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Anyone taking Sertraline?

18 replies

GoldenNCurly · 07/09/2020 15:12

I am on my 4th day of taking 50g of Sertraline and not feeling great. Nausea, no appetite despite feeling hungry, no energy and just feeling meh.
Some support and advice would be very appreciated

OP posts:
vampirethriller · 07/09/2020 15:17

I take it, been on it three years and the first week was the worst. It really helps me, I feel like a human being again, it's been life saving. Stick with it a bit longer, it's been completely worth it for me

GoldenNCurly · 07/09/2020 15:23

I'm glad you are feeling better and I really hope I start feeling better soon. Can I ask what dose you are taking and when you began noticing improvements?

OP posts:
Thecathouse · 07/09/2020 16:01

I take 100mg of it. It really does help the symptoms, it’s good practice to have therapy alongside it though to help you learn coping mechanisms (I have anxiety)

As for the side effects, make sure you a drinking a whole glass of water when taking them and take it with or just after food, not on an empty stomach, I know you said you have no appetite so it’s hard, but you do feel less sick with food

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chocciechocface · 07/09/2020 16:06

Life changing for me too, but it was hard to get going.

GoldenNCurly · 07/09/2020 16:14

I have forced myself to have breakfast for the past two days which has helped a little. I was never a breakfast eater before and usually only ate one big meal, but i seem to feel constantly hungry and empty now but with no appetite. I work in health and social care and have set meal times so its hard to eat when hungry

OP posts:
MonsteraDeliciosa · 07/09/2020 16:40

My DD is on sertraline. She said the side effects die down after a couple of weeks and she’s doing very well on it now, with no further problems.

Hope it works out for you, OP.

vampirethriller · 07/09/2020 18:18

I'm on 100mg now but started on 50, it took probably just over two weeks for me to notice an improvement.

Emancipated · 07/09/2020 18:32

I’m just approaching two weeks now and I’m starting to notice an improvement now. My symptoms did get worse to begin with.
I’ve been on it before and it was great. Really helped me with anxiety and low mood. I felt it stopped me getting into the real low lows that I’d have.

GoldenNCurly · 07/09/2020 23:05

Thanks for the responses, fingers crossed the side effects won't last much longer.
How has you sleep been affected? I take the tablets in the morning but find I'm not tired when I go to bed and wake easily, where as previously I could sleep for a solid 9 to 10 hours

OP posts:
BritInAus · 08/09/2020 00:54

Give it a month - it will probably feel worse before it gets better.
I feel so normal on setraline - I can't imagine not taking it now. Hang in there, and if it really doesn't suit you, see your GP in a few weeks and try something else.

DaenerysD · 08/09/2020 02:20

I've just had mine increased to 200 however I remember the early days well and it's only been 8 months?
Make sure you take with plenty of water and do not lie down afterwards.
I did. Oh my word it was awful burning pain for hours in my throat.
Sleep wise? That's a whole different basket of crap. Melatonin is my go to daily fix and I swear by it.

They do help. Keep going 🙏🏻

user1471565182 · 08/09/2020 05:24

Yeah I take 100mg- I think you will be over the worst of it now but the first up to 2 weeks can be a slight nightmare. If you stick it out it might be the best decision you ever took though, I dont think id be here without it and it completely levels my mental health to a good position.

I'd advise you to use the extra motivation it should give you eventually to do things you find constructive or just for yourself. I remember when I first started on it (nearly 10 years ago now) it made reading so much clearer and more pleasurable for me. It removed a lot of fog.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 08/09/2020 07:53

I'm on 100mg Sertraline daily. When I first started I took a 50mg pill and spent the whole day feeling like my head was slowly expanding and about to float away. Doctor said reduce to 25mg and only increase when I felt ok. I did get nausea, lasted about a week after each dose increase.

NastyBlouse · 08/09/2020 08:20

Yes, I'm on it. 50mg. Have been for about three months now. It's working really well for me; I feel like myself again.

It did take me about five weeks to get past the side effects. I had some nausea and lack of appetite, which diminished after about a week for me. But I also had headaches, some disassociation and a bit of anisocoria. I also felt listless and meh for a few weeks, so much so that I considered coming off them. I'm glad my husband, GP and my therapist gently encouraged me to stick with them, because those feelings eventually passed too.

The sleep is worth raising with your doctor. It is quite common to have disturbed or poor sleep on sertraline, but there are things they can do. My GP who said at the time that he was being a bit experimental with this one prescribed me a low dose of amitriptyline, which I take in the evenings (I take the sertraline with my breakfast). If I take it at 6pm I start nodding off at about 10pm. I usually sleep through now, although I do have the odd night where I wake up at the witching hour.

Obviously what's right for me isn't necessarily going to be right for anyone else, so the above isn't a recommendation as such; I just thought it might be helpful to know that there are things the doctor can do to help. Besides, before going for more drugs, they'll ask about your 'sleep hygiene'; the usual stuff like making sure you drink plenty of water, don't drink alcohol (some people can drink on sertraline, but in general you really shouldn't on amitriptyline), no screens for a couple of hours before bed, meditating, warm baths etc etc.

You've not mentioned any of these but as a general point, be careful with some of the herbal sleep remedies (valerian, CBD oil etc) because they can interfere with the sertraline and cause, or worsen, side effects.

EoinMcLovesCakeJumper · 08/09/2020 09:45

I'm just starting to come off it, as it's making my hair fall out, but I was taking 200mg. I started on 50mg, though, and as far as I can remember, I was over the worst of the starting symptoms within 5 days. I was lucky in that they were all pretty mild, apart from a really weird afternoon when I couldn't stop yawning, but the insomnia continued to be a problem for quite a lot longer. I resorted to Night Nurse on occasion, which I definitely don't recommend. If it doesn't get any better for you, see if your GP will prescribe you something like an antihistamine to take at bedtime.

GoldenNCurly · 08/09/2020 10:02

I had a better sleep last night, only waking once and fell back to sleep easily. Feeling a little better, no neausa but still unmotivated to do anything

OP posts:
GoldenNCurly · 18/09/2020 11:45

I've been taking Sertraline for two weeks now and although I am not having any physical side effects, I feel really unmotivated and disconnected from everything. I wake up just feeling empty and can't seem to plan my day as I just can't be bothered to do anything. Is this normal?

OP posts:
TheYeaSayer · 18/09/2020 11:58

You should speak to your doctor/psychiatrist. Maybe a different SSRI would be better for you?

My DD has tried sertraline and fluoxetine and found fluoxetine suited her much better.

Good luck, OP.

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