Even went to ear dr because I didn't believe them.  Back to ER.  Diagnosed with generalized anxiety.  Still not doing good.  Just felt like something was wrong.  Found gallstones in a CT scan but told not to worry about them.  Back to GP.  Gave me lorazapam for a bit but said I could stay on it so they perscribed sertraline 50 mg and hydroxyzine.  I was nervous to take as my daughter is a nurse in a pschyc unit.  I turned 50 so she said maybe menopause.  I made my yearly with my OB dr and he did blood test said not menopause just anxiety and it is very common for women this age.  He sees it all the time.  I am not feeling depressed just not myself.  He said take it.  If we read side effects on all medications, no one would take anything.  Needless to say I gave in and admitted I have anxiety all of a sudden. I have shaking, chest pressure, panic of going to any store and I have even stop driving since this has all started.  I felt I was getting anxious of the drs not finding any diagnosis other than anxiety.  They couldn't be right (I know me) or so I thought.  Needless to say, I started serteraline about 7 weeks ago.  My husband has noticed a difference.  I have good days and bad.  Sometimes it seems to me more bad than good but I am working thru this with my family's support and the meds.  Give in an listen to the GP. 

    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 debbie75601

      Posted

      Hi sorry for late reply :'( I take them for anxiety panic attacks but more for depression. I was sick for 7months till I accepted it was depression anxiety and panic attacks. I suffered for a very long long time without medication. xxx ilda
    • Findingme
      Findingme CG1964

      Posted

      How are you feeling now? Would love to hear if the meds/dose starting working for you.
    • keisha84443
      keisha84443 patty74110

      Posted

      I felt the exact same way didn't think i had aniety till all of a sudden it hit me while driving and my body went in shock mode and shut down on me .my doc started me on serteraline 25mg the side effects are kicking my butt but hopefully the out come will be much greater

    • deborah5683
      deborah5683 debbie75601

      Posted

      hi Debbie i know this is an old post but I have all the symptoms you describe and more!! Did you ever take the sertraline?? Did it help?? what dose did you go on??

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