How long till it's out my system?

I started taking Lustral last Thursday but it made me REALLY ill so by Sunday I had to stop taking it (last tablet Saturday night). I'm normally good at putting up with the initial side effects of medication but this was just horrific.

Does anyone know how long it'll be before it's out my system and the side effects wear off? I completely lost my appetite whilst on it and lost almost 1/2 a stone (something I can't afford to do as I'm only 102lbs and am breast feeding so really need to eat). I'm getting really worried that I'll never be hungry again...!

I do feel a bit better each day but the palpatations, anxiety attacks and lack of appetite are still troubling me and I'm worried about it (not helping I know!).

Also, even though I was only on them for 3 days would it be possible that I'm getting some withdrawl effects too?

Thanks, MrsMe

HI

I increased my dose for three weeks from 50mg to 100 mg sertraline, and it was horrific, same as you lost loads of weight couldnt eat, anxiety attacks 10000 times worse, anyway went to emergency doc who told me to immediately reduce back down to my 50mg which i have been on for years, slowly each day i started to feel better, very tearful, depressed and anxious the first week, but its been just over two weeks now and things are getting better, dont get me wrong initial problems still there, but NOWHERE near as bad as when i increased, As you have only been on them three days it shouldnt take long at all, but if you put a date on it, it can makes things worse as if by THAT particular day you are not feeling better, i feel the panic sets in again. Are you going to try any other meds or work through it? is it PND? as i suffered this 5 years ago. Hope this helps
lynne x

sorry meant to add, appietite slowly getting back to normal, put half a stone back on in two weeks, so i shouldnt worry about that .

Thank you so much Lynne for your reply - it gives me hope! And you are right - I musn't put a date on it as it'll only make things worse. Just want to know it WILL be ok.

Dr thinks I have PND but I'm really not sure. I think it's my emetophobia and a few other past issues coming back, which is really getting me down. I was doing fantastic till baby was 3 months old and my husband had 2 bouts of sickness within one month. Since then my anxiety has just gotten worse and worse.

As I am still breast feeding there is limited medication they can offer me. They offered me Seroxat but I didn't get on well with that last time (started SH'ing whilst on it and it stopped as soon as I came off it...). I got on well with Citalopram but that can't be used whilst breast feeding. So really not sure what to do at the moment.

Thanks again, MrsMe

HI

I found that a lot of issues i had from the past came back to haunt me when i had my son, think a lot of it is hormonal, if I was you was would try all the alternative routes and go back and see your gp, maybe for some counselling, i think we are just a lot more vunerable when we have just had a baby and things do settle down, is it your first? I look back now and think, how could i have ever had thought that? I was on seroxat, took me years to get off it, so you made the right decision there. Has the sertraline make you feel sick? because when i first increased it did me, but then that wore off, or do u feel it has made your anxiety worse? is it 50mg? loads of questions i know, but when i started it 5 years ago at 50mg, yes it did make me more anxious, but it did work well in the long run, i was completely fine for 5 years, just had a panic attack due to work stress, which sent me on a spiral of anxiety that it was all coming back thats why the doc suggested the increase, but now back to the 50mg things are leveling out and getting easier. take care lynne x

Thank you again Lynne for your very helpful reply.

Having a terrible morning. Lay awake most of the night panicking about my appetite and not eating (and knowing I so desperately need to whilst breast feeding) and panicking about being sick (damn emetophobia. That's the part I hate most). Spoke to out of hours Drs as I felt so desperate at 6am but they were useless and just said it should be out my system now and to ring my normal GPs when they open.

So if it's 'mostly out my system' now WHY do I feel 10,000 times worse than before I went on it!? I'm so scared it has messed me up (even more) for good :weep:

Yes, this is my first baby. I think you're right about the hormone, especially when breast feeding. Also we suffered recurrent miscarriages before we had our daughter so my body hasn't really had a chance to 'settle' in years now. But that just makes me feel even more guilty that this is happening now because FINALLY we have everything we've ever wanted and then BAM, my anxiety sky rockets.

Yes, I started on 50mg and yes it did make me feel very sick. Also I completely lost my appetite and I think its just made me panic about food and eating and being sick. And yes, it made my anxiety so much worse going on it...and it still is...but why if it's getting out my system?

Going to ring my GPs when they open and try to get an emergency appointment.

Thanks again Lynne - chatting to you is really helping me feel less alone.

I'm glad things are settling again for you.

MrsMe

Hi

Sorry you have had a bad night and morning, do you know i was just the same, obviously not breast feeding, but with eating, the panic really set in when my husband said to me you are losing too much weight, i thoughts, thats it i have lost control of myself, and i paniced. Can you not have complan? or some sort of meal supplement which is suitable when you are breastfeeding? there must be something out there, see if you hubby can go to chemist and check.. I started on complan and then slowly i had more energy (its full of vitamins) and my appietite slowely came back. When i was really bad, i ate bananas , cant stand them but apparently calm you down?? and peanut butter on toast, or even tomatoe soup in a mug, or maybe make a veg soup, blend so like a drink?
I also suffered miscarraiges, one late in pregnancy, so i know exactly where u are coming from, why when i finally have what i want to i feel like this?, personnally i think adrenalin and hope carry us through the hard times, and the though of finally having a baby, then when the arrive and we feel we can relax a bit more it all hits us, what we have gone through etc.. I am being referred for counselling about my first child who i lost at 22 weeks pregnancy as the doc thinks i havent grieved properly.
Have u any relaxation cds? these can help, do u have family around you for company?
It will take a while for you to calm down maybe? because dont know about you but i found the whole experience on the increase terrifying, and i still fear it coming back,
Def go back to docs and see if they can perscribed anything else for you. Do you go to any baby clinics, groups? i found these quite helpful aswell, as believe me you are not on your own with this. take care lynne x