Sertraline, still not working?

[Her Indoors]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this forum and am "a lady of a certain age" and suffering terribly with anxiety, OCD (the obsessional worrying type, is it called "Pure O"?) and depression. I am feeling totally hopeless and despondent and struggling even to do the basics, have to force myself out of bed and feel so utterly miserable with constant anxiety which only seems to get a bit better in the evenings when my husband is home from work. Mercifully I am now sleeping at night.

I have had periods of this before, but they usually have settled in a few weeks. This latest episode has been going on since Xmas and resulted in my GP referring me to intensive support, who have now signed me off, even though I told them I was no better and now I just don't know what to do I feel so desperate.

I have been prescribed 200 mg of Sertraline daily, alongside my usual 15 mg of Mirtazapine which I take at night. I have now been taking the Sertraline for 9 weeks, 1 day, the last 4 weeks at the higher dose, but its not helping with either the anxiety or the obsessive worrying, although I am sleeping now.

I have been told that it could take 12 weeks to begin to start working and have read (I think on this site) and it could take 4 months plus even. I really want to stick with it for 12 weeks at least as I am so low and worn out, I don't think I could stand to be changed to another med, but I am afraid it will never help me, or indeed if anything will. If it wasn't for my wonderful family, I don't think I could take much more, every day just seems more hopeless.

Can anyone relate to this, and did they stick to the Sertraline and it helped them eventually? I feel I have nowhere to turn for help, as the intensive support team have signed me off and I don't think my GP will be able to help me as he couldn't before. I am only coping because I take Diazapam 2 mg, up to 3 times a day and I really try hard not to take it, but have to just to get going in the morning.

Please help me somebody, if possible with positive stories, I am getting so desperate. Anxiety is just so horrible and debilitating. Kind regards and my very best wishes for all of you suffering and I hope you can all recover and feel better soon.

Bless you,

J xxxxxxxx

[Ducky]

I have started on Sertraline fairly recently, having been on countless other ones over the years, so I can't really help you other than offer my support. There is a section on here for medications and a sub-section for Sertraline. No drug alone will "cure" your OCD, it can only be done in tandem with something like CBT (which, I guess, you are already aware of). Likewise, your depression and anxiety.

Mornings are worst for me, too, so I know exactly what you feel. After I lost my only son in December 2010, I could barely get up. Now I force myself to and to go out each day, even though I hope that each night when I go to bed that I won't wake up the following morning; the sadness and despair are just unbearable and someone could benefit from having my internal organs. I am too cowardly to end it all, which makes it even worse. When I lost my son, most of me went to. Now all I can do is hope that my time will come soon.

[Her Indoors]

Dear Ducky,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post. I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of your son, I really can't begin to imagine how hard it must be for you every day (and night). I sincerely hope you are getting lots of love and support to help you (sorry if this sounds so inadequate, I just don't have the words to express my deepest sympathy).

My situation is nothing compared to yours, but I suppose we must just try to take each day as it comes and hope our medication can, at least, begin to help a little.

You are so very brave forcing yourself to get out. I am still struggling to do that on my own and have lost my confidence in just about everything.

I really hope the Sertraline will begin to work soon for us both, and will check out the posts relating to this and the other medications available.

Please let me know how you are getting on, if you don't mind, and once again I am so sorry for your loss.

Kindest regards

J xxxxxx

[Charlotte cosier]

Hi I have just started these tablets too after being on citalopeam for 8 years but sertraline don't seem to help they seem to make me feel worse on my 3rd week of them now can someone please help us :(

[Ducky]

Dear Ducky,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post. I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of your son, I really can't begin to imagine how hard it must be for you every day (and night). I sincerely hope you are getting lots of love and support to help you (sorry if this sounds so inadequate, I just don't have the words to express my deepest sympathy).

My situation is nothing compared to yours, but I suppose we must just try to take each day as it comes and hope our medication can, at least, begin to help a little.

You are so very brave forcing yourself to get out. I am still struggling to do that on my own and have lost my confidence in just about everything.

I really hope the Sertraline will begin to work soon for us both, and will check out the posts relating to this and the other medications available.

Please let me know how you are getting on, if you don't mind, and once again I am so sorry for your loss.

Kindest regards

J xxxxxx

Sorry for hijacking your thread. Hope someone can advise you better than I can.

[Her Indoors]

Hi Charlotte,

I have decided I am going to stick it out for 12 weeks at least, as I think I have read on this site that Sertraline is quite slow acting and some people even take up to six months to improve. My anxiety is still pretty terrible, but on a positive note I am sleeping now and evenings am able to relax, when before I couldn't even sleep without sleeping tablets, let alone relax.

Three weeks is still very early days and believe me I understand completely what you are going through. I wonder if you have been given any other medication to help you to settle? Are you experiencing increased anxiety at the moment which is very common in the early stages of this medication? Hopefully, this medication will begin to kick in soon and you will improve. I remember feeling so disheartened when I was reading posts that people were improving within 2-4 weeks, but I think for a lot of people it takes much, much longer, which certainly applies to me.

I wonder what dose you are taking? I am taking the maximum dose of 200 mg, but I have read on this site that most people are on much lower doses and find Sertraline very effective, but this is something that only a doctor can help you with.

If you are experiencing any tummy problems, try taking your tablets after eating something stodgy, I found that to be a great help. Taking them on an empty stomach really didn't agree with me, but then I guess we are all different.

Try to keep positive and believe the tablets will help you (easier said than done), something I am struggling with and let me know how you are getting on (if you don't mind).

Wishing you lots of luck and I really hope you will begin to improve soon.


J xx

[Ducky]

J,

Do you have OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (which I have and which is somewhat different)? I am pretty sure that I had classic OCD as a kid - thinking that something terrible would happen if I didn't do certain things, follow rituals, etc. That morphed into OCPD - now I no longer think something awful will happen, I just have to do things straightaway or they will go round and round in my mind till I do them. The crazy thing is, I know I don't need to do them immediately, but, until I do, my mind will not rest. Or, I just obsess about something that is worrying me - and that, too, will go round and round in my mind. I did get some help from an excellent psychiatrist at the Maudsley some years back, but he retired and since then, zilch.

Ducky
xxxx

[Her Indoors]

Hi Ducky,

Lovely to hear from you, how's it going with the Sertraline?

Yes, that definitely sounds like me, the latter (OCDP?). I just obsess and worry about things to the point of it obliterating every other thought and things just go around and around in my head causing me terrible anxiety. I don't have the classic type of OCD and don't carry out rituals or repetitive behaviour though, its just troubling thoughts and worries.

Before I was diagnosed with OCD, I just assumed I was a terrible worrier or had GAD and it never occurred to me it might be OCD. What you said about wanting to sort out problems or worries straight away, that's exactly like me as well. I have on occasions woken my husband in the middle of the night when troubled or been panicking about something, I'm so lucky he is such a patient and kind man and how he puts up with me needing constant reassurance and being asked the same things over and over again, I'll never know. And I absolutely hate uncertainty. I take a small worry or a problem and build it up into a terrible scenario and then it all ends in disaster. The annoying thing is I know I am being irrational, but I just can't stop it. All this causes me to be very anxious.

On a positive note, I think the Sertraline is beginning to work a little for me. I had a much better day yesterday and was taken shopping by a very understanding friend, although I had my usual terrible morning feeling of anxiety and dread. I managed to not take my 2mg of Diazapam in the morning, or any during the day and by the afternoon had periods when I didn't feel anxious at all. Usually I feel much better in the evenings and sleep well without sleeping tablets now, so I guess the medication is having the desired effect.

I found your post very interesting so thanks for that and I have been thinking of you.

Kind regards,

J xx

[Ducky]

Dear J,

Yes, there is quite a difference between classic OCD and OCPD (you can find out lots about it on Google). Paroxetine was supposed to help me, but didn't. Nothing did really. I managed to quash the odd compulsion, but other than that, I am still the way I have been for years. I think CBT in combination with an SSRI is normally the best treatment, but I don't have the energy to restart regular visits to a psychiatrist/psychologist.

I haven't had any problems so far with Sertraline, but it hasn't helped either. I don't think anything can.

Ducky
xxxx

[skoosh1]

Hi, Her Indoors.

I've been on Sert now for about the same time as you but I'm 100mg. I was doing great but for the past month I have been suffering terrible hay fever which I have not had before. I started feeling light headed, sweaty palms and feet and tight chest and breathing difficulties the other day and could not get up this morning. I called in sick to work and went to the docs. He says its my anxiety because of what the hayfever is doing to my system. I cannot believe its that but it goes to prove its still there with a vengeance when I don't feel anxious. He has also gave me 3 x 2mg valium for ten days which I have been on before when starting Sert.

I thought he would have upped my dosage if this is the case but he says its just a setback. I really hope it is too as I don't want to change meds etc. I do feel an improvement but my bad thoughts & worry are still there also.

I do believe it will get better in time for us allx