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Sertraline so far

Posted , 5 users are following.

thomas96833
thomas96833

Hello,

Thought I would write about my experience so far with Sertraline for people like myself that have been worrying for so long as to whether or not take these meds. (I questioned should I or shouldn't I for months!)

I have been prescribed them for high anxiety and panic attacks and slight health anxiety now. I often have days were I run around 100mph all day, trying to do everything to keep me busy (literally don't stop until I exhaust myself) or crash and become overwhelmed at the smallest thing. I operate under constant fatigue and my anxiety has manifested in numerous ways, chest pains, head pressure, fainting?, Shakes, heart racing, no sleep you name it.

So far on this medication I have only taken 25mg for 7 days now.

The positives! -

I generally do feel very calm. Last night was the first night in months I have been able to just sit down and the TV without my mind racing or being the polar opposite and vacant. Normally I am extremely restless.

I feel the same as before the tablets - strange one but I feel normal ish, (prob 40% better) no emotional blunting or mental side effects, a lot of physical side effects. This scared me beforehand as fluoxetine KO'd my mental state.

Other people have commented on how calmer I look and more coherent I am which worries me as I often wonder how bad I was beforehand - I thought I covered the anxiety up pretty well. They just said you stare away a lot and sometimes skip words when shakey.

Major one - I no longer feel like crying every five seconds out of frustration for needing to walk out a store or getting panic attacks.

Down sides:

I have had a lot of stomach upset - vomiting and diahorrea but I am sensitive to meds hence starting at 25mg. Work has been, errm fun rolleyes

I have had bad hand shakes - not effecting me much but enough to panic when you notice it.

Dizziness - this is a hard one and hasn't eases off yet, the dizziness is extreme to me, like the floor is moving as I walk yet to my partner, I appear fine. (Also on Steroids for sinusitis, so that could play a part to).

Anxiety has definitely increased. Panic states are worse and hit out of nowhere but at the same time, I know it's Anxiety and the tablet so can calm down faster.

Overall - all the side effects are noticeable for me and haven't eases off yet but it's early days and I am sure they well. Up to 50mg next week and expecting worse side effects but optimistic as hoping it carries on like this.

Having dealt with anxiety for so long, I have genuinely had half the above without taking any meds, so not actually sure which is due to Sertraline or anxiety?!. It sucks

Anyway, waffle done.

Hope this helps anyone.

Let's see what tomorrow brings on the 50mg. Take it a day at a time smile

4 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Onestepatatime7
    Onestepatatime7 thomas96833

    Posted

    Hi,

    I'm on day six of sertraline and I'm starting to feel better than I was. I had a few side effects which have now passed. I'm increasing my dose from 50mg to 100mg.

    I too am starting to feel so much better. I have GAD with every physical symptom you can think of! Finally feel like I'm getting my life back. I tired fluoxetine and it didn't work for me either.

    Hope your increase goes well for you. 🙂

    • thomas96833
      thomas96833 Onestepatatime7

      Posted

      Very glad to hear you are starting to get better.

      Hopefully the increase goes well too!

      Have you found it's better to take the tablets in the morning or night between?.

  • suzanne23014
    suzanne23014 thomas96833

    Posted

    Thanks for your help, I have also had shaking hands and couldn't work out why,slight dizziness.For the first couple of months I felt good,I went from 25-50 mg over 3 weeks and all was good.I have huge gastrointestinal problems so this where I think my problems with Zoloft are coming from,I'm so sick of the extra pain which is different to the pain I normally have also the nausea which I didn't have at first.Ive had heaps of blood tests and upper abdominal ultrasound as yet no results but I stopped the Zoloft to see if it settles down.Ihave read on a chronic health site I belong to people with my problems shouldn't take them and also have suffered the same symptoms when they have done.

    One day at a time is the motto I have come to live by,thanks for your input take care.

  • philip49799
    philip49799 thomas96833

    Posted

    Bl##dy brilliant. This is so good it has made my day. Hang in there and enjoy it.
  • kathryn33357
    kathryn33357 thomas96833

    Posted

    I am on day 11 pf 25mg and i find that i am very shakey and have the lightheadedness wtc but i had this before so i can cope with it. However, my intrusive thoughts and anxiety are worse at the moment but im guessing this will calm down soon and if they dont i will have to go back to the drawing board
    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      You are doing well. can you do some sort of Relaxation/Mindfulness stuff to remove those negative thoughts? have you tried the putting the stuff that is in the front of your 'face' onto a screen the size of a 'tablet' and then watching that screen move away from you into the distance until it disappears? Sounds weird but I have done it a few times successfully. You have to keep loading the damn screens and forcing them away but it can help.

      I also find that listening to lovely music through earphones and lying down in a quiet place and focusing on the misic in the centre of your head works well. 

      I do hope this sunny day (UK) will enable you to get some relief, especially if you can get out in nature somewhere.

      ATB

      Phil

    • kathryn33357
      kathryn33357 philip49799

      Posted

      Thank you Phil. Raining down here in Cornwall but I shall get out and walk the dog (and children) anyway smile I shall give the screen thing a try and also music as i love music smile the thoughts are there constantly at the moment but im not getting so anxious with them as inknow that i wont act on them and that it is all part of the ocd/anxiety. Im hoping this means the tablets are starting to kick in. Hope you are okay today and thank you, as always, for your advice
    • thomas96833
      thomas96833 kathryn33357

      Posted

      Glad your okay.

      What helped me during the bad times is to think of the times Sertraline just worked and you didn't notice. Just think of it as a goal to extend that time, so it becomes more noticeable all the time.

      Getting out walking helped me a lot, though it was a slow one due to the dizziness and what not wink

    • philip49799
      philip49799 kathryn33357

      Posted

      You are welcome and may the beautiful Cornish views and air fill you with relaxation and then energy and blow the cobwebs from your head. I'm having some positive days at the moment so you hang in there. I'm on day 32 I think it is and I hate to tempt things but I have been more stable for a few days in a row and it is so different. All the best.

      P

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