Sertraline good or bad?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi there, I was recently prescribed with sertraline for anxiety. I previously was on fluoxetine for 2 years but my GP thought it would be more beneficial for me to go on to sertraline. I was prescribed with 25mg at first and the day after I had an awful anxiety attack whilst on the bus (of all places). What shocked me most was it literally came out of nowhere-it really did frighten me to the point where I didn't take another. I went into work and was sent home, I couldn't stay still, very fidgety etc. My GP then called me with a follow up appointment the week after and I told him all about it, he was very persistent that I continue to take sertraline and he prescribed me with Valium to go alongside it. I must admit, I'm on day 4 and I do feel a lot better than I did before but I do still get sudden urges of anxiety,dizziness etc. I just wanted to know if this has affected anyone's work life/relationships ... As I feel very disconnected from everything and the thought of going into work and having an attack is scaring the hell out of me.
0 likes, 14 replies
gingemac1977
Posted
your side effects will go away after a few weeks, i've been on it for 6 weeks now, i started on 50mg and am now on 100mg, and it's made a big difference for me, i'm on it for depression and anxiety. i've had a few attacks myself early on at the start of the treatment, out of the blue and ones i felt coming on but they didn't happen very often and i used valium to subside these. i've also have bad migranes which have now stopped also.
you should start to feel a difference by week 4 at the earliest so try your best to stick with it. it's worth it.
many people on the forum have reported very different side effects like, diorreah and sickness, severe mood swings and hightened anxiety etc. myself i've only experienced the ones i mentioned above and the best one which is i've lost nearly a stone in weight, it does surpress your appetite somewhat, but i do not complain about that!!
hope it helps :-)
Minigoo
Posted
gingemac1977
Posted
kaytii67890
Posted
Hope you're feeling better
K x
Minigoo
Posted
Glad your work has been understanding
Kylie x
kaytii67890
Posted
Unfortunately, we don't have a union I work in a coffee shop inside a major chain store. Customers help keep me distracted from my thoughts and keeps me on my toes lol. Luckily I've never had to deal with any overly rude customers, I'd probably be in a ball in tears.
If you feel an attack coming on then maybe try and get outside? If not try the good old breathing techniques.. 1 to 10, in and out, ect?
Hope you manage you get this sorted so you don't feel so bad, you don't need to added stress of worrying about other workers
K x
red79
Posted
kaytii67890
Posted
Hope you're feeling a little more at ease this evening,
I almost had a panic attack at work today, managed to calm myself down though. Had been the busiest at the cafe since I've begun taking Sertraline. Glad to be home now though!
K x
Minigoo
Posted
Hope everyones day has been okay
kaytii67890
Posted
It's a pity that most people don't properly understand it but I've found it's just something you need to take with a pinch of salt - well try to at least
K x
gingemac1977
Posted
sounds like you're manager was just trying to reassure you that if you did have a panic attack that someone would be on hand to help you if you needed it?? i do the same when people say nice things, i always seem to focus on what that means in a negative way, perhaps he/she was just trying to be helpful, especially if they have no experience in depression and anxiety?? i know how you feel though, depression and anxiety can get a mixture of reactions from people, i can't stand it when people say things like "you need to get a grip and just sort yourself out" and "try not to think negatively" if only it were that easy, when i have one of my being depressed episodes nothing can make me smile, everything feels black and dull, and it comes into my life at any particular time, causes havoc and then completely disappears for a few days, just as i am starting to recover and get back to my normal self, it comes back again and it all starts again, i can't seem to shake it, feel like it's a vicious circle......however, i've been myself since thursday last week, so time will tell, hopefully this 100mg will be doing its job and keeping it at bay??
hope you're feeling better today :-)
red79
Posted
PFunk Minigoo
Posted
I hope your treatments are going well.
I'm a man in my 30s. I've been on Sertraline before and now I'm back on it again following the death of my mum. For me, it has always worked well and relatively quickly (i.e. weeks instead of months).
In terms of side effects, I have noticed an increase in anxiety for the first day or two, but it's impossible to say if that was the pill or my worsening anxiety/depression. I also notice that it slightly lowers my libido but other than that it seems fine.
I would certainly recommend Sertraline to anyone who had misgivings. It has helped me before and I'm confident it will again.
renee45676 Minigoo
Posted