Massive improvement

[alfredo1]

I seem to have a massive improvement today.

Had really bad anxiety last night/this morning, but it seemsto have subsided.

Also, i've definitely noticed a change in my mood. Keeing fingers crossed that I'm on the way up, but then again this has happened before then I've dipped..........!

2 weeks on 50mg, 2 weeks on 100mg now i'm on 125mg - this will be week six since starting sertraline altogether.

My heart still flutters, restless sleep. Apart from that , no other side effects taht bother me.

[cathycrumble]

Great news for you. My heart flutters have stopped but I am still on the 50mg

It will most probs because you have had a couple of increases I am sure that will subside. wants you stable on your dose.

I havnt been too bad I get a bit of the nerves in the morning.

Will see how I go on then think about increasing.

I am so glead you starting to feel a bit better.

Cathy xx

[alfredo1]

Thanks Cathy. I'm on 125mg. I've basically upped it myself last week!!!

I found 50mg was ok for about a week, then i started getting anxiety, 100mg was OK, but the anxiety was still bad, i stayed on it for 2 weeks then upped to 125mg last Wednesday. Thursday & Friday i felt awful, Saturday Sunday great, yesterday average, today very good!

How are you getting on with the 50mg. How long have you been on them again?

[cathycrumble]

I have been on the 50mg for just under 4 weeks. I did go up to 100 for a couple of days but felt to anxious so came back down to 50 I will jsut see how I go on with that dose. the gp thinks I am on 100 but it was me who put it up. she didnt tell me to.

It's up to me what I want to do.

Cathy xx

[ems73]

Oh Kel that's great, long may it continue I'll keep my fingers tightly crossed for you xx Cathy, sounds like you're doing a bit better at the moment? That's so good
Not feeling the best today myself. At night I can really feel the effects of the Prozac (I switched from Sertraline to Prozac a week ago) but then in the morning as regularly as clockwork my body gets rushed with adrenaline and horrible feelings. It feels like the prozac's trying to fight it but anxiety keeps winning.
Felt very low this morning like it was just never ending and pointless carrying on and trying to be brave all the time. I hate this so so so much. I just want one day for it to be gone, please please let it go soon.

[alfredo1]

Hey Ems - its horrible isn't it. I've was so very low from November until now. I just never thought my head would be clear. There were times i just thought ''what's the point'' I was just going through the motions. I don't know how i've kept my job down to be honest. This site has been a great help if i'm honest. Makes you realise you're not alone.

You've got to give the prozac time to kick in, its very early days. Unfortunately, its just a waiting game isn't it. In go easy on yourself and be nice to yourself. Go for a massage, get your nails done, see your freinds. I'm really hoping that this will be it for me now. Onwards and upwards. x

[ems73]

Thanks Kel, you're so right.
God knows how I hold my job down as well! I find it good to have the distraction of work though, even though some people have noticed I'm not myself. Had to go out for 2 leaving do's last week. Didn't drink (which is unusual for me and I was the only one) as alcohol plays havoc with me these days and also started feeling wobbly and worried so was 1st one to leave both times. They were looking at me very strangely, they probably think I'm pregnant ! lol

[alfredo1]

seem to be having a bad day todya. I felt absolutley great yesterday..like i was on the mend. then work up today black cloud etc etc, feeling really down. Grrrr, so frustrating..............

[ems73]

Very frustrating, I really think Sertraline seems to be up and down for a good number of weeks before it settles down. You've definitely had some good effects from it so that's good and you know it can work for you, hopefully the bad days will be less and less and the good days more and more. Think of it as a little blip.

I feel a bit better today, this morning's anxiety was minimal. Having acupuncture tomorrow (well you never know I'll try anything).
My latest strategy is to try and ignore it eg "anxiety? what anxiety? whatever, you can't hurt me" sort of stuff.

[alfredo1]

how did the actupunture go Ems?

[ems73]

Hi Kel, it was OK, quite relaxing at the time but I had awful anxiety for the rest of the afternoon. My brother who's quite knowledgeable about this stuff thinks it may be the anxiety coming out after the treatment. I feel a lot better today (thank god). Have another appointment next Thurs and he reckons I should be able to tell then if it helps or not. He picked up on quite a lot of stuff and said I should think about avoiding dairy. Going to have a dairy free week (worth a try).
Are you still on the up?

[alfredo1]

Hi ems,
Yes, it could be the anxiety coming out after the treatment. I had acupuncture last summer a few times, but I never really thought it worked but then again I only had 3 sessions, i should have kept at it! Glad you are feeling better.

Well, i've hit a massive brck wall today. I've had such bad anxiety. Feel paniked, doing my head in about my job. Keep threating about losing my job, i've got a mortgage on my own etc. I work as a PA and the place is really unfriendly. I work for about 10 people and its a really horrible atmosphere. I'm on very good money. I'm not massivley assertive and they're quite a hard lot.....i struggle with the job sometimes, and over the past few months not been focused as i've been so wrapped up with my depression/anxiety. My confidence has been shot to bits. Paranoid that they have seen that I log into this site too.

I've been there a year and half, and my boss has never sad down wiht me to ask how things are going etc. I emailed her in December for an appraisal and she totally ignore my email. As you can imagine , all these negative thoughts went through my mind ....i drive myself mad.

I've lost weight this week. But strangely, on the flip side, my depression seems to have lifted, i don't feel as sad, tearful. But anxity levels are really high. Stomach going over all the time etc.

Its so frustrating., as a few days last week, i felt on top of the world. I did have a bottle of wine last night as my sisters so maybe that could be something to do with it.

Ive got a doctors appointment on Friday so see what he says. I feel I've been anxious since upping the dose. I seem to be OK for a few days, then bang, come bakc down .

I've been keepoing a mood diary and started CBT a fews weeks ago, and she seems really good the therapist.

So, not good at the moment TBH. Might see what the docs say, as i've been on sertraline now for coming up 7 weeks, surely I shouldn't be losing weight on them!!!

Anyway, apols for the long post but needed to get that off my chest.

The dairy thing could be right. Let me know how you're getting on!!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[ems73]

Oh I feel for you, I really do. Just seen your post but think it was from yesterday, are you any better today Kel?
It's really hard keeping it going at work isn't it, I'm tempted to just tell them to be honest, sick of trying to hide it. The only person I had at work who knew has now gone back to New Zealand and I have no support there.
Do you work in London? It can be pressured, unfriendly and the bloody crowds do your head in. PA work is well paid but it depends so much on who you work for. I used to be a legal secretary (I work in recruitment now) and when I had a good boss and colleague it was absolutely fine but get a bad boss and it's a nightmare. Good you have a job and keeping it going though. I think it's important we try and keep our routine going and have a reason to get up in the mornings, otherwise we'd just lay on the sofa worrying all day. It might be that the Sertraline is still trying to work. I've heard on there from people that it can take at least 8 weeks. so give it may be 2 more weeks and see how you feel. I'm losing weight on Prozac, probably because I don't fancy food. It's the one good thing:)
I've found this brilliant book which had amazing reviews. It's called "Thrive" by Rob Kelly. Look on Amazon. It's £20 but I reckon well worth it. It's a type of CBT but goes a bit further. I'm working my way through that and seeing a counsellor, spending a flipping fortune.

Had family get together today, felt badly anxious. For the first time I was just blunt and honest and said I'm not feeling well at the moment. I'm struggling with anxiety and depression. Some of them knew, esp my mum, but first time I'd managed to say it out loud

Work is different though. They can treat you differently. What you need is someone there who you can confide in.

Keep me posted with how you get on, I'll be back on the site tomorrow.

Take care kel, stay strong, we'll keep each other going.

Em x

---------- Post added at 17:12 ---------- Previous post was at 17:09 ----------

Also should just mention, hangovers play absolute havoc with my anxiety, so trying to stay off the booze