Petrified!!

[Sassybot]

I started on 50mg of Sertraline.

My Dr, the pharmacist and the leaflet that came wit it has scared ten shades of crap out of me. I went online to read other peoples experiences and now I am completely petrified. I've not had traditional suicidal thoughts before but I have wished I hadn't been born etc so am really scared the next week or so will be hell. My bf who I live with is also worried (which is impressive as he's well laid back).

Has anyone been on Sertraline and have either advice on what to expect or a positive story. If going through two weeks of being weird is what I need to start being me again then fine. Just need to know there may be a silver lining

[acetone]

Sertraline is a commonly prescribed med for anxiety. It has good track record. Its most common side effect is gastrointestinal upset. It passes with time.

[Ritch]

The only way you will know if it suits you or not is to try it. But if your boyfriend is around to help you/monitor you it will do you no harm in trying.

Sometimes for us anxiety sufferer's it's best to stay away from the leaflets and just judge it on our personal experience with it. If everybody here read the side effect list of paracetamol the majority of us wouldn't take it again.

I hope the medication suits you.

[nikki_marie21]

I started on 50mg of Sertraline. My Dr, the pharmacist and the leaflet that came wit it has scared ten shades of crap out of me. I went online to read other peoples experiences and now I am completely petrified. I've not had traditional suicidal thoughts before but I have wished I hadn't been born etc so am really scared the next week or so will be hell. My bf who I live with is also worried (which is impressive as he's well laid back). Has anyone been on Sertraline and have either advice on what to expect or a positive story. If going through two weeks of being weird is what I need to start being me again then fine. Just need to know there may be a silver lining. I am currently on zoloft too. I started with 50mg and worked my way up to 100mg two weeks after. I was very scared to take it but trusted my doc and did not read the side effects thing or google .. I instead had her number and the pharmacists number on hand should I have any questions or concerns ... My side effects for the first morning after taking the pill the night before felt like a hang over .. But nothing I couldn't handle .. I experienced some heart burn and head aches during the first two weeks but all tolerable and nothing that a little Tylenol or tums couldn't fix.. My sleep was a little out of wack for the first little while but boy oh boy are some of those dreams intense lol .. I like to dream so that wasn't a bad one for me ...my anxiety was up there for certain periods but after a good long while of living with anxiety it wasn't anything out of the norm and reassuring that that is all it is, anxiety and nothing more (OCD too but nothing new about that either) I'm on week 5 now and I have some awesome days and some days were I still feel anxious .. Take the good with the bad and know that it can get better with the proper help, tools and education on why these things happen to so many of us. Sure it's easy to acknowledge that you are in a bout of anxiety or panic it's learning how to move on with it and not let that get in our way of our lives. All I'm trying to say is .... I was worried about taking the meds .. I invited two close family friends over and took the meds while they were there ... I felt comforted knowing I had someone there to see how the first dose would effect me ... I was ok! I wish you the best of luck and happiness .. I am having a positive experience with this med and hopefully you will too .. You won't know unless you try

[Sassybot]

Thanks for all the advise guys :)

Day three of the meds. The first day was horrible, I felt like I'd had a few too many followed by bouts of just being really spaced out. It was very scary at first but my boyfriend calmed me down. Since then it hasn't been as bad, probably because I know what to expect. Still been dizzy and have periods of being really not with it but I feel a bit brighter, not sure if thats the meds or knowing I'm taking a positive step. Helps that my bf thinks the spacey bouts are funny :)

Despite having a nightmare trip to the store yesterday (walked right into a display sending cereal everywhere AND was so messed up I didn't notice I was trying to pay with my library card) I took my bf for a meal earlier today. My first proper outing since the Dr signed me off. Wasn't anywhere near as bad despite feeling a lot more down than I have the previous days.

Guess it's to be expected. Anything to get me back to myself. Bit annoyed that it's going to take so long for counseling but meh.

x

[Sassybot]

Oh also, I keep clenching my jaw. Something I've never done before. Apparently it's a side effect- weird huh?!

[socaltouch14]

I started this med on tues. I still feel symptoms lingering and need assistance from other med to help sleep. Has ur symptoms lingered since u started taking em? I also just wanna feel like old self! Lets stay positive

[nikki_marie21]

I had a bit of a hard time sleeping on the beginning give it time .. I'm ready to sleep by 10pm most nights now!! These meds take time ..

[Sassybot]

Today has been horrible. Barely slept last night, maybe three hrs tops? Managed to watch a whole series of black adder...
Emotionally I feel like someone has died. I hope no one has experienced it but this deep routed sadness that won't go.

Am trying to stay positive as I want this to work. You're a few days a head of me, I started on Thursday. My Dr said it could take up to two weeks to feel the benefits.

Dizziness isn't as bad and I seem more tired than spaced out so that's a win... Right?

[Sassybot]

Nikki, can you remember how long it took for you to start sleeping? I know everyone is different but just curious x

[Sassybot]

Man, I do feel really angry and frustrated this evening. Think I preferred being sad to this. Just want to scream and punch something.

Have snapped at my Bf loads :(

[nikki_marie21]

Nikki, can you remember how long it took for you to start sleeping? I know everyone is different but just curious x. Going in to the second week I was sleeping much better ... By week three I was sleeping by 10-11

[Anne1221]

I know it's hard, but when you find the right medication for you, things will be so much better. You just have to get through the initial phase of the side effects to find out if it will help later. I'm on Lexapro which has helped me immensely.

[Sassybot]

:) I slept much better last night. Had some trippy dreams which was quite fun.
Got a good hour before the meds normally start making me dizzy so making the most of it.

Hopefully this will be the medication for me. Don't fancy doing this again with something else :p

[stjlynn]

I cant read the side effects or look it online cause I go into freak out mode!!

[nikki_marie21]

I cant read the side effects or look it online cause I go into freak out mode!!. Don't worry .. One way to go about it (not saying you have to) is take the meds and discuss with your doctor the side effects that you do have if you have any! For me the side effects were far more manageable then living with anxiety :) I did not google any side effects for that very reason

[Sassybot]

They where a lot scarier than what they turned out to be :) Think if I hadn't known about them I wouldn't have been so scared.

I'm on day 7 now. Felt drunk/spaced out/frustrated for a few days with rubbish sleep (which I was having in the first place really). Now I get headaches and am a bit frustrated but I'm sleeping (touch wood) much better AND I've not had a full blown, crippling panic attack. Obviously, the true test will be when I start back at work and start going out as I've been signed off for three weeks.

My boyfriend said he can see a marked improvement in my mood in the past few days so am hoping this carries on.

[Sassybot]

Bad bad bad day today. Think it's proven that I was feeling happy because I was isolated from the stresses of normal life. Three panic attacks before my back to work review. The review went really well so I was happy. Came home and my Bf is on Lates. Sat down and started obsessively thinking he was cheating on me and tried to break up with him. Kinda in a bad place right now. Can't stop thoughts about hurting myself. Just want to scratch to feel something other than this. I've never wanted to scratch. What the hell is wrong with me?

[Anne1221]

How long have you been on this medication? It does take time to kick in and that's what is so difficult; the waiting
for it to start helping.

[Sassybot]

8 days now so not long.
I was a mess last night, crying, panic attacks, trying to break up with my Bf. Feeling better today but exhausted and embarrassed.