Week 4 sertraline and I've gone back to how I felt before starting !!

Did you have anxiety and depression. I have had anxiety for years but suddenly became depressed. Did you feel better and then dip again ? I don't know what to think, I really want them to work

I'm going to see my doctor tomorrow but not hopeful that he will do anything. I had one session with a CPN but then had a phone call last week to say she had cancelled my next 2 sessions and they don't know when she will be back at work due to family circumstances. Getting that call is what knocked me back I was pining my hopes on seeing her

This back step has really frightened me, I started feeling better at week 3 but for the past week I feel worse than ever. I'm scared and sad. Is this normal ? The dip I'm experiencing has gone on for 6 days 😢

Interesting you mentioned this. I was on 100mg for 10 plus years and was fine. Not long ago I tried coming off and had terrible relapse. So then I upped dosage to 150. After 3 weeks I was doing pretty well but then 4th week I started feeling really bad! Im hoping this is normal and some kind of effect of the med trying to work. It can take 8 weeks to get full effect. I would be curious to see if you get any info on this. Hang in there I know it's hard. It's so damn hard. Just gotta take it one day at a time and look forward to recovery

I don't know I've only been taking sertraline for 2weeks some days I feel like I've turned a corner then this morning I couldn't stop crying yesterday had the sweats its up and down so far, I'm on 50mg aswell, its still early days but definitely see your GP tomorrow. Stay strong xxx

I've cried all weekend my head is pounding. The thought of getting up and getting me & my son ready and doing the school run in the morning feels impossible right now but I know I have to do it. I'm just really shocked to have gone backwards with recovery but then I know the CPN cancelling triggered it I just can't shake it off. Trying to stay strong. I have an amazing little boy & fiancée and just wants my feelings back so I can enjoy being with them xxx

I can't help but think what if this is me forever. Before this I would only have to look at my son and be overwhelmed with love and excitement. Just being at home with my son & fiancée eating takeout and watching rubbish telly was all I ever needed. I want that back. It's not a lot to ask for surely. Will I feel happy about the 2 people I love most in the world again ?? Why me ??

Arh jessica, you will get better, like you said the cancelling of your appointment has set you back, there are some apps I find useful on anxiety which use breathing exercises and I also use Bach rescue remedies, it doesn't take it away but it help you cope a bit better when its tough going. I know how you feel its really hard sending you lots of love xxx

Thank you xxx

hi Jessica,

my goodness you sound just like me about 6 months ago!

I know exactly how you feel I was the same if not worse , I even became suicidal it was the worst time in my whole life!

and u know you feel like you will never be normal ever again and your trapped inside someone else's body who is full of doom gloom misery and emptiness, but deep down yiu know you , the real you is inside somwhere.

Jessica you will get better I promise (god willing)

I'm not a dr but I would suggest trying to stick out the 50mg until six weeks, then if you still don't feel better, definitely up the dose , I'm sure you don't want to be on a high dose. there are lots of blips on sertraline, even now I get them and they do last about a week. it always happens when somthing has really really upset me or most of all when I havnt had propper sleep for a few days because I've been up late with friends and then I have to get up early for school run.

I'm not 100% better but I would say 95% still get the odd anxious moments. but I'm very well otherwise , suffering with a bit of flu at the moment, that makes my anxiety come to the surface a little bit.

but I'm happy I eat I laugh I cook I clean I'm able to work now, where as before I couldn't do any of this AT ALL!!! I thought I was loosing my mind and was sooo sooo scared.

but good friends a good dr and God helped me.

you will be ok be strong fight it, eat well look after your self , this is about you now, relax shop watch tv walk what ever makes you feel a little better do it.

big hugs to you sweet heart, we are all here for you. xxx

Thank you so much !! I can't tell you what it means to have someone say they've been where I am and come through ! I've never had a lot going on I've been content with just being with my son and fiancée. Finding joy in my son everyday ! To not feel that is aweful, I feel so guilty for being this way because mommy should always be on top form and I always have been, he's used to so much time & attention and love and at this time I feel I can't give him my all. I'm so shocked to have had a glimmer of hope week 3 and then have such a bad week it's really scared me that the meds won't work. How much do you take ? Xxx

Of course you'll feel happy about your loved ones again....you've never stopped loving them. I'm on day 13 of 200mg and I'm having headaches, tiredness and dizziness. One thing I keep reminding myself (important) is that they always make you feel worse before better....that's because from your very first dose your brain said "oh I've got loads more serotonin now, don't need to make any, so for a few weeks you don't make any and feel worse. During this time your brain is making more neurotransmitters and they need feeding with serotonin, and that's when you start feeling better. Good luck x

I'm on 50mg, I also was going to go up at week 4, but my dr never pushed me to up my dose. I'm still on 50mg. listen don't feel guilty, it's an illness it's not your fault, like any other illness , diabetes, cancer, i chrons all sorts people get hit with out of no where. you need to think of you now, your son will be fine your doing all you can and I'm sure he's happy. so to get mummy back to her old self she needs to really focus on her self now,

in 8 weeks you will be so much better, and I hope you let us all know.

xx

That's really interesting, I've always wanted to know why that was

Thank you so much for your reply ! Interesting point about the brain I hadn't thought of it like that ! How long have you been on sertraline if you don't mind me asking ? Did you start on a lower dose ? Desperate for my life back, had anxiety all my life but a scare with my heart sent anxiety through the roof and led me to depression 😔 Xxx

I feel like a total wimp because people keep telling me to find something to do, a hobbie, something I'm interested in but I just don't know. I can't think of anything that I want to do because I feel so rubbish. I feel like I'm not a strong person I never have been. Thank you again so glad I joined this group xx

somthing you like to do hmmmm well wen ur depressed there is nothing you acctualy like doing !! even being alive is not a pealing is it?

but we have to force our selves rite? so I did things like walking , and I walked for hours on end aline or with somone , I also found that being on here i really liked , gave me a relief to talk to people who understood.

also researching about the illness it self a lot in book shops online ect. but most of all I like being with friends who understood and I'm lucky I had a few of them.who were fantastic. I watched things like only fools and horses over and over again as I couldn't concentrate, I went swimming and cried in the water but it was not noticeable cos I was all wet anyway. it's a strange illness it really is , I don't understand what really is going on in the brain , ide like to find out more still.

Ooh I started on it 9 yrs ago when my husband died, went up to 150mg, but gradually reduced to 50 and stayed on them. Then last year my only brother died..I was in NZ and couldn't get back for funeral...that stressed me. In July I almost died with blood clots in lungs, just getting back to some normal feelings when my daughter and I had big split up for 3 months. In March I started feeling that the stress of it was starting to come out, so two weeks ago I went back to the doc....so that's my story!

Jessica.....you are experiencing typical symptoms of depression, so take no notice of others. When you get well there'll be no holding you back. Your interest in doing things will return gradually

I'm going to try a walk tomorrow ! I think I've been stuck in a rut spending most days visiting my mom and she doesn't have a clue what to say to me so the silences allow me to start thinking and getting anxious again. I really need a change. I do have 1 friend who suffered PND so different to me but she still sort of gets it. This forum is the best thing I've found thank you so much !!! Xxx

Today is worse than ever I don't know what to do ! How is this possible 4 weeks in.

Hello lattifa.,

I had a question as i am going through a but of a hard time, i forgot to take my meds for 3 days im on sertaline 25mg a day and clonazepam.5mg to help sleep I've been diagnosed with depression and anxiety for the past 2months the length of time on the meds, but since i forgot to take them for 3days i feel my depression and anxiety coming back i feel so sad wanting to cry just not wanting to do anything im back where i was before the meds any suggestions or input on possible side effects or duration before my med kicks back in? Hugs

hi gonzalez,

I know how you must be feeling, it's awfull to feel your going backwards, but try not to worry too much luv, I forgotten my tablet once and to be honest I had a dip that lasted a week . then I was back on track.

from then onwards I have been very carful not to miss a dose. if you have missed 3 days , it may take a little longer I think ? I mean I would assume so if I missed 1 day and dipped for a week. just make sure now you take it at the same time each day , it doesn't have to be on the dot , but for example I take nine once I arrive at work and had breakfast at 9am (I hate having breakfast so early lol) but weekends I wake at 9 , so I take it around 10am.

just keep busy and talk your self out of the depression, somtimes acting normal makes us feel normal.

let me know how you get on.

sending you hugs xx