Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: Justjules on January 23, 2016, 08:40:10 AM
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Morning. Had a really rough night and not sure how long I can carry on with these side affects from the Sertraline. Day 12 now and the only difference seems to be that I am not in tears every day but the anxiety isn't lessening. I am waking up so anxious still and it doesn't ease until mid morning then I seem to have half decent day and early evening and then the dreaded night time anxiety. I actually felt ill in the night and then that makes me panic thinking it's going to make me very ill. I still have zero appetite but am making myself eat little and often. I didn't get any of these symptoms with Citalopram. I am scared that it was serotonin syndrome so I googled it but I don't seem to have the extreme symptoms mentioned on there. Part of me wishes I had never started them as coping with the tears and low mood was better than this awful agitation and fear. Does it get better. Had a look at some of the other posts and it's a bit mixed. I think it didn't help that my therapist was a bit dismayed that I was on Sertraline yesterday so that makes me worry that it's just being doled out willy nilly when the Drs must know how bad it makes people feel. Scared that it's not going to work. Even the 2mg diazepam isn't taking the edge of it in the night now.
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Hello justjules. My husbands was put on sertraline last November for extreme anxiety and depression. He had previously been on another ssri but he came off by choice it months previously👹. Anyway the first month was hell - he was worse and wouldn't even leave the house or answer the phone. He was prescribed propanolol for panic attacks, he was awful and I'd never seen him so bad. Then things started to improve - he is now much much better. It took about a month - he is on 100mg, started off on 50. He asked doctor about switching but was advised to give it at least a month.
So sorry you are feeling like this it's awful. Hopefully things will improve soon for you and I hope my husbands story helps xxx
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I know a lot of people do very well on sertraline but I do think it makes you feel worse before it makes you feel better.
When I had PND years ago I switched from Amitriptyline to Sertraline which I regreted. The sertraline made me feel wired and tense, and killed my libido. I was on it for about a year, I think. In the end I decided I'd rather take my chances and see how I felt taking no ADs because I just didn't feel like me on Sertraline, I felt like a pissed off robot.
So my GP switched me to Prozac temporarily as that's meant to be much easier to withdraw off. I was in it for about 6 weeks, didn't like it either so just stopped and sent cold turkey (I know this isn't recommended though).
Then 2 years ago, when I started getting peri anxiety and low mood again, I tried Sertraline. After the very first tablet I didn't sleep a wink that night. After a few days I felt I was getting worse. My anxiety increased a lot. I had daily diarrhoea and zero appetite. I persevered with it for nearly a month, but then had a couple of really nasty episodes where I felt I was going to pass out as I felt so tense and panicky, so I stopped.
I don't know if things would have improved if I'd stuck with it for just a couple more weeks, but I truly couldn't stand it anymore.
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I had the same side effects from the escitalopram but only for about 5 days. I was on the point of giving up if it didn't start to improve but then it did so I really take my hat of to the ladies here who are persevering for weeks/months as well as your dear husband groundhog. I would not be physically able to put up with it for that long so I am glad I am now much more settled.
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Hi justjules,
I was put on Sertaline in november last year, I only took two 25mg doses and had the most awful reaction to it, I spent three days just pacing, very agitated
and anxiety thro the roof- it truly frightened me! ended up in A&E and they said SSRI s were not for me, gave me diazepam to calm me and went too my gp and he has put me on Mirtazepine which you take at night so you get a good night sleep as well, started me on low dose just in case but thankfully it has worked very well, it does seem to be very different for everyone but for me they were devil pills! Maybe go back to your gp and discuss other options?
good luck and hope you get some relief very soon. x
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I took it for only two days as I did develop serotonin syndrome. I was suicidal and having what I can only describe as some sort of hallucinatory experience.
It is common to feel agitated and more anxious on them as a friend takes them and said it took him about two weeks to feel less anxious. Were you very anxious before you started them, or mainly depressed as one of the GPs at my practice said that you need to match the AD to the presenting symptoms as some have better effects for anxiety than others. She suggested citalopram which I know you took but am assuming you can't take it now because of your BBlockers?
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Hi justjules,
I was put on Sertaline in november last year, I only took two 25mg doses and had the most awful reaction to it, I spent three days just pacing, very agitated
and anxiety thro the roof- it truly frightened me! ended up in A&E and they said SSRI s were not for me, gave me diazepam to calm me and went too my gp and he has put me on Mirtazepine which you take at night so you get a good night sleep as well, started me on low dose just in case but thankfully it has worked very well, it does seem to be very different for everyone but for me they were devil pills! Maybe go back to your gp and discuss other options?
good luck and hope you get some relief very soon. x
Sorry you went through that but so relieved to see what it wasn't just me as my hubby and GP rolled eyes and said I just was anxious about them. My BP went through roof which has now made me anxious about that -whereas before it was fine , I've now even developed white coat syndrome taking it at home so that's one more anxiety. I ended up at a and e because I felt so ill and then again the following day as I just kept thinking about killing myself. I'd taken them once before for post natal depression and OCD and they'd been fine then but this time was hell and I've now refused further ADs. I think it depends on the cause of your anxiety or depression. Serotonin depletion is only a part of these illnesses and not true of all cases.
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sorry you are not settling on the Sertraline.
I am about to start my 3rd box 50g, another GP has suggested I increase to 100g, but discussing that with my own GP next week. All I had was a week or so of nausea, I started to feel better a couple of weeks in and feel much better now. I was suffering from extreme anxiety and depression. (I needed my family to tell me this).
As Rockhopper above, they have worked well for me - so just shows they do help some people, but from what I read not all. What has your GP said? mine was monitering me weekly to see how I got on for the first month.
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How are you today JJ?
I think that different drugs just suit different folk. My mum swore by sertraline and was on them for years - her GP kept her on a tablet every other day just as a top up in the last year or so she took them which helped her. I've friends who got on well with Prozac but that made me come out in rash all over so it really is a case of trying things and seeing. That said, if you feel worse or worse different then I'd suggest seeing GP for a review as there's little point in replacing one problem with another.
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Sorry ladies, had busy day yesterday so didn't get on forum much to be able to post.
Well, have had two relatively decent nights sleep thank goodness which have helped. Still got morning anxiety but it calms down by lunch time. Back to work today and very anxious sat here but coping. Didn't help with anxiety at the weekend as my friend was constantly texting me as she was sitting with her dying father and I was trying to support her and then my son's girlfriend was ill and he was worried about her and she's having to have some tests, so all in all, I'm trying to stay calm but just wish the anxiety would diminish. I am still taking an odd diazepam but trying to do without as they are precious!
My middle son (who's girlfriend isn't well) had a long chat with me last night as my daughter (who can't empathise at all) had told him what was going on and he is so lovely with me, as is the younger one, so I am very blessed. OH just sitting there taking it all in of course but throwing the odd 'she thinks she's dying again' comment in!!!
Thanks for asking Coldethyl, hope you are okay and coping x
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My middle son had a long chat with me last night as my daughter had told him what was going on and he is so lovely with me, as is the younger one, so I am very blessed.
Jules, I recently bit the bullet and came out to my son as suffering with anxiety and depression as I had been hiding it as I thought he would scoff. He was lovely, took me out for coffee and a chat, just the 2 of us and he picked the venue carefully so it wasn't too noisy and it was relaxing. Why was I so stupid? Lesson to self - be honest with people, they can't help if they don't know. My daughter has known and supported me for some time, I'm sorry yours finds it difficult, have a (((hug))).
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jj, I think sometimes, that if you don't suffer from any of this, that it's hard to get your head round it. My hubby is very good but even he rolls his eyes and sighs a lot when I start talking about it. Some of it is not being able to do anything to help, but it is also frustration that we don't just get better like from a sore throat.
Glad your son is supportive x
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Thanks ladies. Still not sure what to do about these blessed tablets. It's two weeks today now and although I've stopped being as tearful, the anxiety is still dreadful. Bad night last night again and yet I've had two good ones previously - really can't work it out. Woke up this morning really agitated and because I'm dragging myself to work, I have no choice but to get up and get going so had to take a diazepam just to settle myself down as felt so sick and was dry heaving. Has passed off a bit now I am in work but this is awful. I'm only on the 25mg still so definitely don't want to notch up to recommended 50mg and incur even worse side effects. I am loathe to go back to GP next week and tell her as I also don't want to try another AD and start all over again, I just couldn't cope with all that again after putting up with the recommended two weeks of side affects noted with Sertraline. I am fine by the evening so I get a false sense of being okay and then it all starts again in the night or first thing in the morning. :'(
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Maybe it could be more is less in this case,going up to the correct dose would knock the dratted anxiety,palps,etc on the head ,if it doesn't then tell gp that its not the one for you. If you dont try you wont know and the two weeks will have been in vain. :-\
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Dazned, I know, I was thinking the same but too scared to get worse symptoms than I've already got! I'd rather just be depressed and weepy than this.
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You can always drop it back down if you feel like it's becoming worse after a couple of days. I do empathize Ive been there took a couple of attempts to the find the right one for me.
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I just can't see that taking more will make it better and not much worse! I have to be able to come to work so can't afford the luxury I had of last week and just sitting on sofa all day fretting in a state of agitation. The other thing I am worried about is staying on them for another few weeks and them still not working then trying to come off them and getting bloomin withdrawals symptoms. I remember trying Prozac many years ago when they were the prescribed drug of choice and feeling really ill with them and I'm a bit of a pill phobic at the best of times.
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Maybe try at weekend. Failing that what is your next plan of action ? ::)
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Well got to go back to GP for update end of next week so see what she has to say. Probably hasn't been helped by hearing such horror stories of Sertraline side affects and seems more people have problems on them than most others.
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JJ I don't think more people have bad effects on it than any other drug . It's just you asked and people replied. I imagine the same would be true for any of the ADs. My friend piled 5 st on on mitrazapine , another's BP went high on venafalexine , my mum hallucinated on Faverin and so on. It's all a case of trial and error. If you feel that they are making you more anxious then maybe you do need to try something else as you are really on a non therapeutic dose as you are - 50mg is the normal starting dose. Prozac is usually better for depression than anxiety so they wouldn't prescribe them if anxiety is main issue.
If you are having to take Valium just to cope with the side effects I'd be inclined to see GP and discuss alternatives. It may be they will want you to keep at it, but you need to tell them what you are telling us.
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Coldethyl, checked on a couple of other health forums and it seems that Sertraline is a particular bad one for side affects but they all say stick on it and once the first two weeks are over, things might ease but some have taken up to five weeks, it all seems to vary person to person. I think I am just frightened of what these drugs are doing and how safe they are to take, as I never felt like this with Citalopram. I have also read that it is far better to start on the tiny dose and work up rather than go straight in on the 50mg dose. It makes sense that if you have to slowly wean off these drugs, then surely you should slowly introduce them into your system? I've had anxiety spells for years and this is the worst I think I have felt for a long time. I just hope I can still have the diazepam as it seems that most drs give them alongside Sertraline because they know how bad the start up symptoms are. I don't think I could carry on with them if I didn't have the back up of an occasional diazepam. I will obviously be speaking to Dr next week so will go from there.
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Thats what I believe that dose will not be giving you any relief to symptoms ,50mg is the starting dose. As I said its all trial and error for each but if you dont give it a fair trial you wont know anything.
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How come sertraline is started at 50mg and yet citalopram/escitalopram starts at 5mg or 10mg. Why such a variation, is sertraline not as strong, if so it surely shouldn't cause such bother.
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All medication are different and have differing metabolize times . I know there's a correct word for that but can't think what it is :)
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Sertraline appears to have much lower oral bioavailability than other Ssris so that may explain need for higher dose.
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I had terrible side effects on sertraline in the beginning, I read on a psyc site that if they make anxiety worse it means they will ultimately work. My GP also said sadly they make it worse before better. It was all true. I would say over matter of weeks if not months in total all my symptoms went, I got my appetite back first and the anxiety went last of all, the thing was eventually I did not notice it go it just slid quietly away.
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Rockhopper, Dr originally said 25mg for first week then up to 50mg but the anxiety and agitation have been so bad at 25mg how will it be at 50mg??? My anxiety wasn't anywhere near as bad as this be fore the tablets, it was mainly the depression that was getting bad, weepiness and lack of energy and a gradual .slide into a bit of a meltdown which has happened before when things get too much. It's confusing to be taking something for anxiety that gives you worse anxiety!
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I know it sounds counterproductive doesnt it ,but these chemicals are trying to re-align your chemicals so its not surprising really ::)
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Rockhopper, thanks for the kind advice and your expertise. I am seeing a private therapist again as I had the usual CBT last year but that didn't really help. x