Hi everyone,
Just a few questions to put my mind at ease (as much as it can be!)
A bit of background- I started my first SSRI in 2005 when I became panic ridden and mildly agoraphobic on my teacher training course. It was citalopram 20mg. I remember the side effects were hellish (increased anxiety, insomnia etc) but anything was better than how I’d been feeling. Within 3 weeks I was massively improved (my dad had been staying with me but I told him I was feeling ok to be on my own. I stayed on the citalopram for 3 years- no more panic (ha!) but I put on loads of weight.
Then after 3 years I came off the tablets and started going drinking with teacher friends (I’d stopped drinking in 2005 as alcohol had triggered my last panic period (along side a crap year). This was a bad idea as I started to have panic attacks. I started back on the citalopram and recovered in a month or so.
Fast forward to 2013 and a gf asks me to speak to my doctor about switching ADs as the citalopram was causing delayed ejaculation. I swapped to 50mg sertraline (no side effects with this swap).
Fast forward AGAIN to 2016 and I had stupidly started to drink with rugby mates. This time I’d not stopped taking sertraline. After a particularly heavy night I rushed to a wedding and felt a dreadful panic come on. No more drinking! After a week or two I felt a gradual improvement.
During this time I also started CBT and had about 10 sessions.
In late 2016 I was going through a tough tile (not panicking) so my GP increased my sertraline to 100 mg. I can’t remember experiencing many side effects.
Fast forward to last weekend and I started to feel dizzy randomly and then woke up on Monday having a panic attack. Not caused by drinking or anything- this time it was stress (work and other issues) and tiredness. I went to the doctor and she increased my sertraline to 150mg. I carried on working but more stress was happening at work so I’ve decided to take next week off. The side effects are really intense- increased anxiety, nausea, no appetite, dizziness, insomnia.
It’s been 6 days.
My questions (sorry for the long read!):
-Could 150mg be too high- should I speak to the doc about trying 125mg?
-Will The sertraline work? I keep reading about “poop out” and worrying that they won’t work for me anymore.
- Will I get really bad and end up hospitalised? When I first had anxiety I went to AnE and was given Valium and I hate the idea of being sedated again.
I’m 6”2, 18 stone (252lb), rugby playing 34 year old male.
Thanks in advance- I promise to put up an update for those going through similar in the future.
---------- Post added at 21:11 ---------- Previous post was at 20:24 ----------
Just FYIs I between these periods I’ve lived a 100% normal panic free life.
For those suffering for the first time it does get better! Especially if you’re taking ADs.