Hello, I've been on this forum for about a month now and it's really helped me and spoke to some lovely people. I just needed some help and advise from someone who's been there and had success with sertaline to give me abit of hope and to share their stories.
I've never done this before.
Abit about me... I have used sertaline a few years ago for anxiety and panic attacks and at the time I didn't think it would work it actually did. I felt great and so much better, I then came off them cold turkey (not recommended) and I was fine no side effects and was happy. Although I don't remember getting that much side effects to start with but I may have blocked that out! Anyway I went through abit of a 'wobble' August time when a guy give me attention (I'm married) and it made me smile, nothing happened! But I then questioned myself, am I happy? Am I a bad person for liking someone else? These thoughts were going on and on through my head and it triggered my anxiety back. I spoke to my husband and told him I felt in abit of a rut and he was ok, supportive. I tried to cope with it and get through the days. I would wake every morning anxious, I started losing weight, palpitations etc I researched supplements I could take, which I did, magnesium, vitamin d but nothing really worked so the doctor told me I needed to go on sertaline again. I was so scared to take it this time tho and I put it off for ages but depression started to sneak its way in. My husband said he would support me and help me with the children (have 2) if I experienced any side effects so on Boxing Day I took my first tablet but only 25mg I split it in half as I was scared to take the 50mg, I took that for 6days then upped to 50mg. I got some not so nice side effects, heightened anxiety being the worse and to top it all off my husband left me on New Year's Eve. He told me that he started to question if he was happy and he wasn't, he felt miserable and that my illness wasn't helping so he went. (He works away) so I sat there crying and alone. I was off work for 2weeks luckily so me and the kids just chilled out and I tried to muddle through it. Weve texted a few times but we decided to have a trial separation but he's been quite cold too so I don't think we will end up back together. I went back to the doctor and after 19days on 50mg she wanted me to up it to 100mg again I was scared so I split tablet and took the 75mg for 6days then upped it to a 100mg 6days ago. When I was on the 75mg I felt ok had a couple of ok days but since upping to 100mg I feel down and still have anxious thoughts. I'm very tired too. Is this normal?? My husband is coming back this weekend to see the children, haven't seen him since he left so that's making me feel anxious too so don't know if it's a combination of both? I just wanted to know if the meds will help me and when they will start to kick in on the 100mg? Is it another few weeks after upping dose that you will feel the benefit?
Sorry for the long post but just wanted to get a picture of my story and what I'm going through. Thank you to any replies in advance xxx
I started taking sertraline right after I got married, almost 14 years ago. I've struggled with depression most of my life, and I knew my marriage would never survive. It's not easy. I have to remember to take it every day. I'm currently taking 150mg, but sometimes have to up it to 200. Even still, our marriage is not always a happy one. We have 2 kids and I've gone off sertraline completely during both pregnancies. Hormones are all crazy anyway during pregnancy and I've never had a problem, though my husband says he is on his best behavior when I'm pregnant. I want a third child and he doesn't, and I think it is because he knows I will go off my medication again and doesn't want to deal with it. All in all though, Sertraline saved my life. I was in a dark place before. Don't give up yet. In the past I have upped the dossage 25mg at a time until I found the right dosage. You'll find it.
I went through a similar thing and to be honest sertraline helped me the first time and the 2nd but as soon as I came off it both times I suffered really bad side effects. But only cause I did it cold turkey. Its a really hard drug to come off cold turkey as t works so well when You are on it. I was on 50mg and that worked fine but I'm only 24. They say if you are tired on it you are overdosing so I'd speak to your doctor again as 100 may be too much for you. Hope this helps x
Hi hollberry, thanks for your reply. It's tough having a relationship with this illness isnt it?! It's hard for them to understand when not gone through it themselves. I think my married is over now so I'm trying to just focus on getting better, it's just so hard when I'm so down and no motivation and sad that it could be all over. Hopefully the meds will kick in soon. I'm glad they are helping you and you have had a positive outcome xxx
Hi Nicole, thanks for replying. I'm glad it's worked for you and you have had success on them. Can you remember how long it took to start taking effect? I'm not sure if it's not helping yet as I'm dealing with my relationship breakdown too. I see my doctor a week tomorrow so I will ask her about the dose, thanks for letting me know xxx
It took me about a month to feel an effect. But obviously your break up wont help your mood but you should see a difference in your mood compared to how you felt before you started taking them. Yeah speak to your dr as you are probably on a too high dose which may not be working for you xx
Hang in there. My husband and I seperated for a year and a half several years ago. We were able to work it out. But it was miserable. Focus on your kids and finding the right dosage. It is very tough to have a relationship with someone who doesn't understand. Sometimes I think it would be easier to just be alone. But I don't want that either. You have to fight back against this disease.
Yeah it's definitely having an impact on me getting better. I did have a couple of ok days around week 2/3. Just feel tired and sad and abit anxious too. Will speak to my doctor next week. Thanks for your help xxx
My dr prescribed me propanalol aswell for my anxiety 40mg I hardly use them but as I'm now cold turkey with sertraline Ive had to take the propanalol to be able to leave the house x x
Wow really so similar to what I'm going through. It's awful isn't it?! Thanks for your support. I am trying to focus on my kids and getting better for them and myself xxx
My dr give me then too but only took 2 that was at the beginning. How long have you been off them for? How come you come off them? Xxx
Only been off them three weeks and I am suffering such bad withdrawal from them. I came off them as I felt better and I wanted to get off them before I got too reliant on them. I didn't wanna go back on them as I had bad withdrawal from them before bu I had to go back on them to get stable again. It sucks. Propanalol does help the anxiety a lot though x x
Oh no you poor thing, side effects are the worse. Hopefully once they subside you'll be ok again. How long did the side effects take to go last time you came off them? Xx
Only a few weeks, hence why im surprised at how rough i feel this time around. Its got to the point where the brain zaps have made me so dizzy that ive been throwing up every time ive been outside for more than half hour as walking around makes me really dizzy x
Oh wow, that's awful. I hope you feel better soon xxx
Hi Michelle,
I feel for you. Several things. I really appreciate your honesty. Unlike you I actually cheated on my boyfriend who was like my husband at the time (second year in college); in his mind, he considered himself my husband at the time since he didn’t believe in marriage. And this was after I went thru my first major attack with him. Yeah, I wasn’t always God’s Servant, you see. It’s taken me decades to publicly confess this. So I commend you for being faithful and honest to your husband. In any event, we later got married but he never got over my infidelity and we got divorced after about 15 years together and at least 5-6 attacks. I am 43 yrs now, so these events all happened ages ago, including my divorce in 2009. But enough about me. The point is, it’s okay to have crushes and I feel you and I know how hard it is and I admire how you were able to tell your husband and controlled yourself. I was young and stupid and my infidelity happened in 1997 and I think I’m still working on forgiving myself. BTW, it wasn’t the Zoloft or sertraline that caused my infidelity – it was my poor judgement.
My second point is, YES! This illness makes relationships, ALL relationships, more difficult. But with work and open honesty I believe you can still have deep meaningful relationships. It was ultimately me who gave up on my first marriage because I couldn’t deal with the guilt and wanted to set him free (I was his first gf and we were both virgins when we met and he would never cheat on me, even with my permission – yeah, I was so messed up; as if his cheating on me could make up for my infidelity first). I have been married to my second husband for 1.5 years now and he recently went thru with me my first attack and we are still together although for a while he suggested separation because he couldn’t deal with it. My attack freaked him out and reminded him of his one and only depressive episode after his mom passed away about a decade ago.
Sorry to hear about your husband leaving you on NY’s eve. Sure it wasn’t an opportune time, but I think he’s just angry about your honesty in telling him about your crush and needs some time. We humans are interesting – we always want honesty but sometimes can’t handle the honesty revealed to us. So, on one hand, I don’t want to give you false hope because I don’t know your husband and the relationship you have, but I hope once you are well again and return to yourself, he too will return to his self. And then it’ll be your turn to forgive him for what he did on NYE.
So once I started recovering my husband no longer wants separation. I even offered to free him from me and illness but he doesn’t want to. We are also both Christians and marriage is sacred to me now. What else, yeah, give it 2-3 more weeks with the med and you WILL be better. I am most confident because this has worked on your before. Same with me. Finally, IF your husband does NOT want to get back with you, ultimately, there is nothing you can do. In that case, I believe someone will come along that is right for you. I know the end of ANY relationship is hard, but I believe you are strong. When God closes a window, he opens a door. No matter what, take care of yourself first and your kids.
Xx
Yeah. That's why I responded to you. Sounded a lot like me. Just wanted to let you know it get's better. if you need to talk I'm here. I know it's hard to find people who understand.
Thank you very much for sharing your story with me. Such kind words too, it really means a lot and I appreciate it. It's such a awful illness and when someone hasn't been through it before they have no idea what we are going through. It's so difficult to explain. I'm glad you have support from your husband that probably helps a lot. I need to be more positive and get better for me and my children I know that and I will. Thanks again xxx
Thank you hollberry. It is such a horrible illness. I'm glad you got through it with your husband. It is very difficult when they don't have any idea what we go through. Thank you. Where are you from hollberry? Xx