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Sertraline nearly 1 year in

Posted , 12 users are following.

kerry56645
kerry56645

I just wanted to share my experience I was in a bad place constantly worrying what people thought, I didn't sleep, it got to the point that I honestly thought I was losing my mind, I'd lie awake 3 nights every week, worry about every work meeting etc etc ... I was exhausted fed up and very very ill, its only when I read my notes on the thoughts I was having and the frequency that I realise how ill I was.  I think I'd always suffered from anxiety but because I'm quite outgoing I thought it was normal to feel constantly wired always thinking about something positive or negative. So I started on 50mg and wow the side affects! I felt off my face for the first week, I took my pill and 5.30pm as soon as I got in from work and would sit upstairs away from my husband worrying that my heart was beating too fast, I couldn't breathe, I felt sick, I had an upset stomach. This went on for a week then the side affects subsided but I was still anxious and not to mention the crazy dreams that felt like I was awake but in a different universe.! Doc upped my dose to 100 after 6 weeks and I didn't have any additional side affects , the anxiety stopped completely I started to sleep every night, think rationally, I didnt dwell at last I had I space to think., then about 6 months later I started feeling anxious, I always write down what's happened when so I can review my anxiety and it started happening again on a weekly basis so after 1 month i upped my dose again to 125 and I've been on that dose ever since. The additional 25mg gave me a few side afffects again but that settled down after a few weeks. I'm in a good place, I've never felt better and this happened about 3 months ago.  I like myself again I know I'm a good person, I don't analyse every little detail of every conversation worrying how I came across what they really meant etc... I have peace in my own head, I can relax , I am actually on holiday with my husband this is the first holiday I haven't cried, I used to get very anxious and again over analyse every situation so I would isolate myself in my own thoughts away from my husband. I can now relax and enjoy the calm and peace of a holiday.

Please don't suffer with anxiety there are treatments that work Sertraline changed my life I now feel 100% in control of my emotions for the first time in my life. This group really helped my when I first started taking this drug I hope someone gets some encouragement from this that things will get better ??X 

8 likes, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • ashleyrocks910
    ashleyrocks910 kerry56645

    Posted

    I appreciate you posting this,  Kerry.  I come back to it every so often and re read it when I am in a funk.  This too shall pass!  Patience is hard when dealing with this,  but things will get better!
    • kerry56645
      kerry56645 ashleyrocks910

      Posted

      Thank you Ashley that's really kind of you. It's so difficult when your in amongst all the thoughts, the lack of sleep, the habit of being anxious wired and miserable. I think your right the biggest thing is saying to yourself this will pass. Things can only get. Enter when you take the first steps to feeling well again. Take care xx 

    • kerry56645
      kerry56645

      Posted

      Can only get better ! smile x 
  • Lolita40
    Lolita40 kerry56645

    Posted

    Hi Kerry!

    Just want to say that its really nice of you to make this post. We all look on internet to be reassure about our symptoms but mostly to see people like you that got throught this all journey of anxiety and meds.

    Even if its not my first med experience, I always feel the need for reassurance that my anxiety, my jitterness, my exhaustion/fatigue and my shakyness will go away.

    Thank ypu

    • kerry56645
      kerry56645 Lolita40

      Posted

      Ah your welcome, this forum is great for making you feel like your not alone,, I hope to come off Sertraline before Xmas, I hope I would recognise the signs and I would take it again if I started having those symptoms again. I still sometimes have the odd wobble now and again but I think that’s normal xxx 
  • kyle26604
    kyle26604 kerry56645

    Posted

    Kerry, 

    When you moved up to 100 mg did you go straight there or have any time at 75 mg?  

    • kerry56645
      kerry56645 kyle26604

      Posted

      Hi I wen straight from 50 to 100 I didn’t feel any side affects but I was keen to take more as I still had anxiety x 
  • acfierros
    acfierros kerry56645

    Posted

    I have struggled with sleep anxiety for 6 months. I refused to go on an anti depressant. Finally I gave in. I'm on 50 mg zoloft. Did you ever do well on 50? Did any of your anxiety go away? I am only 3 weeks in and I still have anxiety but not as bad.

    • kerry56645
      kerry56645 acfierros

      Posted

      Hi yes it’s a tough decision, I started sleeping better right away, I felt an improvement after a few weeks, I had more headspace and was sleeping, I still had anxiety though and upped to 100 after 4 weeks at 50, hang in there, I’m pleased your feeling a little better the hard work has been done you can only get better from here xxx 
  • joe41529
    joe41529 kerry56645

    Posted

    Thanks for sharing your story! Glad everything has worked well for you.
  • Bee1010
    Bee1010 kerry56645

    Posted

    Hi Kerry, 

    Thank you so much for writing this post, it has given me so much reassurance. 

    I’ve been on sertraline for 12 weeks now; 10 weeks at 50mg & 2 weeks at 75mg. I was too scared to up to 100mg like my doctor suggested so we agreeded on 75mg I’m on week 2 of the increase & started having a few side effects (nausea, tiredness, headache) no where near as bad as when I 1st started but they have definitely come back. I did feel like 50mg helped me a lot but I wasn’t ‘quite’ there is if that makes sense I knew I needed to up the dose. I am going to give it 2 more weeks on 75mg & if I’m still feeling the same I shall take the plunge & up to 100mg. 

    Did you notice any weight gain whilst being on sertraline? Or after upping your dosage? X

    • kerry56645
      kerry56645 Bee1010

      Posted

      Hi Bee, I’m pleased your feeling an improvement, what you say makes perfect sense to me, I think as long as you accept that you will have side affects then it helps, they are also short lived . Yes I did gain weight but I don’t think it was down to the drugs, I think I just relaxed more ate more and didn’t worry about it ! I’m trying to loose it but then that’s nothing new ! Don’t be scared to up your dose, you will know if you need to, i went up to 125 and then reduced back to 100, sounds a bit weird but when it stars working it will just creep up on you and then you will realise you are having less and less anxiety and thinking less and less about how you are feeling if that makes sense ? I’m pleased my post has given you some reassurance xx 
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