Setraline works! Hang in there!

Treatment and medication
1

Hi everyone, so a brief description of me, i am 23 years old. Always have been a happy go lucky girl. Sadness never really got the best of me, i always bounced back really fast, and was my happy go lucky self again.

So two years ago my best friend died in a car accident, ofcourse i was heartbroken, cried for days. But after a month i was healed, or so i thought. I had very light anxiety at first, like i would suddenly feel sort of panicked for no reason, thinking  something bad was about to happen even though everything in my world was fine. But then it became a once a week thing, and eventually an everyday thing. It was difficult to breathe, my heart pounded. But i thought nothing of it since i never believed in depression,i believed it was all a ''head thing'' like so many fools out there.

My anxiety quickly switched to depression. Full hardcore depression. I cried about EVERYTHING and ANYTHING. It was like someone died all over again. I couldnt get up in the morning, i didnt want to get up. And for the first time ever i had thoughts about suicide.

I went to the doctor, thinking that maybe i could get some vitamins so i could atleast just get started with each day. She talked with me for ten minutes and put me on Setraline 50mg a day.

The first day i took one, i fell asleep 20 minutes after. I woke up, ran to the bathroom and threw up. My head was pounding and i was shaking. HORRIBLE PILL i thought! Called the doc, told her this kite wasnt flying. She begged me to give it atleast a month. So i did.

First two weeks were horrible. I had a never ending migraine. It just didnt LEAVE! And dizzy spells like a mad person. My mouth was very dry and i couldnt sleep. Had insomnia. I also had no appetite. By week three the side effects were lighter, i slept beter, headache completely gone. Wasnt shaking and also managed to eat something here and there. But i was still depressed, still anxious. Didnt feel like it was helping at all.

This is now week four. And i seriously didnt think i would say this ever, but setraline works! Its not a miracle drug, it wont make you float around on a pretty cloud, and its NOT goint to work right away. But you will start noticing things, a day will go by and you'll be like ''hey, i wasnt once sad today even though a few things happened that would have gotten to me in the past'' or ''hey, im actually very calm and content today, today is a nice day. It takes the edge off, it takes YOU out of your head. You cant yet see the light at the end of the tunnel, but you know for a FACT its there.

I lived with depression and anxiety for two years without knowing it or getting help. And it crashed on top of me with full force. I even knew what sleeping pills i would take to kill myself. It was a virus that ate away at me very very slowly, and i let it.

I know the side effects from setraline are horrible, but on days like the one im having today, it is worth it a million times. Stick with it, eventhough you are convinced it is not working, like i did. Just pay attention to things, how you would normally act and feel, and how you act and feel on setraline. Im in week four, and im still not feeling the FULL effect but i have hope like ive had a very long time ago.

Thank you for reading, and sorry for the long post.

2

Thats good to here. Im only on day 5. Im on it for anxiety, not liking the side effects, dizziness and pressure in my head. Anxiety seems to have got worse too. Gonna stick with it tho as most people on here say it helps immensley.

3

Great post Christine - very honest and inspiring account for ppl to take hope from. I'm on week 14 and have not had quite as good an experience but I've just upped to 100mg so hopefully this will be the difference I need to see such a positive result.

Best wishes, stay strong xx

4

It was so reassuring to read your post, I'm on day 22 and I can def see light at the end of the tunnel but anxiety creeps every now and again but nothing near like before taking sertraline. I wish u well on journey and please keep posting here with how your getting on x

5

Hi Christine. I know exactly what you mean about feeling better. After I'd been out it about 2 mths I realised that although I wasn't doing cartwheels I didn't feel so sad & always worrying something bad was gonna happen. I've been cutting down & sertraline free for 8 days now. I didn't feel any symptoms when I started taking it but the withdrawal symptoms are terrible. Last week was awful but I feel a bit more human today so hopefully that's me over the worst.

6

I'm 8 days and can't see a way forward at min but reading your post has helped thanks

7

that's an excellent post christine.  i too have depression and anxiety but i've had it before and been on different meds but not one of them worked. sertraine has definately sorted my head out, i'm a year into my meds and i wish i'd have done it sooner rather than trying to battle through because i felt weak taking anti depressants.   i started on 50mg and then 75, 100 and now i'm on 150mg and i look back at myself thinking "who was that person"?? completely different to my normal self, but thanks to sertraline and my very patient GP i have found the right dosage for me and never looked back. sertraline has saved me in more ways than one. so good to see others having a good experience like me and it gives hope to the new members on here that are frightened to take it.  it sounds daunting people but depression is something that you cannot treat without professional help, me and christine and so many others on here know all about that!! :-)

8

Hi Dawn, i felt the same as you on day 5. I wrote down my side effects each day because i wanted to shove it under the doctor's nose so she could take me off this pill. The side effects were really awful. Especially the increased anxiety. Try to stick it out if you can. Im very glad i did because it does fade away, and some of them completely dissapear smile Goodluck xxx

9

Hi Kikidee, thank you so much. I was monitoring this page the entire time ive been on setraline, hoping to see a post saying that all the trouble and side effects are worth it, I'm glad my post gave you the hope i was looking for in that time smile I really hope you start seeing a difference soon. Its not so much about seeing a difference, its more about noticing small things improving. I'm very positive that the higher dose will work for you. Ive read about lots of people saying they got beter when the dose was increased smile Goodluck to you, xxx

10

Hi Vikki, thank you so much for the kind words, im very glad my post was inspiring to you smile I'm also VERY happy that you too are aware of that light at the end of the tunnel, the anxiety comes and goes for me to, but also nothing like it was before. The only way i can explain it is, before when i had anxiety it was the end of the world, everything crashed, i couldnt breathe, i wanted to just not be alive anymore, and getting anxiety on setraline is sortof like ''whatever, it will pass when it passes, no one is dying and its not the end of the world'' smile I hope you keep getting better, and please let me know how the rest of your journey is going smile xxx

11

Hi Ally, so glad to hear you're doing okay now smile And also glad that setraline helped you. I think people expect its this miracle thing that will make all your troubles fade, i sortof had that expectation aswell. But its just something that makes you realise things may be bad, but they are for sure not the end of the world. It makes you want to stick around for tomorrow, it gives you hope and courage to keep on living. I have to take setraline for 3 months as prescribed by my doctor so im also heading for that withdrawl symptoms you're speaking of lol. Hope there are much more good days for you, goodluck smile xxx

12

Hi Marie, I'm so sorry to hear that. I want you to know that i felt the exact same way you do. I thought it was a complete waste, because i had these expectations that things will feel beter right away, and they really didnt. On top of having anxiety and depression 24/7 i also had the worst side effects, i was so sick, life had no meaning whatsoever. I layed in bed crying on Chrismas, couldnt get up and spend time with my family, so it was really bad. And i thought that crap about feeling worse before you feel better was just that...CRAP!!! But now my story has changed a bit, you really WILL feel worse before you feel beter. But it does get better, just hang in there and stay strong. Please keep me posted on how you're getting on, goodluck to you, xxx

13

Hi gingemac, what a great post! Thank you so much smile I can completely relate, because my entire life i thought people with depression are weak, i was convinced it was just a mind thing. Because ive always managed to keep myself calm and content, and i bounced back so fast from sadness and heartbreak. But it was a rude awakening and now i feel so crushed for thinking things like that my entire life. Its really not something that will go away on its own, no matter how strong you think you are, no matter how strong you've been in the past. Once its hit you, you cant really get ''unhit'' and it does NOT mean you are weak, it simply means you've been strong for way too long. I completely get that people are afraid of setraline, i mean, i took one pill and called the doctor saying i was DONE. It is VERY scary at first, it terrified me completely and i just could understand why i'm putting myself through more trouble than im already having. But the truth is, the side effects mean that some thing in the body and mind is changing, and that is a good thing, that is a sign already, that something is working. Im so very glad it is working for you too, and i hope more people will feel inspired to take setraline and wait it out smile Goodluck to you, you are truly amazing smile xxx

14

thanks for your reply christine,

lovely to hear that you're feeling positive about the meds, i know the side effects can be a nightmare and make you feel terrible for weeks on end but the end result is just so amazing, i never ever thought that sertraline would help me as much as it has, i feel so much happier, reliant for the time being but there will be a time where i am strong enough to get myself off it slowly but surely but i've only been myself again for about 3 months so i'm not rushing anything.  feels like my brain and mind has completely unplugged from all the badness and intrusive thoughts i was having, racing thoughts going through my head, paranoia, i'm alot more relaxed and chilled out about things now, instead of constantly being on the edge of a breakdown over nothing!! it was unbelievable, some of the things could be as little as making tea, hanging up the washing etc, i used to get so stressed out and upset about those small chores that i just couldn't cope at all. i am so glad that those days are gone now and i feel alot stronger in myself as a woman and a person, it terrified me thinking i was going to be like that forever!! but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and where one door closes another opens, me and my boyfriend are now trying for our first baby :-) never thought that would happen, not with the way i've been over the past year and a bit.  sertraline has saved my relationship and saved me as a person :-) thanks for your lovely words christine, it means alot and you are very supportive, i've been reading your posts to other members, you're an inspiration :-)

 

15

Hi Christine, I'm now on day 23 so just over 3 weeks, I have just come down with the flu so can't get outside and just want to lay down as all bunged up with a headache and a cough so it's brought back abit of anxiety and thinking negative again , I felt good on week 2 and had no anxiety for a few days then started to get a cold but now this cold has really hit and it's brought me back down. I just suppose I need reassurance that it will get better, doc said 4-6 weeks so I'm still going to carry on, and like in your post it wasn't until week 4 that u saw the benefits of sert x

16

Hi Vikki, its amazing to hear that you felt better after two weeks! I seriously did not feel any better until week four. It was really like clock work. The flu is terrible and i can understand how it took you one step back. Just remind yourself that its only the flu, and once its over you can continue on your journey of feeling better smile Goodluck and thinking of you smile xxx

17

Fantastic,

One of the most positive posts I've seen on here.

I have been on Sertraline nearly 5months. This last month on 100 mgs and now feel Sertraline is fully working for me. Plus am embarking on EMDR a treatment for trauma related incidents.

With your positive attitude I'm sure Sertraline will help to get you thru the worst.. Help you regain your happy go lucky personality.

Keep us informed on your progress Christine xx

18

Kikidee, 100mg made all the difference to me.

Started at 50,75, 100mg for a month now. I hope it works for you. Xxx

19

hi claire,

yes i found the same, i too was on 50,75,100 and now im on 150 and am much better, since september so it does matter massively that you get the right dosage for you :-) glad to hear you're feeling better after a month of 100 xx

 

20

Hi Christine, on day 7 now, anxiety still here. Not been able to work because of it, now getting more anxious cos i have to phone work to say i won't be in. What time do you take yours. I take mine at 6.30 in the morning but dont function properly till early afternoon. Was wondering if night time would be better. Thanks