Extreme tiredness while on my period and taking sertraline.

[Thunderbolt]

I started taking 50mg of sertraline back in April and since then the week before my period I just can't function because I am so tired. I don't know if it's linked or just a coincedence.

Since Monday I have been sleeping for about 15 hours a day. I would get up at 7:30am and do the school run, go to sleep again at 10am, get up at 2:30pm for the school run and then I'd have to stay awake until 7:30pm (which was a struggle, one night I fell asleep leaning against the fridge when I was supposed to be cooking dinner) when DS went to bed and then I'd be asleep by 8pm. Rinse and repeat. I started my period 3 hours ago and all of a sudden I am wide awake and feeling normal. I'll feel fine now and sleep a normal 8 hours until it all starts again next month. It's been like that since April.

I've had several blood tests for thyroid/iron levels etc. and all has been normal. I think my GP thinks I am just lazy? I don't want to stop taking sertraline if possible because it's the only med that has worked for me so far. Just don't know what to do.

[Thunderbolt]

Anyone? :(

[Clarella]

I'm really sorry about this; I was going to ask about thyroid as it can interfere with thyroxine but I'm not sure if that's in normal people of those taking thyroxine.

What were your actual thyroid results? Please do find out , print out if possible, and post here.

I had to come off it due to possibly messing with thyroid levels this which was a shame as it was great otherwise. This could have been managed ok but It may have caused other side effects in me that we aren't sure about.

[Clarella]

Sorry rubbish typing!

My British medical association lists sertraline as being a med you may need to take more thyroxine with.

It would usually be sleeping all the time if thyroid though.

Sertraline did make me very sleepy indeed at first too.

[Clarella]

Sorry, BMA thyroid book. I'm
V tired myself!

[Thunderbolt]

Thank you, Clarella, I I will take a look at that book.

My GP just said my thyroid levels were normal, nothing specific. I've had the test done twice now because I do tick a lot of the boxes on the thyroiduk symptoms list.

I just can't continue like this.

[Clarella]

Alternatively you could try coming off the sertraline to see if it makes a difference?

[Clarella]

Please get the results.

Unfortunately it's a very grey area; levels need to rise above a certain point before hypothyroidism is diagnosed.

For some reason about 18 years ago when I was diagnosed they tested my antibodies which showed autoimmune thyroid disease, but they don't seem to do so easily now.

But slightly high levels could warrant monitoring.

Have they tested ferritin, vit d and b12 too?

[Clarella]

You don't need to get the book unless definitely hypo; all it says is a list of meds that interfere with thyroxines absorption.

However, look again at your sertraline leaflet; I remember thyroid being mentioned on an annoyingly unspecific way.