Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CLKD]

It's awful when medication does the opposite to what we expect.  I also think that we look for symptoms which may increase the chance of panic attacks - even if I slept initially I would wake to see if I was feeling worse 

Rarely - medication can do the opposite, i.e. Ativan made my Dad very agitated.  BBs make my neighbour hyper! 

Half a day at a time!  My worst time is in the early hours  .

Hopefully the A&E will contact the paramedic team, usually they are really good!  Better to err on the side of caution though.  Have a sleep hygiene routine ........

[loonarider]

 The film coating is there for a reason, it allows the drug to be released in small amounts for a long period of time. If you split the pill you might get a lot of side effects from  releasing greater amounts at once and also from reducing drug levels too soon (withdrawal symptoms).

Hey, wow, ok I feel a little silly now. I had broken the film coated pill in two, and that probably explains the extreme panic syptoms I was experiencing. I'm still feeling nauseous, and a bit shaky, but not as bad as yesterday and thankfully no panic attacks today. Gradually it has worn off since leaving hospital earlier this morning. Now I'm wondering if I should give it another go, but I'd have mull over it for a bit.

Interstingly, my GP recommended breaking it in half so I'd be taking half the dose and then the following week start whole pills.

[CLKD]

It's OK to feel silly, that's because the anxiety has dissipated.  However, panic attacks are real! and can b caused by many issues. 

Half a dose may/not be of use as 1 doesn't get the benefit of how the medication is designed to work.  Also when ever I break one in half, most of the active ingredient ends up on the bread board  .  DH has said in the past "R U trying to poison me" 

...... and breath.  Practice relaxation during the day and when you get into bed.  Have U considered taking the tablet in the morning?
>

[loonarider]

If it works don't look that far ahead?

Of course, I really need that embedded into my head   

[CLKD]

Like this: 

or : 

or even :     . I would look at The Pill for hours B4 swallowing it ........ 

R U more relaxed and less freaked?

[loonarider]

Like this: 

or : 

or even :     . I would look at The Pill for hours B4 swallowing it ........ 

R U more relaxed and less freaked?

Yes, way more relaxed! And that was funny, thanks for making me laugh 

[CLKD]

U R not alone!  Been there and survived.  It can be demoralising when medication acts differently when we Oh So need it to be calming.

Onwards.  Half a day at a time ;-)

[loonarider]

It's OK to feel silly, that's because the anxiety has dissipated.  However, panic attacks are real! and can b caused by many issues. 

Half a dose may/not be of use as 1 doesn't get the benefit of how the medication is designed to work.  Also when ever I break one in half, most of the active ingredient ends up on the bread board  .  DH has said in the past "R U trying to poison me" 

...... and breath.  Practice relaxation during the day and when you get into bed.  Have U considered taking the tablet in the morning?
>

  thank you CKLD. I deifnitely have to be a bit more on it with the meditation - I have tried many times, being easily distracted is a problem for me. Will persevere wth that:D

[loonarider]

U R not alone!  Been there and survived.  It can be demoralising when medication acts differently when we Oh So need it to be calming.

Onwards.  Half a day at a time ;-)

Thanks 

[CLKD]

I'm easily distracted: usually it's chocolate 

Off 4 my bath with lots of bubbles. 

[Gnatty]

I don't want to over complicate the discussion but thought I should add that I broke my sertraline pills in half for 3 years with no adverse effects.

Another thought - it might have been the fear of taking the pill itself and what the effects might be that precipitated the panic attack rather than the pill itself.
I was once given some high strength PPI pills - I googled the side effects before I started them and got myself in such a state that when I took them I started having panic attacks. Nothing to do with the pills just my own mind spiralling downwards. That was what precipitated my need for sertraline! I felt so sick and shaky with the anxiety, unable to eat get out of bed etc that honestly I would have taken poison just to feel better.

It's all so hugely complicated isn't it.

[Uptick]

Hi Gnatty, there are Sertraline tablets and Sertraline film-coated tablets. The ones that have a score line can be split in half.
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search?q=Sertraline+

But even the ones that have the score line are not supposed to have the dose divided.
'The score line is only to facilitate breaking for ease of swallowing and not to divide into equal doses.'
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/3501/smpc

[CLKD]

The brain has huge input into how we function.

Any improvement today?

[Gnatty]

Hi Uptick, interesting! Mine did all have little lines down the middle... I do know people cut them in half when reducing dose or weaning off etc and my Doc never said anything untoward about it. But I am certainly not in a position to give advice on this, just wanted to share. xx

[Uptick]

Hi Uptick, interesting! Mine did all have little lines down the middle... I do know people cut them in half when reducing dose or weaning off etc and my Doc never said anything untoward about it. But I am certainly not in a position to give advice on this, just wanted to share. xx

Hi Gnatty, I'm sure this is common practice and many doctors endorse it. It could be related to costs, some countries like the US and Canada have the 25mg presentation available of the same drug and manufacturer, whereas here only 50 and 100mg are available. Cutting the 50mg ones in half is the only option. Accordingly, only the 50mg PIL of Lustral (same as Zoloft in the US and Canada, where 25mg is available) says you can divide the tablet, the 100mg version doesn't mention it.