1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Tablets are dangerous.

Posted , 9 users are following.

josh0852
josh0852

I've always suffered from serious anxiety, not leaving the house and basically being scared of life. I gave up after Christmas and admitted I was depressed and I needed help. Ended up being given sertraline 50mg, I tried messing around with my dosage and had regular appointments at the doctors. I took the tablets for four months and I've now been off them for 3 weeks and I've never felt better and I wanted to tell my story.

I understand these tablets do help people and make people's lives better but I wanted to share the dark side and want people to know that tablets aren't always the way forward. I had every negative symptom possible, insomnia, shaking, sweating, didn't eat, I was snappy and aggressive and that wasn't even the worse part. Mentally the tablets destroyed me. I felt like they controlled my whole life, my mood was awful 24/7. I was so horrible to the people I loved, I insulted them, was aggressive and I was just such a horrible person. Suicide has always been on my mind but the tablets made it real, in the space of the four months I tried to kill myself 5 times, i was never this bad before the tablets. I had my friend rushing to the train station as I was stood on the tracks. Enough was enough after that, I stopped the tablets on my own accord. I've had some withdrawn symptoms, I tend to call them blackouts but I feel lost, almost drunk, in my own bubble at times, headaches and dizziness.

All of that is starting to clear and the last few days I've felt the happiest I've felt in years. So thankful to be alive and it's all because I'm off these horrific tablets. These tablets almost took my life from me, I just want people to know the serious side effects to them and know that having anxieties or whatever is sometimes way more manageable when you are in control.

Doctors should stop giving out these tablets so easily, mention the serious SERIOUS side effects as I'm lucky to be alive.

0 likes, 37 replies

37 Replies

Next
  • Mumsie_pops
    Mumsie_pops josh0852

    Posted

    They are lifesavers not destroyers for the majority of people. 

    This particular drug isn't for you obviously but you can't dismiss them when they help so many people! Pleased you've found happiness. X

    • josh0852
      josh0852 Mumsie_pops

      Posted

      I said they work for certain people? Fact is the majority of doctors give them out without much hesitation when they can cause serious problems.
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 josh0852

      Posted

      yes I agree with you to an extent as it was citalopram that made me ill with depression and severe anxiety it was given to me when I wasn't even depressed , I was just needing some one to talk to tell day I was prescribed them.

      only took one tablet and it turned my life upside down.

      then after a month not on any medication I got worse and worse so then I had no choice but to try a an antidepresant that will help me get well and sertraline has saved my life tbh, well god has saved me and guided me to the right one.

      the now I'm on them I'm scared of coming off!!!

    • Holly1974
      Holly1974 lattifa7777

      Posted

      it was citalopram that gave me a horrific episode of mania, on low dose, within a week or starting it - because I have worked in this field I also knew to stop it and that I could do so safely in such a short time, but like you I then went on to sertraline and am much better. In fact I had successfulyy managed to drop from 150mg to 100mg of serraline before the UK winter set in, I have always suffered from SAD, and ended up having to inc. dose again.....as I live in chronic pain ( take morphine ) for spinal problems, I may / may not need sthg long term. I agree many meds are over prescribed, just look at what's happened with antibiotics in last 20 years, and now we have problems. It should be that everyone is presented within reason a balanced view of pro's and cons of the meds, but sometimes people are too ill / don't listen etc and the dr needs to take charge. 
  • Pauljdme
    Pauljdme josh0852

    Posted

    Yo Josh, pills are not an end all, they are merely a walking stick to aid walking if you get my drift. If there was plenty of sunshine here in the UK I don't think I would have too much of a problem, it's a serotonin thing. For some though it is a must, and will be needed to be taken for ever more, as it helps these folks and many others. I can guarantee you that most comments here are due to concerns, the other 90% who take sertraline after are happy with life to bother themselves here. Sertraline gave me a huge lift that saved my life, Christmas 3 years ago I nearly ended it all but for sertraline and this site, which I'm glad to see has grown from strength to strength. I have recovered to my old self and I am happy, I just feel a duty to help others now. Don't give up and all the best....
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 Pauljdme

      Posted

      That's how I feel, always here to help if I can.

      are you still on sertraline?

    • Holly1974
      Holly1974 Pauljdme

      Posted

      I agree with you about the sunshine in UK !! If we could get some better weather in UK, more time outdoors and less stress all the better. I have always suffered from SAD too, since being a teenager and am now in my early 40's. I worked in this area and would never have taken decision to take the meds lightly, as I know both sides, but I was depserate, I was not coping with the pain issues I have, my mood and motivation were through the floor and my marriage and relationship with my two teens was suffering....I had to do something. A bit like you I agree with the people who write on sites like this and Trip Advisor etc...but being disabled and having time on my hands these days I try to write to help folks from evry angle, and with my background in the sciences hope I am able to put some of it into context. x
    • lattifa7777
      lattifa7777 Holly1974

      Posted

      very helpful indeed holly, I really don't understand how we are able to come off the AD if AD act as a blocker to serotonin going in to the receptors? ? are you able to explain this at all??

      hope I made sense lool

    • Holly1974
      Holly1974 lattifa7777

      Posted

      Hi there,

      my background is in pharmaceuticals and my degree similarly, so I'll try and put into context. Basically, SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitior. When the SSRI binds to the receptor it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, therefore the level of serotonin increases in the synapse which is where the receptors are. One of the theories for depression is the Receptor Theory, thus TCADs initially on the market but the side effect profile pretty poor and risk of oevrdose higher, then realised that serotonin ( aka as 5-HT )  also involved and is known as feel good chemical. (There are other ways to inc. levels of serotonin, some people look at diet and try eating a diet rich in Tyramine, a precursor to 5-HT. ) 

      Basically the SSRI blocks presynaptic reuptake of serotonin, meaning that there is more serotonin in the nerve synapse to act at the receptors on the post-synaptic side ( easier to understand if you look at a diagram of a synapse ). The other thing is that there is a thing known as ''down-regulation'' of receptors ( post synaptically ), basically the body can change the number of receptors able to accpet a serotonin molecule binding to it. ( this is why tolerance can develop to some drugs ). 

      Regarding coming off an SSRI there is more than this to consider. You need to look at the ''half-life'' of the drug, for one, This is the time taken for the compound ( SSRI) to reduce in the body to half it's initial dose, this is impotant for  few reasons, and there are differences between the diff. SSRI's, for example fluoxetine has a very long half life and an active metabolite ( another compound that it is broken down to, which also is active ) thus when patients miss a dose it is less impt with fluoxetine as they are covered by it's long half-life. The rest of the SSRIs though are very similar and are in region of 24-36 hours, thus patients feel bit naff if miss a dose. ( I once forget to take my 150mg sertraline on a mini break, not to be advised at all, day 3 I felt hot flushes and clammy, intestinal cramping and frequent vists to bathroom !...I had no choice but to wait until I got back to UK and restarted on a dose of 100mg, and actually stayed on this dose fine for 6 months until SAD kicked in )...will try dropping to 100mg again soon I think. As soon as I put the sertraline back in my system all the side effects of discontuniuation dissappeared ! It was actually the flushing and GI side effects that alerted me to the fact I had forgot it !, as I take many meds for chronic pain too and hadn't realised.! 

      So when you want to come off an SSRI you need to do it gradually, this gives the body time to readjust the receptor numbers in response to the chemical changes. Of all Serotonin receptors in the body, 80% are in the intestine and only 20% in the brain !! Thus, the high incidence of GI side effects with SSRI's. ( and the saying ''gut feeling''!).

      It goes even deeper than this as there are sub-types of serotonin receptors, each with slightly diff. functions, but that would be going to in depth for the purpose of your question. 

      What you need to make sense of what I have said is a simple diagram of a synapse, showing pre-synaptic receptors, the cleft into whish the serotonin is released, and the post-synaptic side, where the serotonin binds ( like a key into a lock ), to exert it's effect. Then you wil be able to understand how by blocking the re-uptake of the serotonin presynaptically this goes to increase the levels available to bind at the post-synaptic side of the synapse. ( you have diff. receptors on either side of the nerve synapse ). 

      Whilst the Receptor Theory of depression is the one that people go with, it does not fully explain some things, and also bear in mind that there is a huge placebo effect too with people taking AD's ( roughly 40% )....

       

    • Pauljdme
      Pauljdme lattifa7777

      Posted

      Yes latiffa, I am down to 25mg  and could come off them soon. In the depths of winter i am upto 125/150mg. I suffer from SAD, badly at times and cant stand the christmas time especially. Hibernation would be nice.
    • Pauljdme
      Pauljdme Holly1974

      Posted

      I hear you Holly, as i was saying to lattifa, hibernation would suit me no problems. With out an ssri during winter, i would have a near zero vitality problem. Should have moved to Australia when i had the chance : ) 
  • Holly1974
    Holly1974 josh0852

    Posted

    Hi Josh,

    You are correct that these tablets are very often over prescribed, partially because in the UK the wait list for psychotherapy / CBT is SOO long ! Drs feel they need to be doing something, quite rightly. A lt of studies show that the best results achieved are not with either therapy alone, but with a comination of the two, meds and CBT. Many people need CBT, but need the AD's t open them up to treatment. 

    It wold be wrong to dismiss these meds though for everyone, as many many people do benefit from them. They are not a magic pill to solve peoples problems, but very often do help with motivation, postive thoughts etc....the receptor theory of depression is the most regarded theory presently, but still is not conclusive, but the best they have to work with. There are other AD's other than SSRI's too, such as SNRI's and mirtazipine which have diff. actions to SSRI's so at least there is something else to try for people who are not compatible with SSRI's, saying that diff. SSRI's suit diff. people, for eg, anxiety is a known side effect with fluoxetine more than the other SSRI;s, yet they all work on increasing level of serotonin. No one can fully explain these slight differences but they exist.

    I can fully understand how you feel, I too took a medication for nerve pain which has left me with what appears to be permanent short/ medium term memory loss even though I have been off it a year, I too weaned myself off it - ps. you need to be careful playing around with the doses of these meds, much better if under advice of dr. 

    I too took a different SSRI before being Rx'ed sertraline, and even on a low dose within a week I suffered a horrific bout of mania over a weekend, fortunatley for me I recognised the symptoms as I have worked in Mental Health in times past, and I stopped the SSRI in question and got to the dr on the Monday, she still said I was high, but nowhere near what I had been, it was truly awful. The problem was I was depressed, no motivation with suicidal ideation, i live in chronic pain due to spinal disability and after over 5 years I couldn't take it any more....I needed help. So yes I took sertraline, and a psychiatrists also checked I wasn't manic depressive ( as GP wanted me checking by a specialist ) and she said def. not, but I would benefit from antidperessants and CBT. 

    I am glad you are now feelinbg better, and hope that it stays this way. Talking therpies are v good for a lot of people, you may still wish to pursue these. But I think it's impt that anyone else reading this knows that these are not smarties, they can have side effects. but they also help a great many people, and yes many people so have some side effects ( discontinuation ) when coming off them, as they do effectively change your brain chemisty, and also 80 % of serotonin recpetors are found in the gut, ( thus the saying ''gut feeling '' ), which is why many people get GI side effects ! 

    Good luck x

    • josh0852
      josh0852 Holly1974

      Posted

      As I said from the start, I understand these tablets can help people but from a personal experience they almost cost me my life. My point was that the serious effects aren't told to people. I was told 'you may have a few bad weeks before you start to feel better' I never got told of all the bad symptoms and the fact I lost control of my mental state competely

      My dosages were controlled, I had regular doctors and I did whatever they said......

      After not getting on with 50mg after two months the doctor honestly said I could do what I want, I even explained all my side effects and she said I can get more tablets and decide what I want to do. I had little guidance so I just kept taking them and taking them and if it wasn't for my girlfriend being so so supportive, I'd be competely lost. If I was taking these alone with the little help I was getting from the doctors, I don't like to think where I would of ended up

    • HBT27
      HBT27 josh0852

      Posted

      I do agree that all medications have drawbacks and some work for people and they have no side effects, others suffer and cannot tolerate them. Sometimes GP's are to quick in giving out antidepressants without really listening to the patient and indeed talking about side effects, I was only really told they may increase anxiety for about a week, I was vomiting, shaking , diarrhoea , had to stop.Once I suffered these side effects I looked at the patient leaflet. I already suffer with chronic migraine ( cause of anxiety) with vomiting etc , so no good for me. It is a balance and all down to the individuals capability to tolerate drugs and hope that they work, sometimes it is a case of changing the drug. If you think about it the doseage fora 7st patient may be the same as a12 st patient, none of this seems to be taken into account the same as some people can tolerate alcohol others can't . Think sometimes we are not really treated as an individual , we all react to things differently. Have to say I would not try them again even on a lower dose , but I am glad that they help some people , and glad that you are feeling so much better.
    • josh0852
      josh0852 HBT27

      Posted

      I feel control of my body again which is the main thing. At least then I can deal with my anxieties more sensibly rather than committing suicide, which on the tablets seemed the only sensible outcome.
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.