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bellab
22-05-10, 09:21
So....after months of trying to battle the anxiety and panic attacks alone has really got me down, my dr has put me back on sertaline ( I was on it a couple of yrs ago for depression)

a part of me is relieved as it was beginning to feel like my mind was totally losing the plot and I was feeling pretty low, but a part of me is already anticipating coming off them/having to come off them ( I found that when I came off them last yr this is when the anxiety started) ....can you be on sertraline forever? ...that cant be healthy surely?!

anyway.... antidepressants side effects tend to really give me a kick for the first couple of days, yawning, nausea, feeling dizzy and generally unsteady on my feet.....I find this time round that I feel quite agitated and trouble sleeping, and in this state slightly panicky thoughts of "what are these doing to my mind? will they drive me crazy?"...stupid I guess!....am also anxious the side effects will have gone by monday as I cannot miss any time off work (long story!)

any words of advice>? encouragement? ...I know in the long run I felt a lot better on sertraline...I guess I hope it will help too with anxiety/panic as it wasnt what I took it for before....... in an odd way despite feeling lousy , I do feel now I have some hope , as fighting the battle on my own was getting exhausting...

love
bella

bellab
23-05-10, 20:32
any thoughts?
day 3 now and feeling very dizzy and awful headaches (dont remember having them last time...) also just getting over a bout of vertigo type illness so no idea now which is which!

am trying to remember the long term goals in this and that the short term feeling rubbish will be worth it if it makes the difference , or any difference to my mood....

am worried about the physical effects at the moment tho as I cannot take any more time off work...

worrying myself in circles at the moment about that really!

hopeful/success stories? words of wisdom anyone?...
cheers
b x

lucyeast
25-05-10, 10:52
HI i have been on sertraline for a few months and really starting to feel alot better now. i was really dizzy when i started taking these to the point where i considered stopping, however it was deffinately worth sticking with.
hang in there and i hope you feel better soon

jackie26
25-05-10, 17:59
hi i have been on sertraline since early feb this year. i started on 50mg and am now on 100. for the first couple of weeks i felt lousy, light headed, headache and sick and anxiety/panic increased. but for once i stuck with it and the side effects did disapppear until i increaed to 100 then they came back but disappeared after a couple of days. i have to say i now feel 90% back to my old self. i am back at work after 3 months of and although i still have the odd wobble i am able to cope with it and it soon disappears. it does get better, i like you was at the end of my tether and getting in a really bad way. i hope this helps a bit. x:)

bellab
26-05-10, 09:34
thanks guys
Im glad this has helped you both!
I didnt have anxiety when I took this in the past, though it seemed good in balancing the low moods I was getting into..
I am still feeling a bit rough (normally its only the first couple of days of starting meds I feel awful) but I wonder in part if it is anxiety about how Im feeling on top of the side effects (ie. will I be able to go into work next week if I still feel like this)
I am going to keep going as I could not carry on the way I was ...so am hoping these will help me alongside counselling in trying to climb my way out of this pit....

unspoken
28-05-10, 22:23
Hi. I think the anxiety about the side effects definitely makes us feel worse, which in turn makes us worry more about how we're going to cope etc. It would almost be better if we were slipped the antidepressant without knowing for the first few weeks. Once you're looking out for side effects, every little twinge or momentary feeling becomes a side effect and you focus on them.

me*
03-06-10, 09:58
Hi, just wanted to say this post has helped me...i started taking sertraline a couple of weeks ago and only managed 4 days on 50mg before they made me very anxious and i was getting a tingly sensatation all up my back, arms and neck! It was awful so i phoned the doc and came off them. She said to try them again in 25mg after a week break but ive got them next to me now and im too scared to take them! i know i need to though cos i have a wedding coming up and the thought of it without any help is too much! Anyway, sorry for hijacking your post! Glad you kept taking them as it looks as though you just need to get through the worst then on to a better life (; x

cwoz82
01-07-10, 07:51
I was prescribed sertraline yesterday as my anxiety has flared up really badly in recent months, thanks in the mist part to some idiots I had to work with...but shortly won't have to! I'm really angry as I'm going through iui on nhs at mo and if I can't get this under control in the coming months it could affect my chances of having any treatment, I'm so angry but so depressed at the same time that all I seem to do is cry! Was on citalopram for 15months until December, I had a nightmare if a time on it, everytime I went up or Down a dose the constant side effects would get worse, but the wonder of the drug is it made me not care about it. I begged my doc not to put me back on it as I scared my hubby whilst on that stuff so I've ended up with sertraline and like the original post I'm terrified of having to take time off as I'm already under disciplinary for sickness thanks to stress induced shingles which has led to them requesting an occupational health report - I've never had time off for the anxiety,I refuse to let it beat me like that, and at the same time I feel I fear I'd never want to go back as at the moment I feel like just dropping out of the world, just me, my hubby and our dogs!
From what I can gather sertraline doesn't seem too bad but I'm starting it tomorrow night to hopefully get worst of side effects out of the way before work on Monday!

cwoz82
02-07-10, 21:15
Just took my first tablet...fighting back bitter tears at being on meds again but my doc assures me these are best for minimal side effects! Hope you're all well X
Also I found a fab podcast of AICT cognitive therapy podcast and it's fab.it's like they've looked into my mind and are telling me how I think in every event...hoping this helps!

cwoz82
03-07-10, 20:05
Day 2 of my sertraline experience and so far so good, been extremely tired but a lot if this could be not sleeping at all well last night (I normally sleep like a rock!). I was tossing and turning, when I was on citalopram I'd terrible dreams and woke up in the nights in cold sweats mid panic attack and I think I an just very scared thus could happen again and thus I slept terribly but I'm encouraged by my first full day on these tablets!

Just Will
04-07-10, 14:34
Hi, I hope you're feeling better soon. My brother and my dad are on Sertraline and they seem much, much better. I wondered if you'd mind telling me where you found the Podcasts as I'd be very interested in listening to them.

Thanks :)

cwoz82
04-07-10, 21:25
Can get them through iTunes if you have an iPod or iPhone you can do it through the computer, I found this particular one spoke to me however if you type cognitive therapy or anxiety as I did into iTunes then loads come up although I've not gotten through then yet to be able to recommend any others.The website is www.cognitivetherapynyc.com and the podcasts are also on there. It seems the Doctor has a book called the worry cure which I'm ordering as like I said it was like he took situations and told me exactly how my mind would work in such situations and thus I feel he's a solid grasp on panic/anxiety.