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[loonarider]

Hi all,

Keeping it short an sweet. But I'm freaking out about taking anti anxiety meds for the first time. I read the side effects and they;re not terrible - but still worried I'd have adverse and more serious side effects from taking them jsut now. I just popped 25 mg.

Will I be ok? Any ladies on it as myself? This is a prelimnary solution until my doc and I venture into HRT territory.

Just a bit of a background - I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety. Hope it helps.

[Gnatty]

Hello Loonrider,

I took Sertraline 25mg for 3 years before I stopped and started with HRT. I found it extremely helpful. But- you need to know at such a low dose it does take a while until you see an improvement. I didn't experience adverse effects but as I say I had to hang on in there a while. I forced myself out for short walks each day, read a couple of really good self help books that helped with my anxiety and really really tried to just focus on the next five minutes, rather than looking forwards or backwards.

Remember that some people take up to 200 mg so it is a very small dose and therefore you are far less likely to notice any negative side effects.

Good luck xx

[CLKD]

I hated beginning new drugs  but was so desperate ......... Friends say that this particular AD is really good with few side effects.  It does take a while for the brain to benefit though so as suggested, get into a routine - me time, don't look 2 far ahead.  I still don't plan unless I really have to.

[loonarider]

Hello Loonrider,

I took Sertraline 25mg for 3 years before I stopped and started with HRT. I found it extremely helpful. But- you need to know at such a low dose it does take a while until you see an improvement. I didn't experience adverse effects but as I say I had to hang on in there a while. I forced myself out for short walks each day, read a couple of really good self help books that helped with my anxiety and really really tried to just focus on the next five minutes, rather than looking forwards or backwards.

Remember that some people take up to 200 mg so it is a very small dose and therefore you are far less likely to notice any negative side effects.

Good luck xx

Hi, thank you so much for your response. It certainly has alleviated my anxiety taking it (kind of defeats the purpose of the pill saying that). And thank you for the tips concerning not looking to far forward or backwards and remaining in the present. Very helpful.

[loonarider]

I hated beginning new drugs  but was so desperate ......... Friends say that this particular AD is really good with few side effects.  It does take a while for the brain to benefit though so as suggested, get into a routine - me time, don't look 2 far ahead.  I still don't plan unless I really have to.

Yes, have been hearing good things, but sounds too good to be true. I guess honestly, I'm more worried coming off it. Is it easy to wean off it is what I want to know? which is what I hope to do at some point.

[CLKD]

If it works don't look that far ahead?  I've been on ADs since 1988.  I never think about stopping it.  I never want to feel as ill or scared as I did in those days.  If it were diabetic or heart treatment ?

The brain needs supporting but mine is up there, out of site out of mind 

[DS68]

I've taken sertraline for many years and I can honestly say it saved me from a really dark place.  Wasn't immediate relief but it did help eventually and I am very grateful it was there when I was most in need.

Many years later I'm.still grateful for that help.

Don't be scared as that will just intensify your anxiety.

We're here if you need an ear (or an eye)

X

[loonarider]

I've taken sertraline for many years and I can honestly say it saved me from a really dark place.  Wasn't immediate relief but it did help eventually and I am very grateful it was there when I was most in need.

Many years later I'm.still grateful for that help.

Don't be scared as that will just intensify your anxiety.

We're here if you need an ear (or an eye)

X

Hey there,

Trying not to panic, but I took half a pill (25mg) at about 3;30 pm today and I'm now in bed unable to sleep, with a racing heart rate and what feels like a panic attack. I don't think I like this and tempted to call the ambulance in case I die 

[loonarider]

Also feeling weird pains come and go around my torso which came on before I went to bed. I'm scared. I hope this wears off fast. My partner asleep beside me.

Do you think it's worth me calling 111?

What if I die in my sleep?

[Shannonplussed]

Breathe.

I too found my anxiety super heightened when I first started taking it. Maybe even had my first panic attack. You will be okay.

What is happening, is that you are now, quickly keeping the seratonin around/maybe making more (which is made in the gut, which is why you may have upset or diarrhea). BUT it takes a few weeks for your brain’s receptors to change to accommodate this higher amount of seratonin. Essentially, it can get worse before it gets better. Maybe not for everyone, but I can attest that I had diarrhea and insomnia and was freaking out to start, and somewhere between 3-4 weeks I noticed a better separation of thought and reaction. Things that would normally get me upset still triggered me, but I had the arm’s length to see that and use my tools to cope, rather than having the upset right on top of me (if that makes sense).

Good for you for taking this step!

As for going off it, I have done that a few times and I have kept returning, sometimes after a short time and sometimes after months. I like myself better on it. I’m a more patient mom, employee, and partner.

Just 3 days ago, I reduced my long-standing dose of 75mg to 50mg and so far so good. I had been feeling agitated, on edge, and moody, which I had chalked up to HRT for a long time. It dawned on me that perhaps I may be able to moderately reduce my dosage if the HRT is appropriate; maybe my on-edge feeling was similar to that initial freaking out feeling. Time will tell. But I will not hesitate to return to the 75mg if it feels right. No sense in being under treated.

Good luck. You got this. BREATHE.

[loonarider]

Hi there, thank you for the informative reply. You're probably not awake, but I had a really bad panic attack. Woke my partner up gasping to breathe, heart rate speeding, thought I was going to die, then I wanted to vomit all at once. Now I'm a sweating and shivering mess and it's nearly 2 am. It literally woke me up.

I rarely have panic attacks this bad. So scary and since I've taken 1 dose, maybe there will be more panic attacks to come and I'm not sure if I can take it.

I called 111, and they want to send an ambulance down

[sed]

 

Hi loonarider, I was where you were and know all what you are explaining.  I am far from better but have learned to deal with the anxiety/panic better.  I was advised to go on the same meds but because I already have all the symptoms that these tablets increase as a side effect just made the choice to go cold turkey as long as I can cope.  I opted for HRT which not sure is helping with my anxiety but giving it a good go at least until the 3 month marker.  After that, if it doesn’t work, I have no idea to be honest!  Doesn’t help we are in the midst of 2020 hell 

I also called 111 and took myself to A&E and now understand that I am not dying.  I opted for CBT which has helped with my intrusive thoughts.  Maybe try that if the meds aren’t helping - just to get your mind in a better place?  It is interesting when you look at another outcome to an intrusive thought.....obviously you must do what works for you.  It’s not an overnight fix, it has taken 10 sessions so far for me to see some sense in the nonsense that is going on in my head which spills out into physical symptoms.

I hope things improve for you soon x

[Uptick]

I've taken sertraline for many years and I can honestly say it saved me from a really dark place.  Wasn't immediate relief but it did help eventually and I am very grateful it was there when I was most in need.

Many years later I'm.still grateful for that help.

Don't be scared as that will just intensify your anxiety.

We're here if you need an ear (or an eye)

X

Hey there,

Trying not to panic, but I took half a pill (25mg) at about 3;30 pm today and I'm now in bed unable to sleep, with a racing heart rate and what feels like a panic attack. I don't think I like this and tempted to call the ambulance in case I die 

Hi loonarider, hope you're feeling better now. Maybe it's all related to anxiety, BUT just a quick reminder, you are not supposed to take half a pill if the tablets are film-coated. The film coating is there for a reason, it allows the drug to be released in small amounts for a long period of time. If you split the pill you might get a lot of side effects from  releasing greater amounts at once and also from reducing drug levels too soon (withdrawal symptoms).

[DS68]

Hi Sed

Feel for you as I used to have the intrusive thoughts. They led to all.sort of coping behaviours for me like OCD or anxiety etc. I had some CBT and actually learning to stop.running from them helped me a lot. Awful at first but the more I managed to allow them to run their crazy course the less frequent they became and tired themselves out 🙂

Love to all

[loonarider]

Hi loonarider, I was where you were and know all what you are explaining.  I am far from better but have learned to deal with the anxiety/panic better.  I was advised to go on the same meds but because I already have all the symptoms that these tablets increase as a side effect just made the choice to go cold turkey as long as I can cope.  I opted for HRT which not sure is helping with my anxiety but giving it a good go at least until the 3 month marker.  After that, if it doesn’t work, I have no idea to be honest!  Doesn’t help we are in the midst of 2020 hell 

I also called 111 and took myself to A&E and now understand that I am not dying.  I opted for CBT which has helped with my intrusive thoughts.  Maybe try that if the meds aren’t helping - just to get your mind in a better place?  It is interesting when you look at another outcome to an intrusive thought.....obviously you must do what works for you.  It’s not an overnight fix, it has taken 10 sessions so far for me to see some sense in the nonsense that is going on in my head which spills out into physical symptoms.

I hope things improve for you soon x

Thank Sed,

I am currently doing the online NHS talking therapy, it's ok. I will stick with it as I'm not sure I can handle trying different meds to find THE ONE. HRT on the otherhand, is something me and my GP are looking at -the sequential combined HRT. So hopefullly, it could help with the anxiety.

As far as early this morning, it was extremely scary. I actually fainted very briefly I think. Here's the interesting bit; when the paramedics arrived and looked at my vitals - the ecg showed some abnormalities, which thye said suggested may be possible angina/heart attack arising - so they zoomed me downthe Bristol Heart Institute - at this point understandably it exacerbated my panic symptoms as now I it felt really real.

Got there, had about 4 nurses dealing with me, one taking blood, the other blood pressure and so on - only to find out that these parademics had read the ecg wrong! So, an unnecessary trip to hopsital where I've put myself at risk of contracting sasrs cov 2. So was a bit miffed by that, then my partner having to pick me up and miss a day off work!

Anyway, long story short. I'm fine, and the nurses felt that it was the pill that triggered heightened anxiety, hence the severe ppanic attacks.

Hope you're ok, and we will get through this  xxx