Sertraline, still not working?

[Her Indoors]

Dear Ducky,

How long have you been taking the Sertraline for? I have been taking it for 9 weeks, 3 days (not that I'm counting "much") and it was only really yesterday I found some relief from my whirring thoughts. I believe it to be a very slow working med, and have read on here that some people need sometimes up to 6 months to feel any better. I myself am on the highest recommended dose of 200 mg and have been on that for approximately 4 weeks. I started on 50 mg and was ramped up very quickly over a matter of weeks whilst under the care of intensive support.

When they signed me off I was really upset because I was convinced I was no better, but I feel now that I am beginning to improve. If you read my original post you will see how desperate I was, but now I think the meds are starting to kick in. Believe me, I was so disheartened when I read that people were beginning to feel a little better within 2-4 weeks and thought it would never calm my anxiety. Don't get me wrong, mornings are unbearable for me and it takes ages for me to get going and the dreadful feeling of impending doom and feeling frightene is still present, but am now beginning to feel better in the afternoons only really since yesterday.

Please don't give up hope, I'm sure they will kick in soon for you too. Believe they will and work with them. Please let me know how you are going on, this dreadful condition is just terrible. I will be thinking of you.

J xxx

---------- Post added at 16:29 ---------- Previous post was at 15:57 ----------

Hi Skoosh,

Sorry to hear you have had a setback and are suffering with hayfever now as well, that must be very tough for you.

For the time being I suppose all you can do is trust your doctor, take your medication and see if you improve in a while and depending how you are feeling maybe go back? This is just my opinion, and I am certainly no expert, just a fellow sufferer. I think when we have this horrible condition, we will have ups and downs and it can take a long time to recover. I have only really started feeling better since yesterday, but still have dreadful mornings where I feel very frightened and have the terrible thoughts, but yesterday afternoon and today from about lunchtime I feel a lot better, and have found my anxiety is easing.

I suppose it's still early days for both of us with this medication. I think I have read on this site that sometimes people can take up to six months to feel better, but it's so hard to wait it out when you are feeling so bad. Could you maybe speak to your doctor again for some reassurance?

I sincerely hope you will feel better soon, please let me know how you are feeling (if you don't mind). I will be thinking of you.

J xx

[skoosh1]

Thanks J, The doc says it will get better (always says that lol) and its just a setback and the valium should help me for a week (after that I will see how I feel). Don't think we will ever get rid of bad and terrible thoughts but they are only a thought aye so keep saying to yourself they can do you no harm.

Will keep you updated and will follow your progress also. Hope you are better also.

xx

[TJSMITH]

Hi all thought would drop In and say stick with it, I'm 10 months on sertraline and took a good 6 monthsto even out to a very noticable degree. I still get blips but seem to be less a lot of the time I'm myself again. This was all new to me, its a bumpy road but you will get there.

[Her Indoors]

Hi everyone,

Had quite a good day yesterday, but woke up this morning very early feeling very panicky and afraid. Do mornings ever get better? I had to get up and make tea and toast so that I could take my meds, taking them on an empty stomach really doesn't agree with me at all (won't go into details, I'm sure any of you on Sertraline will know what I mean!). Please, please tell me mornings get better, I don't think I can stand being like this for the rest of my life. If I have a really bad panic I will be anxious all day.

Hello there Skoosh, how are you feeling? How's the hayfever. Have you tried the eyedrops, my husband finds them very good. Are you able to take antihistamines on medication?

Hi TJ, glad you are improving, as I suspected I am going to have to stick it out a while longer.

All the best


J xxx

[Her Indoors]

Hi there,

Had an awful day today, and feel so jittery and anxious. I was beginning to feel a little better, but now feel like I am back to square one. Early days for me, I suppose, and I shall persevere. I only hope this is a little blip. I am exhausted, it's so tiring being like this all the time.

Hope you all had a better day than me though.

J xxxx

[Her Indoors]

Awful day yesterday, very anxious and frightened and the medication upset my stomach which didn't help at all. Ten weeks today since I started on this and I have had a couple of okish days but mostly feel pretty terrible. Going to stick it out for a while longer, as I understand it is pretty slow to kick in, and to be honest, I am so worn down and low can't face any more doctor's appointments and a change of meds. May have to rethink this if stomach problems persist though. I can't understand why I am having this again after so long?

Could anyone give me some advice and encouragement, positive stories please, getting very desperate now and not sure where to turn to for help.

Many thanks.
Jxx

[tashy]

Hi ladies I can relate to what you are saying. I have felt depressed and hopless for months. Mornings are bad just thinking of the lonely day stretched out in front of me. I take 20mg citralopam daily it does very little for me. I have started meditation classes and hope they help.
I am in therapy and sometimes I wonder if it helps at all. I am yet to meet anyone who has been through therapy and now lives a happy fulfilled life.
It's nice to find this site and meet others who feel like me and understand.
I recently moved to another town so being alone doesn't help. My husband works abroad. Hopefully we can help each other.:

[Her Indoors]

Hi Tashy,

Mornings are just the worst, aren't they? Hopefully they will begin to improve for both of us soon.

I'm so glad I found this site as the people who post are so friendly and supportive and that's such a comfort.

Take care.

J xx

[katyjohnstone]

hi are you on the change i am doc has put me on meds for aniexty but still gettting it really bad i aqm scared of the aniexty i dont like it i am worried it will stay until the change stops but who can say how long that will be why am i suffering like this

[Her Indoors]

Hi everyone,

Still having a terrible time and the morning panics are unbearable. It was 10 weeks on Tuesday I started with the Sertraline, it is now 6 weeks on the 200 mg and I am still very, very anxious and having a tough time coping. I really don't know what to do anymore. Going to stick it out for 12 weeks then see. Would somebody help me please, getting desperate.

Many thanks,

J xx