Health/Cancer Anxiety Ramped Up, Other Side Effects since I started Sertraline

[notlrac]

I stopped Trintellix after peeing blood twice, in September, and then November. It has an unusual/abnormal bleeding warning, but the #1 fear of peeing blood is cancer, and if you go to the doctor for it, as I did, they give you all sorts of tests, including a bladder scope, looking for cancer. As a 47 year old male, it's not beyond the realm of possibility for me to get it, even though I've never smoked, etc. I have had very intense death and health anxiety for awhile, so that all sent me into overdrive. Anyway, my initial tests were negative, though I have a follow up appointment next week at the urologist.

Meanwhile, after I stopped Trintellix, my depression and fears went through the roof, I had suicidal thoughts, and I was crying all the time. I was off it for a month, actually a little more, and finally my psychiatrist prescribed me Sertraline (Zoloft).

The thought being it would help with my OCD thoughts and fears about cancer, might help my anxiety, and relieve the depression. She said it would take maybe a month to get the full effects, but I started having the following side effects right away.

1. Mild nausea

2. Strange sleep issues, sometimes insomnia and restlessness, sometimes very tired in the middle of the day

3. Sudden weight loss of 10 pounds in 17 days though I am not trying, and not dieting. I think I'm eating normally, which isn't a very healthy diet. This sudden weight loss has triggered my cancer fears into high gear.

4. Anxiety, shaking, can't sit still sometimes. Almost Manic feeling at times.

5. Very, very difficult to orgasm.

6. Cannot cry at all, nor feel sadness, which I actually miss.

So anyway, I started at 50 mg the first 7 days, and have now been on 100 mg the last 10 days. I really hope this weight loss is due to the drug and not cancer. I am so upset right now. I'm thinking about death, but in a different way than I was when I wasn't taking anything. I'm not feeling suicidal. But I am afraid I will die this year. I just feel very strange overall. Not good. I hope this gets better.

[PanicMom5]

I am praying for you as I am on the similar path in search of medicine that actually works. I have no idea why this happens and its all mental. How a mental mind can react with such physical pain is beyond my grasp. We have to stay strong!

[Hidden in reply to PanicMom5]

Also, don’t think of cancer as a death sentence. It can be very treatable. My dad survived it and I know quite a few others who have also and gone on to live a happy, healthy life. That may not help your worries much, I know as I also have health anxiety, and it’s not good at the moment