Day 3 Sertraline for anxiety

Treatment and medication
1

Hi everyone, first of all quick thanks for using these forums I am new to head meds and reading your experiences has helped me to seak treatment, in the past deal with some of my anxiety attacks and realise I'm not alone. You have inspired me to start and now keep taking these tablets even though they have made me feel rubbish for the past 3 days. 

I went to the doctor 2 months ago to talk about my social anxieties and panic attacks which I think where originally set off due to a very stressfull summer, I'm 23 work full time and run my own business in the evenings. I spent last summer working in the week and travelling around the country every weekend, moved house, new job, no friends or family locally, the final straw came when my car broke down and I was left stranded. After this I became a bit of a nervous wreck for a little while, I forced myself to go to work but avoided leaving the house for any other reason. Even going to the shops has been a real problem.

The doctor perscribed me 2mg diazapam which helps when i'm stressed but doesn't seem to cure the social anxiety I get on a normal day. (My symptoms are feeling tension through my chest, arms, headache, racing heart and an urge to get out of immediate social situations.)

Before the summer I was pretty confident and happy so this just doesn't feel like me at all - guess i have just been working to hard anyway..

I went back to the doctors this week to have a chat and to try get some more diazapam, after chatting for a bit we decided to try Sertraline 50mg and I was also given more 2mg diazapam. 

I took the first sertraline at work in the morning and within half an hour I was having a bad time, feeling agitated, couldn't sit still or concentrate, sweaty hands, head ache, far increased anxiety than I had felt in a week. took a diazapam to calm myself down. however it seems to come and go and I actually burst out laughing a couple of times for no particualr reason duing the day. Had 3 hours sleep the first night, up thinking about stupid things.

2nd day (Yesterday) wasn't better, took the sertraline in the morning when i got up, ended up getting to work an hour late as I was feeling to naucious to drive. Increased anxiety + waves of other agitation, headaches all day. 4 hours sleep last night.

Today, took the tablet, was feeling ok, however I decided to write this article after just coming back from the post office without managing to post my parcels, I waited in the quewe then as I got to the front I had a panic attack and had to leave which is really anoying as I really needed to send them today for Christmas, I must have looked like a right idiot lol.

Anyway I'm going to keep going with them even though my anxiety and body tension is 50x worse because I really want to feel like me again and actually be able to take part in everyday normal situations.

Is anyone here currently taking these tablets for feelings of body tension? I hadn't had a panic attack like I had today for several weeks and I think its because of the sertraline, could anyone give me any advice on how to combat this while in the first stages of taking the tablets? 

Anyone in the same boat and might like to chat?

Thanks so much everyone, 

Dan

 

2

I'm not an expert but I took them at night to be able to sleep and escape my worries and anxieties for a while which they find help with. They didn't suit me in other ways but if you're sleeping, you can cope with other things better. I have tried a couple of different tablets and they all have side effects of one sort or another and I find that a 2mg tablet of Diazepam take the edge off for me. It does take some time to get them in your system and get used to them so take them at night, cut yourself some slack, and see how you feel in six weeks or so.

3

I have never been on sertraline, but have been on other drugs which have made me feel anxious when I first began taking them. It took about 6 weeks for them to "kick" in and I didnt have nauseau or same anxiety I had had. I would try to stay on them for a while longer. If it becomes intolerable, then i would try another drug. There are so many out there that may be better for you to tolerate. Doctors are always adjusting, adding, or taking away to help the patient. Here they add abilify to lexapro to help the anxiety and depression along...however, it can make one have a racing heart at times.

4

Hi Dan, sorry to hear you're having a rough time... I've been on Sertraline 2 weeks now and it's been bad, much worse than before. Yesterday I couldn't take much more so went to the doctor and asked for some diazepam, which she wouldn't give me although she did prescribe propanalol 40mgs twice a day. Took two yesterday and today I've not had a panic attack. Seems to work!

Hope this helps.

5

Thank you for your reply, I will do my best to stick with it but i do feel noticably worse right now, hopefully it gets better in time for Christmas. How did you know when to change tablets?

6

Thank you for your reply, I'm a bit woried about having to wait for 6 weeks but I just hope the benefits will out weigh the negs in the long term. A racing heart is definitely something I have to avoid as that sets off my panic attacks. Thanks again,

7

Hi, thanks for your message. 

Oh no i'm sorry to hear that it hasn't been good to you yet and that it gets worse before it gets better, keep strong. Thats a shame about the diazapam, I really found that it helps me calm down. My doctor really recommended the combination of the two. I haven't heard of propanalol but I'm going to go back to the doctors after Christmas for a review. thanks again, 

 

8

Hi Dan I take 2x100mg a day i have been on sertraline for many years and all I know is if you can get through the first few weeks of taking it hopefully you will have a positive outcome. I can honestly say this drug alongside diazepam enabled me to get on and gained some control over panic situations. I can only say try to remain positive about this drug even though you feel like poo. Good Luck jx

9

Benzos and Sert.no way. What nationality are you

?

10

Hi Claire, I've read it many time where people say they get Sertradine and diazepam to help them over the initial panic side effects, although I asked for diazepam to help me out but the doctor flatly refused!!

11

Good on you for getting the help. All these pills are trial and error. I'm on my 3rd lot of pills now and the latest ones seem to have cracked it. I have just come off sertraline. I was doing well on them until week 7 then it gave me really bad tummy upsets. (in the downward direction)  but the advice i want to give you is switch it over to night time. Just before bed. The first fee nights might give you bad dreams but the other side effect will not be as bad during the day. I switched mine over to night time at day 5 and i was so glad i did. I double dosed for that one day rather than miss one. Hope you have success with it. I'm on mirtazapine now and it's a marvel for anxiety and depression. I've had no side effects either which us nice. So if you don't get on with sertraline maybe give mirtazapine a go. Good luck. 

12

Day 4 updates,

Yesterday multiple panic attacks, 

Very little sleep, went to bed at 11.30, didn't get to sleep until 1, woke up at 3.30 to a panic attack never happened before, couldn't get back to sleep.

Had a bath at 4.30 am managed to get back to sleep 5.30-8am.

Anxiety seems to have reached new levels, haven't had a tablet yet today any advice please,

Dan

 

13

I am currently finding it impossible without the diazapam to counter panic attacks, UK.

14

Hi Gil, thank you for your reply, I can cope with the nausia but my anxiety is through the roof, never had panick attacks like this. Unfortunately it being sunday can't talk to doctor until tomorrow.. 

I am thinking of taking my pill in a couple of hours (early afternoon) then tomorrow take it at night time, although I have had really terrible sleep since starting on them, woke up to a panic attack for the first time last night, definitely a result of the sertraline. 

Thanks for the advice, I will speak to my doctor and see what they suggest, really struggling with the idea of work tomorrow.

Thanks again, dan

15

Hi Dan, your day 4 update sounds very similar to mine and I still felt the same on day 13..

As I mentioned in a previous post the propanalol the doctor prescribed seemed to do the trick and stopped the panic attacks!

Stick with it, it gets better.

16

Thank you for your reply, its really tough, I will look into this and ask my doctor to see if I can get some, thanks

Kind regards,

Dan

17

I think my doctor might have mentioned that she didn't want me on beta blockers becasue of my history of asthma 

18

Propranolol was the first tablet i had. It gave me horrible hallucinations. The dr took me off it because of my asthma.  The reason your anxiety has increaaes is because your body is trying to asjust to a new chemical it's never had before. This is why my dr said to take it at night so you sleep through the worst of it. But sertraline is known to disrupt sleep. But these side effects shouldnt last long. If you don't get any better with them then give mirtazapine a go. I've never slept better and I've had no side effects either. But hopefully the sertraline will settle. 

19

Diazapam is  adictive..Docs don't prescribe as  much these days.. has high street value.! 

Stick with the Sertraline it certainly takes the edge off life that we so often can't cope with. 50mg upped to 100mg..Began Sert.end of August for first time. Wasn't keen but it has helped,bliddy chemicals to keep me afloat.Now to unravel the cause. Next year challenge.!!

  

20

Dan,

I just started taking Sertraline 100mg on Tuesday. This is my very 1st time on any meds. My side effects have been feeling "off" jitters, clenched/tight jaw, dilated pupils, sweating palms, havent had much sleep, emotionless, and definately still getting my anxiety attacks throughout the day. I have been doing ALOT of research on this pill and i keep reading that for the 1st few weeks, anxiety/panic will worsen before it gets better. However, for me I seem to be a little more relaxed than usual, I dont get as annoyed quickly like I used to, my tolerance level before was zero to none before i started to get angry and annoyed, now i feel i can handle the situation a little better and think rationally. I dont know if its all in my mind or if its the sertraline already working in some mircle way...who knows...but according to everyone that speaks about sertraline its a wonderful pill after the side effects and 6 weeks into it. :0) hang in there!