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Woke up with intense anxiety, feeling like I was dying on day 3.

Posted , 9 users are following.

Aphia
Aphia

I was prescribed 50mg of sertraline for anxiety/social anxiety and yesterday I took my third tablet. I went to bed at 11pm and woke up at 2am feeling like I was about to die. I was hyperventilating, dizzy, felt like I was going to faint, couldn't stop shaking, my hands went cold and got pins and needles... it was horrible.

I got up and went to the toilet thinking maybe it would calm me down, but I really felt like I was dying. I wanted to call an ambulance because I was so terrified of what was happening to me.

After about half an hour I'd calmed down a bit and stopped shaking, but was very worried about it happening again, which it actually did about at about 4am. I hadn't gone back to sleep after initially waking up and I didn't manage to get back to sleep at all last night because was so worried about waking up again with the same thing.

I wanted to see my doctor and talk to him about it, but managed to see a nurse instead. She basically said side effects are to be expected and to carry on taking the tablets.

I was expecting some side effects, but not this severe. I'm still not completely sure what happened to me - it seems like I might have woken up mid panic attack and had no idea what was going on which just made it all the worse.

I have had panic attacks occasionally before, but never ever anything even close to the intense feelings I felt last night.

Is this normal? Has anyone else had these kind of feelings? I'm honestly kind of scared of going to bed tonight for fear of waking up like I did last night, although if I do hopefully I'll be more aware of what's happening.

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • ilda1982
    ilda1982 Aphia

    Posted

    Question do you take them at night???
    • ilda1982
      ilda1982

      Posted

      I took sertraline for 2 and half yrs. It's completely normal what you are feeling but I promess you, soon you will start feeling better I went up to a 200mg and I was feeling so great. Stick to it. I stopped last October and now I started again. Silly me Gp advised me not to but I insisted. So I have decided to go back to themsmile
    • HopefulDee
      HopefulDee ilda1982

      Posted

      I take mine at night... should I not that them at night?   Im only 3 weeks in and I thought night was easier to remember, but last night I awoke at in middle of night and anxiety ridden sad
    • HopefulDee
      HopefulDee ilda1982

      Posted

      Ilda:  Did you feel anxious like i'm feeling for days upon days?  I now have some panic even throughout the day.... I NEVER had this much everrrrrr!!  I hear it's from the Zoloft.  I'm now on day 3 of my increase dose of 75mg.... wondering if I should go up to 100?

      OR wait it out longer...

    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 HopefulDee

      Posted

      Yes, I had heavy chest and bad panic attacks bad anxiety . All normal go up to 100mg. I took mine in the morning. I started feeling better only with 150mg. There is people taking other medicines with it to help go through it. I took only 1 diazapam trust me never again. Sertraline is already strong so it's enough having those side effects. I stopped last October and now I started again on the 12th January. Now I don't panic that much cause I know this side effects now. You will feel better soon you just need to find the perfect dosage. Any questions feel free to contact me smile

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 HopefulDee

      Posted

      I did reply but not showingsad I only started feeling better after taking 150mg and even better with 200mg.

      Yeah continue to go up till u find the right dosage for you. smile and I always took mine in the morning 7am.

    • HopefulDee
      HopefulDee ilda1982

      Posted

      I should take 100mg maybe then. My Dr text me I should go from 50mg to 100mg.... I was too nervous to habe side effecats so I'm on 75mg... but no bettersad its,3,days on 75 .. maybe tonight I should do 100? Or should I give it more time?
    • ilda1982
      ilda1982 HopefulDee

      Posted

      I guess 3 days it's OK that's exactly what I've done. Try and go up to 100mg let it settle for couple of wks if you still not feeling great continue to go up. When I was on 150mg for 5wks that's when I realised was worth all the trouble in the beginning. After 5 wks went up to 200mg. And all good. Let me know how it goes for you. Xxx
    • HopefulDee
      HopefulDee ilda1982

      Posted

      I took 75mg again last night, but tonight I'll start 100mg and stay on it. I hope this is the magic number! 75mg doesn't do it.... I've been on it 5 days & no real reliefsad

      Thank you ilda! smile

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