to ask about sertraline?

[chicaargana]

Tried searching the word 'sertraline' in the app but for some reason it won't let me. Can search everything else... is this a mn thing?

Anyway, I've been prescribed this for anxiety today. Severe anxiety..

Anyone have any experience? I'm convinced it won't work.. I feel like nothing could get rid of this feeling. Does it take a long time to kick in?

Feeling anxious about the anti anxiety meds

[Sapphire387]

My partner took it for a few months before we got together, and said it really helped him come out of a bad period of depression. He stopped taking it as an experiment and found he was fine without. Sometimes it’s just something you need to do for a while. Some minor side effects (a little weight gain; slightly decreased sex drive) but nothing that hugely affected him compared to the benefits.

[chicaargana]

I do worry about weight gain. I've just had a baby and am desperately trying to lose weight 😥

[Catcrazy008]

Worked a treat for me. No real side affects.
CBT really kicked my severe anxiety though. First time I had cbt minimal affect 2nd time round with a different therapist, 99% no anxiety and ii is wonderful.
I hope you get relief, anxiety is not nice at all.

[Treezylover]

I started it about two months ago for anxiety and also didn’t believe anything could make me feel better. It has done, and sometimes I actually feel happyish again, but around three weeks after starting them I felt a lot worse. The dr said it’s quite common, so just a warning that it might take a while to kick in, and don’t be tempted to stop. Good luck, I hope you start feeling better very soon x

[AlphaNumericalSequence]

I take sertraline. I find its anti-anxiety effect is better than its anti-depressant effect. Takes a couple of weeks to kick in, and then the effect continues to get a bit stronger for a while before reaching a plateau..
I've been on and off it for many years so I can say that for me it isn't hard to withdraw. I know that some people worry about that, so I wanted to offer some reassurance.

[canyoufeedthedog]

I have been on it for severe anxiety for five years, it did work and still does because when I tried to come off it I felt that dread and fear after two days, went straight back on it. The side effects for me are very reduced sex drive, slight weight gain but it's nothing compared to living with that dread, fear, anxiety that I lived with, for me, for now it's a godsend

[U2HasTheEdge]

I started taking it 5 weeks ago. I started on 50mg for three days, then went up to 100mg. After three weeks I went onto 150mg. I was on citalopram but they weren't working.

I feel much better than I did! No side effects.

I hope they work for you too

[canyoufeedthedog]

Basically it numbs you, it numbs the anxiety and fearful feelings but the downside is it numbs sexual feelings for me, I have to weigh up what is more important, at the moment it's not feeling that dread every day but it affects people differently so please stay in touch with your doctor and find a med that suits you x

[canyoufeedthedog]

I started on 50 then went to 100 it definitely works x

[chicaargana]

I'm a single mum to a tiny baby so the sex drive thing sadly might not be an issue. Haven't had sex since around when my baby was conceived, then his dad decided my body was too ugly for him as he doesn't like pregnant bellies! Urgh.

[canyoufeedthedog]

Also OP, I don't know if this will be useful to you but I smoked cigarettes and almost immediately I was able to give up, never touched one for five years and never will now, so if anything I have sertraline to thank for giving up smoking, a silver lining but one I cling on to x

[KittyKel]

To start with I felt awful. jittery, shaking hands, upset stomach, unable to concentrate. That lasted about 2-3 weeks (I wasn’t used to taking any medication) and lthe side effects distracted me from feeling depressed!

Unfortunately it wasn’t for me, but loads really benefit from it.

[Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis]

Are you still with this charming specimen?

[canyoufeedthedog]

Oh I'm so sorry OP , that's all on him I hope you realize that, what a twat to say that to someone who is carrying his baby, you are amazing, you have provided a safe place for your baby to grow in your body and you are worth a million of that awful male x

[EmeraldShamrock]

There was a thread recently, A pp mentioned they're good for pmdd. I had been on prozac for many years, every month I turned into a monster.
Anyway I went and was prescribed sertraline 6 weeks ago, this was month wasn't half as mad this month, I take 50ml half month and 100 the next. I feel alive agaun, my sex drive has returned, I am more organised, so far so good.
I am constipated lots but it is the only downfall ATM.

[canyoufeedthedog]

I have been prescribed Prozac, citralopram and I can honestly say sertraline was the only thing that worked for me but I did work with my GP through this, he was amazing and was willing to listen to me and understood the crippling anxiety I felt was real, sertraline is ,I believe a better anti-anxiety pill than any other but please talk to your GP, they want you to feel better x

[canyoufeedthedog]

Can you just give it a try OP? It's not going to change you as a person, I'm still myself just don't have the anxiety, you need to try it and keep in contact with your doctor about symptoms etc, give it a chance and if it's not for you your GP can advise something else, good luck op and I hope you feel better soon x

[helpconfused]

Deffo works for me. I'm sleeping, don't feel nervous/sick/on edge anymore and I'm going through another really tough time. They are holding me at stable levels. Took only a week or so to notice my sleep pattern changing.

[ReallyReallyNo]

I’ve been on it for a year. I do feel much much better and it worked quite quickly for me, only a few days after starting them I felt much more human.
I did find though that they caused nausea and indigestion at first but I was able to keep it under control by taking it with a full
Glass of water and some food.

[Ihatehashtags]

Sertraline is weight neutral so I wouldn’t worry about that. Most patients find it works well.

[AllesAusLiebe]

I take sertraline. I’ve had depression and anxiety on and off since I was a teenager, but I’m currently taking it due to postnatal depression.

Because I’ve had this illness for so long, I’ve been subject to an awful lot of trial and error over the years (I don’t think there is an SSRI on the market that I haven’t tried). Sertraline was a game changer for me because everything else numbed my feelings of depression, but worsened my anxiety in a big way. I remember taking Prozac years ago and being physically unable to stop tapping my foot which was pretty scary at the time.

I haven’t experienced weight gain with it and I’m not totally convinced on the research that it causes weight gain either, to be honest. Generally it takes about two weeks for me to notice a difference.

It’s not a ‘catch-all’, however. Personally I much prefer myself when I’m on it, but it’s important to stay realistic. You may still have bad days but my advice would be to stick with it. Good luck.

[IncyWincyGrownUp]

I’m three months in. Don’t feel as bad, but still not great. It’s a long journey though and I’m sticking with it.

[wertuio]

I’ve been on sertraline for about five years.
I’m surprised to hear the comments about sex drive, my DW thinks the impact on drive and performance is pretty amazing.

[U2HasTheEdge]

For people who have been on it a while, how long did it take you to feel the full benefits of the drug?

[DancingintheSpoonlight]

Recently increased my dose on advice from GP. She advised it's one of the best out there and doesn't have any evidence to suggest it affects weight. GP assured me it's very safe taken properly and seems to help majority of those who take it.
Does admit can sometimes cause you to feel a little worse for a week or so before you improve but it's worth it- just make those close to you aware in case you need extra support. She said not everyone finds this, it's just worth being aware.
Hope you feel better soon!