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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

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  • maureen75524
    maureen75524 alinwunterlant

    Posted

    I know how you feel alin. i had many stressful times at work also. I took medical leave once for a month. The Drs. then wanted to put me on A.D.'s. i wouldn't go on them. I went to see a therapist. He said to me " it's just a job" don't let them stress you. Each time i began to get stressed i'd recall his words.

    I went on the A.D.'s two years ago due to stress at home. Hubby had heart surgery was depressed and miserable. I also have a 38 year old son at home with medical issues. I tried three different kinds of A.D.'s and the side effects of each one, affected me worse thatn the condition.

    I went to my Dr. after 9 months on the sertaline, as I was suffering from insomnia. She wanted to add a sleeping pill and increase me to 200 mg.This is when I said NO, enough. My pharmacist told me if I was suffering from insomnia, I should probably decrease the sertaline! The pharmacist was CORRECT, quite often they know more than the Drs., about drugs. My Dr. then agreed and I didn't care at that point if she did or not, as I knew how I felt. I was going to taper down!

    It hasn't been fun, but I feel so much better, more like my old self. Most drs. have never taken the drugs so don't know the side effects and how they make you feel. I am very senisitive to drugs. This is my story. I kow many people have gret success with A.D.'s but I wasn't one of them.

    Take care, try and relax and don't stress at work.

    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant maureen75524

      Posted

      Thank you for coming back to me.  I am calmer now that I have re-started the sertraline (only 100mg now) and I intend to get off them as soon as possible.  You are correct about Doctors' they prescribe medicine and don't know the full extent of what they are prescribing.  I have seen them looking things up in books before!  Hope all goes well for you int he future and you continue being 'your old self' x
  • itsonlyme
    itsonlyme alinwunterlant

    Posted

    Ooh no I didn't mean to upset you by saying mental health I'm really sorry. I said it because it protects you in terms of employment law. 

    I personally feel that depression is a mental health things because its a chemical imbalance in the brain. Being on AD just helps with the imbalance you sort the route cause out.  I also wish I'd never been prescribed these tablets too because although they got me through my pnd I have been made to feel like a drug addict when ran out and needed some whilst away.  I've not had any for a few weeks now and still suffer side affects and I was only on a low dosage so I really feel for you having to drop from 200 suddenly x

    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant itsonlyme

      Posted

      No please do not feel that you have upset me, it just brought the whole thing into perspective - no job is worth making me feel like I have been. 

      I am feeling better now that I have started to take the Sertraline - only 100mg now my Doctor says.  I suppose it is because I can off them so quickly that I can take a reduced amount now but I fully intend to rid myself of them as soon as I can.  Thank you for your words of support, I really appreciate you coming back to me x

    • itsonlyme
      itsonlyme alinwunterlant

      Posted

      I know exactly how you feel 😊 good luck with it all (totally agree no job or company is worth making you feel like this - it's the company not you too) x
  • cherry123
    cherry123 alinwunterlant

    Posted

    Hi Alinwunterlant...doesn't mean u will b on them for rest of your life..as someone else said u only had that really bad experience because u went off them so suddenly. I am now on my 2nd day of trying to taper off..going from 75mg to 50mg .. ok so far but I know that may change. I plan on doing it very very slowly. Interesting what Maureen said about insomnia cos I too suffer from that..didn't associate that with sertraline! Hope it improves now. I agree that docs don't know everything..last time I saw my gp (who I have great faith in in general) I mentioned the dreadful sweats I had & she didn't even suggest it could b related to Sertraline even tho I can see now that it is a very common side effect. Hope all goes well for u Alinwunterland and hope your job gets sorted out to your satisfaction. Take care
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant cherry123

      Posted

      Hi went in to work this morning and my Manager was a total bitch as usual , could not stand it any longer so told her I was leaving as she was unsupportive and packed my things up and walked out. 
  • kim86725
    kim86725 alinwunterlant

    Posted

    Hi Alinwunterlant, yes that is a normal reaction when coming off or missing a few doses, I raged for about 6 wks. when I came off and still 31/2 moths later I still have my moments. Hope you feel better. Kim
  • itsonlyme
    itsonlyme alinwunterlant

    Posted

    Awe im so sorry to hear you lost your job 😔 x
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant itsonlyme

      Posted

      thanks, it was when I was without the sertraline and I was so angry and rude to people at work.  I also told them some home truths and confidential information - I would never have done that but I was like a different person.
    • itsonlyme
      itsonlyme alinwunterlant

      Posted

      I totally understand. I think your brain has so much to cope with when its in withdrawal you just don't have any reasoning or patience that you would normally have. Really sorry they weren't understanding about it all. If you've worked there for two years or more I would seek some employment advice and see if they have treated you unfairly or discriminated against you. Don't forget you have the appeal process you can go through if you wanted to fight your case for peace of mind you did everything you could to keep your job. Although they don't sound like a place you want to stay in I'm guessing. Always believe that everything happens for a reason and sometimes we need to go backward before we can move forward. That's my moto anyway. 😘xx
    • alinwunterlant
      alinwunterlant itsonlyme

      Posted

      what a great motto.  Just looking for another job that pays 40k a year!   It was not a nice place to work in - too much backstabbing and Managers with their own agendas.  Thanks for the advice and I am feeling optimistic now that I am back on the medication.  I have an appointment with my GP about reducing and things feel so much better.  Thanks again - all the best biggrin
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