Sertraline is not helping yet

[Scorpio]

Hi all

Posted a thread about coming into sertraline for ocd, depression, intrusive thoughts, I was prescribed sertraline four weeks ago and am feeling very ill, literally itchy, ears ringing, a terrible jaw clenching and jittery. What's worst is my ocd thoughts are stronger, what's weird is I can't react! I feel 'locked in' 

So was wondering if anyone identified with this and whether I need more time? I see a holistic doctor who does not endorse meds and says get off them and my g.p I will call tomorrow.

Might I add I am moving house tomorrow with a 2 year old! This could be worsening me! I am also very tired very early and waking at four a.m with dreaded anxiety questioning everything. I feel disconnected from.the world currently and am still waiting for therapy. Just feeling alone and looking for some advice or something to be optimistic with as feel pretty numb 

Thanks xx

[PolarBear]

I'd give it some more time. Four weeks is borderline for them to start working. Moving is stressful and stress makes OCD worse.

As far as your holistic doctor, you might as well chew on an old boot as take any advice from him as to how to get better from OCD.

[PaulyB]

You need to give them a maximum of 12 weeks, also it depends what dose you are on. I am on them and they helped me but I had to go to the maximum dose (200 mg). It took about 8 weeks before anything started happening. I certainly felt **** for quite a while at the beginning. 

As for the the Holistic Doc I agree with Polar Bear, I had to google what a holistic doctor is and I'm still non the wiser.

[Scorpio]

Haha basically someone who doesn't agree with western medicine and believes that we can all manage our symptoms with natural alternative routes, the doc put me back onto 50 as he said 25 is pointless, I kinda feel better but don't, can't explain it, my behaviour is certainly far less erratic but process of thoughts are the same and just as frightening but I am not getting emotional from it, don't know if that makes sense?

[Lynz]

I don't mean to disparage you but why would you see a doctor like that when what they prescribe is clearly unhelpful at best and quackery at worst?

The reason why treatments are "alternative" and not endorsed by Western medicine is because there is no evidence base for them, if there was then they would be part of mainstream medicine. But that is a topic for another thread I guess.

[Caramoole]

If you're experiencing side effects like jaw clenching and feeling significantly worse, do go back to your GP and discuss, if for no other reason than having some support but they do need to know what's going on.  

[Franklin12]

I don't know why the big downer on holistic medicine. We don't know Scorpio's holistic practitioner to be able to judge them, but the general idea that lifestyle plays a major part in wellness is surely not quackery. Most of the major long term conditions most common in western society are heavily influenced by lifestyle, yet the main emphasis on treatment still is very medicalised. Again, we don't know anything about Scorpio's therapist but a move towards a need for biopsychosocial treatment of long term conditions is not regarded as quackery, and if a holistic therapist is prepared to look at all aspects of a person e.g. Diet, stress, exercise, thinking styles, support etc. then I don't see why that's much worse than chucking some drugs at a problem that is far more complex than a simple brain chemistry issue. Whilst I appreciate that some people with OCD have reached a place where they are so poorly that they really benefit from medication, I really don't get why the alternative route has been dismissed so vociferously here without even asking what the therapy entails. 

[Scorpio]

Well he is a proper g.p but gave up western medicine and I think when it gets really severe a combination of both can be beneficial, I ruled out meds for years but something has to be done as I feel out of control inside, I completely agree with the CBT needs to be done aswell though, as I have many fears I need to come to face with, the meds have mellowed me out I'm very unsure of when to take them, tried taking them straight before bed and woke up with stomch acid and gas again but doc wants me to do the full six weeks! 

[PolarBear]

Franklin, I would have no problem with someone going to a practitioner to get advice on diet, exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc. No problem. I would have a problem with a naturopath or holistic practitioner claiming they have the cure or fix for OCD. Perhaps I put the cart before the horse on this one, but I am very suspicious of any claims of improving OCD when it doesn't involve CBT, with or without traditional meds. My reason for that is simple. I have yet to meet one person who was significantly helped by anything other than CBT, with or without meds.

[Scorpio]

He doesn't claim to have the cure, we all know there is no cure other than acceptance of uncertainty and dismissing thoughts until they start to be insignificant which is easier said than done when it's affecting ur nearest and dearest and has harm and sexual themes, if mine would go I would be one of the most happiest women on the planet, I don't want or enjoy thoughts/feelings/checking etc, I would literally undergo brain surgery to get rid of it if it was successful! As am sure many on.this forum would. It brings me down on a regular basis day to day and am permanently arguing, rumination and attempting to rationalise thought, it's been five to six years of utter hell. And of course it's so taboo I can't discuss in depth with anyone not even my partner so I feel alone. Sertraline has just stopped me from crying about it which is odd as I cried nearly every day. This is what it must feel like to bottle it up like people who don't speak about their issues. I hope when CBT comes around I can engage in it truthfully and not be ashamed or scared of the themes