Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wareing77
Well its been a week at 75mg now and still suffering. Not sure if im any better than i was or not, getting a bit annoyed with the continuous anxiety and bad guts!
You're unlikely to see any improvement for some time yet, except possibly from a placebo response. ADs are not fast acting meds. Nick.
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I think the propranalol might actually be working because i seem to be better for the morning after i take 40mg but then get a bit worse towards the afternoon. Im wondering if i should be taking more than just the 1 dose in the morning?
Propranolol has only a short half-life, some 4-5 hours, so immediate release formulations will typically run out of steam within 10 hours. It is usually taken in 2-3 divided doses. Extended/sustained/slow-release formulations are effective for about 24 hours.
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Quote:
Originally Posted by
panic_down_under
You're unlikely to see any improvement for some time yet, except possibly from a placebo response. ADs are not fast acting meds. Nick.
Ah ye i know they took a long time when i first started them, possibly 8 weeks or so! I just wish i could feel a bit better!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
panic_down_under
Propranolol has only a short half-life, some 4-5 hours, so immediate release formulations will typically run out of steam within 10 hours. It is usually taken in 2-3 divided doses. Extended/sustained/slow-release formulations are effective for about 24 hours.
Ah ok, that seems to make sense i suppose because i take 40mg first thing in the morning with the sertraline and by about lunch time i start getting anxious again with the shakes, sweats, etc. I have a follow up drs appointment tomorrow so will ask if i can take 40mg twice a day and see what they say.
Still managing to get to work but its a bloody struggle feeling as bad as i do!
The dr asked if i had been taking any supplements too and i have been taking apetamin for a long time to try and gain weight. The dr said its main ingredient is cyproheptadine which causes anxiety so ive had to stop taking that now too on the instructions of the dr.
Nick
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wareing77
The dr asked if i had been taking any supplements too and i have been taking apetamin for a long time to try and gain weight. The dr said its main ingredient is cyproheptadine which causes anxiety so ive had to stop taking that now too on the instructions of the dr.
If you want to gain weight, Nick, then mirtazapine would be a better bet if you can convince your GP that it can be safely taken with sertraline. It's main side-effect is weight gain from the powerful carbohydrate craving it often induces. It may reduce your anxiety level too.
As for supplements, Omega-3 fatty acids/fish oil increase hippocampal neurogenesis just as ADs do, though to a milder degree (so does exercise, btw). Magnesium may also help. OTOH, many supplements promoted for anxiety/depression such as GABA, 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan are snake oil.
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Well still suffering quite a bit, possibly a bit better than a few weeks ago. Im pretty sure the propranalol is doing its job relieving some of the symptoms. Im just over 2 weeks at 75mg of sertraline now and not sure if i should go to 100mg? 75 worked quite well last time i was bad, and i was way worse than i am this time. Maybe i should give it a couple more weeks to kick in?
Had 3 or 4 really good days last week along with a couple of bad days so hopefully the good days will come more often
Coincidentally last time i was really bad i also had hyperthyroidism so i dont know if it causes the anxiety or the anxiety causes it?! Is it just a case of riding they symptoms out untill my thyroid settles down again?
Nick
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wareing77
Im just over 2 weeks at 75mg of sertraline now and not sure if i should go to 100mg? 75 worked quite well last time i was bad, and i was way worse than i am this time. Maybe i should give it a couple more weeks to kick in?
It may take up to 12 weeks to kick-in, Nick.
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Had 3 or 4 really good days last week along with a couple of bad days so hopefully the good days will come more often
Which is a positive sign, though it is still early days.
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Coincidentally last time i was really bad i also had hyperthyroidism so i dont know if it causes the anxiety or the anxiety causes it?! Is it just a case of riding they symptoms out untill my thyroid settles down again
An overactive thyroid can certainly trigger anxiety. Whether just controlling the gland will resolve the anxiety I can't say because anxiety can take on a 'life' of its own independent of the initial trigger after a while and thus needs to be treated in its own right. My panic disorder was initially almost certainly a response to chronic, low-level chemical exposure, but it didn't end once that exposure ceased and the toxins were excreted.
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Yuk..... 12 weeks!!!!
As you say, it may have triggered it but so many other things may have too! Im just going to have to stick to the sertraline and propranalol till i start improving. Hopefully if my thyroid goes back to normal i want need the propranalol and more. And i may possibly increase to 100mg sertraline in a couple of weeks anyway.
Going to get some omega 3 and magnesium supplements later...... there are so many different types/makes though!!
Nick
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wareing77
Yuk..... 12 weeks!!!!
These meds work by growing new brain cells and rewiring some parts of the brain and that isn't a quick process, Nick.
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Going to get some omega 3 and magnesium supplements later...... there are so many different types/makes though!!
I just buy the cheapest fish oil brand at the time. But I cut open a capsule instore whenever I buy a different brand to check whether the oil is fresh. I've occasional found ones that are rancid and has a strong odor.
Of the two main fatty acids in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) seems to be more important than docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for easing anxiety and depression so if the cost is about the same choose the brand with the highest EPA-DHA ratio (Liao Y, 2019; Mocking RJ, 2016; Grosso G, 2014; Samieri C, 2012; Sublette ME, 2011; Martins JG, 2009).
Terry (MyNameIsTerry) is the magnesium guru so he will hopefully chime in. PM him if he doesn't in the next day or two.
Re: Sertraline and co codamol
Quote:
Originally Posted by
panic_down_under
These meds work by growing new brain cells and rewiring some parts of the brain and that isn't a quick process, Nick.
I just buy the cheapest fish oil brand at the time. But I cut open a capsule instore whenever I buy a different brand to check whether the oil is fresh. I've occasional found ones that are rancid and has a strong odor.
Of the two main fatty acids in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) seems to be more important than docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for easing anxiety and depression so if the cost is about the same choose the brand with the highest EPA-DHA ratio (
Liao Y, 2019;
Mocking RJ, 2016;
Grosso G, 2014;
Samieri C, 2012;
Sublette ME, 2011;
Martins JG, 2009).
Terry (MyNameIsTerry) is the magnesium guru so he will hopefully chime in.
PM him if he doesn't in the next day or two.
Sorry, only just seen this.
Let me know if you need some info on magnesium. Some useful threads here: