For a number of years I was on various antidepressants and had counselling, which really helped. It has been over 15 years since I last had any prescribed. Since then I have been diagnosed with M.E which I can manage to a degree but lately the symptoms have worsened and I'm in pain quite a lot. This amongst other problems has triggered my depression and the doctor has prescribed me Sertraline.
I'm feeling hopeless at the moment and very teary and feel like I need to take something to get me back on track.
I am really worried about taking them due to the side effects mentioned, as on a day to day basis my M.E symptoms are lack of energy, aching muscles especially in legs, muscle weakness, backache, severe headaches and eye pain which last for days, blurred vision, poor body temperature control,chills and fevers, excessive sweating episodes, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps especially after food, dizziness, insomnia even though I always feel tired, inability to stay asleep (I wake up numerous times each night) constant trips to the loo throughout the night, breathing difficulties, heart palpatations.
I struggle enough with the above symptoms and when I read the side effects of Sertraline it seems like they could exaggerate my illness. Has anyone any advice on this please.
Hi there. I have taken Sertraline twice to help with my depression, the first time for about 6 mths, the second for about 18 mths. I've not taken anything for about a year or so now and still very much have my highs and lows. From my own experience and reading web sites like this and also looking back on how I felt when I was on the sertraline after, I would say everyone is different. No one can tell you how you will cope with the sertraline, but I certainly found that it helped me enormously. I did experience very bad headaches initially for about 2 weeks and palpatations, but you may not.
But I think the most important thing I want to get across is, don't think anything is permanent - it's very easy to be anxious and worry about how will you cope with the side effects, to such an extent that it scares you too much to try, but what do you have to loose? You can always stop the meds if you find that you do experience side effects that are too much, but you might find that you are able to get through the first couple of weeks and that it helps you.
You say you have previously taken antidepresents - which ones were you on before? If they worked for you, maybe you should ask to go on them again?
Also, I know ME is difficult to treat, but as it seems that it is the symptoms from this that are exacerbating your depression, are there any other meds that the doctor could prescribe to help with the pain/ME? Or you should be able to get access to a pain clinic who will have experts to help you cope with the daily pain. I suffer from lengthy bouts of tension headaches and so I know how debilitating that can be, let alone ME! Are you getting counselling to help? Massage is very good I found to release tension in muscles, also reiki and acupuncture would be worth exploring.
Good luck!!
Hi there Mrsmuse i think that what kathering had to say is bang on everyone is different and reacts differently to this med There must be thousands of people who take sertraline daily and yet only a few post to say they have had bad reactions so i think you should take from that what you will I have been on Sertraline for 16weeks and in the beginnning did suffer with diarrhea this lasted 3 weeks and my doctor took me down the dose from 100mg to 25mg to deal with this once the diarrhea stopped i slowly went back up the dose to 100mg and have had not other effects. So try not to worry or even predict what might happen my advice to you is take one day at a time deal with that day and let it go see what the new day brings you as worrying about what may or may not happen WILL exascerbate your effects good luck i hope you find a better place to be in and that the meds help you to cope with i am sure must be a very distressing time
Thankyou both for your replies. I decided to give Sertraline a go but came off them in just under a week as I wasn't coping with the side effects. My legs were so weak I couldn't stand up for more than a couple of minutes. I couldn't use my left arm as it felt like I had pulled all the muscles in it and I had the shakes along with several other symptoms. I haven't taken any for 4 days now and they are gradually wearing off although I still have no appetite whatsoever and do not feel safe enough to leave the house cos of my jelly legs.
I am unsure whether to ask for different meds or to try and combat the depression on my own. Once again thanks for the kind words :-)