Sertaline -any positives please?

[rosietj]

Hi all. I have shocking HA. I am trying very hard to do the face my fears and try and activate the great advice from this forum and some literature but my goodness it's so hard. Really bad symptoms at the moment and so my doc has prescribed sertaline. She said it will help but I am scared to take it as really worried about side effects. I'm in a freaky out state as it is and not sure how I can handle more symptoms. Has anyone found this drug a positive thing? I know we are all different but your advice would be appreciated. There is such a mixed bag of people's experiences. Ive just started a new job and dragging myself around so cant take time off and with my present heightened anxiety it's all well ......you know what I mean. Thanks in advance.

[Button1]

I know exactly how you feel- I'm just back at work after maternity leave and my HA is horrendous at the moment so I'm doing very badly at my job. I've been on 50mg and 100mg of sertraline (I'm not on anything at the moment because I want to try for another baby). I had absolutely no side effects with the 50mg and after a week or so the anxiety felt like it was just floating around somewhere in the background, I couldn't panic about anything and it gave my head a break. I then got pregnant and had to come off them. I then had another bad HA attack at new year and was put on 100mg of sertraline. This was a bit trickier but the effects were only slight really- I had some dizziness and nausea but it was gone after a couple of days. I'm sure my doc is going to tell me to go back on the meds and I think I will. You get to a stage where you think you're ok and you don't need them but as soon as something triggers your HA you suddenly find the world collapsing around you and you can't do anything. Sertraline stops that from happening. I'd really recommend that if you're finding it hard to cope you give them a go. It's worth struggling with a couple of side effects for the long term gain of not having panic attacks and breakdowns.

Let us know how you get on x

[rosietj]

Thanks button. So glad I'm not alone. I'm going to give the meds a go at the weekend and hope they help me as terrified i might not be good in work. How about alcohol with them? nothing heavy just glass wine? This thing is so terrible and it's physical symptoms are driving me in sane! I wish you well with your baby. My little grand-daughter lives in Australia and when I go to see her my head is plagued by this nightmare of an anxiety and can you believe that I rarely enjoy the experience although I love her and my family more than life itself. How powerful are our minds. I just want a normal life if there is such a thing but would settle for a peaceful mind. Thanks again. X

[Button1]

You're not alone. Far from it and you have all of my sympathy. The effects of the tablets are nowhere near as bad as the effects of the anxiety I promise. I've always drunk on sertraline and honestly have never had any ill effects. I think the only potential issue you'd face is a worse hangover the next day and I've heard people say they feel more drunk/ hungover more quickly but that must be a personal thing, I've never found that to be true for me (am a very petite girl with no great drinking ability!)

I totally understand what you mean with your granddaughter. I love my baby more than life but this thing just makes you want to shut yourself away and not deal with life- that's just not an option with a child around.


I pray every day for peace. I am the luckiest girl alive- a husband who loves me more than anything, a prefect baby boy who is my whole world, a good job...and what do I do? Hate every day, cry, shut down, obsess...it's too much. This isn't me. If it weren't for my little boy, I'm not sure i could keep going. How is that right for a 31 year old with so many people depending on her? It makes me hate myself.


I will keep you in my thoughts and if you have any more sertraline questions, just drop me a line x

[rosietj]

Oh you are so kind. This thing is evil no matter what age you are and I have had it all my life but worse lately as I hit 60 a few months ago and my stupid head tells me ok that's it downhill now!! It shouldn't be sooooo!! Even if I say so myself I'm not bad for my age!!! I still want to get some peace without meds but this HA is justing dragging me down so much.

I too think in my bleakest moments how lucky I am. I have 4 beautiful successful daughters who love me and a husband too although I feel very sorry for him as he just does not know how to help me. He is so accepting of life. He does not let things worry him even though we have been through many turmoils as most couples do. He says things which are so sensible but my head shuts them out. WHY??? So much sense out there but how do you push this evil aside and try and get on with life. I read somewhere that someone said that imagine you were 90 or at least very old and you looked back on your life and realised what a waste a huge chunk had been just worrying and being anxious. It's so true. It's for me the what ifs all the time and the anxiety/HA cycle.

You are young and you will get better. It's so different now with so much support around and many good gp's and meds if needed. when I go about my life I look at people and think how lucky they are to not have this evil but then how do I know they are not suffering in some way as this stuff is not easy to share in an everyday setting. Thank goodness there is this type of contact and you realise how worldwide it is. Bless you for your support. X

[Button1]

Thank you, it's been nice to talk to someone who understands. Unfortunately now I don't feel like I'm going to get much more of a life, I'm so convinced I'm dying. Again.

It is robbing me of the best of my life and I wish I could take control. But it's not too late for either of us, so get taking that sertraline and beat this!! X

[rosietj]

I will if you will. I truly believe its the worst of all anxities phobias or whatever name it gets. There is too much in the media and news so I try not to listen or watch. It's horrid in work too as I have to deal with clinical negligence cases and there I am surrounded with what I hate the most. Talk about punishment. It was not my choice but company move arounds and not in a position to just change jobs. You will get peace. It might come in little batches but it will come. I am giving you a virtual hug and holding your hand. Xx