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Someone tell me it gets better

Posted , 9 users are following.

suzie85950
suzie85950

I just really need to hear someone say "I know how you feel" I think.

I've had anxiety on and off over the years and have been on sertraline in the past which helped a lot. I've just been restarted on it after having panic attacks every day for about 3/4 days and just an overwhelming feeling of not being able to cope.

I'm day 5 now - super early days, I know. But I feel like I'm going through absolute hell. It was 2 or 3 years ago I was last on this tablet so I seem to have forgotten how awful the early days are.

I wake every morning with a thumping heart, and it stays all day. The knots in my stomach don't dissapear, I can barely eat, I feel like my brain is foggy, I don't feel able to relax around the people I love and just end up leaving them to sit in my room.

I'm 28 and have a lovely life and a lovely boyfriend, I've had to take time off work because of how I feel which I've never done before. I know it gets worse initially but I just really need some reassurance right now.

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest suzie85950

    Posted

    tbh im on my 6th week and still feel like crap so tmw im tapering off. bad anxiety bad thoughts more depressed its horrible. hopefully u have a better experience
  • lattifa7777
    lattifa7777 suzie85950

    Posted

    You will be juat fine hun, 3 more weeks yiu can do it. The first few weeks are soooo awful I know, I couldnt eat or sleep and anxiety made me suicidal.

    I never belived ide be better and im a lot better now. Just hang in there, donwhat evwr it takes to make you feel juatba littke bitvat ease, for me it was getting out and walking , going to the book shop. Meeting people I new could make me feel at ease. Slowly slowly I got there. You will too.

    Also this forum was a life saver.

  • rachel1357
    rachel1357 suzie85950

    Posted

    Suzie you can't imagine how perfectly you described my experience. I promise you it gets better. You will cope and have really good days. Hang in there. Anxiety is physically painful ! I'm awake now and feel it so strongly . I have to really face it that it's part of who I am. I had it as a teenager and it hasn't really left. Panic attacks are scary beyond words. I have been in the er wishing I can just stay there and someone can just heal me. No one would know I suffer from it unless I tell them. I have four kids a full time job in a hospital and been on Zoloft for over a year. Before that was lexapro. I suffered in my marraige because I couldn't u defeat d why I felt so sad and anxious so often. My ex couldn't handle it called me names cursed and made me feel even worse. I'm married to a great guy now who is patient and understanding g. It does get better!!! Breathe deeply and take it day by day the tunnel is dark but there is light !!
    • suzie85950
      suzie85950 rachel1357

      Posted

      Rachel thank you, that's so good to hear. I work in a hospital too & I think having that medical knowledge has made all of this harder, because I sometimes worry there might be something physically wrong with me. But in my calmer hours, I know there's not smile

      I think last time I was on Sertraline for about 18 months and I couldn't sing it's praises enough, I felt like it totally fixed me. But in the early days of taking it I can't imagine ever feeling good or happy again.

      I can't imagine how horrendous it must have been to have a partner who didn't support you through it, you're clearly a very strong person. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement x

    • rachel1357
      rachel1357 suzie85950

      Posted

      I'm sorry I didn't focus more on the early days. IT WAS TORTURE. I cried and shook and woke up every single morning w tightening in my chest and it lasted all day. Stomachs in total knots. I live in the US and found this blog one day when I was so much pain, it has helped tremendously. Please know it's normal unfortuNately for the beginning . For me it took 6 weeks to kick in I wanted to shoot itself as u can imagine. But I learned not to play w it . Take every day and be patient! Hugs!!
  • jean87388
    jean87388 suzie85950

    Posted

    Hi Suzy

    I really do know how you feel as I was exactly the same when I started Sertraline 10 weeks ago. The first six weeks were absolute hell and I very nearly gave up but a friend told to hang on in there and I am so glad I did.

    The improvement came very gradually and I had moments of feeling like 'me' which came more often for longer periods. I know six weeks seems a lifetime away when you feel so wretched but do persevere as I am sure you will benefit.

    Kind regards, Jean

    • suzie85950
      suzie85950 jean87388

      Posted

      That's so comforting to hear, thank you Jean! I'm actually crying reading these replies because it's just so nice to know other people know what I'm going through. It's so lovely to hear peoples success stories and I can't wait until I get to the point where you are x
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 suzie85950

      Posted

      Awww suzie I was the exact same when I first found this forum, I cried a lot because I bew people cared and was going through what ibwas if bot worse. Please keep us updated on your progress , if you ever need to talk any time just come on here or message me and ill be glad to talk to u sweet heart. Just remember u are not alone and you will not feel this way for ever I promise god willing.

      God bkess you x

  • HopefulDee
    HopefulDee suzie85950

    Posted

    I've been on it for about 6 weeks and I have increased anxiety too... BUT from what I hear this will go away eventually.   I'm just waiting.. I'm on 100mg now and it's been the same exact feeling YOU are feeling. I wake with lump in throat and nervous.... stomach nervous.  It's awful.  I am now going to see a psych.  because my regular MD perscribed this.  I am really waiting patiently, but I feel worse than i felt being on NOTHING.... i'd rather be on nothing....  but I am going to stick it out because I keep hearing GOOD things... I just don't know if this one is for me.. or you, if we are feeling so bad....  Hang in there..
  • Shelly0069
    Shelly0069 suzie85950

    Posted

    Hi size, 

    everybody reacts differently to all these medicines regardless to whom or what it is.......so u just have to go off how you feel NOT how it's affecting or affected someone else!!.

    Me I have been on Sertline nearly 7 months, 

    for 9months I felt sooooo moody/ miserable, horrible mood swings as I was entering into the peri (premenapause). In the end I couldn't take it any more so went to see my GP and I was put on Sertline.......don't expect miracles at first you have to give 6-8 weeks for this drug to work into your system!!!!.

    i can honestly say hand on heart it has helped me heaps.......at first it made me really tired/sleepy but that soon passed and a throbbing on my temple that lasted 2weeks! Not all the days are good some are rubbish but I think for me I'm in peri so my body is going through some big changes!!!!

    But I feel loads better than I did all those months ago!!.

    it does get better Hun hang on in there.

    take care x

  • AdamE
    AdamE suzie85950

    Posted

    I'm definitely feeling a lot better. Before starting these I was terrible. Intrusive thoughts, numbness on my face and head, heavy headed feeling as if someone was pulling my head to the side, tightness in chest, etc. I had it all.  When I started Sertraline those symptoms were 10X worse. But only after like 12 days on the meds I started feeling better. I think it mostly helped my mind be more rational with my thoughts and was able to kick some of my issues actually KNOWING it's anxiety and not some cancerous disease going on.  I do still have some symptoms after a few weeks in now so I up'd my dose to 50mg today. I couldn't do 50mg to start with. I tried and I thought I was going to die. So I think I'm ready to hit that theraputic dose and hope to feel even better. But for sure I feel 10X better than the start! smile
    • suzie85950
      suzie85950 AdamE

      Posted

      That's so good to hear Adam, thanks for replying & giving me some hope! I'm only on 25mg at the minute & am planned to go to 50mg after 2 weeks but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. It's really comforting to hear you talk about intrusive thoughts because that's the biggest thing I'm struggling with, I can deal with physical symptoms but feeling like I cant turn my brain off has been the worst.

      Ive started taking mine later in the day now which has helped a lot.

      Thanks again everyone for the replies, it's really helping me through this smile

  • suzie85950
    suzie85950

    Posted

    Well sadly, I've had to stop taking this. The side effects were just too much for me, I was getting intrusive thoughts & thinking silly things like my family would be better off without me. I was only on it for 10 days and have had really positive results in the past so I'm gutted that I've had to stop. But for me, that was just too much to go through & for all I kept thinking "Just hang in there, it will get better" I couldn't put myself through the agony of feeling like I was losing my mind.

    My GP has changed me to a low dose of Citalopram & after only 36 hours without Sertraline I have managed to sleep through the night & I haven't woken up with diarrhoea for the first time in 10 days and have managed to eat something.

    I really, really wanted this to work for me but it was just too much.

    • Guest
      Guest suzie85950

      Posted

      ive managed to see some improvement also from tapering off sertraline . it doesnt work for everyone. citalopram worked good for me once before. but im trying to get better without meds they only cover up the problem one day u gotta come off them and the problem still there plus i dont wanna become dependent on it
    • suzie85950
      suzie85950 Guest

      Posted

      Are you slowly reducing your dose Tammi? I hope you feel OK x
    • Guest
      Guest suzie85950

      Posted

      yes i was on 12.5mg now im on half that smile day 5 almost off
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