Feel like I'm dying

[MidnightDream]

I started sertraline (zoloft) 4 days ago... the first 3 days were wonderful. For the first time in my life I actually felt peace, energy, quietness.
Since last night I've been so cold, so so cold, like my bones are cold, shaky, rigid hands, headache, nausea, can't think, can't focus, can't anything. I literally feel like I'm dying, which is so ironic. My suicidal thoughts are back with a vengeance too.
I took my vitals and I'm physically ok, but I don't fucking feel it.
Someone please tell me I'm not dying and this gets better
I feel horrific

 

[Rounded Apathy]

I have no experience with it and am sure someone else will chime in with more and better info, but is this to be expected? I'd talk to the prescriber asap about what you're experiencing. Maybe you need to adjust the dose, switch the med, some other thing. Take care.

 

[Someone123]

I started sertraline (zoloft) 4 days ago... the first 3 days were wonderful. For the first time in my life I actually felt peace, energy, quietness.
Since last night I've been so cold, so so cold, like my bones are cold, shaky, rigid hands, headache, nausea, can't think, can't focus, can't anything. I literally feel like I'm dying, which is so ironic. My suicidal thoughts are back with a vengeance too.
I took my vitals and I'm physically ok, but I don't fucking feel it.
Someone please tell me I'm not dying and this gets better
I feel horrific

In general I am very skeptical of anti-depressants, they often have bad side effects- they tell you the side efefcts are temnporary sometimes and they turn out to be permanent, such as ringing in the ears, which happened to me. The causes of depression are mainly loneliness, financial problems, physicla health probelms, and addictions, and pills don't solve this. Loneliness is the biggest one. Personally I would stop taking it and try to addd friends who care to your life, people who care who live nearby and who you can see in person regularly. IK personally would discontinue this medication, but it's your judgement call.

 

[achromatic]

If you experienced something super positive for the first few days it might have been a placebo effect - ssri don't usually act so fast. I would try to talk to your health provider asap regarding your new symptoms and whether or not they can be a side effect. It could be something completely unrelated or nocebo - do you remember reading about possible side effects before feeling them?

 

[Nirrend]

I started sertraline (zoloft) 4 days ago... the first 3 days were wonderful. For the first time in my life I actually felt peace, energy, quietness.
Since last night I've been so cold, so so cold, like my bones are cold, shaky, rigid hands, headache, nausea, can't think, can't focus, can't anything. I literally feel like I'm dying, which is so ironic. My suicidal thoughts are back with a vengeance too.
I took my vitals and I'm physically ok, but I don't fucking feel it.
Someone please tell me I'm not dying and this gets better
I feel horrific

Hi sweet @MidnightDream

I'm happy to see that during the first days this had good effects on you and that you have the will to live even if your pain was really harsh during the past weeks

I was sure that you would be able to face up to what makes you suffer, you are brave, never despair you will get better, I hope so with all my heart ❤

Concerning the effects of your treatments, I am not a doctor so I could not help you with the side effects, if they are normal or not.

On the other hand, I have already had to take certain molecules, and there was a period when the first few days I felt either nothing or a slight difference and then suddenly my body reacted badly to what I was taking (worrying symptoms, tinnitus, tremors).

Perhaps you have to wait for this molecule to be absorbed sufficiently over time for your body to get used to it and react better to it?

Perhaps it would also be important to talk about what is bothering you with the person who is prescribing all this?

Perhaps it is placebo effect (as mentioned by others) ?

Good luck, the sky is getting clearer!

Love ❤

 

[SarRy]

Contact your medical provider as soon as you can. Not all medications work for everyone. Anti depressants don't treat all conditions either.

From what you've said, you felt better initially. It is usually figured that it can take about a month to know if a medication works. Maybe your improved mood had to do with the feeling of getting care? Best guess from someone who is not a professional is that either the medicine isn't doing what it should or your body is rapidly trying to adjust. It sounds like you're having extreme reactions. Still, I'm not qualified to give advice about medicine and I won't. Talk to your doctor.

As per your request, you are going to be alright. Hold fast. Recovery is a long road. Remember how good you felt? Yeah, that goes to show that the negative is a mental state. Remind yourself that perception isn't fact. Do what you can to minimise any self-destructive tendencies. Physically distance yourself from things that could harm you. You're not alone. People have been through negative reactions to medication. You could probably toss a coin and hit twelve people who have either reacted poorly to a new medicine or had horrible experiences coming off of one. You can do this. You made it to the point of getting help. Now you just have to keep pressing on. Part of that is figuring out how to weather the storms and wait for things to get better. It's hard to be patient when you're a patient. Just try your best and know that better things are possible for you. You've seen the rays of sunshine poking through the clouds. Remember that and do what you can until the skies clear again.

I hope this helped. I hope you find peace.

 

[onlyanimalsaregood]

Contact your medical provider as soon as you can. Not all medications work for everyone. Anti depressants don't treat all conditions either.

From what you've said, you felt better initially. It is usually figured that it can take about a month to know if a medication works. Maybe your improved mood had to do with the feeling of getting care? Best guess from someone who is not a professional is that either the medicine isn't doing what it should or your body is rapidly trying to adjust. It sounds like you're having extreme reactions. Still, I'm not qualified to give advice about medicine and I won't. Talk to your doctor.

As per your request, you are going to be alright. Hold fast. Recovery is a long road. Remember how good you felt? Yeah, that goes to show that the negative is a mental state. Remind yourself that perception isn't fact. Do what you can to minimise any self-destructive tendencies. Physically distance yourself from things that could harm you. You're not alone. People have been through negative reactions to medication. You could probably toss a coin and hit twelve people who have either reacted poorly to a new medicine or had horrible experiences coming off of one. You can do this. You made it to the point of getting help. Now you just have to keep pressing on. Part of that is figuring out how to weather the storms and wait for things to get better. It's hard to be patient when you're a patient. Just try your best and know that better things are possible for you. You've seen the rays of sunshine poking through the clouds. Remember that and do what you can until the skies clear again.

I hope this helped. I hope you find peace.

I think that you already have great advices. Bear in mind that medications works differently with each person and having side affects are normal. Also, do not stop taking sertraline right away, it's necessary to do the withdrawal - very important. And finally, you should contact your doctor. I hope things get better and sertraline starts to help you in the long run :)

 

[Maudlin]

In my opinion you should get off that SSRI as soon as you can.

A psychiatry researcher who taught his students depression was caused by a 'chemical imbalance' in the brain says everything he thought he knew about SSRIs is wrong

Mark Horowitz, who's taken selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for nearly 20 years, believes "the public has been misled" about the drugs.

www.insider.com

Analysis: Depression is probably not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain – new study

Writing in The Conversation, Professor Joanna Moncrieff and Dr Mark Horowitz (both UCL Psychiatry) report on their new research showing no clear evidence that serotonin levels or serotonin activity are responsible for depression.

www.ucl.ac.uk

The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence - PubMed

The serotonin hypothesis of depression is still influential. We aimed to synthesise and evaluate evidence on whether depression is associated with lowered serotonin concentration or activity in a systematic umbrella review of the principal relevant areas of research. PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How can they treat an "imbalance" without testing the levels of neurotransmitters to begin with?
To my knowledge, "normal" levels have never been conclusively established, in the first place.
I have never found a published, peer reviewed whitepaper that proves it.

Talking therapies are fine, if that's your thing... but allowing these quacks to play with your brain chemistry is worse than playing with a loaded gun. At least with the gun, you know which general direction the bullet is going to go.

These drugs are dangerous. Most "mental health professionals" are little more than Big Pharma shills... snake-oil salesmen.

If you really want to pay to talk to someone, by all means do so... but don't take their happy pills.

For what it's worth, that's my opinion.

Good luck to you-

 

[MidnightDream]

Hey all, thanks for your comments :) so turns out the pills had worked, but had shot my serotonin levels up something crazy so I was on a high. I should have recognised something was up when I couldn't stop twitching and felt invincible, but reality is odd like that - and then I obviously crashed down hard, hence this post. Things have levelled out a bit since, and I'm back on planet earth (I think). Thanks for all the support and the comments, I appreciate you all.

As for this....

In my opinion you should get off that SSRI as soon as you can.

A psychiatry researcher who taught his students depression was caused by a 'chemical imbalance' in the brain says everything he thought he knew about SSRIs is wrong

Mark Horowitz, who's taken selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for nearly 20 years, believes "the public has been misled" about the drugs.

www.insider.com

Analysis: Depression is probably not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain – new study

Writing in The Conversation, Professor Joanna Moncrieff and Dr Mark Horowitz (both UCL Psychiatry) report on their new research showing no clear evidence that serotonin levels or serotonin activity are responsible for depression.

www.ucl.ac.uk

The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence - PubMed

The serotonin hypothesis of depression is still influential. We aimed to synthesise and evaluate evidence on whether depression is associated with lowered serotonin concentration or activity in a systematic umbrella review of the principal relevant areas of research. PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How can they treat an "imbalance" without testing the levels of neurotransmitters to begin with?
To my knowledge, "normal" levels have never been conclusively established, in the first place.
I have never found a published, peer reviewed whitepaper that proves it.

Talking therapies are fine, if that's your thing... but allowing these quacks to play with your brain chemistry is worse than playing with a loaded gun. At least with the gun, you know which general direction the bullet is going to go.

These drugs are dangerous. Most "mental health professionals" are little more than Big Pharma shills... snake-oil salesmen.

If you really want to pay to talk to someone, by all means do so... but don't take their happy pills.

For what it's worth, that's my opinion.

Good luck to you-

I just wanted to address this and say that this is the exact reason why I didn't want to be on meds. I avoided them for 10 years, I was always terrified of them, but at this point in my life I had to recognise that it was either this or the pysch ward, at least with pills I can maintain my career and my freedom. I really appreciate you taking the time to warn me though.

 

[Maudlin]

Hey all, thanks for your comments :) so turns out the pills had worked, but had shot my serotonin levels up something crazy so I was on a high. I should have recognised something was up when I couldn't stop twitching and felt invincible, but reality is odd like that - and then I obviously crashed down hard, hence this post. Things have levelled out a bit since, and I'm back on planet earth (I think). Thanks for all the support and the comments, I appreciate you all.

As for this....

I just wanted to address this and say that this is the exact reason why I didn't want to be on meds. I avoided them for 10 years, I was always terrified of them, but at this point in my life I had to recognise that it was either this or the pysch ward, at least with pills I can maintain my career and my freedom. I really appreciate you taking the time to warn me though.

I wish you the best.

 

[MidnightDream]

I wish you the best.

Same to you

 

[LittleJem]

@MidnightDream I recommend the Facebook groups e.g. there is one on Sertraline, as people support each other through start up side effects on them.

I was terrified of meds but they have worked better for me than psychedelics. Erm which isn't that much! I think Fluoextine has taken away my loud suicidal thoughts and all day crying, but I am still in bed with low motivation and wanting CTB. But I know others are luckier and I do think meds are worth trying. When my next psychiatrist puts me on Seroquel I may have other thoughts on this topic ;)

 

[MidnightDream]

@MidnightDream I recommend the Facebook groups e.g. there is one on Sertraline, as people support each other through start up side effects on them.

I was terrified of meds but they have worked better for me than psychedelics. Erm which isn't that much! I think Fluoextine has taken away my loud suicidal thoughts and all day crying, but I am still in bed with low motivation and wanting CTB. But I know others are luckier and I do think meds are worth trying. When my next psychiatrist puts me on Seroquel I may have other thoughts on this topic ;)

That's a good idea actually, didn't think of that. So far they've helped a little bit, at least enough to get me out of bed in the morning, it's annoying we can't just try them all and choose without enduring awful side effects lmao

 

[Ceterum]

If you experienced something super positive for the first few days it might have been a placebo effect - ssri don't usually act so fast. I would try to talk to your health provider asap regarding your new symptoms and whether or not they can be a side effect. It could be something completely unrelated or nocebo - do you remember reading about possible side effects before feeling them?

That. Generally speaking it is assumed that "energy" comes before "emotion" ... i.e. you might have more energy (even for ctb) and mood will only stabilise after 2-6 weeks.