Sertraline and insomnia - any advice please?

[whycantwegoonasthree]

Hi there - been struggling with sleep for a few months now and GP about a month ago prescribed Zopiclone for a fortnight to help reset. Whilst it helped short term it didn't reset anything and when I finished the course I was back to not sleeping.

She has since prescribed Sertraline to try and address the underlying anxiety (there's a lot going on in my personal life as well as trying to look after two young children and run a small business in a post-Brexit economy) and I've been taking that for a week.

I know it takes a while to work, but my sleeping has worsened so I'm back on the Zopiclone for a further week after three days of no sleep at all.

The first week of Sertraline was hellish - was trembly, sick and really agitated. These feelings have worn off, but I'm so anxious about the sleep. I'm certainly not feeling any less anxious generally, possibly more so. Nights of no sleep make me feel really desperate and low.

I suppose I'm looking for something to make me feel optimistic that the Sertraline will help with the sleep long term. Because living week to week with the Zopiclone and knowing that this may be my last lot is, in itself, quite anxiety-provoking.

I take it in the mornings...

Any experiences you could share would be helpful. I'm finding that fact that it's all a bit trial and error, and no-one really knows whether it will help or not, well... It's not great. I feel so in the dark about it all.

Thanks in hope...
x

[CarrotPuff]

Insomnia is a common side effect that should go in a week or so. It did for me.

[8FencingWire]

Give it a couple of weeks. After 6 months of sleeping 2-3h a night, I even have lie ins now!!! I'm on Setraline (50mg) a day. I take it when I remember in the day.

[Felascloak]

Err that sounds horrible.
Hopefully it will settle but as the insomnia predates the sertraline it may not.
If not you could always ask to switch onto mirtazapine as this has a sedating affect. Makes you want to eat though!!

[GottaCatchEmAll137]

I was prescribed Sertraline for insomnia. It took a few weeks but eventually worked brilliantly to stop the late night rumination cycle that keeps you awake! Seems drastic to ask for sedatives when the Sertraline hasn't had chance to works. Took me about 3 week. Good luck, OP!

[FaintlyHopeful]

I started on 50mg- horrible side effects for about 10 days and then I felt magic, sleeping properly for the first time in years and no anxiety. I went up to 100g last week because I was getting a bit anxious again....kind of back to square 1, feeling sick and not sleeping but really hopeful that this is the right dose because it was a revelation. I know you probably can't imagine not stressing about sleep but for me setraline seemed to switch off the bloody incessant chatter in my head about sleep. Hang in there- hope it works for both of us.

[Rachcakes]

I've been on Sertraline for a few years. Do you have any chance in the day to wear yourself out physically? I'm often mentally exhausted, but it's hard to sleep with the brain doing it's thing.
If I have a really good session in the gym I have the best sleep ever.
It's overcoming the mental barrier to go out and do it that's the hard part.

[whycantwegoonasthree]

Hi all - thanks for all your messages and sorry it took me so long to reply, the app logged me out and I couldn't remember my password to get back in.

I've been taking the Zopiclone each night since I posted, as sleeping. Well, being unconscious anyway - it's not quite the same but it's better than being awake...

I think, tentatively that after ten days of Sertraline I'm starting to feel a bit better... In that I'm feeling sleepy and less anxious in the evenings and less jittery and adrenaline-filled in the day.

I'm considering ditching the Zopiclone tomorrow night - I don't have a busy day on Saturday so will be less stressed about it.

I've got done Dormesean (sp?) which is Valerian root and Hops which is supposed to be good for sleep, which I intend to use as a bit of a prop to get me through doing without the Zopiclone.

I've also been taking a B vitamin complex with B12 and magnesium, which are supposed to help with nerves, and I've started seeing a counsellor (first session today) to try and get to the root of the anxiety and also give me some coping strategies...

I'm proper anxious about stopping the Zopiclone though. I haven't had a night's sleep without it in over a month...

[whycantwegoonasthree]

Rachcakes - I'm very active... Go to the gym regularly and walk about 15k steps daily. I'm physically and mentally exhaunted by the time I go to bed, but it doesn't seem to make any difference...

[Lovemylittlebear]

Hopefully the meds will kick in and be helpful soon - also take a look at some CBT or psychological therapy for the anxiety and sleep. I had an awful time with anxiety and sleep after I had my daughter and became very anxious and obsessed around sleep. I can highly highly recommend ACT for anxiety and insomnia. I saw a sleep neurologist for a one off Skype - dr guy meadows. He has a sleep clinic in London also and a book out. I also saw dr Beverly Coghlan via Skype. She was fantastic and for me - a life changer with helping to address underlying issues. I'm hopeful things will get better for you soon and your meds kick in but also do take a look at therapy to run alongside it x

[Islaimmylove78]

Hi I know this is an old thread but I’m in the same boat as you were when you first posted. Did it help you in the end?

[whycantwegoonasthree]

It did, yes. The first couple of weeks were bumpy but it settled. I stayed on it for about 18 months and then decided to stop, which I did, gradually and without too many problems.

That said, another 18 months on and the insomnia is back, so I'm considering going back on them...

Good luck... x

[Jules1989]

Hi all sorry I know I have joined an old thread but feeling a bit optimistic and need some reassurance. I have had insomnia for years and years and all the over the counter meds have no effect on me anymore. I went to the drs and they gave me sertraline to try and help the underlying cause and zopliclone but only enough for twice a week! I’m on day 11 of sertraline and the insomnia is awful worse than the before! And I can only take the zopliclone twice a week. I don’t have a drs review until June 12th and the sleepless nights with 2 young children is exhausting! Any tips help appreciated, also do you think it’s safe to have melatonin in the evenings with sertraline. Thanks in advance

[SeaShell33]

@whycantwegoonasthree @joules1989

Did either of you get any relief from the insomnia?
Currently in the same desperate situation.
Day 10 (three on 75mg)

[archiebugs]

Hi there.Just wondered when the insomnia went with sertaline.Struggling at the moment

[CustardySergeant]

I take 100mg of Sertraline daily and my GP prescribed 15mg Mirtazepine taken in the evening to treat the insomnia. It works, thank goodness.

[archiebugs]

Thanks so much for your reply.Did you find the insomnia was worse with serraline at the beginning?

[brummiemumm]

Hi. Know this is an old post but I am struggling with insomnia too. Having terrible spasms in my body every time I try to fall asleep. Doctor has prescribed sertraline but I'm petrified to take it incase it makes things worse. Did it help in the end???

[ScifiCole]

Brummimum

I was getting those spasms too it was awful. Doc put me on Sertraline 50mg at the start of March 2020 and while my depression has greatly improved, the spasms remained. I did a bit of research and started taking a B12 supplement [1000ug] daily. The spasms are nearly gone now. Unfortunately, my insomnia came back once I switched from Mirtazapine to Sertraline [Mirtazapine was a Godsend for my sleep] but to be honest it made me pile on weight because I was always hungry! Piled on near 3 stone!

I now take Sertraline, B12 and Melatonin 10mg [I order them online] at bedtime. Hope this helps.

[Vanill1]

@SeaShell33 not sure if you will reply as this is quite old but hoping someone will to let me know that it does stop x

[SeaShell33]

@Vanill1 hello lovely ❤️ back in 2020 I was about 3 weeks into Sertraline and then prescribed Zopiclone to try for 5 nights to help with the insomnia. I used them for 3 nights and they helped me to sleep and after that I slept fine knowing there was something I could take if I could not sleep.
I came off Sertraline in Oct 2020 but this was a mistake as the Sertraline helped to stabilise me and a few weeks without it the insomnia returned as I was so anxious. I then tried Mirtazapine for a year and it did help me to sleep but I was always so tired the next day. Also if I didn’t get much sleep whilst on Mirtazapine the next day was much more difficult because of the exhaustion. I’m now back on Sertraline and sleep better because my mind is more settled and I also know that even if I have a bad night sleep I will cope ok the next day, it won’t physically hurt me. Also I’ll be honest with people around me (even at work) that I’m tired from poor sleep and people always reach out and say they struggle too and are tired. This makes me feel less alone and more understood and less worried about poor sleep. Hope this helps!

[KateP81]

Hi ladies,

I know it’s a really old thread but hoping someone could advise. I’ve had anxiety over the last couple months due to a traumatic experience in old job and rather than going sick I got a new job which possibly isn’t the fix I needed. I was hoping my anxiety was peri menopause related but it’s not and so I’ve been given 50mg Sertalin and didn’t read anything before taking one for two consecutive days this week wed and Thurs, but I feel awful with anxiety, much worse than when I started and I literally cannot sleep. I’ve decided, with dct advice that I’m just not continuing with them. Any experiences of being on them for such short time? And any advice to help with the sleep now? I’m super worried as I don’t get full pay on new job as probation period so really can’t take time off, which is stressing me out more. x

[Vanill1]

Hun u sound exactly like I was. But I continued the meds and now into week 9 I am a million times better! I was on sleep meds to help so that my anxiety didn’t get worse around sleep. Yesterday was the first time I’ve slept without it. Your sleep will come back but will take a good few weeks. I was working at a new job with 3 hours sleep full time as I couldn’t afford not to but I did it and survived. If you want to pm me please feel free xxx @KateP81

[Jancotts]

Hi @vanill1 I realise this is an old thread but thought I would try & contact you. I’ve been on Sertraline 50mg for 3 weeks now but my sleep is terrible, lucky if I get 2-3 hours a night! I would really value your advice on what to do. Thanks Jan

[Mandles67]

I've been on sertraline 50mg for 3 weeks and night times awful.wake up shaking and sweating, really dry mouth....it makes my anxiety worse.. only sleeping a few hours and because this happens it makes me anxious to go to sleep again...has anyone else had this too??

[Mandles67]

Hi ...yes I've been on 50mg 3 weeks and I can't sleep. When I do sleep I dream and wake up swesting and shaking and dry mouth ....Night times are horrible x Hooe you ok now as this post was a few months ago xx