u/rosefire257

I started Zoloft recently, 25mg. Nausea hits me like a truck after about four hours of taking my daily dose, but usually subsides after around an hour, maybe less if I’m busy and distracted (like at work, or out with friends). Mentally, the best way I can describe it is my thoughts are written in sand, and waves come and wipe the slate clean periodically. Whereas before, I could go days “scribbling” on the sand with no wave to bring calm. Does that make sense lol?

However, I cannot sleep. Pretty much at all. I’m getting about 3-4 hours of true sleep, and maybe an hour of half sleep. Yet somehow, I feel like the fucking Energizer Bunny during the day.

*edit for context*
I was diagnosed with panic disorder about 15 years ago, and I have a drug history of Prozac, which helped as a kid, but not so much as an adult, which is why I was switched over to Zoloft.

How long can my body keep doing this? Am I inherently causing more harm than good? Do I let myself regulate to the serotonin boost or talk to doc?

I could use the search bar for a question that has probably been asked 100 times, but I would like to talk to people who are currently advised on my situation.

I’ve been having panic attacks for 15 years, on Prozac 20mg on and off as a young teen. Felt mostly recovered from 15-20, so stopped taking them, and had no dip in quality of life. Since I was 20, I’ve been steadily getting worse. For about the last year ish, it’s omnipresent. I tried Prozac again in February, but I didn’t like the side effects I was having being grown vs being a child, so I stopped after about a month. I feel okay on the day to day (my friends and bf think the anxiety isn’t healthy to subject myself to, but for what I’ve dealt with before, I find it manageable) so I felt it not worth the side effects. Manageable for me means agoraphobia, germophobia, and a persistent obsession about random violence, which my non-OCD friends find amusing, and quirky, even though it genuinely ruins me. Someone walked by me with a tray of raw chicken juice after prepping chicken parm (I work in a restaurant), and I felt a wet spot on my chest that no one else could feel. All afternoon, it bothered me.

TMI, but I’m having digestive issues that have symptoms consistent with colon cancer, these symptoms have a plethora of benign causes. I went into the doctors office Tuesday feeling like I would drop dead any second. My doc was less than concerned, after questions, a physical exam, and bloodwork. She sent me home with a Sertraline 25mg prescription.

I liked Prozac as a kid, but not as an adult. I’m wondering if anyone has some true insight on Zoloft, that can relate to my long winded story. Has anyone experienced something similar? Were the side effects worth it? What are the side effects you have noticed? Even anyone who has taken it for other reasons, if you have advice, that’d be great!!

TLDR: a story about my history of anxiety, and advice for those who have used sertraline for similar problems.

I could use the search bar for a question that has probably been asked 100 times, but I would like to talk to people who are currently advised on my situation.

I’ve been having panic attacks for 15 years, on Prozac 20mg on and off as a young teen. Felt mostly recovered from 15-20, so stopped taking them, and had no dip in quality of life. Since I was 20, I’ve been steadily getting worse. For about the last year ish, it’s omnipresent. I tried Prozac again in February, but I didn’t like the side effects I was having being grown vs being a child, so I stopped after about a month. I feel okay on the day to day (my friends and bf think the anxiety isn’t healthy to subject myself to, but for what I’ve dealt with before, I find it manageable) so I felt it not worth the side effects.

TMI, but I’m having digestive issues that have symptoms consistent with colon cancer, these symptoms have a plethora of benign causes. I went into the doctors office Tuesday feeling like I would drop dead any second. My doc was less than concerned, after questions, a physical exam, and bloodwork. She sent me home with a Sertraline 25mg prescription.

I liked Prozac as a kid, but not as an adult. I’m wondering if anyone has some true insight on Zoloft, that can relate to my long winded story. Has anyone experienced something similar? Were the side effects worth it? What are the side effects you have noticed? Even anyone who has taken it for other reasons, if you have advice, that’d be great!!

TLDR: a story about my history of anxiety, and advice for those who have used sertraline for similar problems.

I could use the search bar for a question that has probably been asked 100 times, but I would like to talk to people who are currently advised on my situation.

I’ve been having panic attacks for 15 years, on Prozac 20mg on and off as a young teen. Felt mostly recovered from 15-20, so stopped taking them, and had no dip in quality of life. Since I was 20, I’ve been steadily getting worse. For about the last year ish, it’s omnipresent. I tried Prozac again in February, but I didn’t like the side effects I was having being grown vs being a child, so I stopped after about a month. I feel okay on the day to day (my friends and bf think the anxiety isn’t healthy to subject myself to, but for what I’ve dealt with before, I find it manageable) so I felt it not worth the side effects.

TMI, but I’m having digestive issues that have symptoms consistent with colon cancer, these symptoms have a plethora of benign causes. I went into the doctors office Tuesday feeling like I would drop dead any second. My doc was less than concerned, after questions, a physical exam, and bloodwork. She sent me home with a Sertraline 25mg prescription.

I liked Prozac as a kid, but not as an adult. I’m wondering if anyone has some true insight on Zoloft, that can relate to my long winded story. Has anyone experienced something similar? Were the side effects worth it? What are the side effects you have noticed? Even anyone who has taken it for other reasons, if you have advice, that’d be great!!

TLDR: a story about my history of anxiety, and advice for those who have used sertraline for similar problems.

I went to the doctor today with symptoms I was sure to be fatal, I was sent home with a mild localized prescription, and a sertraline prescription. My doctor said to me “I’m less concerned about this *referencing my problem area* and more concerned about your mental health*. I’m fighting medication so hard, but it’s time. I’ve fought the good fight, I’ve been sick since I was 10 (I’m 23) (referring to myself as sick is weird, as I still downplay my anxiety) but I think it’s time for medication

Im still sad

I’m Canadian, I feel so detached from American culture. I find our culture is so much different.

When I go to the states (which isn’t much anymore, considering the geopolitical tension), I feel so out of place. No one knows where my province is, no one knows anything about us. However, I just spent two weeks in Europe, and you seem to think our cultures (Canadian and American) are the same. People were confused because I have an “American” accent, yet I use European spelling and grammar rules for everything. The Aussies felt the most similar to us, all things considered (which makes sense from a historical standpoint). From a British standpoint, do you find we’re more similar, or we (Canadians) are more American? This is a genuine question

We have two 9mo cats, both female, and they get along swimmingly, and are, for the most part, a breeze. However, for the last month or so, one of them has started scratching incessantly at the bedroom door at around 4:30-5:30 AM.

My partner gets up around 6:45 to feed them before work, so we thought it may be just a timing thing, she’s hungry earlier for whatever reason, so we started feeding them an hour later than normal at night to see if that tempered it. It worked for a bit, then it didn’t. My partner cannot get up any earlier, it’s just not feasible for our wellbeing, and she is not allowed in the bedroom, she never has been, and until recently, she has respected that. Our other girl has no issue at all, we believe she sleeps through it.

If anyone could give any insight on behavioural reasonings behind this change, or any solutions? We tried tin foil around the door, it worked for a bit, until it didn’t. I don’t feel comfortable using sprays or tapes yet, I’m hoping there’s a behavioural change that we can foster. They are both very active before bed, and get played with a ton, especially in the evening, when we’re both home, so I don’t think it’s a boredom thing?? I have no idea what to do

So tonight is our anniversary, and he came from his friends cabin; no problem, I told him weeks ago I’d prefer him to take it easy Saturday night (he went Friday/Saturday) because he gets cranky when he’s tired/hungover, and he agreed.

Fast forward to today, dinner was fine, I could tell he was not engaging very much, but he was trying enough. We ended up going to a bar for a nightcap; becomes a bitch, a tired, cranky man. Like a switch flipped. So we only have two drinks there, and go home. We’ve split a bottle of wine at dinner and had two drinks afterwards, so we’re not like sauced.

At home, I’m like “I am going to go sit and watch my show”, and he goes “you’re not coming to bed??? Don’t you wanna have sex?” So we do end up having sex, and then I start crying, cause like… why does the emotional, actually important part of the evening not matter, but the sex does? And he doesn’t agree, he thinks they’re separate issues. Am I crazy?

So tonight is our anniversary, and he came from his friends cabin; no problem, I told him weeks ago I’d prefer him to take it easy Saturday night (he went Friday/Saturday) because he gets cranky when he’s tired/hungover, and he agreed.

Fast forward to today, dinner was fine, I could tell he was not engaging very much, but he was trying enough. We ended up going to a bar for a nightcap; he becomes a tired, cranky man. Like a switch flipped. So we only have two drinks there, and go home. We’ve split a bottle of wine at dinner and had two drinks afterwards, so we’re not like sauced.

At home, I’m like “I am going to go sit and watch my show”, and he goes “you’re not coming to bed??? Don’t you wanna have sex?” So we do end up having sex, and then I start crying, cause like… why does the emotional, actually important part of the evening not matter, but the sex does? And he doesn’t agree, he thinks they’re separate issues. Am I crazy for being upset?

I’m from Canada, not necessarily a super nice part of Canada (not Toronto or Vancouver for my non-Canadians). I’m from a very crime-ridden city, so I like to think of myself as being pretty street smart, but I generally feel safe at home, because I know how to not put myself into vulnerable situations, and I’m always on high alert walking through downtown. My fellow Canadians could probably guess where I am from lmao.

I have travelled to the US before, and felt pretty uneasy beforehand. I’ve been to Austin, Vegas, Honolulu, Minneapolis, and it all ended up being fine, I felt safe, but I was constantly vigilant. I have also visited major Canadian cities, like Toronto, which is my absolute favourite city in the world, I honestly feel safer in Toronto than my hometown. That may sound ass-backwards?

That being said, I am going to London next week, and I feel uneasier than I did when going to Vegas, Austin, and Minneapolis (I felt pretty comfortable going to Honolulu). I’m wondering if the city of London/the experience I will get is comparable to that of the average American city, or closer to that of a major metropolis that feels safe to me (Toronto)? I like the gun laws in the UK, as they’re similar to ours, but I’m scared of random crime, such as robbery or threats! Do I sound stupid?

I’ve struggled with anxiety for almost my entire life. I am 23 now, and I’ve been having panic attacks since I was 8. I started Prozac at 10, came off it around 14, couple more on and offs, mainly just for 6mo to 1yr. It’s omnipresent, still, but it’s manageable.

Anyway, as I’ve grown and matured, it gets easier and easier to manage. The way I see the world has changed, and I feel more in control of the anxiety than I ever have. That being said, I came to a realization recently that helped me a lot, and I wanted to share.

There will always be “just one more hurdle”.

“Oh, I’m struggling with my anxiety, but it’s only this one stressor. Once it passes, I’ll be fine!” “If it weren’t for this one thing, everything would be okay”. One day, it clicked for me. There will always be another hurdle. You will keep pushing the “finish line” further and further away. It’s a part of you, and there will never be a day where you say “wow, I finally have no anxieties.” Or if that does happen, your brain will find one, don’t you worry! It’ll make one up if it has to.

Not to sound discouraging, that is not my intention. But your brain will always convince you that there is a finish line, and you are just so close. There may be a finish line, there may be an ending to it for some people. As I’ve grown up, I’ve come to embrace my anxiety. She teaches me about myself, she has taught me how to cope with her, and she’s just now integrated into my everyday life, in a certain capacity. I’m still in therapy, I’m still using all the tools I’ve been given since I was a kid, and sometimes it sucks, and I still have the panic attacks, but I’m rewiring her instead of trying to get rid of her. Maybe the title of this should have been “My anxiety has given me Stockholm Syndrome” /s

Hope this can help anyone reading this, I’m literally just a nobody on Reddit who had this realization recently, and thought it could help.

*Trigger warning to those still struggling* I have a history of anorexia, and I lovvvveeeed using my anxiety as a reason for not eating. “Im just so nervous, I can’t”. “I just feel so anxious, I can’t”. I do have anxiety, but it was an easy scapegoat. It was hard to admit to myself that I was using a daily struggle of mine (the anxiety) to enable a hidden struggle of mine (the anorexia). I just want to know if this is a common experience.

I’d like to preface this by saying, I am a new cat owner, I have two girls, both 8mo, and they take their turns being angels (which means someone’s always a little shit).

This morning, I woke up, birds were chirping, sunlight peeking through the window. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, and put my slippers on, and opened the door to the kitchen, and what do I see??? The freshly purchased pack of tortillas, every single tortilla with a perfectly (purrfectly) shaped bite taken out of it!!!!

Not the top half, that would have been salvageable. Somebody, and i know which somebody it was, chewed through the plastic overnight, and took a singular bite out of each of my tortillas. She has never done this with bread, or with hamburger buns, but for some reason, the tortillas were soooo alluring, she just needed to get in there.

Not so much seeking advice, as I feel like it was kind of my fault (but why the switch up, neither of my girls have ever done that), but hoping this story brings someone joy, as it surely did not bring me joy at 8:37AM.

How am I gonna watch him play the trumpet in a squirrel suit now?

My gal (7m old female) is a stray rescue, and her foster mom told me she didn’t like wet food, but she assumed it was because she only ever bought beef pate, and some cats are picky with beef.

We have another cat (also a 7m old female), who eats pate and dry, and we tried everything to get her sister to eat pate with her, but alas, seems like she just will not take pate. They do have separate bowls, and are bonded as far as we can tell, so for anyone wondering if our resident cat could affect her mealtimes, it’s not that!

Since she’s a stray, she was very underweight when she came home, and so we were desperate for her to gain weight. We have been feeding her only kibble for about a month, obviously giving her a double portion to her sisters, as her sister will eat 1/2 pate, 1/2 dry. We mix both of their dinners with water (I know female cats are less prone to urinary tract problems, I don’t care, I hydrate their food anyway 😂😂), and so we continue mixing her dry food with water and she has no problem eating it.

Is it a taste thing? Doesn’t seem to be a texture thing as she eats the water soaked kibble. Is she getting enough protein/hydration? She’s seeing the vet for the first time on Friday, and our vet is a notorious diet-shamer, so I’m nervous.

My boyfriend will oftentimes be angry with me, emotionally switch on me, and has been physically abusive, to the point where my foot has been broken during a fight.

I just don’t know, I can’t tell if I’m a victim, because I initiate fights all the time, and I hate being a victim of anything. I love him, and he’s not like that always, but does the “sometimes” make me a victim?