My Sertraline story!!

[Jojomarymoo]

Thanks guys, it means a lot, I think I'm going mad, never really had such a reaction to an anti depressant before. The anxiety and tiredness are the worst ones. It has been only 2 and a half weeks so will stick it out. I'm so glad I've found this forum. I just want to sleep so much and cry randomly, I break down at anything.. I will stick it out, I've only been on 2 and half weeks. Thanks again xxx

[kezz]

Hi Dee im on sert aswell 100mg like you it took a while to kick in, but it did yeah yeah i feel like me again its worth sticking at it

how long did it take for you?

[Dee32]

I really felt the same, lots of tears and kept thinking I was going mad as I'd never felt like that before. I have to say the first 5 weeks have been hell, I'm almost at week 6 and I've only just started to feel myself the last 4 days. I had my first good day at work today with no panic attacks, it's been months since I felt like that work. Xxx

[MRS STRESS ED]

Hi Kezz it was about 12weeks and I felt so much better, but I could feel it working ,each week I Felt abit better hope it works for everyone else, it took along time but god it was worth the wait

[Jojomarymoo]

That's great news Dee32, it's seems to be worth persevering also seeing the reply from kezz. Seems like it's early days at under 3 weeks, I've heard several people say to keep at it. I am determined. Keep us posted :-) xx

[TooMuchToLiveFor]

Just to add to the Sertraline stories.....I am 36- wife and mommy to two (4 yrs/5mo), and I had a terrible panic attack "out of the blue" (never really is, is it?) the first weekend in October. By the first weekend in November I felt like I was in one, long, never-ending attack from Hell. I was started on Sertraline (50) with Alprazolam (Xanax). Over the next two weeks I got SOOOO much worse- I even developed agoraphobia. I have never known Hell like those two weeks. I was raised to 75 for a week, and then 100. I was still in terrible shape between side effects and how severe my anxiety was, but the agoraphobia lessened and then went away.
I have now been on 100mg for right around four weeks. (Seven weeks total, but my doctor said I need to start counting from when I was raised to the 100.). I have seen improvements over the last few weeks, but Tuesday I had my first really GOOD day. I still had anxiety, but I was happy and not worried about it. The next day and today have been way shakier, but today is the first day since the beginning of November that I have not taken ANY Xanax (yet- LOL). I was at .5 4xs a day (sometimes even .25 or .5 more), and I was able to start weaning them down about two weeks at 100.

Now, I still feel rotten a lot, but I feel okay a lot too, and I have had a small amount of good and great. I know it is working- otherwise I would not be able to survive without the Xanax.

Stick with it. Those famous words I have read and re-read when trying to claw my way through the day. And they are ringing with truth. For the record, I had TERRIBLE side effects in addition to the killer anxiety escalated by Sertraline. It is still worth sticking with it...., and in another couple of months I will be able to start a thread that gives even further success.

I am also doing CBT- and the most helpful two things I've found:
"Hope and Help for Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weeks
and
http://nothingworks.weebly.com

Awesome stuff.

[Dee32]

Toomuchtolivefor that is lovely to hear😉 really hope you go from strength to strength. Thank you for sharing your story. It's so nice to know we are not alone in this. X

---------- Post added at 20:29 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------

Ps: I will have a look at that website thanks��

[Jojomarymoo]

Thanks for your post toomuchtolivefor, it gives me hope for CALM ;-) that's what I'm looking forward to, I've started taking propranolol for anxiety attacks, they seem to be taking the edge off. I'll have a good look at your references x

[TooMuchToLiveFor]

To those of you that have had success with Sertraline.....when you started noticing improvement would you have a very good day, and then a drop to bad days again?

I had a day that was so much better on Tuesday, but have been downhill since then. I am so weary and discouraged. Just so weary. Today I am feeling weepy- which isn't like me at all. I feel like I might be getting a tad depressed now too (anxiety is my issue).

[Dee32]

Toomuchtolivefor. After I had been on the Sert about 2/3 weeks I had a good couple of days and then went down hill and was crying all the time. I'm also on them for anxiety and thought I was getting depressed. I guess it could be another horrid side affect. I've had a good 4 days now so I'm hoping this will continue. I'll be taking my 6 week tablet tomorrow��xx