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Meds-is This Normal?

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Hush92

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Ok so this is what happened to me the last time I tried medication as well. Even after the FIRST pill I begin to experience negative side effects. Zoloft I definitely haven't felt anything as extreme as I got with Lexapro so I do think it's a better fit for me.

Like when I first took it yesterday nothing happened at first but then later in the day I became HIGHLY anxious and VERY jittery. I had an anxiety attack after talking to my professor. My hands were shaking so bad it made doing my work hard and I was trying to do deep breaths and whatnot. The jittery part was unpleasant and felt like I had drinken 3 energy drinks. I experienced the same things when I was on Lexapro only it was more extreme. It makes me feel like I'm standing right on the edge of a panic attack for no reason and that really bothers me.

Last night I took the Atavan as well because I've been having flashbacks at night lately and wanted to avoid that. I was surprised that it seemed to barely do anything aside from make me slightly drowsy. I am starting out on a very low dose though, under the recommended. Anyways I guess it worked because that was my first night without flashbacks in 4 days now, and I even fell asleep and I think stayed asleep the entire night. (I have had huge trouble both falling and staying asleep lately) It didn't feel like a weird drug induced sleep either, just normal, so that's good. BUT the issue is that now that I'm awake I'm suddenly waking up with that anxiety!! Not the normal kind I experience but like the kind I experienced last year when it was at its most intense. The kind of anxiety where it seems like I'm on the verge of a panic attack and would have a heart attack if someone surprised me. I hate it. Is any of this normal? Should I quit with the SSRI stuff?
 
I would contact your doctor and let them know about this. It doesn't sound like a good fit to me. Having side effects like that defeat the whole purpose of taking the med.
 
Are you taking other SSRIs also? Not sure if it's leaning anywhere towards a serotonin syndrome-like situation. But I can't take SSRIs. They don't help me. I have tried SNRIs and they relaxed me some, mood-wise, but also kept me wide awake at night. For me it seems to be the serotonin I just can't deal with. I wait out a few weeks if I can, or a couple months if it's not too bad, but the side effects didn't go away and ultimately weren't worth it (ended up hospitalized not long after switching to a different SNRI). We're all so individual. You need to talk to your prescribing doctor about this.
 
Are you taking other SSRIs also? Not sure if it's leaning anywhere towards a serotonin syndrome-like situa...
So did you drop medication altogether? Now that I'm observing it I think the jitteriness and anxiety kicks in once the med wears off. Because yesterday I didn't get it until like 6 hours after I'd taken it, and the benzo I didn't feel the jitters until the next morning.
 
Are you taking other SSRIs also? Not sure if it's leaning anywhere towards a serotonin syndrome-like situa...
Oh also I missed the med question sorry, I am not currently on any other SSRI's. Just Zoloft, and the Atavan which is a benzo (and I don't plan on taking that daily)
 
Everyone is different. But I had extremely bad reactions to Lexapro and Zoloft. I felt like a different person in not a good way. Took my anxiety to a whole new level. I will never take again. Couldn't calm down. Although first week I did like how Lexapro quieted my mine. I've tried other SSRI - I just can't take them. They make me worse.

As others have suggested contact your doc. I ended up emailing mine to tell her changes. Told to start reducing.
 
Everyone is different. But I had extremely bad reactions to Lexapro and Zoloft. I felt like a different p...
I took another pill today and so far haven't experienced anything. I'm going to take it for a week and if it really sucks I'll talk to my therapist about it next session.
 
Serotonin syndrome? Possibly? I am taking 60mg Cymbalta in the morning and 50mg of trazodone before bed because I was unable to sleep after a month on the Cymbalta. My insomnia has persisted and I am feeling even more wired in the afternoons without any caffeine after 9am. Is anyone familiar with these drug doses and the possibility I'm experiencing too much serotonin? I'm waiting on my doctor's reply for a solution. Thanks.
 
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