Sertraline - hideous side effects. Please help :(

[catinboots]

Hi. I'm on day 2 of 50mg of Sertraline which has been prescribed for anxiety and depression.

Oh my god. Today my anxiety is hideous. I can barely put one foot in front of the other.

Is this normal? How long will it last? When I was on Prozac several years ago the doctor gave me Lorazepam for the first couple of weeks.

I have got to go to work on Monday but there's no way I'll be able to if I'm still in this state

[Makinglists]

I started with 50mg Sertraline last sept - didn't sleep for the first 48 hrs and felt bloody awful - then I felt very spacey and a bit 'high' - I guess the worst of the side effects last around 4 days. Six months on I really feel the drug has been beneficial and things don't get on top of me as much and I sleep much better. Everyone reacts differently I think your not meant to see any beneficial effects for a good few weeks - but I guess if you still fell really awful after a shorter while then perhaps need to chat to the GP.

Hope it gets better.

[FannyPriceless]

I don't know what to suggest, except to assure you that once you get through the adjustment stage it is so worth it! The first week or 10 days can be nauseous and spinning. It really helped me that I had a friend with PND at the same time as me, and we emailed a lot to help keep each other on track and get through it.

If you can persevere you will one day look back in disbelief at how things were for you. It is nothing short of miraculous that a little pill can change things so much. Hold on to the image of the relaxed, content, functioning, joyful person you will be in a month's time.

Any chance you can take a couple of days off work? You know - that weird flu virus that makes you feel all dizzy...? (I've been known to write nausea/virus on a sick form before.) And maybe a trip to the GP on Monday to see if there is anything you can take to make the transition stage a bit easier.

[poppypops]

Been on sertraline for the past 17 days. My experience so far has been the same, nausea and increased anxiety. GP warned me that I may experience hightened anxiety and nausea is a common side effect. It is horrible, especially when you have been started on it for anxiety.

Stick with it, side effects should ease off shortly. That is what I have been encouraged to do. Short term pain for long term gain and all that......hopefully!

You hopefully will feel a bit better by monday so try not worry just yet. Good luck

[laluna]

Hi I hope you are ok. I started sertraline on thurs too. My GP advised to start with half a tablet to minimise the side effects. Sod that I thought, so took 50mg on thurs. Woah! Quite bad side effects (nausea, headache, panicky, jittery, shaky, irritable) On fri, sat and sun I continued with a half dose and still suffered. Last night I took the other half a bit before bedtime and have felt better today side effect wise. I just need to decide whether to go full 50mg tonight.

The side effects have been grim but I am determined to feel better. Hope you have had a better day.

[catinboots]

Hi and thanks everyone.

I took 25mg yesterday and today. Felt a bit jittery at times but nothing compared to Saturday. I'm determined for this to work!

Laluna - let me know how you get on with the full dose. And good luck x

[laluna]

I took 50mg last night and it made me very sleepy. Slept solidly til about 5am so not a bad night. No side effects this morning.

[Mother2many]

HOLY! That's a big dose to start with!!! I started on ONE 25g, a day...then worked up to two, 25...and then now I am on 75 per day.. (took months to get there!!!!) I did think I needed more, and tried the 100, but that was too much!

My sister's doc. also put her on 100g per day from the start and she was also very sick from it!!!

I just don't get it... You never jump to a high amount first! jmho