Sertraline - my 8 week story

Dear Richard30560,

Many thanks for your post which has given me the strength to carry on with my prescription of sertraline. My GP prescribed it several months ago for anxiety and depression but I backed down after three days of feeling unsure of its effects. However I couldn't carry on with the feelings and emotions I was continually going through, so I started my course and I am now in my 6th week. It has been a difficult journey with lots of "lows". I had hoped that by now I would be feeling so much better and pray that I wilI wake up from the nightmare of overthinking, dark thoughts, worry, anxiety and depression which will have lifted. I have been an anxious person all my life but since February 2020 I have had more than my share of stress and worry. Having had my bloods checked by a haematologist I was on a course of iron tablets for a diagnosis of mild iron deficiency anaemia. However around this time last year I was sent for a colonoscopy which revealed a flat lesion and inflammation. A biopsy came back clear. However the bottom line is that I had major abdominal surgery on January 26th 2021 which because of adhesiolysis I now have a colostomy bag. The surgeon also performed anappendectomy and a hysterectomy. I am coping with being an ostomate since I had a colostomy 15 years ago which was reversed a year later. This time it is permanent. I am now 77years old and I just want to live whatever time I have left feeling joy in my life again and to stop overthinking and being anxious all the time. Best wishes to everyone on this forum.

hiya , this is my 8th day on sertraline, I feel like I am getting nowhere, 2 steps forward then 10 backwards , notice wee changes ,please tell me it gets better , currently off work and wanting back.

Hi richard, thsi is good to know. im only on day 3 and struggling with horrible symtoms. im really hoping sertraline works for me as ive been on and off diff ones over the last year or so. im having some dizziness and intermittent chest pain although i do have costochondritis at the minute. my anxiety is coming in bouts. when i engage in something i seem better but as soon as i stop i experience bad waves of nerves and dizziness and nausea. did u experience bad symptoms at all and have you got any advice?

i find solace in your post on Zoloft . Its week 3 started on 100 mg , side effect was overwhelming, i reduced to 50 mg seemed to be more beneficial , on advice of psychiatrist he wanted me to up to 100 mg.

Filling the day the hardest obstacle , thoughts are obsessed about meds , and as you highlighted only reading Forums , so as i don't feel so alone.

i pray that the increase to 100 mg will improve over time , i am so overwhelmed , im avoiding answering the phone as my mind is preoccupied with my Depression . Is this normal ?

Another Month feeling like this is like starting off from Plymouth and Rowing The Atlantic.

Ive had chronic depression before , and Psychiatrist confirmed its genetic bi polar wow what a way to end the year and to see in 2022.

Hi my advice don't take them for more than 6months as they are very addictive and virtually impossible to come off. i know because i've been on them 10yrs. they also cause major weight gain within 6months i gained 3stone.

Hi Richard

I have been on 25mg for two weeks alongside citralopram (weaning of those..stopped working)

Going on to 50mg tomorrow, i have started having bad nausea, headaches and diahrea . oh and not sleeping very well.

Any ideas to help with the nausea as i wake up feeling tired take the tablet and nausea kicks in.

Appetite is not good either...its really horrid.

Thank you

Tracey

am so glad i found this thread. its given me the strength to keep pushing.

my story: i've been on sertraline since 2014. life was great and during the start of 2020 decided to lessen my dose - was taking 50mg every other day.

then 6 weeks ago i came down with a really bad UTI - had full on body shakes and fever which, in turn triggered my anxiety. doctor recommended going back to 50mg per day which i did. had all the horrible side affects and dark thoughts (which i struggle with the most).

got through it and had a good couple of weeks and then had the same fever and shakes again. turns out the antibiotics didnt work and had to take a second course.

battled through that telling myself that the anxiety was related to the infection. have been off the antibiotics for 3 days now but the anxiety is still present. (had a few major life things happen which also seem to be triggering anxiety)

i seem to be in a pattern of one day i feel okish and the next am in the doldrums with hideous dark thoughts.

i spent most of today battling my brain, trying to decide if i should up my dose and deal with the hideous side effects again.

then i found this thread and was reminded that potentially i could be feeling crap because im at the 6 week mark of going back to full dose.

thank you to everyone who has posted. i read all the comments and its really strengthened my resolve. i remember now that it gets crap and better intermittently before it gets better.

doesn't make going through it any easier but it reminds me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I've been on the 7th week and fixing to go on my 8th week. I have still been having a bad week so hopefully I will get better in the next week or so. My question is will the 8th week be better? will I start to feel better?

Hi. Im a newby on this drug. On day 6 at 25mg. Supposed to up it tomorrow to 50mg. Im scared. Feeling really crappy. Dizzy, nauseated, trembling, dull headache behind eyes, tinnitus, and it goes on. I know I have to hang in there, but as you well know its hard. Glad I found your post. It encouraged me.

Hi Richard, want to take some time out to say thanks for this post. I'm roughly 8 weeks of 50mg setraline. It's been a roller-coaster ride, highs and lows. I can relate to quite alot of your experience here. Today I actually started to have an appetite during the day and are a huge plate of sweet potato. Amazing! I'm hoping that my motivation comes back though I can't seem to get it together in work it's something I'm praying will happen. Overall I can see the benefits of the medication. I was hoping you could tell me. Did your interests and motivation return after a period of time? All I want to do is nap and skive from my work, which isn't great as I run a small buisness from home!!! Any further advice appreciated thanks so much 😃

thank you! I'm here at week 4 of the first increase, and week 1 of a second increase and I'm struggling!

Hi Richard

I have come across some of your older posts and found them most helpful.

I am in my 7th week of 100mg Sertraline and feeling more anxious than ever. Please tell ,e that this is normal and I will soon start to feel better. I am debating on upping my dose to 150mg but am scared to.

My husband recently had a brain tumour diagnosis and the tumour was removed 4 weeks ago. The trauma we have gone through the past 4 weeks has traumatised me. I just want to know that I will get my happy life back. I am trying so hard 😦

I hope you are well?

Lisa