Advice and experiences on starting sertraline please?

[WhyNotMe40]

I'm very anxious about taking it. Which is not surprising advice been prescribed it for generalised anxiety (and depression / OCD)
So I tried it before and didn't get past the first dose due to side affects, but I've now been told to try again but with half tablets initially.
Do I take them morning or evening? I don't get much sleep now and bedshare / breastfeed so need to take that into account. (Toddler not baby though).
Will I cope with my kids, driving, stressful job?
Do I take them with food? I don't normally eat breakfast...

Any experience of taking it you would care to share would be gratefully received!

Advice = as I've. Stupid autocorrect

Can't talk about Sertraline specifically but I currently take Citalopram and had exactly the same fears as you.

So much so, they sat in my desk drawer unopened for over a year until things got so bad, I knew I had to try. I started with the tiniest dose. I cut the tablets into slices (which was basically crumbs) and took a tiny dose the first few days then up to a quarter, half etc. By doing so I avoided the worst of the side effects. The only thing I noticed was lots of yawning which I didn't mind as I had been so strung out and hyper vigilant with anxiety for so long it was a relief to actually feel yawny and sleepy.

I've now been on them for nearly five months and my life has changed beyond recognition. I am a different person, calmer, less extremes of mood, anxiety is still there occasionally but much less intensity. I feel normal.

I take mine after lunch in the middle of the day . It doesn't matter when you take them, as long as it's the same time every day. You will find a time that suits you best. Some prefer evening, others morning, or like me - midday.

Good luck and don't give up at the first sign of a side effect. They will pass if you persevere. Start slowly and build up if you need to - it worked for me.

I have taken it for a few years - I take it first thing. I don't think it matters much if you eat breakfast or not (I don't). I didn't really notice any side effects to be honest and they definitely helped. The only advice I'd give is to not stop them cold turkey because you're too lazy to sort out a new prescription...it doesn't end well! Good luck; I really hope they help. They're life changing.

Sertraline side effects can be hard and can last up to a couple of months. They can make anxiety symptoms worse for a short while. Try to persevere if you can as they're very effective.

Thanks

Same here. Scared for the side effects I really don't have room to ' possibly feel worse' or to put on more weight.

I had some dizziness but really minor and for a few days (and when stopping). Also night sweats . Sertraline was a miracle for my PND.

I’m now on 200mg a day, have been for a long time. Not prepared to stop soon as other medical issues intervened and tbh, Dr & I aren’t willing to mess with the dose yet in case it’s not depression and instead linked to recently diagnosed but longtime unknown sufferer of MAJOR problem!

However, I think I was lucky - I don’t remember any side effects at all. I know I started a lot lower as I still have some 50mg. I had been on citalopram and they didn’t seem to help so was later prescribed sertraline. Dr advised taking them in the morning as they can make you struggle to get to sleep and my sleep is poor anyway. I don’t take them with food, just knock them back with other medication as I wake up. I’ve had no brain fog so driving didn’t feel affected and my job was stressful anyway and so this helped if anything, giving me better perspective.

Good luck OP, hope they help

It's been great for me, I've been on it a year now. The first few days I had nausea and bad sleep. Now the only side effect I have is absolutely mental dreams.

It's been great for me. I take it in the morning, the only side effect I had was a couple of nights disturbed sleep- only about 4.

I've had sertraline in my drawer for the last 6 months. Been too scared to take them. Planned to take it yesterday, chickened out. I know I really do need to take them. I'm actually sitting looking at the tablet now. I've divided it into quarters.

I restarted Sertraline five months ago now. I had quite a few side effects to start with inc disturbed sleep, persistent nausea, headache, dizzy and 'brain fog' - kept getting words muddled. Now these all stopped within month two. If you can just keep going the outcome (for me at least) is huge. I know tablets aren't for everyone but due to other medical conditions I am pre disposed to depression.

My experience of Sertraline was feeling nauseous, slightly dizzy and light headed, along with total loss of libido.

They work for 8 out of 10 people but dh didn’t suit them so he has mirtazapine now instead.

I've taken sertraline twice in my life (currently on the second stint).

Weirdly the first time - approx 3 years ago - I had terrible nausea and anxiety in the first couple of weeks. This time round I've had absolutely no side effects at all and it is working a treat. I feel like a new person.

I started sertraline in September and it's worked wonders for me! I started on half a tablet for a week then a full one. I take it first thing in the morning.

The only side effects I had were teeth grinding for a few months and vivid dreams, the dreams are the only thing that's lingered. It's not just nightmares either, all my dreams are so vivid down to the smallest detail!

I found they started to work for me very quickly and I'm just so glad I started. Good luck, OP!

Well having spent most of today in floods of tears for a silly mistake (which is not great when you teach teenagers - had to keep pretending I had a cold) - I think it's time to put my big girl pants on and start tomorrow morning...
... Wish me luck!

How are you getting on, OP?

I started on half tablets last week, and did feel calmer and had fewer panics (not sure if that was placebo effect though) but had to stop them as I was so tired and lethary, and just felt so "stupid" that I couldn't look after the kids properly, and I don't think I would have coped with work..

They made me tired at first too, OP! I've seen that some people take them in the evening to combat this. Could you try that if you weren't already? It would be a shame to give them up if they seemed like they might help.