Feeling worse on Sertraline

[Sandrag44]

I have recently changed to Sertraline after several years of citalopram. The citalopram had me at an OK base level with the odd flare up of my symptoms. This year has been ..tough.. and I'd started pic attacks again (I have bpd , gad and chronic depression) .

Sertaline has helped with the attacks ,but I'm almost constantly anxious now, can't relax, can't sleep, or want to do nothing but sleep , paranoid, with a lovely under feeling of sadness and intrusive thoughts.. to get to the point, into my 5th week on Sertraline and feel worse than I have in years. Is this normal for this med??

[Megapanda]

Hello . Is there a reason why you changed medication ? . For some people sertraline can make anxitey worse . By the 5th week your body should of regulated to the new medication . I really think you should see your doctor and try a new medication.

[Schofip]

Hi I started taking sertraline after feeling depressed. After 5 weeks I was feeling worse so upped the dose and felt worse still. I have now been put on ecitalapran but my body is still in the transfer stage and my head is all over the place. One thing I am sure about is sertraline did nothing for me.

[Monica_02]

Sertraline made my anxiety so much worse for about 8 weeks before it got better. Now I’m going on 3 months and I notice I feel so much better. I still have anxiety but it’s improved tremendously

[Leilanee30]

I’m sorry, that you're feeling worse, I can relate. Sertraline works for my depression but definitely not for my anxiety. What works for my anxiety is Clonazepam.

[designguy]

From my experience and from what I have read is quite common, medication alone will not resolve your anxiety issues. When I did find the right med that worked for me (Pristiq) it helps with my rumination and depression but does little for anxiety. The only med I tried that directly helped lower my anxiety was klonopin but it's a benzo and is not prescribed long term. You need to learn to change your approach to anxiety and how to accept the anxious thinking and feelings. The youtube videos of Dr. Claire Weekes are very helpful as well as the book and program I like, The DARE Anxiety book and program by Barry McDonaugh. Their youtube videos are especially helpful, I really like the ones by Michelle Cavanaugh.

[Hidden]

I was on Citalopram for years myself, it kept me stable for a long time. They recently switched me over to Sertraline because, I can only presume, they thought I would be better off on it.

I'm on week 3 and feel as though death is standing at my shoulder I have gotten so down. I have just switched from 50mg to 100 mg, though, so maybe that didn't help? Either way, Antidepressants making you want to die is NOT something that should ever happen. I guess, though, that I still need to give it time to take full effect?

[mrsm68 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I am wondering how you are feeling now and if you are still taking Sertraline.