1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Sertraline - without it for 3 weeks

Posted , 6 users are following.

alinwunterlant
alinwunterlant

unable to get to doctors, mix up with prescriptions etc meant that I was without my daily dose of Sertraline - 200mg a day for nearly 3 weeks!

I became argumentative, aggressive and tearful all the time, everything upset me and I would voice my opinions, sometimes controversial, rather than keeping them to myself.  I upset a number of people and am still waiting for the fallout to see if I have lost my job.

It was quite frightening at the time - has anyone else experienced this type of reaction or was it psychological do you think?rolleyes

0 likes, 33 replies

33 Replies

Next
  • itsonlyme
    itsonlyme alinwunterlant

    Posted

    Woweee that's a hell of a drop from 200 to nothing all of a sudden. Totally understand that would suffer as you have done. I've had similar just from stopping from 50. They say reduce gradually and I think this is why. Totally understand how easy it is to find yourself without tablets all of a sudden. Its so annoying that doctors won't prescribe more than a months worth. Good luck with your work - if you declared you were on tablets and your circumstances fingers crossed they will be ok about it. They can't discriminate against you have a mental health issue at the moment but they may feel you've not really helped yourself by not taking the tablets. Fingers crossed they will be understanding and good luck with it all x
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant itsonlyme

      Posted

      Thanks for your support - I think the fact that it is work that made me start taking the tablets in the first place would probably not help my case - they would say that if I can't cope with the job then I should not be doing it in the first place.  And my reaction when I was not taking the tablets at work shows that I am unable to cope.  You know what HR are like, twist rules to suit themselvescry
    • itsonlyme
      itsonlyme alinwunterlant

      Posted

      Lol yes I know what HR are like - I am HR myself 😆. Not all as helpful and nice as they could be tho I'm afraid. However even if they are of the darker side of HR you should still be able to tell them that the current working conditions are making you stressed. It is then their responsibility to help you (not sack you it sideline you) I think its always best to work with HR and try and come up with a plan to either re train or just help while you get yourself sorted. At the end of the day if you can't cope with the workload then its their responsibility to help you so that you can. I know its easier said than done with some HR but if you can get them onside and help them understand what you are going through it may help. Really wish you all the best x
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant itsonlyme

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply and I will certainly take your advice now that I am back on the meds and not snarling at everyone.  I did have the HR Manager contact my Manager to say I had upset one of her staff so I have a bit of making up to do!  Best wishes to you x
  • cherry123
    cherry123 alinwunterlant

    Posted

    Hi..I'm not surprised you had bad reaction...very dangerous to go from 200 to nothing I would think. Would your doctor give you letter for your employer stating that medication made you react as you did? Hope all works out for you.
    • cherry123
      cherry123 alinwunterlant

      Posted

      I'm so sorry to hear this..u must be very upset. It sounds like unfair dismissal to me not knowing all the facts of course but as it was a health/medication issue it sounds so unfair.  Well keep your chin up and don't let them get the better of you and I hope everything works out for you.  I have always found that when one door closes another one opens when you are least expecting it.  Take care
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant cherry123

      Posted

      Yes I agree - I am more optimistic now I have started the meds again. Thanks for your support.  Just want to let everyone know how horrific it can be to go from 200mg per day to nothing.  I felt like I was losing my mind.

      Thanks again.

  • amy89817
    amy89817 alinwunterlant

    Posted

    It is so dangerous to just stop this kind of medication!! As your dose is so high, it sounds like you've been on this medication for a while too?  The withdrawal symptoms are awful.  You really should have seen your doctor, and it doesn't sound like you've spoken to them in the past 3 weeks since quitting the medication..? You should speak to your GP soon. 

    I hope you feel better soon. 

    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant amy89817

      Posted

      I tried to speak to my Doctor but they said that I had to be seen before they issued another prescription. 

      I would leave messages to see if I could have the Sertraline while waiting for an appointment, asking the Doctor to call me back but no-one ever did.

      The receptionists are horrible and useless and take delight in seeing anyone suffering!

      I leave my house at 5.30am and don't get back home at night until after 6pm.  It is very difficult to get in to my Doctors, and in the end I took a day off work only to be told that my appointment had been cancelled.  In the end I went in to the surgery, near to breaking point after having to take another days holiday and insisted that I speak to the Doctor.  I was told by the receptionist that the Doctor would phone me back that afternoon. 

      While I was at home I received a text message stating that an apppointment had been made for 5.45pm that day - as it was 5.30pm I ran to the surgery and checked myself in on their computerised system.  I waited, and I waited and I waited and I waited.  In the end I went to the window to ask when I was going to be seen and was told that the text message is generated when a request for a telephone callback is made and I did not have an actual appointment!

      The good news is that I did speak to the Doctor who was horrifed that I had not been taking my meds and issued me with a prescrption straight away and said I did not need to see anyone - if I need Sertraline in future to leave a message for him - we will see if that works next time I need it.

      I cannot believe how horrific it was coming down from taking it.  I know that I was stressed before I ever took the medication but never felt as bad as I did without it.  It is scary to think I could be on it for the rest of my life.

  • maureen75524
    maureen75524 alinwunterlant

    Posted

    You cannot just quit these meds. they affect your brain chemistry. I was on 150 mg. for a year. I never did do well on sertaline, too many side effects. My Dr. told me to taper @ 25 mg. every two weeks. It took me three months to come down off them. I've been off them since Dec 23. I still have withdrawl symptoms, after 7 months, nausea, crying, and crabby at times.

    There is a forum on here "do sertaline withdrawl symtoms ever go away" that several of us belong to. One lady is still having withdrawl after a year of being off them.

    My hubby went off of Effexor " cold turkey". It's been three months, he's still angry, aggressive, outspoken to the point of embarassement. One must always taper and then it isn't easy.

    I'm sure your Dr. was aghast going from 200 mg to nothing. It's not much wonder you felt so poorly. I do hope you will be back to your old self soon.

    Take care.

    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant maureen75524

      Posted

      I think I will have to take them for the rest of my life - I sound just like your husband and I cringe sometimes when I say things but I can't help it.

      Thanks for your support and I hope things work out wel for you and your husband. All the bestbiggrin

    • maureen75524
      maureen75524 alinwunterlant

      Posted

      Not necessarily alinwunterlant, you had these withdrawls because you quit taking the med altogether. If you taper down ,the withdrawls aren't so severe. Many people taper off them. My husband should've done a taper, as it's been hell for him. He's determined to never go back on a psyc drug. Hopefully his brain chemistry will return to normal in 6 months lol!
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant maureen75524

      Posted

      Just wish I had never started with them.  To think that a job has stressed me out so much I had to take 200mg a day and now I am addicted.  The message from 'itsonly me' says about mental health issues and I had never considered myself in that category before.  Actually that has made me feel worse like I am some kind of psychiatric freak and really made me determined to get off these drugs.  I am off work next week on holiday so I am going to my doctor to get this sorted out once and for all - I am going to get myself off these drugs and never take anything again. frown
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.