Hi all,
I have just started sertraline and am on 50mg a day (4th tablet to be taken today) I am due to be treated for panic disorder by a therapist soon. Since starting sertraline I have been getting increasingly more anxious from when I get up to around about lunch time and I start to calm down...this includes intrusive thoughts which make me panic and had a full on attack yesterday, can anyone relate to increased anxiety when starting these anti depressants?
Hi Kyle25995,
I started on sertraline 15mg and I to felt that way so yes it’s normal you just need to give them about 6 weeks to get into your system and then you should be ok. My Dr has since changed me to Mirtrazapine as I wasn’t sleeping very well but not sure these are doing me any good but hey ho we will see. Hope you start to feel less anxious soon. 🙂
Hey sazzle21
Thanks for the reply and reassurance, I have waves of it throughout the day such as - ‘what if this is me now’ or ‘I have more than just panic disorder’ and fear the worst - try to overcome the thoughts but guess it’s just the increased anxiety? I think i’ll Pop a diazepam if it doesn’t jmprove to get me out of the thoughts , wish I had taken my sertraline when I was given it 3 weeks ago!! Haha
Sometimes I think the side effects of these tablets outweigh the benefits of them but you will get better in the next few weeks you will see 👍🏻. Good luck 🙂
It's basically a given with all SSRIs that they tend to make your symptoms worse before they improve due to the serotonin fluctuations in your blood stream. I cannot take sertraline as the side effects are too much for me. I take citalopram which is far more tolerable but still pretty much what you're describing. On cit tho, I did also have improvements in some symptoms. But also seemed to heighten intrusive thoughts and morning anxiety was awful. What you're describing is quite standard, but if the sert is too much speak to your gp. For me personally starting on 50mg caused 12 hours of vommitting and completely spun me out.