1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Week 8, things are getting better.

Posted , 12 users are following.

laura36585
laura36585

Hi lovely people.   I thought I would give a wee update on my progress for anyone who is searching time scales for this drug.   So I am on week 8 and can finally say I am starting to feel better.   My anxiety is still there bubbling away and trying to stop me from going out and doing the everyday stuff but I do feel braver, like I have my screw it attutude back.  I am actually challenging myself a bit now, so the things that scare me like driving or shopping I am forcing myself to do and the reality is that it’s actually more scary just sitting every day worrying about all the things I haven’t been doing because of my anxiety than it is to actually go out and face it.   I think the sertraline is making me braver.   I find mid afternoon I am sleepy and sometimes a nap really helps.   I am doing yoga and walking every day which I find really helps.   My appetite has come back and my constant upset stomach and nausea has gone.   I am still suffering with hot flushes and I sweat on light exhersion which is annoying.  Sleeping isn’t great, I wake a few times and struggle to get back over.  There were times during the past 8 weeks that I have wanted to give up this medication as I felt so awful, everything I read pointed to improvements in a few weeks but for me this was a far longer process so hang in there, it’s not plain sailing for everyone sometimes it takes longer.   I am hoping to keep challenging myself and go from strength to strength over the coming weeks.   Love to you all xx 

1 like, 23 replies

23 Replies

Next
  • TH11212
    TH11212 laura36585

    Posted

    So happy you’re feeling better! Keep on keeping on! Thanks for the update. 😊

  • darla_22432
    darla_22432 laura36585

    Posted

    Are you still on the 50 mg? I’m about 9 or 10 days on 75 mg, yesterday was a terrible day for my depression I cried for hours. Today my anxiety has been acting up but the depression is curbed. I had therapy yesterday too. I’m not sure if I should move up to 100 mg or give the 75 some more time. I have a feeling I’m going to end up on 150 or so before I feel real relief, if this med even works for me. 
    • laura36585
      laura36585 darla_22432

      Posted

      Hi Darla.  I am still on 50.  I am glad I stuck with it but I am aware that it’s early days and I may need to increase so will just keep taking it a day at a time.   I felt things would never get easier and I felt so desperate so I know how you are feeling, I wish we could all just reach our magic dose but it’s so varied for everyone you really have to ride it out till you reach it.   Xx
  • annie57651
    annie57651 laura36585

    Posted

    That’s wonderful news Laura. What dose are you on.
    • laura36585
      laura36585 annie57651

      Posted

      Still at 50 Annie.   At the moment that’s doing the job but I will increase if I need to xx
  • avril23791
    avril23791 laura36585

    Posted

    Glad you are seeing light at the tunnel; I've just gone up to 100 mg after three weeks on 50 mg. Feel awful at present but I was on Paroxetine for over 20 years before trying Sertraline.

    • laura36585
      laura36585 avril23791

      Posted

      Hi avril.   20 years on paroxetine it’s no wonder you feel awful, that’s a tough one to stop taking.   Did it just stop working for you? X
    • avril23791
      avril23791 laura36585

      Posted

      I had several months each year when I felt ghastly in terms of OCD and depression, so I thought I would stop - went from 40 mg, to 1 week on 30 mg, then 1 week on 20 mg, then 3 months on 10 mg and then nothing, which is exactly when I crashed!

      I had one week without any meds which was torture. Let's hope the Sertraline works for me; I'm trying some CBT too.

  • laura36585
    laura36585

    Posted

    Thanks for the replies guys.   I really just wanted to let you all know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  I’m not at the end of the tunnel I’m sort of half way through but there is light.  The anxiety is still there but I just have that bit more strength now to challenge it, before it would just consume me.  It takes a lot of self talk when I go out to face my fears and so far I have someone with me who I talk it through with and that helps, saying the daft things that are going through my head and telling someone the physical symptoms like dizzy chest feels right etc seems so help and calm me when I just speak about it as it’s happening.   I was trying to cope with it internally and trying to hide it from everyone but made the decision to reach out and be honest and it really helps, let other people support you a bit you will get strength from the people who love you.   Taking a pill doesn’t get rid of the anxiety, it takes the edge off and allows your mind to rest a bit.  the only thing that gets rid of the anxiety is facing it and challenging it I think.   I keep telling myself that if I fear it, then I have to go and do it and each day I take another little step.   We will get there guys, we need to be patient with ourselves.   Xx 
    • husam
      husam laura36585

      Posted

      You know Laura, people when they start getting better they stop posting, so all we read is bad reviews, so thanks a lot for the post. I’m on 75mg for 4 weeks after 50mg for 8 weeks. My anxiety is less but I feel like zoloft is giving me depression and low moods a lot, I’m hoping thats a side effect and will go away soon. Did you face that?
    • laura36585
      laura36585 husam

      Posted

      Hi husam.  Yes I did feel I had days where I was more depressed and those days are hard.  I think sometimes we are so desperate to feel relief that we up our dose when really we just need more time.  I’m not saying that’s the case for everyone and I know how painfully hard it is to have patience when we are suffering.   Keep in mind that this med takes a long time to even out and have faith that it will.  X
    • laura36585
      laura36585 husam

      Posted

      What I did notice is that the days I felt low it was clearly a pattern of negative thinking that spiralled.  It’s finding a way to challenge those low thoughts.  For me it was the thought that this is bigger than me, I’m not strong enough to live with this and when you think this way it’s like putting weights on your legs when you are trying to float.  Try focusing on those thoughts and replace them with positives, don’t allow yourself to sink xx 
    • ondrea69
      ondrea69 laura36585

      Posted

      I think your right Laura about upping the dose too quickly, I started to see some relief at 125mg and when I went back to The doctors 2 weeks later he upped the dose to 150mg which I did gradually over 2 weeks, I wish I had never done it, all the side effects have come back.
    • laura36585
      laura36585 ondrea69

      Posted

      I think that while we should go on the advice of our gp we also need to take a bit of the responsibility for ourselves.  I think sometimes we need to do what we are comfortable with and if you feel that the increase was too much then drop that extra 25 and see how you feel, most gps have never taken an ssri and the only experience they have of them is what they read in their guidelines, they don’t appreciate the turmoil a person goes through when the dose is changed.   If you felt better on that lower dose then change it.  X
    • laura36585
      laura36585 ondrea69

      Posted

      Good for you, remember it will probably take a week or so to settle back down to a steady level. I hope you feel calmer soon.  X 
    • husam
      husam laura36585

      Posted

      Apreciate it Laura, will hang on and wait for it to work :D
    • laura36585
      laura36585 husam

      Posted

      That’s all you can do husam, things will gradually get easier x
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.