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[annieb]

Just been given sertraline for anxiety and depression. Only a very low dose to begin with as have had adverse reaction to certain AD in the past. This is my third day and feeling a little spaced out and a bit queasy . Says it may take about 2 weeks for me to see any positive effects. Last took AD about 25 years ago (s o feel I've done quite well in the interim HA HA!!) and that was dotheipan and certainly worked. Don't recall feeling so yucky at the start of using dotheipan but I was in a very very bad place at the time so probably couldn't have felt worse.  This time I'm trying to catch it before it gets too bad
GP says sertraline is the best option for my current symptoms
Anyone else taking it and how did you get on
GP also suggested Mindfulness therapy and has recommended a book and Cd which I've ordered . GP very keen on this and I'm happy to give it a go as this is a better long term solution than medication I think. Interested to know if anyone else has gone down that route

[CLKD]

If you do a 'search' for Sertaline you will see if other Members have taken it 

Best to try early in case this doesn't work though it does have a good success rate 
Relaxation tapes can help too.

[MrsMopp]

I've tried Mindfulness.  It is a long haul and I'm still giving it a go.

[annieb]

Thanks CKLD I did a bit of a search but didn't find much. Probably looking in the wrong place = Head all over the place today
Mrs Mopp the book that the GP recommended is an 8 week course - how long have you been trying to get to grips with it

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi

I tried sertraline last year after going to my GP with anxiety and low mood. At the time I hadn't twigged that  was peri menopausal and neither had my GP.

Unfortunately my experience with sertraline was not good. I seemed to react very badly to it. The very first night I took it I didn't sleep a wink. Within 48 hours I felt my anxiety was actually worse. By day 5 I was crying on my husband's shoulder because I felt so distraught and anxious. On about day 10 I had my first ever panic attack in our village shop. I felt I was getting worse and worse. Then I suddenly felt 100% for a whole weekend and thought 'It's working' but then had another panic attack on the Monday and couldn't go into work.

I stuck it out for 26 days but my symptoms seemed much, much worse than before I started. Really odd as I had taken sertraline successfully years ago when I had pnd and I don't remember any side effects at all?

It's strange as I know that lots of people really rate it.

[CLKD]

There's at least 13  pages where the drug is mentioned ……..

[annieb]

OK CKLD  I'm obviously a bit of numpty when it comes to searching - I did have another go today after you pointed this out and  just put the word sertraline in but only got this topic that I had started.
GypsyRoseLee - Yes I'm actually feeling worse at the moment (on day 5 at the mo) - am going to stick it out for 2 weeks and see how I am. Did you change to another type?

[honeybun]

If you use the search button at the top left hand side in the blue bar you might have some luck there.


Honeybun
X

[annieb]

Thanks Honeybun - I was using the one on the other side and didn't even see that one . Have found them now and interesting. Looks like some folks have had success with it and some not -  so  will have to plod on and hope I'm one of the lucky ones. If not it's back to the GP - he was most helpful and understanding though so that's a bonus 

[CLKD]

Well that's 2 numptys on here  'cos I've never noticed the search box on the right  ……..

Mindfulness is not something I have done but I have played soothing music and practicesed relaxation therapy.

[annieb]

Feeling absolutely awful this morning - couldn't wake up and now feel sick and dizzy and it's only day 6 of these tablets.  Only on half a tablet (25mg!!) Had this reaction to Prosac based meds years ago so looks like I'm going down the same route.  Realise it's early days but can't function like this so going to have to stop taking them as have to work and just can't think straight. Feel worse than I did before I started taking them so back to the GP and see if there is an alternative.

[Greenfields]

Annieb check with your Dr in terms of stopping taking them .... you might need to taper it - they don't generally recommend stopping immediately - you can feel even worse if you do.

I had a very very bad experience with Sertraline - 50mg a day - took for 2 days and had all the worst side effects and then some.  But I'm very sensitive to medications and it's the first AD I ever took (and the last one I'll take too).

I have heard from others that Citalopram has less side effects than Sertraline - so you may want to give that one a try - I know 2 people for whom it worked for but it does still have side effects which can take a while for the body to adjust too.

I'm a long time practitioner of mindfulness meditation and have only good things to say about it but it does take time to learn and to practice - if there's a mindfulness meditation group in your area, that might be helpful.  Jon Kabat-Zinn's book (the full catastrophe) is good - he has some CDs too. 

[CLKD]

There are some ADs that I simply couldn't tolerate, Prozac being the worst 

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi annieb

Yes after 26 days I just couldn't stand it any longer. Perhaps if I hadn't waited longer it might have kicked in, I don't know?

But I changed to amitriptyline which I had also taken whilst pregnant many years ago. It's an older generation AD but very effective. It does make you sleep very deeply though, but that was a good thing for me and I enjoyed it. It took about 6 weeks to fully kick in but it counter acted the effects of the sertraline withinin a week or two.

I wouldn't hesitate to take amitriptyline again. It does make you feel a bit groggy when you first wake up, and a bit dreamy during the day but again I quite enjoyed that having felt so dreadfully stressed and so anxious before. But I was perfectly capable of driving and doing my job etc.

[annieb]

Stopped the sertraline yesterday and feel a little better today Bit upset that I've had the same reaction as last time I took Prosac based tab despite GP saying this should be OK.
Greenfields - GP is very keen on Mindfulness and it was Jon Kabat-Zin's work she recommended. Just receive a book and CD of his this morning so will be getting into that over the next few days. GP said it will take a while and is a question of practise. Will let you know how it goes
Think I will go back to see GP next week as sertraline should have cleared my system by then and ask for dothipan or one of the older type ADs (may be amitriptyline as Gypsyroselee suggests)
Do recall sleeping very deeply on that one and feeling slightly dreamy but was defo capable of working and driving. 
Just want to feel better