Will sertraline work? When?!

Oh bless you, how many days into the sertraline are you now?

You will cope, you'll.be fine. Nothing stays the same forever.

It took a couple of months to start to work for me in a very subtle way. My GP gave me valium alongside it for when I felt out of control which I no longer need, that was literally a lifesaver for me. Some great advice on here from others. It won't last, you will start to feel better just be kind to yourself, small steps, small wins. Don't push yourself to get stuff done if your exhausted. I struggled to concentrate so couldn't read or watch TV so found some simple word games on my phone helped to take my mind elsewhere even if only for a few minutes. Eventually my churning stomach reduced and I have started to sleep for around 3-4 hrs at a time. You are not alone, keep pushing through and you will get there.

I'm on 50mg and started at 25mg in February, it took a good 2 or 3 months to get into my system and for me to feel any better.

Sertraline is odd. It makes everything worse and then you just wake up one morning and everything feels manageable.

Interestingly it happened to me this Summer I was put back on sertraline and about two weeks later asked to track my blood pressure. The first night I was terrified and in full sertraline panic. My BP was 201/90 (I didn't realize this was an emergency BP!). The next morning the sertraline had kicked in and I just felt more positive, that everything was manageable. My BP was 140/75. Still high BP (and remained so until I started BP meds) but an interesting thing from a panic and anxiety viewpoint of seeing the physical impact on the body of stress.

I was on sertaline for years and they pretty quickly scaled me up to 200mg and for the first two months I could barely function.

Anxiety, stomach upset, not feeling in the same room as everyone else, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, jitters, panic. However, I was so mentally poorly and passively suicidal that the trade off was worth it.

Despite feeling worse initially, I think about two months into it I just woke up one day and didn’t feel like there was a weight on my chest. It saved my life, undoubtedly. I would encourage you to continue and see it through a while longer.

Because I struggled so much initially the GP did also prescribe diazepam for seriously bad moments and I was also taking a high dose of quetiapine at the same time. Propranolol works too.

Grounding techniques (five senses, what can you smell, what can you feel etc) and breathing exercises - as pathetic as they sound when you feel this bad, did help me not totally crack up and lose my grip on reality.

Also taking the meds in the evening helped me manage the side effects more.

Wish you the best Op.

I have been on Sertraline for five weeks now. I was on Fluoxetine before that but I had awful side effects (bad tinnitus, blurry vision, bad anxiety) and after sticking it out for two months my GP suggested switching to Sertraline.

Currently on 50mg and I can’t say I’m feeling much better really. I think my anxiety has improved a little bit but my depression is still as bad as ever.

I struggle to sleep but then I haven’t really had a good sleep for a long time.

I did not want to go back on ADs (was on them previously) but my husband persuaded me as I was spiralling downwards again fast and I attempted suicide a few years ago.

Hope we all feel a bit better soon. Bad mental health is so debilitating.

❤️

Are you neurodiverse by any chance? SSRIs made me worse. I needed a SNRI.

I was on 200mg and it took about six weeks to kick in. That's a very low dose.

Is that app good for work type anxiety? Or more for things like flying and social anxiety etc

Yep, stick with it, it will work.

The last thing to go for me was the morning anxiety, but honestly it's worth persisting with.

Also, if you haven't already, download an App called ' DARE' and pay for the subscription version, it was a lifeline for me.

Yes definitely; how are you doing this morning?

I slept a bit better but not great; the high alert is still very much there at the moment! Day 3 for me.

I do hope you're feeling a bit stronger?

Hi OP I’ve been going through a hellish time and started on sertraline recently. I’m on day 5 of taking 25mg and start on 50 tomorrow. I had an absolute horrific day yesterday to the point I thought I would need to get myself admitted. I’ve hardly eaten for two weeks. I have bad work anxiety and I catastrophise.

I woke this morning feeling iffy but after an hour I started to feel better. I’m now able to drink a tea and eat a biscuit and get it down and my thoughts are not racing. It’s early days but I nearly gave up yesterday and I am so glad I didn’t. I don’t know what I would do without this community. Hang in there.

The high alert will fade soon. Promise. X

Hello! I’m on day 4 of 25mg, have had quite a few what I can only describe as drinking 20 coffee's!! Jelly legs and have to lay down.

Exactly that, ultra high alert, jumpy, agitated, my anxiety is on the edge of a panic attack. My heart rate is higher than usual too so it's definitely physical.

It takes a few weeks for your brain to adapt to how the sertraline works, so it's actually a grest sign that it has started doing its thing.

I'm watching Strictly and trying to focus on breathing deeply to ease the anxiety a little x