scared to take prescription

[Peanut10]

hi. June last year I was prescribed sertraline for my anxiety however I didn’t want to take it so I continued to cope by myself and I was doing well until November when I had a panic attack while out and since that point they’ve been more frequent. Over the past 2 or so weeks I haven’t been able to leave my house. Even leaving my bedroom is extremely hard and I can’t even sit in the living room for longer than 10 minutes without a panic attack.

mat the moment I’m having several panic attacks each day which makes it feel as though it’s one constant attack.

I’m considering reordering my prescription and starting it now but I’ve seen about anxiety getting worse at first and side effects people get when they start and the idea of things being worse terrify me! I was wondering if anyone could share advice or their own experience when first starting sertraline or any other medication.

I just feel like it’s my only choice now.

Thank you

[Junkjournal1]

Hi I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling awful at this time I totally understand I have been there many times over the years and still not a hundred percent. I have been on and off Sertraline also but mainly on as when I’ve tried to come off it completely the anxiety and panic seems to always return. I managed to cut down from 200mg to 50mg over the past few years but there’s no way I hope that I’m going to that awful place again like you I could not even leave the house I really feel for you. However it’s so hard knowing or judging how you’re going to be feeling tomorrow never mind in a couple of weeks to make that decision. Yes sometimes the feelings you have will get worse before they get better and it can be an emotional rollercoaster. But for me rather than staying in this trapped turmoil for longer than I didn’t know how long I had to go through with taking the medication and riding that rollercoaster to be able to come out the other side and quite a bit better. Patience and time is what you must keep telling yourself. Hope this helps slightly thinking of you.

[Peanut10 in reply to Junkjournal1]

Thank you for your response! If you don’t mind me asking how was you when you first started if you can remember? I just can’t imagine the panic attacks being worse but everyone’s saying it’s worse the first few days/weeks

[Claire_84]

Hi, so sorry that it’s got so bad for you. I’ve been on 50mg Sertraline solidly for over a year now and it has definitely helped with my anxiety, I was living in a what I can only describe as a bubble of anxiety for so long before I started taking it, like you I thought I could handle it on my own. The first 2 and a half weeks of taking it were horrible but the first thing I noticed after taking it a couple of days was that my brain was so much clearer it was like a fog had lifted, I mostly stayed at home and looked after myself and got through it, I never put any pressure on myself to go do things or go out and then half way through the third week, I began to notice that most of the side effects of it were gone including the anxiety and I was sleeping better and stuff. The only thing is, everyone’s experience with it is so different but what I had mostly heard was that after the intial first weeks it does start to get better and that was true for me. If you can just stick with it for the first couple of weeks and take care of yourself etc you should start to see a difference. I hope this helps 🥰

[Peanut10 in reply to Claire_84]

thank you for your response! I managed to take it and I’m on day 5 and feel nowhere near as bad as I expected but I know I’ve got so far to come! Did you start on a lower dose or go straight to 50mg?

[Claire_84 in reply to Peanut10]

I was started on 50mg and haven’t had to go up, there have been a few times over the first few months where I thought I would need to up my dosage but it hasn’t come to that. I find that 50mg seems to keep me even and my mind clear I can think properly for the first time in a long time. Don’t get me wrong I do still have bad days where my anxiety has been quite bad but never as bad as it was and the same with the intrusive thoughts. I’m able to have a bad day or a bad couple of days and it just be that it doesn’t turn into a spiral. I’m glad that you are doing ok with it and have stuck with it, it will continue to get better Look after yourself.

[AnxiousCanadianChic]

I’ve been taking sertraline for years and it never made my anxiety worse BUT I don’t think it makes it any better. I take it as it helps my OCD.

[Peanut10]

I wanted to add a follow up from this post. If you’re like me and scared to take your medication I want you to know everything will be okay. I’m on day 5 and while it’s still early days I’ve overcame my most feared days and it’s only up from here. You see hottie stories of the symptoms and whist they’re different for everyone I can guarantee they’re no where near as bad as you’re expecting!