Been offered Sertraline, worried!

[karenp]

Hellooooo, I've been suffering from anxiety for 15 years this year with periods of being perfect in-between. I'm really sensitive to SSRI'S so have been taking Amitriptyline at a high dose for the last 12 months. It was working really well until my boyfriend attacked me in my own flat with my Yale lock key. Since then, my panic reared it's ugly head again. I had to move doctors when I left Jason and my new GP does not believe in benzos. I had been on Lorazepam for 5 years and was taken off abruptly so I am on my 5th week of withdrawal, plus my Amitriptyline has been halved from 150mg so a huge, huge drop! No doubt, I am in withdrawal from that also now.
Anyhow, my GP wants to prescribe me Sertraline. I have taken Citalopram and Escitalopram in the past but as I said, I found them both hideous to get into. The only time I was given Sertraline is when I was pregnant with my 14-year-old son. After one dose, I had a panic attack so refused to take it again. Not sure what mg I was on now. My partner tells me Sertraline is especially good for anxiety and it does not attach it's self to the immune system???? If I took this med at a low dose, would that help me tolerate the drug more???? Just wondering what people's experiences, who are sensitive to SSRI'S are xxx

[Chick100]

Hi Karenp

I had a problem with seroxat ( paroxatine) but was then put on sertraline and it worked fine for me.
I think its natural to feel panic when taking a new drug for the first few days, specially when we are in a state of anxiety to begin with. And as the new drug will take days or weeks to start making us feel better, the odd panic attack is only to be expected. I was very freaked out whenI took my first doses of the seroxat, it felt like a bad acid trip ( by all accounts as I have never tried drugs myself) and to be honest I was scared to take the sertraline in case I had the same horrendous reaction, but I went back to my GP and told him of my fears, and he explained that sertroline and seroxat although both are ssris,work in different ways in different people and I should take them. He also told me to ring him if I had any problems. I was fine on the sertraline apart from the usual easily got over minor side effects like dry mouth and sleepiness.
Really my best advice would be to follow your doctors orders, and if you have any problem to contact him or her. Everyone is different in their reaction to drugs, but if the sertraline gives you problems it can always be changed.

Hope you feel better soon. xx