View Full Version : Relapse.
As I have posted previously I have been on Sertraline 50mg for nearly 14 weeks without any problems. Until that is Saturday when I felt as though I was suddenly back at the begining. Irritable, dark thoughts, crying for the first time in about 3 months, anxious.... all the symptoms I had before.
The only thing I have done different is to have some alcohol. We were at a friends house for dinner on Thursday and I had two glasses of wine and then on Friday we again ate out and I had a glass of wine followed at the end of the evening by a Bailey's.
Not a lot I know but I usually do not drink at all and this is the first time I have had alcohol since starting Sertraline.
I now wonder if this relapse could be due to the alcohol or because I now need to increase my dose or even if relapses like this are par for the course.
Yesterday I took my normal 50mg dose and although I was still far from well I was certainly better than Saturday. Today I took a 100mg dose and have improved a little more but I am still along way off from where I was in the week running up to my relapse.
Has anyone else on Sertraline had relapses like this?
:huh:
Hi,
I too have had a couple of relapses, in fact I am having one right now and today upped my dose to 150mg. It may not be a relapse, you could just be having a couple of rubbish days and I hope you are feeling better today.
I don't know if mine is definately a relapse but I don't want to leave it and get worse so have upped the dose, lets hope it works for both of us xxx
Hi and thank you for your reply. To be honest I am not 100% sure if I am having a relapse or just an off few days but like yourself I did not want to take any chances so upped my dose. My GP did say when I first started treatment that he would like me on 100mg but it was simply because I felt ok on 50mg that I did not increase.
Have you upped your dose each time you have had a relapse and if so do you then go back down when you are feeling better?
I was on Effexor for years and altered my dose as needed but I did not have bad lapses. I was very ill on it with numberous side effects (we did not know it was Effexor at the time) and although I was not depressed it had me like a zombie. I wasn't happy or sad just sort of numb. One of the reasons I like Sertraline so much is because I have very little in the way of side effects and I feel like me. I can still laugh and cry I am just not constantly in the depths of despair and thinking dark thoughts.
I hate being on medication but have come to realise that I will probably need to be for the rest of my life and would like to find the right one for me without constantly chopping and changing.
Hope you are feeling better today.
:hugs:
hi Erin31, hope you're feeling better now you've upped your dose. I'm not on sert any more but i think i do remember having a few off days then things seemed to level out again for me. Let us know how you get on x
Hi. Thank you for your reply. I am a lot better today and very near to being back to normal (touch wood). I intend to stay on 100mg for now as I don't want another relapse. I've had very little anxiety today and the dark thoughts have been few.
I have not had any side effects from raising my dose but guess it is still early days. I don't think I will every drink again just in case it was the alcohol which started this relapse.
How are you? Are your withdrawal symptoms easing any? x
Hi Erin, I guess it could be the alcohol that triggered your relapse in symptoms. I remember at a party drinking a couple of glasses of wine on sertraline and drinking sent me hyper - as if i'd had vodka/redbull. I remember the doctor saying it was fine to have maybe 1 drink but it didn't agree with me so might be wise to avoid- shame though as when you're finally feeling like yourself you want to socialise and have a drink. Glad you're feeling less anxious and have fewer dark thoughts and good to know you haven't had any side effects from the increase in dose. It's probably what you need.
I've been much better over the past month thanks. I think I'm recovering - i don't like to think i'm completely over the wd yet in case i get another wave - I do have the odd strange pain here and there but nothing like the start and my mood is fine. Here's hoping it's over. Hope you continue to feel better too xxx
theharvestmouse
31-07-12, 19:49
Alcohol caused my relapse, don't underestimate the affects it can have even in small quantities.
Thank you both for your replies. I am certainly getting back to normal although I am frightened to say to much in case it all goes wrong again! Will stick to sparkling water from now on xx
Beckybooboo
31-07-12, 21:05
Hi,
I'm really sorry to hear that you've experienced a relapse on Sertraline.
I too am on Sertraline 100mg a day and I find that if I have a lack of sleep, alcohol and am due on my period then I do tend to suffer a small relapse. It's only natural as you are human, but I have been advised before to avoid alcohol whilst on medication.
If you ever need to talk, then message me.
All the best,
Becky
Hi Becky.
Thank you for your post. I have sent you a message.
Erin x
Hi Erin,
How are you today??
Everytime I have upped my dose, I have stayed on it and not gone back down, but it does take time to work and the new doseage to get in your system. I think my problem is if I start to feel bad I panic and up my dose when really I should wait it out a few days and see if it passes, i'm just scared to feel that rubbish again!
I have a couple of glasses of wine most evenings with dinner which seems to work okay for me.
Anyway, hope you're feeling a bit better xx
Thank you for your reply.
I am so much better today. Slept well last night and woke up early feeling full of energy. Have been out for lunch and shopping which I could not of done on Monday.
I am still on the higher dose of 100mg as like yourself I fear hitting rock bottom again. I feel as though anxiety is lurking in the back ground ready to bounce should I drop my guard.
How are you? Do you feel that 'normal' on 150mg? x
I only went upto 150mg yesterday so time will tell, so far I haven't had too many side effects from the increase in dose apart from increased anxiety but I have been okay and went to the gym for an hour and then took the kids swimming so at least I made myself get out!!
Glad you're feeling better, I hope it continues for you xxx
hi guys i havent been on for a while because as most do , when wer'e ok we go off enjoying our life dont we?
i always feel bad when i come back though , like ive abandoned you all....so please forgive me wont you xx
so here i am with a bit of a dilema.
ive been on 150mg sertraline since march and have been brilliant.got my life back etc but, after a bit of an accident i had, i seem to have gone backwards......anxiety is there lurking,waiting to pounce. im edgy, horrible taste in my mouth, going off my food etc etc..
ive felt it coming on since last week but managed to keep it at bay. my gp said i could go to 200mg in an emergency whatever that meant!
i dont want to increase, but i dont want to see if itll pass incase it gets worse. help me guys, what would you do? is 200mg too much?xxxxx
Hi. I can't really say if 200mg is to much or not. I am on 100mg and really don't want to go any higher but realise the time may come when I have to. Like yourself I still have anxiety lurking and work hard at keeping it at bay. You have done really well to fight the anxiety this last week and stay in control but if things get to bad you could always increase for a while then try droping your dose again when you feel well x
Hi all
Erin im same as you would seem the anxiety always there low lying and i do my best not to entertain it and let it take over.
Its been 9 weeks now and 4 of those at 100mg.
Minimix a friend of mine on 200mg and been on that several years but she has no intention of coming of them and im the same if it works so be it.
How you feeling now?
HI IM AT A POINT WHERE THE ANXIETY IS LURKING, im jumping at the slightest sound and i just feel fed up..im getting on with things, but im just struggling to decide whether to increase to 200mg or not...dont want too but dont want to let anxiety come back either.....and!! what if the 200mg turns out not to be enough????
How long would you guys wait for the relapse to disappear before you increase meds or see gp?
I have gone backwards but wanted to give it six months trying my best to keep positive but bloody hard when you feel fear but I can't see the benefit of keep changing Meds will do. How long you been down?
---------- Post added at 12:37 ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 ----------
Ps I been drinking alcohol so don't know I'd that's a factor
Hi Miniminx. To be honest once I had a relapse I panicked and raised my dose from 50mg to 100mg immediatley. Still on the higher dose as I'm terrified of another relapse and still have some anxiety although it is at a level I can cope with. Do wonder if it is the higher dose that is causing the anxiety.
I think I would be frightened of going onto the max dose also but only you can make that decision. I have read of people having relapses on Sertraline and they do seem to get better, sometimes without increasing, sometimes with an increase. xx
Hi Tracey. I think alcohol could be having a negitive effect on both you and the Sertraline. Alcohol itself is a depressent and it can also have an effect on the efficiency of some medications. In my case it seems to stop Sertraline working at all. Maybe you could start again and take Sertraline but cut out alcohol altogether. It may help. xx
Hi yep after last two days im not touching it, makes me forget anxiety at time but god do I pay.
Blip seems to be lifting. Do you feel it coming and going its weird x
Oh goodness yes. I had half an hour of horrendous anxiety earlier today and it stopped as quickly as it started. These tablets seem to take an awful long time to even out and I have a lot of ups and downs. I do find that the good times definitely outweigh the bad now.
Tracy why not draw a line under past few weeks and try again with Sertraline but without any alcohol at all. It may take time to kick in but at least you will know for certain whether it works or not. x
I'm Still taking them but chose to have a few drinks in last week as various parties. I would chose never to drink again if that the cause.
I feel like I'm possessed lol it comes and goes xx
ive felt this relapse coming on for about two weeks ish now when i think about it. i got a bit of a shock last week which mightve tipped me, i don t know. its not as bad as my previous episodes but still there none the less.
have i already told you that? lol
so im in a quandry!
Hmmm bearable or not if you get my meaning? It could be shock
Hmmm bearable or not if you get my meaning? It could be shock
id say bearable but then who wants anxiety whether it be bearable or not???
but my head just feels full at the moment now...non of the other rubbish that comes with it, shakes, terror etc...only the thought of oh god no is it coming back???:)
Minimix I have had no physical symptoms for five months at all as that and depression went quick, what you describe I have everyday but somedays worse than others. I hope one day I have a day without it in the back of my mind x
---------- Post added at 18:26 ---------- Previous post was at 18:25 ----------
Ps my head feels full when overwhelmes me completely and that's when I get most distressed
HI ALL hope today finds you all in good spirits and feeling better.
what i want to ask you guys is...how long would you leave your relapse for before you seek your gps help or increase your meds?
How long you been on them? I was on cit before and gave it four months with two increases x
hi i was cit for 7 weeks prior to sertraline. ive been on sert since june . I think they work, at the right dose....someone said to reduce as sometimes reducing is as good as increasing.
From all I read even that's early days I still not had a complete normal day, I would say its def working if you have had good days. I plan to give this 6 months. You under gp or physc
hi ,i see my gp, youre right if they worked up until recently, i was just a bit scared of it coming back as its been lurking a while now...xx
All I know is my sister on meds and kept changing she said it took her six months to finally stabilise, I'm 9 weeks and still it's lurking not always overwhelming but there never the less I would guess you on right med if been anxiety free.
I do wonder if hormones play a part in our good and bad days too and once we feel anything down we analyise until it escalates again.
I keep trying to tell myself meds just an aid so don't matter what I'm on if good days then it's working but when bad I google again and doubt it x
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