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Terrified to start Sertaline

Posted , 10 users are following.

Caroline71441
Caroline71441

Some help, advice, support please. I have some sertraline but I am so terrified to start. I have severe depression and very severe anxiety. Am currently finding the days unbearable and at night sleep is so difficult as I can wake and start to panic if i thing about the future (or lack of it). Getting up requires all my strengh and is also unbearable.

I have been off work for ages and am not really functioning properly or seeing friends or enjoying anything i used to. Because of the severity of my symptoms I am so scared of starting sertraline. My resiliance and coping are an all time low and I could not deal with an increase in anxiety and agitation yet that is what seems to happen. It would be torture lying awake with agitation and racing thoughts. I also have a very senstivie gi system so nausea and stomach problems would add to the severe stress an sanxiety. I take a stomach acid reducer (a PPI) but hate taking it as it makes me feel tired and unwell as well as increasing my anxiety and depression. I live alone and having scary side effects with no support adds to the fear. I am in such a dilemma i seem to spend all my time searching for the magic med which does not exist. Sertraline seems pretty powerful and energising which I don't need as I hae too much nervous energy anyway. Suggestions and help would be much appreciated - also any good alternatives to sertraline though i realise we are all different.

ps I am having cbt but am in such a bad space mentally that the techniques aren't really working.

0 likes, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • kerry12616
    kerry12616 Caroline71441

    Posted

    Hi Caroline, I too have been perscribed sertraline 25mg to take a day and I am terrified of taking any medication (health anxiety and panic disorder)

    From my experience on citalopram I am pretty positive about the idea of taking it but I am too scared of the side affects when I am alone at night.

    Citalopram was pretty heavy for me when I began them at 18, i was constipated, couldnt eat much and just slept and woke in panics but 4 weeks into them I was a different person, I went back to college and got my life back together; i flourished and overcome all the darkness.

    I am hoping to start sertraline soon but not the recommended 25mg, I am hoping to cut in into a smaller peice 1/3 and take that for a day or two.

    Last time I tried citalopram after years of beign off it I was vomitting, couldnt eat and sat panicking for the night, so that has put me off taking anything again.

    Doctor said i must've had a bug at the time, I dont really know.

    I cant live in fear of taking medication, or fear of going out and my syptoms, I'm hoping to build courage and just take it.

    I know how you feel though, been researching meds myself in the hope i can convince myself to take it or try no meds at all

    Hope to hear back from you soon

    take care

    K

    • Caroline71441
      Caroline71441 kerry12616

      Posted

      Thank you Kerry - I feel immobilised with fear at the moment - feel so bad I could not cope with feeling worse - also the not sleeping would be terrible. It is so hard isn't it? I've never experienced anything like this before and it is hell. Let me know if you start taking it. I hve been prescribed 50mg due to the depression and anxidety. Take care yourself C
  • mark56500
    mark56500 Caroline71441

    Posted

    Caroline,

    I indeed feel your pain. You are not alone in this. You might be surprised by the number of people who suffer from anxiety. It can strike anyone at any time. It is nothing to be ashamed of.

    You have taken the first steps to reach out for help, but it seems you may be avoiding sharing with your loved ones and close friends. They can also help you feel better and provide support. If they don't understand, are they really good for you?

    Everyone will agree that there is no magic pill to make all of this go away, but Sertraline has helped many people like me and you. It will absolutely get worse before it gets better, but at this point, what do you have to lose.

    We are all in this with you. Personally, I want the best for you.

    Mark

    • Caroline71441
      Caroline71441 mark56500

      Posted

      Hello Mark - I posted new discussion on here about the side effects I got when starting a very low dose of sertraline. They were so scary including a very painful bladder and painful urination - i have never had those types of problems before. Also extreme headache and feeling so isolated let alone the burning skin, nausea, gi upset, circulation issues, bad dreams etc. I just could not handle it and have not taken any more. I think because I am feeling so bad anyway anything that increases it makes it unbearable. I really don't know what to do. I cannot seem to push through and am also so tremendously sensitive to the effects. I am wondering if i am a slow metaboliser meaning the effects will be much more pronounced? But if so where does that leave me. I can't bear feeling the way I do but could not cope with feeling worse. I feel so stuck and hopless. C
  • Holly1974
    Holly1974 Caroline71441

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I know you are scared but there are other options if the sertraline doesn't work. It may be that you need some meds to open you up to the CBT, psychotherapy. If you are feeling very low / suicidal I would ask your GP or psych team if you can have a CPN linked to you. Community Psychriatric Nurses ( CPNs) are really friendly people, used to dealing with crises and can listen to you. It takes on average 2/3 weeks before you will start to see a positive response to any medication ( antidepressants ).....however, I think in your case from what you say having a CPN to be able to go to or Crisis Team number ( just in case ) would be handy to get you through those first few weeks. Don't be afraid to tell the GPs how bad you feel, motivation is one of the first things to start to improve, so seriously if you feel that bad it would be worth having a contact if you are living alone and have no one to turn to. No every SSRI suits everyone, so be prepared to swap if it doesn't suit you. Of all the SSRI's it is fluoxetine that is known to be more '' of an upper''...so if anxiety is an issue then fluoxetine would generally not be the medication of choice. sertraline is meant to be more ''balanced'' in effect, for most people. Some people take 50mg, personally I found I needed 100mg to notice a benefit, and then psych team increased to 150mg which I found better again. I persoanlly have benefited from it, I live with chronic pain which has led to depression in last 2 years, and I got quite bad, so it keeps me going, as to say. All SSRIs have the potential to cause GI side effects, the main are nausea / diahrhoea vomitting, stomach cramps...it is because of the majority of serotonin receptors are in the gut ( these drugs work on the ones in the brain, but only 20 % in the brain )...I didn't have too much issue starting, just when I accidently went away for a few days and forgot my pills, then again to go from 150mg to nothing is not to be recommended at all, you would step up at start and step down gradually when coming off. SSRIs are the mainstay of modern antidepressant therapy, the older TCAs are much dirtier in terms of side effects. There are a couple of diff. options your dr can try that don't come under either category, so if it doesn't work our for you then there are other options. Regarding any damaging effects on your stomach the lansoprazole at 30mg should do the trick, as very effective at 30mg, in fact I take it prophylactically as I occasioanally take NSAIDs such as naproxen, iduprofen too, and the two together would be very bad long term in terms of stomach problems, ulcers etc. I assume the dr who came you the psych meds know about your stamch problems ....good luck

    • Caroline71441
      Caroline71441 Holly1974

      Posted

      Thank you Holly. I am worried as i am feeling so bad at the moment. I want to get off lanzoprazole as i think it is making me feel worse.I haven't any resliance to deal with side effects which must sound feeble. Don;t know what has happened but i suppose that is what depression can do.
  • kerry12616
    kerry12616 Caroline71441

    Posted

    Hey Caroline, I think what Holly1974 said is really good advice...if it gets really unbearable try see someone from the mental health team in your local surgery for an assessment or a CPN.

    I haven't been sleeping well, I sleep from 6am onwards or 3am till 3pm some days. I cant switch off or I have panic attacks as I fall asleep my body wakes me up in fear. I'm starting to ignore it, but it is scary. 

    We are all here to support one another and your defininitley not alone in feeling like this thats for sure.

    Anxiety is a real struggle and you will have good an bad days, I would suggest trying some mindfulness meditation, breathing techniqies and even starting a dairy if it helps. I have been doing the colouring books for adults an knitting to occupy my mind during panic attacks. Dont forget doctors can perscribe anti sickness medication and stuff to help with the intial side affects, or there are lots of herbal remedies that are useful.

    I used to take kalms, and drink halix the hot chocolate. My mum buys herbal tea bags that relax you before bedtime

    I hope to hear back from you soon, and I'll be in touch about the meds 

    Kerry

    • Caroline71441
      Caroline71441 kerry12616

      Posted

      Hello Kerry

      Thank you for your reply.

      The problem is I have really bad depression as well as anxiety - both together is terrible. Whatever I do the feelings are there - they are so strong which means I even if i do colouring or some other activity the fear and worry and bad feellings are still so dominant and overwhelming it makes no difference. I am typing this at just afer 9am in the morning and my heart is beating fast and i feel terrible.

      This is one of the reasons I am so scared to take an antidepressant as I cannot cope with feeling worse. But I hate the way I feel at the moment. I currently take zolpidem to help me sleep but that seems to have lost ifs effect - i also sometimes take a small dose of diazepam but that can increase my depression. I know i should not take these things but when you are desparate from some sleep and when feeling terrible that is what happens. I worry particularly as I live alone and have to sort stuff out including finances etc. so if it did get a lot worse that would be really difficult as who could help me out?

      best wishes

      C

    • Holly1974
      Holly1974 kerry12616

      Posted

      Mindfulness and mindfull meditation can be great for many things from chronic pain and depression through to anxiety and depression, I can rec'd a course ran by a group called Breathworks , you can find them on the net, it is ran by a Buddhist group based in Manchester, but there is no religeon in the course at all. But they are experts at this, their breathing techniques for mindful meditation are amazing, you have to do it to really experience it, I would. rec'd a small group course in it like these run ( they run local courses) as you will get more benifit initially than from a book or CD, which are good once you are doing a course with guidance....can be daunting at first, but once you give it a go you will be glad you did
  • kerry12616
    kerry12616 Caroline71441

    Posted

    Hi Caroline,

    I can understand the effects the other medication has on you, if one has lost effect you could see a doctor or go to the pharmacist an enquire about an alternative?

    Do you have any close relatives or fiends that would help you through this?

    I'm just wondering if anyone could visit you whilst you began them or again try herbal remedies?

    I know it is hard to begin them when there isnt anyone around to make you feel safe and its a scary experience with the side affects at times but anything will be better then living in fear. I have gotten to the point myself now where I just feel stuck all the time in fear and anxiety. The diazepam should really help with the panic but the antidepressants could really help lift your mood, I'm trying to think of them as helping pills and I'm hoping to go to some counselling or CBT, the more we focus on the side affects the more we will stress ourselves out.

    The decision is always yours to make, you can speak to your doc and see about a CPN or a mental health nurse and try some self help techniques alternatively, medication might help but its only for you to choose really.

    After months of going back and forth I aim to try the sertraline for two days see how I get on and then possibly switch to citalopram at the lowest dose if they aint suiting my body, it helps to read success stories and remember that sometimes diferent people are sensitive to medication, you may be sensitive to it, or you may feel nothing at all.

    Really hope this helps, and I'm always here to talk. I definitley want to be on medication but I cant pluck up courage to take it yet so it is difficult and I understand your concerns, worries, fears, all those emotions.

    Stay positive and if in doubt ask more people about their experiences

    Kerry 

    • Caroline71441
      Caroline71441 kerry12616

      Posted

      Hi Kerry

      Have you tried the Sertraline? I did and got terrible side effects - i started on a really low dose and it took a couple of days to get out of my system, terrible. C

  • Nina2048
    Nina2048 Caroline71441

    Posted

    As far as I'm concerned Caroline.. I wouldn't take the Sertraline I had awful side effects from the pill. I also take Lansoprazole have done for years, but ok on them, although I'm always tired, I have advanced COPD ...most of the time I'm ok, but after another Exacerbation of the COPD in January this year, where as I can hardly talk and if course was very anxious when my doctor came to see me, and said I should take the Sertraline for my anxiety !! But I told him I was anxious because I can't breath properly and am afraid to go out in case I get more chest infection.. But he insisted I took them... But after Experiancing Chronic Flatulance, awful Bowel problems, insomnia, disturbed dreams, Nausea, always hungry so gained nearly a stone. So when I next saw him and told him what was going on... He upped the dose to 100mg.. But I stopped taking it altogether  cold turkey...and since seeing him on 7th March I've been lucky to be feeling so much better..... But then hopefully I won't get any of the awful side effects other people get going cold turkey.......
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