Sertraline PMDD, Anxiety, side effects advise pls

Treatment and medication
1

Hi

I am seeking advice and other people's experiences on sertraline pls.

I have been through a lot of trauma through out my life but have always been scared to take antidepressants due to fear of side effects and addiction. However life has become so unmanageable: using alcohol to cope, isolating to the point I've lost all my close friends, I don't have any family support.

My self esteem is non existent which tends to make me extremely anxious around others constantly thinking that I'm not good enough or worrying what they are thinking of me, it has got so bad that at times I dread having conversations or making eye contact and get so anxious that I literally start thinking 'I want to die' or 'I can't cope' during the conversation or while walking down the road etc and when this happens I desperately want the ground to swallow me up

I am currently off work and have been for months following an overdose to end it all. I rarely leave my flat as I have no desire to do anything and am scared sometimes of the anxiety attacks I get so often avoid ppl.

The only person I would spend all of my time with (at home) was my boyfriend who was very emotionally abusive so I ended the relationship a few days ago as it was extremely unhealthy and I'm determined to get try and get better! 

Following the overdose I was referred to the mental health team and have an assessment for psychotherapy next week. I tried citalapram and although my anxiety decreased slightly, I had really bad insomnia and was constantly exhausted. I was then prescribed duloxetine but after doing some research I found it was highly highly addictive and caused awful side effects if missed a pill or tried to come off it so I refused to take it. I have now been prescribed sertraline and diagnosed with PMDD as all of the above symptoms are 100% worse when I'm due on! 

I've started on 50mg  a few weeks ago but again found I couldn't sleep which of course makes my moods/anxiety worse. So I have been told to go back down to 25mg and slowly work up to 100mg..

I'm at the point where it's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel but I'm hoping they'll work but again am worried about side affects. I'm due to go back to work in a few weeks and don't want to be drowsy or suffering with insomnia due to the tablets. 

I'm wandering what's our experiences have been with sertraline? Is 100mg to high a dose ? Has anyone suffered with some of the symptoms I've described and had positive results with sertraline? 

All I want is to feel happy/normal without fear of talking to people, to have the motivation to get dressed and go out like I used to. 

Any advise at all will be highly appreciated x 

2

Hi Tar4,

I’m on a rocky journey at the mo, I’m on 150mg sertraline 9 weeks tomorrow. I was on it a few years ago and it got me back on track, so much so that I weaned down to 75mg. 

Sertraline works, it’s tough to be honest, side effects etc. I still have a few even now like jaw chomping and low/rubbish thoughts. My overall anxiety is much better. 

I start cbt on Thursday. So medication and therapy is the winning combo. It’s great that you are having both. 

200mg is the maximum dose so no 100mg is not a lot. 25mg and 50mg are starting dosages to see how you get on and react. If you feel better then bingo, no need to go up but if your still struggling then they can put your dose up and again see how you go. Like I said it’s not a quick fix but keep a diary. I look back in mine and can’t believe the difference.

Best of luck x

3

Thanks for your reply smile 

Good luck with your CBT, I'm feeling hopeful about my psychotherapy. 

Did you find that sertraline caused you insomnia? I can't figure out if it's a side effect or just my state of mind. 

When you were on it a few years ago did you come off completely eventually or have you been on 75mg until 9 weeks ago? 

Would you say the benefits outweigh the negatives and have you seen a massive difference due to the sertraline? X

4

Gosh my heart goes out to you believe me things will get better.

I’m pretty much house bound too just can’t face going out. I had a breakdown 6 months ago and was on 25 mg Citalopran, the side effects were horrible but I started to feel better then it all went horrible again , meltdown, anxiety depression , I went to A&E as my hubby just didn’t know what to do, they changed me straight away to 50mg of Sert whilst the Cit left my body , I’m now on 100mg of Sert it’s been two weeks now , some side effects but no where near as bad as Cit, it’s very early days for me but I do feel less anxious, still won’t go out but getting some peace from it and haven’t cried yet today , I see the mental health team tomorrow who may up my dose , not sure but go with it , give it time , I’ve been like this for months so I’m prepared to give this med a lot more time .

I’ve had all the same horrible thoughts as you but I’m still here , not much fight in me but want to beat this and get back to happy me!

I lost my job over this , to much time off so trying to find things to fill my day , some days I can go for a walk some days I can’t but there will be better times to come , be patient like me and except it will take time.

Matt 

5

The positive definitely outweighs the negative. I do get insomnia I also get a s****y sleepy.

Things are getting much better for me. Still some way to go. A pharmacist told me today that 3 months on each dose for it to fully work so we need to hang in there. 

Before I weaned to 75mg and was on that for about 6 months before I had an illness and everything went to pot x

When I was 

6

Hi Kerry

That gives me hope and faith too so thank you. 

I’ve been on 100mg for 2 weeks now , 50mg for 2 weeks previous to that after being told to swap from Citalopran, it wasn’t really helping and the side effects were horrendous so I’m new to Sertraline and putting all my faith in it !

Actually went for a short walk this afternoon, first time out of the house for a couple of weeks , shaking legs and brain fog but at least I had the motivation to do it 👍

Matt 

7

That's awesome Matt! Small little things will creep in and within weeks there is more good stuff than bad u til the bad is so small you think wow!

im at the stage where I get anxiety  but it's not overpowering. Horrible but not the end of the world like before. I will spiral negatively with my thoughts but not as deep and not as long. The physical symptoms are less, im eating better having lost 1.5 stone. 

I keep trying to tell myself that last time I was on this dose I went from strength to strength, even went to uni to become an interpreter and I'm 35! I regret weaning down. I think I'm going to be on them for life or at least a long long time. I have had to take a year break from uni due to this bout of anxiety and it's crushed me.

we will get back to who we are, we will understand our bodies better and look forward to things again. 

keep in touch so we know how your getting. All my hugs and support to you both.

8

Don't with the alcohol.It makes things way worse. I am in sobriety but now i am hooked on pills instead of drugs and alcohol. Know I take narcotics and opiates on top of sertraline and duloxine. I am sleeping a little better. Do u have a social group/ I use a church I call them all the time when i'm at rock bottom and feel like commiting suicide they come and rescue me. believe me it takes a while but stay with it, the side effects are way better than being locked up and tied down like a pig be careful what you say. I am mentally unstable so yes take the meds they help keep me sane.I am so thankful for a special angel who knows where i've been. I used to not believe in god.I cant do na or aa meetings they make me want to go out and get loaded but every time i do i go to the  mental hospital so the meds it is ask for valiums for sleeping and alot of nausea medicines I am here if u want to talk but i'm in california ill give you my pm if u need so we can connect I have a sponsor in new England and 4 others. In which the first one helped me off the hospital floor. Get a social group

 

9

Hi Tara

Stick with the setraline believe me we've all been where you are just now and due to the setraline have lots of better times than bad. But I think the insomnia could be down to the anxiety rather than the setraline. Hopefully the next coming weeks you start getting more sleep as the setraline kicks in more. And well done on getting rid of the partner. It's support you need not someone making you feel worse. Times will start to get better for you, it's just taking its time. Then we learn how to deal with our bad days. But hang in there. Take care things will work it even although you don't feel it just now. And remember there's usually always someone here to talk to if you have too. Every day is a day closer to normality. All the best x

10

Hi Maureen, 

Thanks I will stick at it smile 

I must say I slept quite well last night, funny enough since he's gone!! But I'll see what happens when I increase to 50mg, I seen my doc yesterday and she's happy for me to do that . 

11

Hi Matt, 

We have very similar experiences, I too broke down and went to A&E in a way I think it was a blessing bc prior to that I was in complete denial about just how bad my depression was! At least now I have the support of the mental health team who have also referred me to psychotherapy (start next week). 

I'm the same some days I can face going out other days I can't even get out of bed! I'm due back at work in less than 2 weeks and am dreading it sad 

I hope we both start to feel better soon xx 

12

Hi Tar4

Yes it’s a tough time. I have an appointment this morning with the mental health team, hope I get some good positive info from it.

I had a pretty calm evening which was nice , a little bit of calm in the storm!

Pretty anxious this morning but it’ll be raised more because of the appointment and having to leave the house, they have told me to use Diazipan in the short term so I’ll take one today.

We’ll get there 

Matt 

13

That's good you had better sleep. I used to feel like I had this and was all alone but once u open up and tell people you have it, you find out there's so many people who have it. Lots of people are embarrassed about it. I'm not i talk about it a lot it's always good to get how you are feeling off your chest xx

14

Hi 

Did anyone experience lower anxiety on 100mg after 2 weeks but increased crying spells ? 

My anxiety is a lot better but feel extremely low and cry a lot

Matt 

15

Hi,

I started settling in Sept 2016. I started getting anxiety associated with my cycle after my third child and then I had SVT one day at work. This began a cycle of horrible panic attacks that became debilitating and I finally had to go on leave from work and make an attempt with an antidepressant. I was absolutely terrified to try it,  it I figured it can’t get much worse than it already was naturally. The start up process was horrific, but the glimmer of hope was having short moments in the day where I would feel normal again. The side effects I would explain to the doctor or look up online, I couldn’t even find. At night I would feel like a rush of warmth running through me, but it was also around the time that I would get the panic attacks, so I don’t l ow if that was my body blocking the panic. The fatigue was crippling, and I have 3 children and a home to attend to. I thought for sure I would never get better and lose my job and just spiral. It took starting at 50, dropping to 25, then back to 50, then 75, then 100 which I found was too much, and dropped back to 25. Each adjustment was about every 2 weeks. I finally settled at 75 and just tried to ride it out. By January, I finally started having mostly consistent days of feeling normal. I still got a while could tell when I took the pill, like I would feel a tense feeling and slowly that would fade. I went from being totally against taking an antidepressant to now not caring if I have to live on one because I never want to experience what I went through during that time. I never got a formal diagnosis, but as a RN, I would say it’s some kind of post partem pmdd. I haven’t had a full blown panic attack since November 2016. I’ve had some moments and days where I feel off, but I have much better control of myself, and again, it’s typically around my period or ovulation which confirms to me that it’s all related. I have always been very calm and rarely get flustered, so going through that experience was so challenging. I did notice after this resolved that I am less annoyed by things, especially at work, which is nice. The side effects like headache, nausea, decreased orgasm, fatigue, etc...all subsided as I adjusted  to the medicine. Obviously I wish this never happened and that I did t need to take a medication, but it is what it is and hey, as long as I feel normal with it, I’m not gonna try to come off and put myself at risk for a worse event. Besides, I hear menopause can be brutal, so I’m just gonna be prepared and stay on my Sertaline, lol. Try and stick with it, get a good support system behind you, don’t let anyone including yourself make you feel like you are doing the wrong thing. I have a completely different outlook on mental health after having gone through this. We are not crazy, our bodies go through changes at different stages in life and from our life experiences and everyone’s body handles it differently. It’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but any little glimpse of hope you feel during the day, hold on to that. As hard as it is, try to stay active and be around people who love and care about you. Good luck in your journey!

16

Aww how did your appt go? X

17

Hi Tar4

Well I cried through most of it , hubby went with me so between the two of us we explained everything.

Coming off the Citalopran and going onto the Sertraline has really helped my anxiety levels , still can’t go out and still crying a lot but it’s only been nearly 3 weeks on the Sertraline, the mental health nurses said Sertraline is very good for anxiety but maybe not helping my depressive mood , I have an appointment next week with a psychiatrist who will assess me diagnoses and make a plan for me , it might be to stay on what I’m taking now , maybe not but although I’m anxious about the appointment as I feel it’s got that bad I feel that I’m finally going to see a professional who will have the answers and help , shame it’s taken 7 months and getting in such a state to see him but I’m trying to think positive and hope this could be the start of recovery 👍

How are you 

Matt

18

Hi,

Well done in getting there! I know how hard it is just to get up out of bed. 

It's brilliant your seeing a psychiatrist, I was so relieved when my appt came through.

I'm still very low but have been given an extra week off work which is also a huge relief and allows a bit more time for the sert to start to work.

It's hard but I'm trying to look at the positives too x 

19

I agree, but there's such a stigma attached to mental health so i do find it hard to be open. But well done on owning it wink 

20

Hi Tar4 

Glad you’ve got an extra week off work , it’s great they are being supportive, they must think a lot of you so bear that in mind , you have worth and able to contribute, I hope you are going back on reduced hours to start with ?

I lost my job as I was in my probation period, they did support me because they wanted me back but as they knew the state I was in after I seen their occupational health person they made the decision to finish me , my boss came to my house and we both cried! So now after 34 years of working I am unemployed! But sometime in the future I’ll get back into work.

Just been for a 20 minuet walk which seems like nothing much but it’s a big thing for me leaving the house so I’m pretty proud I did it !

Hope your day goes ok and you have a calm evening, I tend to feel calmer if the evenings.

Matt