Help Please Feel Worse on Sertraline!!!

[cathytink3rb3ll]

Hi All,

I have been given sertraline as I suffer with panic attacks (for 5 years) and have always tried to get on with it without medication but lately i have felt like I have not been able to get out of it myself so the Doc has given me 50mg of Sertraline...

I have taken medication before for a few days but have never been able to stick it out as I always feel worse and cant seem to stick it out.

I just wanted advise as I have started them and feel awful again - really more anxious which I cannot cope with at all! And more hot sweats which consequently makes me more dizzy and anxious again,

Please could I hear from people (i know everyone is differnent) how long you guys felt crap and if it got better, or if anyone has any advise?

Thanks

Cathy

x

[Angelai]

Hi Cathy

I've been on sertraline 4 times and it is really scary right at the beginning. It's normal to feel worse initially (I know that doesn't help how you're feeling right now x) but it soon starts to get better. It may take a couple of weeks, probably less, for things to settle down a bit.

Try to stick with them, it won't get any worse than it is now. Good luck xx

[sue.b]

Hi Cathy

When I started sertraline and each time I had a dose increase I had side effect for a couple of week. I had anxiety, hot sweats, feeling scared, shaky, weak and lots of other symptoms but they did pass and I am pleased to day I am probably 90% back to my old self.

Stick with the sertraline, it does take a time get the full benefits.

Hope it works for you as it has for me.

Take care

Sue :hugs:

[rckclmbr]

I was on Zoloft from 1996 until maybe 2002 or so and don't remember much about it except that it eventually stopped working for me .... however, after having gone through literally 20 meds in the past year, we are trying Zoloft again. This time, I'm having a similar issue -- increased anxiety, hot sweats, scared, weak, etc. -- but I'm not sure whether that's the Zoloft or something else entirely.

In any case, I know SSRIs can take a few weeks to really "kick in" and I don't want to give up on it yet so I'll keep taking it and working up to a higher dose.

I hope you're able to do the same! Good luck!

[aeroz21]

I've just started on sertraline too - I've been on them for 2 weeks and the side effects have been terrible. I'm anxious, scared, constantly on edge, trouble sleeping, etc...
I'm sticking to them though because anti-depressants have really really been a big help to me before. I was on fluoxetine before. I'm a mess at the moment, but I'm really hoping I'll start to feel the benefits soon.

I hope it's all working out for you now :)

[chrissc]

Me too! On day four and want to crawl out of my skin. I also take Klonopin .05mg as needed for panic. I take that now twice a day to get through the day. Im hoping the fog will lift too. Why is taking something thats suppose to help you make you feel worse?? I too have jittery, panicky, foggy head, tense, sad, worse than I was pre zoloft. Doctor said to take it at night and cut the 50 mg to 25 still feeling bad. But still continue to take it for I hear it will benefit me in the long run. Hurry up!
C

[micheal88]

im on day 4 too.... side effects are crap do not feel myself at all...... i snap mine in half tho lol but will take them full in a few weeks

[linworth]

HI all
I have just upped mine for 50mg which i have been on for five years, to 75mg, i feel so tired, wake really early, then just want to sleep today, dont know if i have worn myself out through the anxiety or its the tablets, the doc wants me to be on 100mg by the end of the week ! my mood is up and down, (this is day four after the increase) crying one minute, anxious the next, then funnily enough sometimes but mostly at night ok. Just Hoping they take the full effect soon, want to get back to normal. take care
Lynne x

[DisturbedDani]

So glad I saw this thread. I have recently started taking Setraline again after almost 2 years. I was on 150 and then discovered I was pregnant and stopped immediately. Had bad withdrawals but passed after a couple of weeks.

Baby is 8 months now and have started on them again...50mg for 2 weeks and 100mg for last few days and feel awful. Thoughts have turned dark...sleep is erratic...just feel anxious all the time. But now I know Im not alone, I will stick it out!!

[emma6981]

I'm on sertraline for 6 weeks,started on 100mg then got put up to 150mg 10 days ago. Last week I was feeling good,started back to uni but have had a horrible last few days. Really anxious and mood low,feel hopeless and like I'm going crazy. Is this just a bad patch or what is happening to me? :(

[em79]

I have just started taking sertraline(50mg) 11 days ago.I'm feeling really anxious and having panic attacks which is horrible. I'm really hoping this is temporary? How long will it take to feel better/calm down?

[petram]

hiya im on week 7 2 of which was 25 mg and 50 mg for 5 weeks im still getting side effects and even new 1 s creeping in i v just spoke with my gp and he recommends either coming off or reducking back to 25mg., the thing is with me and this is NOT the 1st time i might had the higher anxiety i get from them brings on my pure O THOUGHTS which is horrid to say the least . but then were all different some people have side effects for a week or so and there ok , they are the lucky ones!! xx
now im worried if i do reduce them the humour i get to cope with it may go and i wont see any good effects ................... grrrr im now really worried and dunno wat to do , i will try 25mg for the next 2 days and see what happens , im also due for me period which i guess will not be helping!! god life sucks with anxiety and ocd .... sorry for ranting . my side effects are shaky hands nervy legs reflux ,no appetite , dry mouth , headaches and this week insomnia , im torn in wat to do maybe if i took a sleeper and took a week of work and stay on 50mg il start to see a more fuller steady improvement i just dunno wat to do .......

[Magic]

Hi,
My Gp gave me sertraline 50mg. I was fine.it's really weird---- I was in to my third lot after I had been on them for 2 months and one mornig I was panic stricken,so much so I did a post on nmp.I have not been right since then.Not so panicy now,but I have head aches that have never bothered me before and ringing my ears. All in all I feel worse.
I am still taking the tabs tho, but I will be seein GP on tuesday.

[petram]

hi magic this sounds crazy but diff suppliers use dif colours ext so try and get the same brand that u had before hun , me and a friend noticed a few years ago when we had different brands it caused anxiety . dunno why coz it contains the same chemical but seriously see if u had a diff brand this time round . xx gl

[Magic]

Thanx Petram,
Never thought of that,will see into it next week. Will mention it to GP.
xx

[petram]

yeah it s a well known fact although docs poop poo it s bloody true . im coming off sertaline iv been on 25mg for the last week , still unstable with anxiety n ocd so sod it 8 weeks is enough for feeling crap now !! i was on sluggish in me self b4 i started taking it regularly but its crippled me with ocd and anxiety !! xx let me know how u get on hun xx

[Jenny63]

I tried Sertraline for 6 weeks and could not stand it any more. No sleep, sicky feeling upset tummy, you name it I had it.

Came off and within a week I started to feel so much better than on them............crazy:shrug::shrug:

[haz]

hi magic this sounds crazy but diff suppliers use dif colours ext so try and get the same brand that u had before hun , me and a friend noticed a few years ago when we had different brands it caused anxiety . dunno why coz it contains the same chemical but seriously see if u had a diff brand this time round . xx gl

Yep! I had this problem with sertraline and due to this fact my doctor writes my prescription for LUSTRAL which is the brand name as opposed to generic sertraline. Doctors and pharmachists will tell you they're all the same, they're NOT! They contain the same active ingedient, in this case sertraline but different manufacturers use different other ingredients in their tablets as well.

Ask your GP to do this. Lustral is more expensive than generic sertraline but I filled out a "Yellow Card" (google it, if you're in the UK).

Good Luck. x