A Question about Sertraline and repetitive thoughts

[AgueroHazard10]

Hi

I have had anxiety and panic attacks now on and off for about 10 years but recently they have come back so badly.

I am currently signed off work and my Doctor has prescribed me sertraline. He mentioned that I may feel worse for the first few weeks which is terrifying me because the thought of feeling worse is just horrific. At the same time I want to give myself the chance to get better and is this works it would give me my life back. I was wondering if the sertraline helps with the repetitive thoughts and the unwanted thoughts? I have a repetitive worry that i may just stop breathing so then I end up obsessing about it and constantly thinking about it.

Also, i am signed off work at the minute and my boss is pressuring me to go back. I saw the occupational health doctor at my place of work who has deemed me as having a disability due to this being a long standing anxiety disorder. My boss is still pressuring me though and i dont know whether to try and force myself to go back or allow my doctor to sign me off for longer? I feel like she thinks I am totally stupid and she doesnt understand. She knows I have been prescribed this new medicine and I think she thinks it is a miracle cure!

Thank you for your help!!

[Brian123]

I was like you a month ago, ruminating thoughts and panic, my doctor signed me off work for two weeks and put me on setraline, been on it now for a few months now, the startup effects do make you feel worse, but they do subside, I started feeling a bit better about a month ago, I decided to force myself to go back to work as it got my mind off the over thinking and panic feeling, it was hard the first few weeks but gradually more and more my mind was less on the anxiety and more on work, now I feel a lot more normal, like you say the pils isn't a wonder cure but the key also is to get your mind occupied on something, for me going back to work helped, started listening to audio books and going walks, sometimes you just have to force yourself and keep saying to yourself, this isn't going to harm me, and I am not going mad, even the intrusive and obsessive thoughts