Momoffour: Struggling Post-Sertraline CT

[Altostrata]

Are you smoking more now? It looks like you're smoking a lot. Is it upsetting your stomach?

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata No, it doesn't. And I'm smoking the same amount I usually do. Should I try to stick out the 2 mg and see what happens?

No sure why my sleep is getting worse. 

[Momoffour]

2:15 am attempting to sleep again

Woke up off and on.

5:45 woke up and got up. Still sleepy feeling. 

Brain damaged feeling and weird vision. 

Little bit of anxiety and shaky 

Ear crackled for a minute 

 

6:00 am eat breakfast

 

6:10am take birth control

Cold with chills hands ice cold yawning 

 

6:30am feeling off/weird don't feel well again stood up and eyes blacked out. Heart Palps

Still cold. Collarbone/chest pressure 

 

7:00 am. Feel  weird a bit shaky still don't feel well though heart still beating weird 

 

7:30am tried to go no bowel movement severely constipated. Going to try milk of magnesia later 

 

8:00 am still feeling weird off and unwell. 🥺

But a bit better than i was. 

 

8:30am chills and cold still a bit weird. Collar bone/chest pressure shaky and heart is still weird brain damaged like my brain will shut down. Head just doesn't feel right at all. 

Going to try milk of magnesia. Scared wish me luck. Trying half of what is recommended. 

 

9:00 am laying on my couch covered up. Praying I feel normal again eventually. Trying to be positive even though I feel hopeless. 

Head still feels weird almost like I'm dying and heart beat is still weird chest and collar bone pressure still there 

 

10:00am started to feel somewhat better did dishes. Anxiety 7/10

10:10 ate some bran flakes with oat milk and scoop of probiotic powder for "lunch" 

Anxiety, chest/collarbone pressure heart Palps 

 

10:30am back to feeling brain damaged, some anxiety, tinnitus for 1 minute shaky still can't go to the bathroom 🤦🏻‍♀️

 

10:50 2 mg sertraline  stomach pain and gurgling probably from being constipated. Still shaky and cold collar bone pressure. 

 

11:00 general brain damaged unwell feeling. 

Stomach still gurgling off and on. 

 

11:30 still the same as above. Just wanting to cry. Feel like I'll never be normal again. Anxiety. Still shaky. 

 

12:00pm bit of head anxiety feeling unwell brain damaged feeling. Wanting to give up feel restless in my arms 😭

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata1:00pm still restless arms every time I think it's gonna go it stays. Feeling brain damaged and scared. I just want my life back. 

Trying to hang in there. Feel like getting worse and worse. Don't know how much more I can take. 

 

[Momoffour]

1:30 my mom is talking about leaving saying she can't help me anymore. That reinstatement may have made me worse. 😭 My head feels so messed up and off still. 

[Momoffour]

2:05pm brain anxiety overstimulated feeling like I'm gonna lose it and still feel off ears also feel weird anxiety just want this to stop. Light and noise sensitivity 

 

2:20pm same as above and back of head burns a bit. Crying. Cold. I use to feel better after taking the sertraline now i dont know. 

 

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata I've felt pretty awful today. Please tell me I'm not kindling. 😭

[Momoffour]

3:00pm collar bone pressure. Still overwhelmed overstimulated brain feeling. 

 

[Altostrata]

How did your symptoms change after you took 2mg sertraline today?

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata if you look at my notes they are about the same. Today has just been awful all around 

[Momoffour]

Today is also only my 3rd day of taking 2 mg. 

[Altostrata]

They were at the same level of awfulness before and after you took 2mg sertraline?

 

How have they changed compared to when you were taking 1mg sertraline?

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata not really. My sleep has been getting a bit worse and now constipation Sunday was also awful but Monday was okay yesterday wasn't good and today is just awful too. 

[Momoffour]

It's so hard to tell what's what 

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata today I've had bad overstimulated head feeling since after taking it. It's like anxiety in my brain. 

I've had a brain damaged feeling since shortly after breakfast I just haven't felt right at all today. I usually feel better after taking it but not yesterday or today. The first day was great. 

Crying off and on today feeling hopeless 

[Momoffour]

Sunday on 1 mg was same thing brain overstimulated anxiety feeling all day

[Altostrata]

Are you taking sertraline every day at about 11 a.m.? It's very important that you take the same amount at the same times each day.

 

This is the third day you've taken 2mg. The drug increase is starting to take effect. Please hold on and see what it does tomorrow.

[Momoffour]

@Altostratayes ma'am I take it at the same time every day. Okay I will hang on and see. Thank you for your time as always. Just get scared and worried on the days I have no windows. 

[Momoffour]

@Altostratais it normal to have an overstimulated brain and it actually feels damaged. I’ve had no windows, I’m having vision problems and sensitivity to light,. I’m terrified and cry a lot. Thank you very much for your help.

[Altostrata]

You have a pretty bad case of withdrawal syndrome. We see people recover from this. Hang on and be patient.

[Momoffour]

@Altostrataokay I just wanted to make sure this is normal after reinstatement too. I appreciate all the help ❤️ thank you for trying to save me. 

[Momoffour]

4:00 pm. Still overwhelmed brain feeling. Cold. And collar bone pressure bit of a headache 

 

4:30 drinking apple juice to hopefully help with constipation. Still have the overwhelmed brain feeling. 

 

5:30pm still same as above plus my back or chest hurts and I can't tell which one. Kind of shaky feel weak. Probably need to eat dinner.

 

6:00pm ate dinner rotisserie chicken. 

Finally had a bowel movement. 

Same head feeling and back hurts slight headache.

 

6:30pm gonna take a shower. Collar bone pressure head feeling still there. 

 

7:00pm had visual floater (saw stars) in the shower. Head feeling still there 🥺 usually have relief by night but I guess not tonight for the first time. 

 

8:00pm head feeling still there praying I can just sleep. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🤞🏻

Laying down gonna try to sleep 

 

Today has been awful. Hope the rest of tonight and tomorrow is better. 

[ChessieCat]

When posting symptom notes, please post a full 24 hour period at a time.  Thank you.

[Altostrata]

Thanks, Chessie. Having the 24 hours all in one post helps us follow your symptom pattern.

 

Do you tend not to drink enough liquids? If so, suggest you take care to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

[Momoffour]

Went to sleep around 8:30pm

 Woke up a lot falling back asleep every time cant remember exact times. Middle of the night heart racing some anxiety around 4:00 am

5:20am up and awake. Head feeling overstimulated is already back and brain damage feeling shaky . 🥺 

 

5:30am laying down on couch heart beating fast.. overstimulated brain feeling felt like it was going away but came back strong. 

 

5:50am. Eat breakfast plain Cheerios with oat milk. Feel cold and brain damaged, overstimulated head feeling. 

 

6:05am take birth control. all the same feelings as above. Freezing cold. 

6:15 smoke a cigarette 

 

6:20am bowel movement 

feel slightly better from the head feelings. Still light sensitivity ears sensitive, shaky, and tired 

6:40am laying in my bed. Tired, feel shaky inside and weak. Noise sensitive like even quiet hurts brain damage feeling 

 

7:30am brain damaged feeling. Feeling unwell. Wondering if I've messed myself up more with reinstatement. 🥺

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata I drink water a lot and I do feel more messed up since reinstating in ways or even more so all day now since updosing

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata I'm trying to do it in a 24 hour period. I'm sorry I'll try harder. I seriously just want to feel better I know all I can do is wait . 🥺

[Momoffour]

7:45am shaky, weak, feel unwell. Brain damaged feeling like I'm just gone. Scared. And crying.

 

8:20am trying not to dwell on it.. hard with your brain feeling so much. Feel like all I can do is lay down now. Anxiety, brain dead feeling, crying

 

8:51am. Finally a little relief from the head sensations don't feel right still though.  Still have weird vision, feel sleepy. Started a load of laundry and got up though drank some water. Hoping today keeps getting better. 

 

9:30am ate a snack. Some anxiety. Head feelings still just not super bad. Some collar bone pressure. 

 

10:00am starving so I ate lunch early. Same as above and anxiety. 

 

10:30am still the same. Headache coming and going. Drinking more water 

 

11:00am 2 mg sertraline shaky plus stomach ache and same as above 

 

11:45am anxiety still there brain damage feeling still there. Light sensitivity

 

12:00 feeling really close to being myself with anxiety. Bit of brain damaged feeling and cold light sensitivity

 

1:00 bowel movement still some anxiety brain damaged feeling light sensitivity

 

1:15pm Insanely sleepy some brain damaged feeling. light sensitivity

 

1:50pm ate a snack drank some water little bit of brain overstimulated is back  like 1/10 and brain damaged feeling. Cold light sensitivity

 

2:30pm overstimulated brain feeling. Brain damaged feeling. 

Cold. Light sensitivity slight headache 

 

2:50pm feels like head stuff is calming down. Bit of a headache light sensitivity. 

 

4:00pm brain overstimulated feeling. Want to cry because it was so good for a while. I have improved in some sort of way even if I feel bad but can't explain how 

Light sensitivity collarbone pressure a bit 

 

4:45pm feeling a bit better again. Just a little brain  damaged feeling  and light sensitivity

eating dinner. Sloppy joe and some Mac and cheese. Didn't get to to choose but gotta eat 

 

5:00pm drank some water smoke a cigarette. 

Still the same as above 

 

6:00pm got some laundry done. Overstimulated brain anxiety feeling  🥺 light sensitivity, shaky 

felt like I was gonna pass out for a minute when I got up to use the bathroom body got warm room went dim and I felt light similar to anxiety feeling. Which is new didn't stay long thank God but now I have anxiety in my stomach. And head anxiety is worse 😭 

Collar bone pressure. 

 

7:00pm brain damaged feeling light sensitivity which may be causing the "weird vision" at times 

Ear pressure? (feels like something is in my ear)

Gonna drink some more water and lay on the couch  feeling drained from today. 

 

8:30pm feeling somewhat better probably going to lay down and try to sleep. Collarbone pressure brain damaged feeling 2/10 right now 

 

Today was so so. I still have some faith. 

[Momoffour]

@Altostrata yesterday after taking my dose I felt a lot better. Today I feel like I'm fading in and out on top of my other symptoms and I'm super scared. Is this normal? Will I be okay? I'll keep holding if so. I'm just really scared with the new symptom today. 

[Momoffour]

I ate some peanut butter and that calmed down. But still feel so awful today. Just a bad wave. 

[Momoffour]

I feel like the anxiety and brain anxiety are improving but other stuff makes me feel like I'm getting worse. 

[Upnorth]

Your symptoms sound so much like mine. 

I reinstated and did 10 days at 1mg and currently 9 days at 2mg . I feel worse as well. More agitation and anxiety. Lots of dark thoughts and wondering if I made a mistake.  Brain feels damaged like you say and many of your other symptoms.  My sleep has also gotten worse. 

Unsure of what to do. .

[Momoffour]

@Upnorth from what I understand feeling worse is a bit normal. I sent you a message and you can message me any time. Unfortunately we're probably gonna have to be uncomfortable as alto has us updose til we find the "sweet spot" which is the dose we start feeling better on and not worse. Alto has a lot of experience and I don't believe she'd hurt us. But I am here for you! Message me back and we'll get through this together! 

 

Also I think I just panic because of feeling worse and then Altos reassurance let's me know I WILL be okay. 

[Momoffour]

Went to sleep around 8:45. Dog woke me up at 10:00 went back to sleep waking up at midnight and 2 am 3 am 4:30 am. Up at 5:30 am ready for ground hog day I guess. 

 

5:45 brain damaged feeling, a bit shaky, light sensitivity (makes me feel like I'm going blind weird vision) brain pops here and there. 

 

6:00am eat Cheerios and oat milk 

6:10am take birth control all the same symptoms as above.

Went pee. Pins and needles feeling in legs and feet for a minute 

 

6:30am collar bone pressure, anxiety, shaky, light sensitivity, weird vision, arms feel weak brain damage feeling. 

 

7:00am still feel shaky, weak arms, collar bone pressure, vision is a bit clearer but still weird somehow. Feel sleepy. Random other symptoms pop in and out 

 

8:00am. Fell asleep off and on so I got up. Vision weird again. Yawning. Collar bone pressure. Pressure in upper arms. Cold. Brain damage feeling ,shaky 

Other random symptoms that come and go 

 

9:00am bowel movement barely

Drank a lala probiotic smoothie and glass of water. Still feel brain damaged, light sensitivity (weird vision or whatever it is), cold. Head tremor a bit. Rib pain 2/10. Internal shaky. Heart beating a little weird  Feel better in a way today but still like crap if that makes sense. Crying. More physical symptoms popping in and out today. Wondering if I have improved at all 🥺

 

10:00am eating some lunch Anxiety in arms, weird vision, just don't feel well, collar bone pressure Crying wanting to give up. 

 

10:30am collar bone pressure, brain damage feeling, still don't feel well noise sensitivity maybe? Shaky, weak. Head hurts a bit 2/10

 

11:00am 2 mg sertraline 

Brain damage feeling, overwhelmed brain, still not feeling well, light sensitivity (weird vision), crying. Leg/back of thigh pain 2/10 passed quick hard to tell what I'm even feeling anymore. Hopeless 

Gonna just lay in bed.  

 

12:00pm don't feel right at all maybe my blood pressure?. Scared I'm kindling?  Want to feel better. Leg pain for a minute feel like I'm fading in and out, brain damage feeling, scared. Weak and shaky. Collar bone pressure. Weird vision. 

 

1:00pm ate a snack. Still feel weak. Collar bone pressure 10/10 brain damage feeling,  Weird vision. Crying. Back of head headache rib pain in and out  scalp burning for a few minutes.  Laying on my couch begging God. 

 

1:30pm my mom rubbed my shoulder blade so now the pressure is more in my arm and shoulder than my collar bone. Brain damage feeling, weird vision, don't feel well

 

3:00pm seemed to calm down some still don't feel well. Weird vision, collar bone pressure varying in intensity slight brain anxiety.. 

Saw stars for a minute. 

 

3:40 vision seems a little clearer but still sensitive, collar bone pressure, feel weak 

 

4:30pm anxiety for a bit, brain anxiety,   weird vision, leg falling asleep tingly feeling, eating dinner early so I can just lay down. Chicken fettuccine Alfredo and veggies  praying I can find my dose sweet spot eventually. Hanging in there. 

 

5:00pm feeling a bit better with a slight headache and weird vision. Some collarbone pressure. Walked upstairs so now increased heart rate. 

 

5:40pm anxiety came back, brain anxiety, collar bone pressure weird vision. Crying.

 

6:00pm collar bone pressure, random pain in back. 

 

7:00pm feel drained, collar bone pressure weird vision,  drank a ton of water 

 

8:00pm head hurts a bit mostly weird vision right now. Feel tired Thinking about going to bed soon. 

Today has been rough! But there's always tomorrow and the next day, and eventually better days every day...

 

8:30pm gonna lay down and try to sleep! Had to walk upstairs so heart is racing a bit. Weird vision. 

[Altostrata]

I know you are still not feeling well, but I am seeing signs of benefit from 2mg sertraline at 11 a.m. These occur in the afternoon, which makes sense because it takes some hours for one dose to reach full effect. 

 

Since you've been taking 2mg for 5 days, the increase is at full effect. It appears you might do with a bit more. How about increasing to 2.5mg?

[Momoffour]

Finally fell asleep I think around 8:45-9 woke up at 11:00 because my daughter woke me up went pee eventually fell back asleep  woke up again at 2:00 went back to sleep woke up at 3:30 back to sleep awake at 4:30 back to sleep awake at 5:00 back to sleep and up at 5:50 

 

6:00am shaky, collar bone pressure, weird vision, brain popping here and there random pains here and there eating breakfast Cheerios and oat milk 

6:10am take birth control still shaky, fast heart beat weird vision smoke a cig 

Going to lay on the couch don't feel well still shaky. 

 

6:50am bowel movement 

Feel a bit shaky still, weird vision, fast heart rate off and on. 

 

7:30am still shaky going between internal and external a bit, tired, don't feel well. But better at the same time. It's weird. 

 

8:30am anxiety, some weird vision, 

 

9:02am just feeling weird/off, weird vision a bit, collar bone pressure 2/10, 

 

9:30am bit of brain anxiety, feeling hot in random spots but cold hands. Anxiety in stomach. Crying. Felt nauseous for about 5 mins 

 

10:00am tinnitus off and on. Eat lunch 1/2 a pb&j sandwich and some water just feeling off/unwell 

 

10:20am heart beating hard and fast don't feel right but it's hard to explain like I'm dying my chest feels like it's caving in maybe from the collar bone pressure. Muscle twitch in right arm a few times. Still feel off and unwell. Scared and crying. Gonna lay down and ride it out. 

 

11:00am 2 mg sertraline felt almost instantly better. Still feel brain damaged or off, cold, collarbone chest pressure 4/10 brain popping noise here and there left temple 

 

11:15am restless arms and legs collar bone pressure. Random jerks in back Crying. Just wanting some relief. 

 

11:30am somewhat better but not much. Some anxiety, brain damaged feeling, cold, 

Anxiety in arms