On day 5, can't sit still

[Cat80]

As of yesterday after my 4th tablet I felt really restless, I spent most of the day changing positions, rocking, moving my legs etc, I just could not sit still and felt like I was going crazy. I also feel really on edge. I don't want to stop as I always give up on tablets but this constant restlessness and fidgeting is doing my head in, also the obsessive thoughts are worsening but I thought they would as I know things get worse before they hopefully get better on meds.

Has anyone else had this fidgeting feeling on Setraline but it went away the longer they were on it? I am on 50mg which I was taking in the morning but couldn't function so now I take it at night (not sleeping much though)

[jaynemarie]

Yes that is a common side effect, dont worry it will decrease after a few weeks. If you want to ask me anything please do, were a friendly lot on this thread :D and we know what your going through x

[Cat80]

Thank you Jaynemarie :)

Was scared as thought I can't take it if I am like this all the time, seems to be worse at night when trying to watch tv, just don't want it to start again tonight.

I am going to keep taking them as my depression and ocd thoughts are too much to cope with so really hope this works. Does anyone know how long till I should feel a difference? Just I am going on my 1st ever holiday in 7 weeks and it's an 8 hour flight (off to New York). Am really scared my anxiety will stop me going and don't want that to happen, just being trapped on a plane when I have anxiety is so scary

[Tyke]

Hi Cat

How long they take to work and how well they work does vary from person to person. It took 5 weeks for me to feel better, but some people feel the benefit much earlier than that. You wouldn't normally feel better in the first couple of weeks, in fact it is quite normal to feel worse before you get better, but don't be put off by this, you will come through it and the end result usually makes it all worthwhile. My side effects have largely gone now too - they lessened gradually, then as I got better around 5 weeks in, virtually disappeared altogether.

If you find the anxiety too bad while you are waiting for the medication to kick in your doctor might be able to prescribe something else as well in the short term. You could also get something to take to help you through the flights if you feel you still need it then. I am taking the beta blocker Propranolol for physical anxiety symptoms in addition to the Sertraline and haven't had any problems combining them.

Tyke

[Cat80]

Hi Tyke and thanks for the reply.

Am slightly less restless today but am feeling worse depression wise but I was expecting that.

I am at the Dr's in 2 weeks to see how I am going on the tablets and was thinking of asking for something to help with the anxiety anyway as I won't be able to manage an 8 hour plane journey without anything.

Hopefully these tablets will work, want to get out there and start doing some voluntary work to get some recent work experience so I can get a job but until I feel better I can't do that, just hate the boredom

[Lizzyg]

Hi Cat
I have been on Setraline now for about 14 weeks.
The first 2 were horrendous my anxiety went through the roof and I was very agitated. I have had virtually all the side effects on the leaflet even large bruises. They all eventually went away and this week I can now sleep witout sleeping pills. I have gone back to work also this week.

I started to feel better at 5 weeks and good after 8 weeks. I still get some bad days but I understand recovery does take a long time.

Keep with them, I am so glad I did although I was so tempted at the time to give them up. It now all feels like a bad dream.

Before sertraline I could not drive, leave the house, eat, I went sick for 4 months. Now I can do all those things with no anxiety. I am also 10 weeks into CBT which has helped too.

Have a look at my post and you will see how bad I was. I am now so much more confident, happy and contented :)

Keep us posted and we will support you all the way

Good luck and stay strong :flowers:

[Cat80]

Thank you Lizzyg for your reply :)

I am now about a week in and still a bit on edge. Also with my anxiety I feel sick all the time when it is bad so because the tablets have made that worse I feel really sick all the time which is horrible.

I start CBT in a couple of weeks hopefully as well.

Thank you again Lizzyg, reading that your anxiety has got better has given me the courage to continue. I am back at my Dr's on 10th May to see how I am getting on so will definately keep going. It's hard but I need something to help the depression, anxiety and ocd thoughts.

[jaynemarie]

Hi all, just thought i would see how your doing. Cat really glad your sticking with the tablets. I have had a bit of a relapse this week, with my ocd. I cant seem to get rid of the indigestion and heartburn, Gp says its all anxiety related, but its the only side effect i have and it is raising my anxiety levels. Did anyone else suffer with this at all ? On a brighter note have started to go out a bit more, so thats good. Six weeks and i know i am better, just not better enough for me. Liz you sound like a completely different person, so pleased for you. Tyke how you doing xxx

[Cat80]

Hiya jaynemarie, sorry to hear you've had a bit of anxiety and ocd again this week. I know from previous experiences with meds you can be up and down for a while so don't worry, just keep going and hopefully it will settle again.

I am still taking them, still really tired and when I wake up in the morning if I get straight out of bed rather than letting myself lay there for a few mins to wake up properly I get really dizzy and very strange eyes, sort of feel like a headrush and my eyes having flashing in them. Maybe to do with blood pressure on standing?

Still feeling low and very anxious but hoping that will ease soon. Think this Thursday coming will be 2 weeks on them so hopefully I'll feel some sort of benefit soon.

[Orangeflower]

Hi Cat- this is my first time on here and I was searching for side effects for Sertraline as I too have just started with it. I have also been feeling just the same as you, really restless and unable to relax, it was awful the first week especially. Just wanted to say it has started to go a bit, I've been taking it for about 2 weeks now. I found if possible doing some gentle exercise like swimming or stretches helped a bit to get that twitchy feeling out of my muscles but it did return soon after. I was / am still getting giddiness, floaty feeling, bit of nausea,waking up shaky/anxious. On days I forgot to take it I had a couple of nightmares. I forced myself to get up in the night when anxious and try to do some stretches (simple yoga) and deep breathing, also tried to cut out caffeine as it made the anxiety/shakiness worse.

I'm also taking 50mg too, I've started splitting it taking one part at breakfast and the other mid afternoon with a snack, this seems to be helping with the nausea.

I was suprised at the level of side effects to be honest, I took prozac a few years ago and it was fine in comparison. Hopefully it will settle down soon. Hope your side effects settle down soon. It's not good to hear you are suffering with it too, but reassuring to know I'm not alone and that it sounds like things will get better with time. I've done a bit of reading about the anti-ds and I read that prozac has a longer half life of about a week or so whereas sertraline is more a case of hours so this maybe something to do with it? Anyway best of luck with it :hugs:I am sat down now and thinking about it have been much better in terms of the restlessness the last couple of days. I couldn't settle to anything just felt really jumpy. I could settle and read a book today, just got a 'jumpy' phase about an hour after taking it this morning but it passed.

[Cat80]

Hiya orangeflower, welcome to the forum.

Thank you for your advice :) The restlessness is definately settling down compared to how it was a few days ago which is good.

That is a good idea about splitting the tablet, may try doing that if the nausea doesn't settle down as that's horrible for me having a phobia of being sick.

I also tried Prozac a couple of years back, I lasted 4 weeks on them before stopping as my anxiety never subsided which is what made me scared to try another tablet. To be honest though I am coping a bit better this time so hope I can continue, definately going to keep taking them until my Dr's appointment in 9 days.

Glad you have settled down a bit as well. I hope we both can ride out the side effects and start to feel the positive side really soon :) Just in time for the summer hopefully (if we get one in the UK this year after a lovely April)

[Cat80]

Had a rubbish day today. Have not been able to wake up at all. Been dozing on and off all day on the sofa. Is this normal to suddenly feel so tired almost 2 weeks in?

[Orangeflower]

Hi again Cat, thanks for your message. I too am having a rubbish day but have got my period too (sorry tmi) and think that mot helping my mood! Also feeling really tired and having sort of head fog / floaty feeling/giddiness. Feels a bit like the feeling of seasickness / giddiness when been on a boat and get off. Not nice. Also the anxiety is back a bit. Don't feel like doing any of the stuff that might make it a bit better (eg swimming) so feeling bad about that too. Hey ho , won't help being hard on myself I guess, just try to ride it out.. trying to make appt at the docs but they are hectic after the hols and doing this wierd thing where you have to ring at 8am to get a slot:wacko: and I'm always getting my children ready then for school so is not ideal. Anyway enough from me whinging on...hope your day gets better and for both of us this starts to improve. I was going to ask the docs about whether to continue of cut down as some of the side effects are quite dodgy like blurred vision, things moving slightly...do you have that too? :hugs: Bye for now..

[Orangeflower]

Also just thought I'd mention I've gone back to taking the tablet whole as I started forgetting the other half! Taking it with food seems to make the difference- I took the second half late last night just with water and woke in the night with bad heartburn. Won't be doing that again.

[Cat80]

Hi orangeflower, yes I get all the side effects you are mentioning including the blurred vision and the heartburn (get awful burning in my throat).

Think I am worse as I am on my period as well so that's going to make everything worse on top of starting up tablets.

I still take my tablet just before bed and am sleeping better but so tired all the time which is annoying.

Our Dr's is the same, you have to ring up at 8am to get an appointment that morning or 12pm to get one in the afternoon. I'e started making them in advance now as I can't be bothered with all that. I have an appointment next week which I booked last week so I could get in with my preferred Dr

[Cat80]

Now 2 weeks in and still feeling really sick all the time and very tired. Anxiety and depression still worse and another thing is I need to wee all the time, is this a side effect?

[Tyke]

Hi Jaynemarie & everyone

I am doing very well at the moment. The doc has said to continue as I am, no need to up the dose as it is working. Getting out & about even more now.

I had horrendous side effects when I first started Sertraline, but they did wear off after about four weeks. I couldn't eat properly, sleep properly had worsened anxiety and my stomach was awful. I had diahroea every day within a few hours of taking the tablet. I have always been prone to indigestion, but do find taking Rennies usually helps (I don't know if you're supposed to on these tablets - I really should check that!). Until four weeks in I felt like I was poisoning myself with these meds and it wouldn't have taken much for me to give up, but I'm so glad I didn't. Shortly after the side effects eased off I started to feel so much better as well. Stick with it everyone, it is usually worth it in the end.

Tyke

[Cat80]

Hiya Tyke, so pleased you are feeling better and getting out and about more.

It's great that the side effects should wear off soon. Like you I have had bad indigestion and also acid reflux. I also can't sleep properly, having bad dreams, worsened anxiety etc. I am 2 and a half weeks in so hoping the side effects should ease soon and I should start feeling benefits from them rather than feeling ill

[Cat80]

I am almost 4 weeks in and still having side effects. Still not sleeping well and feel like a zombie all day. When I first wake up in the morning my head is dizzy and I find it impossible to get out of bed.

I also am having joint pain in my arms, I don't know if this is related? Just hoping I feel some positives soon, just worrying it's yet another med that isn't going to work for me.

[haz]

I am almost 4 weeks in and still having side effects. Still not sleeping well and feel like a zombie all day. When I first wake up in the morning my head is dizzy and I find it impossible to get out of bed.

I also am having joint pain in my arms, I don't know if this is related? Just hoping I feel some positives soon, just worrying it's yet another med that isn't going to work for me.

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time. Try to stick with them for another 4 weeks at least if you can. It would be a shame to disregard them after suffering initial side effects. They could still be your "wonder drug" and if they're not, then you'll have given it your best shot and can try something else.

Hope you feel better soon. :hugs:

[Lizzyg]

Stick with them you will feel better!
I felt rubbish for 5 weeks had every side effect on the packet! The joint pain is a side effect and it will pass. I had it mostly in my jaw but also limbs and it did get painful. I had nausea, the runs, stomach ache, dizziness, insomnia, tremors, agitation, restlessness and came out in large bruises.

I started to have 'good' days 8 weeks in and now I am 14 weeks in I feel great. Back at work and happier now than I've been for a long time and got so much motivation and energy. Fours months ago I was too scared to get out bed and leave the bedroom.

Keep going and don't give up. You have got this far and it will get better I promise!!

[Cat80]

Thank you both for your replies.

I am just so low at the moment and am waiting for the little miracle of these drugs to happen, I just want to feel normal again instead of feeling low and worrying all the time.

I think it is worse as I am not sleeping at all, doesn't matter what time of day I take the tablets, I still don't sleep more than about 4 hours. I feel so run down because I am not sleeping. I am still feeling queasy on and off and sometimes overwhelmed by my emotions. My arms are still getting painful aches as well.

Reading your post Lizzyg is making me keep going because I am clinging onto the hope that they will start to work soon. Just worried they won't as my Dr said I should start to feel something 2-4 weeks in and full effects by 6 weeks and so far I feel nothing other than terrible side effects.

Thank you again, I will keep trying as I don't want to miss summer again like I seem to every year, plus I have my first ever holiday to New York in 4 weeks which I need to go on, just hope I can cope going.