Dawn

[Dawn]

I have been taking Sertraline for 6 months now.  I was prescribed 50mg to start to help with my panic attacks in relation to a health issue.  The side effects of taking the Sertraline were awful.  So bad i ended up staying with my sister because there were some days i couldn't cook or take care of myself and son.  I felt ok for a small window and then my mood plunged again.  I went back to the GP and my dose was increased to 100mg. 

 

I was expecting to feel bad again for a few weeks, but what i didn't expect was to have this disturbing symptom of repetitive songs/tunes spinning around my head 24/7.  It drove me mad, probably worse than the original issues i started taking it for.  I could not listen to an advert or song or even a ring tune on a phone.  I could only listen to classical or Jazz music that i wasn't familiar with.  Even then sometimes my brain would track down a song that it could play.  It make you feel crazy.  I then went back to the GP who looked at me blankly when i told him what was going on and asked him if it could be OCD?  He said he had never heard of that and gave me another increase of Sertraline.  Then i had another bad couple of weeks adjusting to 150mg and still the songs persisted.  I gradually started to realise that the SSRI is responsible for the songs.  It only started when i upped the dose.  

 

So now i am tapering.  I am in week 3 now and down to 50mg.  I've had good days and bad.  Today and yesterday were bad days.  Reading through other peoples experiences has shown me that its is likely to be the SSRI and the withdrawal is likely to be making it worse, which it is.  So that is a comfort, just hope im not crackers lol

 

Trying to breath deeply, meditate and keep calm, but its sooooooooo hard and scary with my mind doing its own thing while Im trying to work and live.  Cant wait for this to be over.................................

 

This should really be explained to GP's so they can warn people and not make them feel even worse!

[Carmie]

Hi Dawn, 

 

Welcome to SA. Yes, it’s amazing what weird symptoms we can get from these medications. There are quite a few people that get the repetitive songs spinning around in their heads too. The quickest way to find the information on that is to google survivingantidepressants.org and repetitive songs and you’ll find the link to the topic in Symptoms And Self Care. 

 

Could you please fill in a drug signature. Just go to the Read This First forum and to the thread entitled “ Please Put Your Withdrawal History In Your Signature.” Thank you. 

 

It’s recommended never to taper more than 10% a month. 

 

When did you start the Sertraline?

 

When was your dose increased to 100mg? When was it increased to 150mg?

 

You said you’re now at 50mg. How quick did you taper that? 

 

Could you please put all this information in the drug signature. Thanks. 

 

What are your symptoms like now?

 

Please let us know how you’re doing, sending hugs🤗

[herod]

You need to taper slooowly when you reach 25mg. Seek a liquid solution of Sertraline at your pharmacy and reduce your dosage by only 10% at a time, and wait a month to stabilize after each taper. Maybe you can taper faster, just try to avoid withdrawal symptoms as much as possible.

I thought tapering from 25mg to 0mg was just like tapering from 100mg to 75mg, but going from 25mg to 0mg is like jumping off a cliff.