Struggling

Just seen my doctor and been taken of sertraline and put on fluoxetene hopefully this stops my shaking nausea and sleeplessness, just want to sleep but I can't so frustrating which makes it worse.

I'm glad your doctor actually listened to you and agreed you should try something different - I can never get an appointment at my doctors I've got to wait until a week on Tuesday before i can see her!' It's ok them saying it takes weeks to work they don't have to live with the awful side effects. I've spent the day laid on my parents sofa waiting for my husband to come home as I feel so rotten. I'm 3 weeks in to sertraline and have just had two really good days and then bam it's back again leaving me unable to do anything - I telephoned the doctors surgery and spoke with a different doctor again who said it sounds like it's just side effects and to continue for 4 to 6 weeks - should I really be feeling worse after 3 weeks? I'm at a loss to know what to do - I'm also just starting to take Hrt and so dont know which drug is doing what to me!!!

No you shouldn't you should go to A&E if needs be and explain how you're feeling nobody should have to go through these side effects without seeing a professional ASAP.

I explained to my psychiatrist the effects I was having he said he had never heard of sertraline doing that I was like it's all over Google my god makes me wonder

We shouldn't be feeling worse at all as far as I'm concerned who can afford these days to be feeling like we are so frustrating

I came off duloxetine to be put on sertraline

I havnt been sleeping but I have Valium of a night I also was taking mirtazapine 30mg & I was fine on that very sedative though

I totally understand tan the only thing I would advise would be to ask your GP about trying different tablets fortnight at a time and see what works best for u. Sounds like this is what I'm doing now after my switch from sertraline to fluoxetene.

I am going to see my Gp on Tuesday just hate the thought of trying something new all over again as alot of the meds seem to have horrid side effects!! If only there was a magic button to push!! 

I'm on 6 1/2 weeks at 150 mg. week 4 was really good, week 5 was bad and this week it seems I have the best control over my anxiety since I increased my dose. It takes time and lots of it! It says 4-6 weeks but I think for us to feel 100% back to ourselves, it's more like 8-10 weeks. Don't give up

Omg I am the same I have stopped the sertraline as of today & am really thinking hard about he next step as I am the same as you & don't want to try something new and go through this all again

I've decided to try natural reliefs instead and the odd diazepam when I need it.. Even having them in my bag helps!!! Going to try and get back to the gym get the adrenaline pumping to cut the anxiety back a little!!! Small steps for big results x

 am new to these forums but i want to tell my story, I got married to the man of my dream ( cheesy ) back in april i had the worst anxiety symptoms leading up to the wedding!!! Just nerves that everything would be perfect and it was!!! When we got maarried the anxiety just left me!!  [smile]  but we have just bought a house and are currently waiting for the keys and all of a sudden the anxiety is back.... Doctor gave me diazepam and sertraline 25mg i did for three weeks it was terrible then 50mg for 2 weeks week one of 50mg was fine started to feel normal again but this week has been terrible i actually had to get an antisickness injection to stop me throwiing up!! Appetite is basically gone!! Currently living with in laws so i am really just looking for some reassurance!! Do i stop the tabs or stick with it? The doctor has said it is situational and will pass but that is sooo hard to accept when you feel terrible... mornings are unbearable!! Please advise x

Hi,

Sorry to hear you feel so dreadful. It's not always easy to say what's good for one person may not suit the next person. Before being given sertraline I was given 10mg of citalopram ( a subtherpaeutic dose I might add )....and withing the first week I had the worst episode of mania , it was like I was going explode, pretty darn awful....I don;t have manic depression by the way, straight forward depression linked to chronic back pain that I have to live with, along with trying to be a mum to two teenagers ! Fortunatley I did training linked to my last employment of over 10 years in area of mental health and recognised the symptoms of mania striaght away and stopped the medication. However, i was still pretty down and depressed and very withdrawn, and where previously I could say I have had bouts of anxiety and depression, this time it was deep depression where I basically contemplated ending it all and had no motivation at all.

fast forward to a trip to see psych to rule out manic depression ( no I was correct, the mania was a side effect of the citalopram I had been given )...and I was started on 50mg of sertraline. I experienced pretty awful nausea, tiredness etc for a few weeks, I could just about function most days....but psych could see I was pretty withdrawn for my usual self and upped me to 100mg pretty quick, that said I started to see benefit but it wasn't until I went onto 150mg that I really noticed a big difference. I have managed twice now to drop back down to 100mg ( which I take now ) over the spring /summer months ( I get SAD as well as being in chronic pain ). 

All SSRIs have similar side effect profiles nausea, stomach cramps, diarrheoa, etc for the reason that 80% of serotonin receptors are located in the gut. ( when I have decreased my dose both occasions I have had stomach related side effects with added rebound anxity for about 2 weeks this time around, but I just stuck it out ).

I personally find about an hour after I take it I feel exhausted, prone to falling asleep if I was sat down / in bed, and feel a bit woozy but that passes in less than an hour. For this reason I am actually switching to taking it at night ( no real reason why can't, don;t know why i haven't done it sooner tbh )...

I would find it hard to cope if I am honest feeling as sick as you do. The nausea should pass, but maximum I would stick it out for would be 6 weeks, if it hasn't passed by then it's unlikely to 

I know from personal experience, getting married, moving house, having a new baby, starting a new job are all majot stressors in life. I would consider how much you need this medication if in the next few months you are likely to improve, you may find this medication opens up a whole new set of problems if I am honest.....perhaps it may be useful if you spoke with another GP in your practice for a second opinion. 

Thank you holly for your in depth message ... I definitely don't want to up my dose!! I feel like if I get into my house and get settled it should pass I am just terrified I will feel like this forever !! 😔

Hi Tan

Sorry you are suffering at the moment - like you my anxiety came and then went and then returned although mine was menopausal but still the same feelings - do you feel really 'strange' on sertraline - almost like you can't say how you feel? do you think the diazepam helped? I am only taking 10 mg of beta blocker to help me with the side effects at the moment but am thinking as asking for diazepam as well to help me up my dose of sertraline as I'm so scared what my reaction is going to be to the increase

HI Tan

personally I would be thinking again if you really need this sort of medication, it is not a quick fix solution, and for most people a comination of CBT or similar therapy in conjunction with an AD is the best course. Have you thought about trying other therapies which don't involve medication, just given the side effects if this medication and the fact that you are likely to feel similar one day when you want to stop it, I wonder whether this really is the best thing for you. Drs these days are not keen to use thinsg such as diazepam due to the fact that people end up taking more and more of it to get the same effect and then get stuck on it ( as happened back in 60's when they were known as ''mummy's little helper''..)...but there are non-medication options for anxiety that you could look into.

YES!! Lesley I feel like I can't tell anyone how i feel like i am annoying them or being a pain!! The diazepam definately helps it just calms me down but Holly is right you have to becareful not to allow yourself to become addicted to it!! I have halfed my sertraline down to 25mg as i don't like the effect it has on me and maybe i need to find the root source as opposed to just taking loads of tablets!! My eating is awful this past week so loads of tablets in my tummy isnt good!! I am current suffering from Strep throat and i have tried 2 weeks of antibiotics but it didn't clear it up so i am trying a multi vitamin from the health shop to boost my immune system!!! Hoping if i am physically well the anxiety will subside!! I know I have been through alot over the last 6 months ( getting married & buying a house) leaving home and leaving my dad who i am very close to hasn't been easy but he is happy so i have to remind myself of that!! Currently living with my in laws hasnt been easy and i think myself and my husband just need our own place like NOW!!! So mayb me being on medication isn't the answer!!! I don't know really just joined this forum for some support and reassurance as unless you have had anxiety you could never understand just how horrible it is  

Hi Tan

You are so right - if you've never experienced anxiety you don't know what it's like - I'm just not enjoying anything at the moment just seem to keep waiting for the sertraline to kick in and help me. I am going to call my doctor on Tuesday for some diazepam to help me through the next week or so. I'm due to go on holiday on 24 sept so really hoping I'm ok for that.

I think you will start to feel much better once you and your new husband are settled in your own place. Weddings are stressful aren't

they - you seem to spend the whole day hoping everyone else is having a good time 😀😀 and then moving into a new place as well and all that entails no wonder you are anxious 😣😣

Life in general is stressful and i am a panicker / worrier so that doesn't help! Diazepam will definately take the edge off it!!! Hopefully you are feeling better for your holidays, I was able to go on my Honeymoon no problem after the wedding it was like an escape!!! I think we need to not be so hard on ourselves either!! Accept we have anxiety and learn coping strategies to help!!! When i wake in the morning my anxiety is at it's worst!!! I do breathing exercises and could in my head from 100 to 0 in 3's it tricks your brain to forget the anxiety if only for a minute or two but helps!! I have started going a 10minute walk before i leave for work in the morning aswell.... I still feel crappy but do believe all these small things are helping as i am taking control rather than the anxiety being in control!!! Remember you are not alone  

Hi Tan

Yes my anxiety is terrible in a morning. I'll try the 100 to 0 trick tomorrow see if works for me. I've been off work for 4 weeks and probably be off for a little while yet as I'm really not functioning properly. Hopefully I'll go back for a couple of hours a day soon. I try and walk the dog for an hour first thing but the other day just felt like I was going to faint so came home and felt dreadful the rest of the day!! Hopefully the diazepam will help me too. Thanks Tan it's nice to talk to someone who understands

The doctor said the fainting feeling is coming from blood sugar levels dropping so much due to being hungry and not eating ... The counting backwards really works but pick a number that's not easy I started with 3's then counted back from 200 in 7's .. Just think when you are doing it in the morning I probably will be too... I have felt much better today and am trying to stay positive although when tomorrow morning comes I will be for nothing but I remind myself it will pass and I will feel better as the day passes .... I really don't think setraline is for me ... I have been on it for 5 weeks and I think I would prefer to try natural ways of helping... Occupying the brain is my main focus!!! Good luck with the counting let me know if it helps any! X