So scared to start sertraline!
Posted , 6 users are following.
I was prescribed 50mg of sertraline yesterday and stop my citalopram because it has stopped working I've felt so I'll for 3 months severe anxiety and panic attacks I've been crying and feel hopeless! I drank a bottle of vodka the other morning because I'm so fed up, I took 2 sleeping tablets and ended up in hospital. I am the lowest I have ever been! I don't think I could barely side effects of sertraline! I'm also on mirtazipine and lamotrigine. I was prescribed sertraline about 12 years ago and the next morning when I woke up in felt like I had taking ecstasy! My pupils were so big and my head was shaking and I was so out of it! So I stopped taking it....any advice on would be much appreciated, I can't remember how it is to feel my normal self! 😯
1 like, 19 replies
RoseRobsonn pamela51740
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RoseRobsonn
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thomas96833 RoseRobsonn
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I found it was easier to take 25mg instead of the 50mg for a few days just to get use to it. Then started on the 50mg after 7 days, thought the side effects where not as bad.
Fluoxetine was hell on earth for three months, I was so scared of starting Sertraline but I have the say the side effects were not remotely the same as fluoxetine.
It's a massive trail and error with SSRI's sadly. Be strong
RoseRobsonn thomas96833
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pamela51740 RoseRobsonn
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I'm thinking about taking it tonight....I need to get better!
RoseRobsonn pamela51740
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pamela51740 RoseRobsonn
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Yes that's why I'm taking it at night....I took these 12 years ago and woke up terrible! My pupils were like flying saucers! I think I'm going to take them about 8.30! Good luck with yours 😊
pamela51740 RoseRobsonn
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I'm just petrified I won't be in control of myself...I'm already suffering my panic all day long due to my other medication that has stopped working!
RoseRobsonn pamela51740
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thomas96833 RoseRobsonn
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Yeah take at night so you sleep through the worst of side effects. It helps, but the first few days are tough. I barely slept, had huge pupils and a sensation like I had 12 coffee's in a row. Als had more panic attacks,, tremours, shakes and crying spells. It was grim but on day 5, half the symptoms eased dramatically. Just keep telling yourself it's the meds, not you.
Also should add I got zero mental side effects which is brilliant, just a new sense of calm. On fluoxetine I felt numb to everyone and anything and was completely a shell. It was not an experience I want to relive.
RoseRobsonn thomas96833
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pamela51740 thomas96833
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I'm just scared off having the biggest panic attack in the world! I'm already severely anxious and have been panicking for 2 months....I so want to feel better, all this panicking and anxiety is due to side effects of citalopram that has pooped out!
pamela51740 RoseRobsonn
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Hi rosebud just a quick question how are you feeling now & when you take the sertraline how long did you notice after taking it the weird sided effects?
RoseRobsonn pamela51740
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thomas96833 pamela51740
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It's very difficult to go through, I do empathise a lot. I was a mess before starting Sertraline. Not going to lie, it did make my anxiety worse for a week or two (as in to levels I have never experience!) But it passed fast. Has the doctor given you anything to cope with the initial side effects? I took Propranolol to calm the anxiety and an occasional diazepam when I had insomnia from it.
The therapeutic dose kicks in at 5 weeks ish, it's just getting past the week mark which is the hardest. You'll start telling at that point if you can see any improvement or not. It is the little things that made a big difference for me.
diane08991 thomas96833
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I had awful mental side effects to flouxetine for first 2 weeks to a month, felt extremely scared and like I wasn't part of this world but it did pass, although on them everything's blocked out a bit to much it's like your in your own bubble.